Check all the TV and VCR functions. If you still don't get the functions you want, proceed with Option 4. Option 4 If none of the preceding hookups work, check with your cable company. You may need to purchase a video switching system from your local electronics or video retailer. This will easily handle most hookup problems. Remote Control of the Cable Converter If you have a cable converter, you will probably want to program your VCR's remote control so you can easily change channels. The process is the same as for programming the remote to operate your TV. For additional details, see page 40. Hold down the CATV button and press the number of your brand of cable box (shown in the chart). If that button combination does not work, or if your brand is not on the chart, just go through all the button combinations until you find the one that works best. Cable Converters Press CATV and This Number Jerrold 1 1 Jerrold 2 2 Jerrold 3 3 Hamlin 4 Zenith 5 Scientific Atlanta 6 Pioneer 7 Philips 8 To operate the cable box once the remote is programmed for it: Press CATV and then the button of the function you want. Press VCR to operate your VCR with the remote again. Advanced Operations (Stereo System) Integrating Your Stereo System There are several reasons to consider hooking up your stereo system with your TV and VCR. If your TV does not have stereo, you can get stereo quality from your VCR by hooking it to your stereo receiver. Even if your TV does have stereo, you can get better sound by taking advantage of your stereo's better speakers. You can record stereo audio on your VCR for longer play times, or use the VCR as an extra tape deck for dubbing. Hookup Stereo System Hookup Illustration To make this hookup, you need to be familiar with the options on your stereo system. Look at the back of your receiver. Probably you have AUDIO IN and OUT jacks for a second tape deck - labeled Tape 1 and 2, or AUX 1 and 2. Consult your stereo owner's manual for further information. You will need two audio cables - the kind with two color-coded plugs on each end (for left and right audio channels). With the power off: Connect the right (red) and left (white) AUDIO OUT on the VCR to the right and left AUDIO IN on the stereo system. Connect the left and right AUDIO OUT on the stereo to the right and left AUDIO IN on the VCR. The AUDIO IN (left) on the front of the VCR handles the left-channel or monaural sound. If you connect an audio source only to AUDIO IN (left), both left and right hi-fi tracks record as monaural. Recording from Your Stereo System With the hookup just shown, you can use your VCR to record a custom program of selections from your stereo library. The videotape recording will give you excellent stereo quality and a long-running tape. In this case no video will be recorded, so you can do the whole thing without turning on the TV. Assemble the selections you want to record on the stereo, and insert a blank VHS cassette into the VCR. Be sure that HIFI is selected in the Initial Setup screen of the Easy Guide System. Press DISPLAY, then press 5 on the remote control to select SP or EP. The EP setting gives you reasonable quality and a longer tape program. Press AVX on the remote control to turn the LINE (L1) indicator on. Press REC/IRT on the VCR and start the stereo playing. To stop recording, press STOP. To play back the recording, rewind the tape and press PLAY. Advanced Operations (Second VCR) Integrating a Second VCR With another VCR hooked up, you can copy videotapes as needed, and you can get fancy with multimedia programming. For this discussion, we refer to the model VTF390A Hitachi as VCR2 and the other unit as VCR1. Hookup To hook up a second VCR, you need: A video cord with a single jack on each end, and An audio cord with two jacks on each end, or A three-way cord that has both audio and video jacks Study the back of VCR2 (VT-F390A) to find the three color-coded jacks that are labeled IN. The yellow jack is for video, red and white are for audio. Locate similar jacks on VCR1. Then, with the power off. Connect VIDEO OUT on VCR2 to the yellow VIDEO IN on VCR1. Connect the AUDIO OUT jacks (left and right) on VCR2 to the AUDIO IN jacks (left and right) on VCR1. Be sure to match left to left (white) and right to right (red). Second VCR Hookup Illustration Copying from One VCR to Another (Dubbing) Consider VCR1 the recording VCR, and VCR2 (VT-F390A) the play-back VCR. You will play a tape on VCR2 and record it on VCR1. To begin copying: Insert the videotape you wish to record in VCR2. Insert a blank or erasable tape (with the safety tab intact) into VCR1. Press AVX on VCR1 - the LINE indicator will display. Press REC on VCR1, and press PLAY on VCR2. To monitor the picture as you record, VCR1 must be connected to your TV (follow instructions in the other VCR's manual). Press the VCR/TV button on the remote. The VCR indicator will light on VCR1's display and you can view the picture being r...