[mts9855]

My parents have been watching TV all these years without cable for many years. They have an older VCR with coax connections and single audio and video jacks ( no component or S-video jacks at all). They just bought a new Samsung LCD TV and I am trying to make it work. When I installed the new TV I connected the coax cable from their antenna to the input of the VCR. The coax output of the VCR was connected to their new LCD TV. When I turn on and setup up their new LCD TV I see the available HD channels. When the VCR is turned on and the TV set to channel 3 I lose significant picture quality. My father likes to record PBS programs and I can only see them when the VCR is on. With the new VCR's with out a tuner I wondered about that hookup and what that would benefit. My parents like to watch and schedule recordings on the VCR and I wondered if that could be done . They are reluctant to go with cable or satellite and I am trying to figure out their options

[WallyHelps]

Here's what I would do:
With a 2-way cable splitter, split the antenna cable and attach one side to the VCR input and the other side to the antenna input on the TV. Use standard audio/video (composite) cables to attach the VCR audio/video out to the TV's audio/video in.

Now, you can receive all channels directly on the TV from the antenna. If you want to record a program, just do this as they always have. To watch a recorded program, change the TV's input from ANTENNA to AV1 (or whatever it might be called) and press PLAY on the VCR. (It sounds like your VCR is mono audio, so you just use the TV's left or right audio channel).

Since the antenna input is split, you can even watch one channel from the antenna while recording another on the VCR. (Assuming you don't have to rotate the antenna between channels).

The splitters are available everywhere for less than $10. Don't get an ultra-cheap one, because you might get some interference or degraded HD reception.

Hope this helps,
WallyH