Recording hotbird

What I have:

TV (four scart sockets)
VCR (two scart sockets)
Sky digibox (to receive Sky digital)
Seperate receiver (connected to my old 60cm dish, with digital lnb and pointed at Hotbird satellite)
DVD player

What I can currently do (recording wise)

Record Sky digital (even when watching hotbird or a dvd)
Record any of the remaining analogue channels (whilst watching Sky digital or a dvd)

What I want to be able to do (in addition):

Record from hotbird (whilst watching Sky or a dvd)

I've tried scanning my vcr again for channels, but it doesn't find the hotbird signal. I think I know what the problem is, but not how to resolve it. I (think) I need a scart lead from vcr to (hotbird) receiver, but both scart sockets in the vcr are being used.

The problem is that the VCR has only one recording input. It has two scarts but one of these will be wired for output only.

The other problem when you use a non-switched type of adapter is that you simply cannot have both receivers on at the same time as one signal will cancel the other.

My head hurts!!

Really, though, DB, thanks very much for going to the trouble of trying to explain all that. I think I understand - at least partially. I do have a switchable, four-way scart, which became redundant when I changed my television (the new television has four scart sockets).

I was hoping I could do this without having to get up off my arse and switch the adapter, but I see what I can do from following your instructions. Thanks again.

This is gonna sound complicated.

You need a supply of scart leads and at least one scart input adapter to have several devices for one display. The adapter must be a switched type.

This is the type of adapter I mean.

[hidden link - please register]

Connect the Sky box to one of the inputs of the adapter
Connect the Hotbird receiver to the other input of the adapter
Connect the output of the adapter to the VCR
Connect the VCR to the TV by the other scart on the VCR

Do not try and tune the VCR for hotbird. Select AV on the VCR and the appropiate AV on the TV. Turn on both the SKY Box and the hotbird receiver and flick the switch on the adapter and the picure should change. That is what will be recorded.

It now gets really complicated. If you have enough scart sockets on the tv then you can connect these to other scart outputs for the Sky Box, The Hotbird receiver and a dvd player and just chose the appropiate AV on the tv to view them.

Another way is to obtain another scart input adapter and connect scart leads from the equipment with just one more scart going into the tv and again select the different AV source on the tv for which one you want to view.