Advice on hooking up HD cable box through Toshiba DR400 DVD Recorder with HDMI output

smh295 · 01-05-2008, 02:18 PM

Hi all,

I have an HD Comcast Cable Box and a Sony Wega LCD HD TV. I recently purchased a Toshiba DR400 DVD Recorder with HDMI output. I'm seeking advice on the best way to set this up. I purchased an HDMI Monster cable (which was quite expensive), but I'm trying not to use it unless I have to.

Here's what I've tried:

I attempted to connect my HD Comcast Cable Box to the Toshiba DR400 DVD Recorder the same way it was connected to my TV, with component cables (3 videos and 2 audios). However, the Toshiba DR400 DVD Recorder only has standard video input. So I connected my HD Comcast Box to the Toshiba DR400 DVD Recorder with just standard RCA cable (yellow, red, white). Then I connected the Toshiba DR400 DVD Recorder to my LCD HD TV with the component cables (3 videos and 2 audios).

I turned all 3 units on and all worked fine (got audio and video), but my HD channels failed to output in HD on my TV. It looked like they were just being displayed in 16:9 but not in HD. Is this because I'm using component cables instead of an HDMI cable?

So here's my question(s):

The Toshiba DR400 DVD Recorder doesn't have HD input, but does have HDMI upconversion, but does that upconversion only work if I use an HDMI cable to go from the DVD Recorder to the HD TV? If so, what's the point of the component cable outputs?

Is my solution simply to just not use my component cables at all and just use the HDMI cable to connect the Toshiba DR400 DVD Recorder to my LCD HD TV?

Thank you in advance for your help.

smh295 · 01-05-2008, 07:18 PM

Ok, here's what I ended up doing...

First, I was wrong about the component cables not producing an HD output. The output was HD, it was just displayed 16:9 widescreen and didn't fill my LCD HD TV like it usually does when I've had my HD Comcast Cable Box directly connected to my LCD HD TV. When I connected the HDMI cable from the Toshiba DR400 DVD Recorder to the LCD HD TV instead of the component cables, it produced the same 16:9 result, so that answered my one question.

Since the component cables and HDMI cable produced the same result, I kept the component cables connected the way I had them (from the Toshiba DR400 DVD Recorder to the LCD HD TV), but then I also directly connected the HDMI cable from my HD Comcast Cable Box to my LCD HD TV's HDMI input, bypassing the Toshiba DR400 DVD Recorder. This ended up working perfectly, producing the same HD picture I've always had with my HD Comcast Cable Box.

So now my usual HD Comcast Cable Box and LCD HD TV connection is working through my LCD HD TV's HDMI input and my Toshiba DR400 DVD Recorder is connected to my LCD HD TV with component cables. So now if I'm just watching TV, I can watch through Video 7 (HDMI input) and if I want to use my Toshiba DR400 DVD Recorder, I just simply change to Video 5 (component cable input) on my LCD HD TV.

I hope others find this solution useful. Please let me know if I'm missing something or if there's an easier way, but I'm very pleased with this result.

MaxxPower · 01-06-2008, 08:56 AM

As you've already found out, you cannot input a HD signal to the DVD recorder, so passing thru the DVD recorder will downgrade the signal to SD even through the HDMI or component upconversion. The cable box can only be connected to the DVD recorder either via standard composite or s-video (if available) so it can only record/viewed in SD, regardless of the input content.
The recorder will playback an upconverted signal via either the HDMI or the component cables (which is not true HD), but if you're playing back a recording that was originally broadcast in 16:9 HD, the recorder will have recorded it letterboxed in 4:3 aspect ratio, giving you black bars on all 4 sides (unless you use zoom).
I'm still waiting to find a DVD recorder that will actually record the widescreen ratio, even if it is SD (obviously), but I won't hold my breath.

smh295 · 01-06-2008, 08:59 AM

Thanks for the reply. Yeah, I'm waiting for one that will record in HD as well. I wasn't able to find one, which is why I went with a recorder with upconversion, but I guess even that won't record a true HD picture because of the SD input. Oh well, I'll join you in the wait. I'm pretty happy with this Toshiba DR400 DVD Recorder in the meantime.

Sailor08 · 01-02-2009, 05:47 PM

Unless I missed something, you did not indicate whether you are now able to record with your Toshiba. I have a somewhat similar setup: Digital Cable box connected to Toshiba recorder RD-XS54SU using S-video and the recorder to the HDTV via composite cables. It will play DVDs but it will not record, thus my interest in your results.

As an aside, I had originally connected the recorder to the TV with HDMI but this froze the recorder. Removing the HDMI and unplugging the recorder restored its functionality.

Cable box is Atlanta Scientific, new, and I'm starting to believe that it's an offspring of HAL...as any attempt to split the cable signal BEFORE it enters the Box will make the TV non-functional(no picture), and splitting the signal AFTER the Box to feed a small LCD HDTV results in the small TV displaying "your TV will not support HDCP" when the main TV is off, but will work fine when the main TV is on.

Sorry, this started as a simple question but deteriorated into a sob story...

01-05-2008, 02:18 PM	#1
smh295 What is HD? Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 3	Advice on hooking up HD cable box through Toshiba DR400 DVD Recorder with HDMI output Hi all, I have an HD Comcast Cable Box and a Sony Wega LCD HD TV. I recently purchased a Toshiba DR400 DVD Recorder with HDMI output. I'm seeking advice on the best way to set this up. I purchased an HDMI Monster cable (which was quite expensive), but I'm trying not to use it unless I have to. Here's what I've tried: I attempted to connect my HD Comcast Cable Box to the Toshiba DR400 DVD Recorder the same way it was connected to my TV, with component cables (3 videos and 2 audios). However, the Toshiba DR400 DVD Recorder only has standard video input. So I connected my HD Comcast Box to the Toshiba DR400 DVD Recorder with just standard RCA cable (yellow, red, white). Then I connected the Toshiba DR400 DVD Recorder to my LCD HD TV with the component cables (3 videos and 2 audios). I turned all 3 units on and all worked fine (got audio and video), but my HD channels failed to output in HD on my TV. It looked like they were just being displayed in 16:9 but not in HD. Is this because I'm using component cables instead of an HDMI cable? So here's my question(s): The Toshiba DR400 DVD Recorder doesn't have HD input, but does have HDMI upconversion, but does that upconversion only work if I use an HDMI cable to go from the DVD Recorder to the HD TV? If so, what's the point of the component cable outputs? Is my solution simply to just not use my component cables at all and just use the HDMI cable to connect the Toshiba DR400 DVD Recorder to my LCD HD TV? Thank you in advance for your help.

01-05-2008, 07:18 PM	#2
smh295 What is HD? Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 3	update Ok, here's what I ended up doing... First, I was wrong about the component cables not producing an HD output. The output was HD, it was just displayed 16:9 widescreen and didn't fill my LCD HD TV like it usually does when I've had my HD Comcast Cable Box directly connected to my LCD HD TV. When I connected the HDMI cable from the Toshiba DR400 DVD Recorder to the LCD HD TV instead of the component cables, it produced the same 16:9 result, so that answered my one question. Since the component cables and HDMI cable produced the same result, I kept the component cables connected the way I had them (from the Toshiba DR400 DVD Recorder to the LCD HD TV), but then I also directly connected the HDMI cable from my HD Comcast Cable Box to my LCD HD TV's HDMI input, bypassing the Toshiba DR400 DVD Recorder. This ended up working perfectly, producing the same HD picture I've always had with my HD Comcast Cable Box. So now my usual HD Comcast Cable Box and LCD HD TV connection is working through my LCD HD TV's HDMI input and my Toshiba DR400 DVD Recorder is connected to my LCD HD TV with component cables. So now if I'm just watching TV, I can watch through Video 7 (HDMI input) and if I want to use my Toshiba DR400 DVD Recorder, I just simply change to Video 5 (component cable input) on my LCD HD TV. I hope others find this solution useful. Please let me know if I'm missing something or if there's an easier way, but I'm very pleased with this result.

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01-06-2008, 08:56 AM	#3
MaxxPower High Definition is the definition of life. Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 58	As you've already found out, you cannot input a HD signal to the DVD recorder, so passing thru the DVD recorder will downgrade the signal to SD even through the HDMI or component upconversion. The cable box can only be connected to the DVD recorder either via standard composite or s-video (if available) so it can only record/viewed in SD, regardless of the input content. The recorder will playback an upconverted signal via either the HDMI or the component cables (which is not true HD), but if you're playing back a recording that was originally broadcast in 16:9 HD, the recorder will have recorded it letterboxed in 4:3 aspect ratio, giving you black bars on all 4 sides (unless you use zoom). I'm still waiting to find a DVD recorder that will actually record the widescreen ratio, even if it is SD (obviously), but I won't hold my breath.

01-06-2008, 08:59 AM	#4
smh295 What is HD? Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 3	Thanks for the reply. Yeah, I'm waiting for one that will record in HD as well. I wasn't able to find one, which is why I went with a recorder with upconversion, but I guess even that won't record a true HD picture because of the SD input. Oh well, I'll join you in the wait. I'm pretty happy with this Toshiba DR400 DVD Recorder in the meantime.

01-02-2009, 05:47 PM	#5
Sailor08 What is HD? Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 1	Unless I missed something, you did not indicate whether you are now able to record with your Toshiba. I have a somewhat similar setup: Digital Cable box connected to Toshiba recorder RD-XS54SU using S-video and the recorder to the HDTV via composite cables. It will play DVDs but it will not record, thus my interest in your results. As an aside, I had originally connected the recorder to the TV with HDMI but this froze the recorder. Removing the HDMI and unplugging the recorder restored its functionality. Cable box is Atlanta Scientific, new, and I'm starting to believe that it's an offspring of HAL...as any attempt to split the cable signal BEFORE it enters the Box will make the TV non-functional(no picture), and splitting the signal AFTER the Box to feed a small LCD HDTV results in the small TV displaying "your TV will not support HDCP" when the main TV is off, but will work fine when the main TV is on. Sorry, this started as a simple question but deteriorated into a sob story...