Buzz
Today, Mytour will guide you through the process of connecting a VHS (Video Home System) player, also known as a VCR (Video Cassette Recorder), to your television. Although VHS technology is now considered outdated, you can still connect your VHS player to most TVs using a coaxial cable or an AV cable set. If your VCR doesn’t support coaxial cables and your TV lacks AV inputs, you can use an RCA-to-HDMI adapter to connect via AV and HDMI cables.
Steps
Using a Coaxial Cable
Locate the coaxial ports on both your TV and VHS player. The coaxial port is a round metal cylinder with a small hole in the center, though older TVs might have a small round hole at the back.
- Both the TV and VHS player must have coaxial ports for this method to work.
- If your TV or VCR lacks a coaxial port, you can still use an AV cable to connect your VCR.
Ensure you have a coaxial cable. Coaxial cables feature identical connectors—hollow metal cylinders with a pin in the center—and often include a threaded ring at each end to secure the connection to the port.
- If you don’t have a coaxial cable, you can purchase one online or at an electronics store.
Turn off and unplug your TV. This minimizes the risk of damaging the TV or injuring yourself while connecting the VHS player.
Connect one end of the coaxial cable to the coaxial port on the back of the VHS player.
- You can tighten the threaded ring to ensure a secure connection to the VHS player.
- The coaxial port on the VHS player is often labeled with terms like "TO TV."
Connect the other end of the coaxial cable to your TV. Similarly, the cable must be plugged directly into the back of the TV.
- Tighten the connection if necessary.
Power on the VCR. Plug the VCR’s power cord into an electrical outlet (wall socket or power strip).
- If the VCR’s power cord is detachable, ensure it’s securely connected to the device’s power port first.
Plug in and turn on the TV. The VCR may power on simultaneously; if so, skip the next step.
Turn on the VCR. Press the "Power" button located on the VCR.
Switch the TV to channel 3 or 4. Use the "Channel +" or "Channel -" button on the TV or its remote to switch to channel 3 or 4. The specific channel may vary depending on the TV; once the VCR’s blue screen appears, you can proceed.
- For some VCRs, you need to set the channel on the VCR itself before playing a tape.
- To play a VHS tape, simply insert it into the VCR and press "Play" to start watching.
Using an AV Cable
Ensure you have an AV cable. AV cables are typically red, white, and yellow, and are commonly used to connect older devices to TVs.
- The white and red cables are for audio.
- The yellow cable is for video.
- If you don’t have an AV cable, you can purchase one online or at an electronics store. AV cables are relatively inexpensive.
Check the AV input on your TV. The red, white, and yellow ports are usually located on the back of the TV, though on some older models, they may be on the front panel.
- If you find red and white ports but no yellow port, look for a green port labeled "Video." If your TV has one of these, you can still use an AV cable.
- If your TV lacks AV inputs, you’ll need to purchase an RCA-to-HDMI converter (not HDMI-to-RCA) and an HDMI cable.
Turn off and unplug your TV. This reduces the risk of damaging the TV or injuring yourself while connecting the VHS player.
Connect the AV cable to the VCR. Plug the white cable into the white port, the red cable into the red port, and the yellow cable into the yellow port on the back of the VCR.
- Some VCRs only support mono audio, meaning there’s only one white and one red port on the back. Simply connect the cables as usual and leave the unused cable unconnected.
Connect the other end of the AV cable to the TV. Locate the red, white, and yellow input ports, then plug the cables into their corresponding ports.
- Ensure all cables are connected to the same input group, row, or column. Input areas are often numbered.
- If using an RCA-to-HDMI converter, follow these steps: connect the AV cables to the color-coded ports on the converter, plug the HDMI end into the converter, connect the other HDMI end to the TV’s HDMI port, and plug the converter’s power cable into an electrical outlet (e.g., a wall socket).
Power on the VCR. Plug the VCR’s power cord into an electrical outlet (wall socket or power strip).
- If the VCR’s power cord is detachable, connect it to the device’s power port first.
Plug in and turn on the TV. The VCR may power on simultaneously; if so, skip the next step.
Turn on the VCR. Press the "Power" button located on the VCR.
Switch the TV input if necessary. If the TV isn’t set to use the AV input, press the "Input" or "Source" button on the TV until you reach the "AV" setup screen. You can now use your VCR.
- To play a VHS tape, simply insert the tape and press "Play" to start watching.
Tips
- If you use a receiver to manage all TV inputs, you can connect the VCR to the receiver instead of the TV. Most receivers have HDMI and AV ports.
- Some TVs and VCRs support S-Video cables. S-Video offers higher quality and replaces the yellow AV cable (video).
Warning
- Not all TVs are capable of supporting older VCRs. If you have any doubts about purchasing a TV or VCR, check online for a list of supported hardware for your TV model.
