How to change TV tuner?

[gguerra]

Originally Posted by KemBro71

Nope.

Before the OP described his entire set up (loop through some ancient analog VCR, etc.) he asked a simple question....how to change the input from tuner to cable box.

For modern day setups, and based on the picture of the back of his TV, it would be pressing the INPUT button on his remote which would cycle:

ANTENNA (tuner) >> HDMI 1 >> HDMI 2

Depending on his remote there might be a slightly different order of button pressing, but the antenna (tuner) is one input and anything else hooked up to the HDMI ports are another.

Now of course the ANTENNA must be connected and in an area to pick up the OTA signals.

Now the OP throws another curveball sort of because his cable box lacks an HDMI out, it appears (how old is it!??!). No wonder why it all has to get looped through a VCR and splitter and whatever other spaghetti bowl of RCA cables is required.

He only stated antenna, doesn't mean he is using OTA. He only has cable, that's it.

I guess you missed the part where I mention the TV. It's an ancient model. It has barely one HDMI. It's such an obscure model that I could not even find the manual online. Not to mention that even the "New" TV is already way outdated. It's not just a matter of switching inputs. On most TVs nowadays, the same RF (coax) input is used for Antenna and Cable. You have to tell it which one you are using.

OP. Forget what I posted earlier. Hook it up the same as your old TV and try looking for a button on the remote that says 'Setup' or something similar. You should be able to find where you can switch from 'Antenna' to 'Cable'.

You could also post a clearer and more complete picture of the back of the cable box. I cannot see it.

At this point, I don't think HD is important to you. Not when you are still using a VCR. Picture quality apparently is not a concern.

[howard555]

The previous owner used this TV for the same intent we have which is with Roku. I can't get a better photo of the back of the cable box until new camera batteries arrive. I marked each connector on the photo. It looks like our camera batteries are not supposed to arrive from Amazon until the 23rd - 27th.

We just wanted to test the TV independent of Roku, etc.

Here is the same remote we have for the Orion. Hover and all choices can be seen.
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32809074652.html

[gguerra]

Originally Posted by howard555

The previous owner used this TV for the same intent we have which is with Roku. I can't get a better photo of the back of the cable box until new camera batteries arrive. I marked each connector on the photo. It looks like our camera batteries are not supposed to arrive from Amazon until the 23rd - 27th.

We just wanted to test the TV independent of Roku, etc.

Here is the same remote we have for the Orion. Hover and all choices can be seen.
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32809074652.html

That's a Dish Network remote. Is that what you are using for the Orion? Program it for Orion if possible (see manual) and press the 'TV' button on the top, then try "Menu". It may work it may not.

Otherwise you need the original remote that came with the TV or buy a universal and program it for Orion. The universal should have a button that says "Setup" or "Menu" or similar.

Orion itself seems to be obsolete so good luck with that. Check out their web site, mostly CRT's.
Orion | TV

As for the Roku, that is HDMI. None of what you have been asking applies to that.

[PacoMartin]

Originally Posted by howard555

The cable from the wall is for cable TV and internet so it goes to a splitter. From the splitter the coax cable conects to the cable box input. The cable box output is another coax cable going to antenna input on the back of the VCR. The antena output (coax) on the VCR goes to the coax connector on the back of the older Sony TV. Everything works. There is also an AV cable from the back of the cable box (output) going to the AV input on the VCR. This lets us record the picture on the TV when the TV is turned on or off.

HD can't go into your TV via coax cable. Your older Sony TV was probably only standard definition. What year was the TV manufactured?

[howard555]

Originally Posted by KemBro71

Is the cable box already hooked up?

The TV remote (and the TV itself) should have a prominent button labeled 'INPUT' (PROBABLY) that will cycle through all of the hooked-up inputs. Make sure the cable box is on, then press the INPUT button until the picture shows up.

If your cable box is not hooked up then that has to happen first.

On the side of the TV is input/enter. That gets Input Select:
0. TV
1. video
2. component
3. HDMI
4. PC

We are not looking to connect to this TV using HDMI at the moment. We want the cable box to send the channels to the TV through coaxial or AV cable.

Originally Posted by KemBro71

Not true. He said he has an external antenna. The built-in tuner would be operable when that input is selected.

No external antenna. Cable TV box from the local cable company.

Originally Posted by gguerra

You can connect the coax output from the vcr into the tv but you have to change settings ON the tv to actually see it. Look for the menu button on the remote. This was your original question, I think?

Now we have the TV on and on the screen we see "video." Seconds later it reverts back to digital channel signal strength is low.
We do not have the cable box connected to the TV.

We had a "gear icon" to settings but not getting it now. Some combination of buttons.

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Attached is a photo of another TV (that belongs to someone else and it's an LG) and all it's connectors.

[KemBro71]

Well then with all this info...the simplest thing is to take the coax out of the your cable box and into your tv. Trying to go in component from your cable box probably isn't worth the effort.

And apologies...if you want to loop in your VCR somehow I'm not sure how to do that, it's been 20 years+ since I had to hook up a VCR looping cable etc. But my guess is you go coax out of cable box into VCR coax and then coax out of VCR into TV.

Then if I recall, you have to do a double-dance with each remote and the TV to make sure the signal is routed properly via the different input selections.

If you have nothing connected to the TV's coax input, it may be programmed to look for something there...like an antenna, hence the "low signal" note?

[howard555]

The menu gave choices 0-4 and 3 and 4 not applicable. Coax leaving the cable box output we got nothing on TV hooking that to the coax antenna connector on the TV.
When using an AV cord we do get a picture when set to "component." In a couple weeks we get a free Roku device and try YouTube TV.