Hi I'm trying to hook up a cable box with premium channels and a vcr/dvd combo so that 1 I can record form the cable box and watch a channel on the vcr/dvd recorder non premium channel 2 record from the dvd/vcr recorder while watching a premium channel or any channel on the cable box I know there is a splitter a a/b switch and coax cables involved unless there is an easier way thanks

If your TV has video inputs try this:

Split the coaxial cable, put one into the dvd/vcr, put the other into the cable box.

Connect the cable box and the dvd/vcr with audio/video cables into the TV input 1 and 2.

You can then record shows on basic cable while watching premium (didgital cable I assume) on the TV, then switch to video 2 and watch a previously recorded show.

There wouldn't be a way to record one premium channel and watch another unless you have a DVR. Also if you don't have video 1 and 2 on the TV, yes an a/b switch will be needed.

Don't know if I helped, but I hope so!

Here is another way:

Split the coax cable coming in. Put one into the cable box, one into the tv's built-in tuner (if available).

Take the cable box output and connect it to the VCR/DVD inputs using a/v cables. Connect the VCR/DVD combo to a TV input using a/v cables.

Now you can record cable box channels while watching TV using the built-in tuner, or switch to the TV input and watch cable box whether its recording or not.

On a side note, depending on the premium channel and the cable box, you may not be able to record a clean signal due to copyright protection and so forth.

Your cable box will have connectors on the back for video and audio outputs. There will be a F-type connector for your coax cable input and output, then some "RCA" jacks which are outputs which are color-coded: Yellow (composite Video), Red (Right audio) and White (Left audio).

The cable box may have a S-video connector also (usually black). S-video will give a better picture than composite video.

Your DVD/VCR will have the same colored jacks and possibly s-video jacks. They will be labeled as inputs and outputs. You will need a/v cables that have RCA plugs on both ends with the same colors, red, white and yellow. Plug yellow to yellow, red to red, white to white between cable box and DVD/VCR.

Now on your TV, assuming it is a relatively newer model, you should have the same "RCA" jacks - Yellow, red and white on the back. You are interested in the inputs, and will usually be labeled such as AV 1 IN, AV 2 IN or something similar. We'll use AV 1 IN for this example.

Using another a/v cable as described above, connect the DVD/VCR outputs to the TV inputs. Again red to red, yellow to yellow and white to white.

After all that, the cable box channels will go through the DVD/VCR to your TV, when AV 1 IN is selected. If the recording feature is turned on, then the current cable box channel should be recorded.

Now your TV should have a built-in tuner. Once the coax is split, connect the other coax to the TV tuner input. Now you should be able to watch TV using the TV remote, instead of using the cable box.

To watch the cable box, switch to the TV inputs (in this example AV 1). To watch regular cable, switch to the tuner.

If your TV, the DVD/VCR and cable box have s-video connectors, you can use them instead of composite video, for a better picture. Audio will still be the same.