Roku setup

[radioprophet]

Currently trying to connect a perfectly fuctional Zenith VR4207HF VCR to my TCL Roku TV and am getting a "No Signal" from channel 4 despite all the cables being new and everything being plugged in correctly. I tried from the AV input too and it didn't work (but I did hear static, at least.) Not even getting a blue screen. Channel 4 was scanned and is registered as for VCR, and worked prior. The VCR is not busted, the heads are clean and everything spins just fine. The connection is just not registering.

[andyross]

Many newer TV's no longer support analog antenna signals. The FCC dropped that requirement several years ago. You may need to get an adapter to convert the AV outputs to HDMI, which is probably the best.

Here is one cheap one from Amazon, although I've also seen some available at stores like Target or Walmart.

https://www.amazon.com/Converter-ABLEWE-Composite-Supporting-Blue-Ray/dp/B07RX69KR8/ 

[radioprophet]

Thanks for the response and the advice! I'll get an adapter and give it a shot!

[Strega2]

You might want to take that idea a step further and get a digital recorder which can not only read a composite video signal, but also record it into a modern mp4 file.

As for the TV, hmm,  it’s been years – possibly decades – since I used composite video, but I don’t remember getting static from it.  I think even if you have nothing at all connecting to a composite AV input, you just get a black screen and silence.  However, if you hook one of the audio lines, to a composite video output, I know that makes an annoying noise – not what I would call static though. (It makes you want to turn the volume down really quickly!)

[andyross]

The one thing I can add is whether the TV has analog AV inputs. If so, just connect the VCR with that. But then, I think many TVs are also getting rid of those.