Back to Basics: How to Set Up a DVD Player or DVD Recorder

Diagram by Dimitry Schidlovsky

You may have many options when you connect a DVD recorder to your system.  Here is one typical setup, where the recorder is routed through an A/V receiver.  The receiver allows you to switch between your various source components — like a cable box (shown) or a VCR — and send their signals to the DVD recorder for recording.  In this arrangement, you use the tuner in the cable box to change channels rather than the one built into the DVD recorder.