The 811 is connected to the TV with composite video cables and the DVD is connected to the TV with composite video cables. Componet 1 on the TV is the satellite box. Componet 2 is for the DVD recorder. I've tried every combination listed in the Dish book and the TV book, but I still do not get video through the DVD. I only get sound. I can only play a DVD, not record one.
I assume you mean COMPONENT video cables connect the 811 and DVD to the TV, not composite, which is a single YELLOW cable rather than 3 cables (Red, Green , Blue). You describe how the 811 and DVD outputs are connected to the TV, which results in your ability to watch DBS channels and DVDs. You don't say how the 811 output is connected to your DVD recorder input. This should be via a direct S-Video cable from the 811's S-Video OUT to the DVD recorder's S-Video INPUT.
I tried this and it didn't work. I have to have the composite to the TV from the Toshiba Model # D-VR3SU for progressive scan. Anyway, when I disconnected the composite from the 811 and connected the S-video to the 811 and the DVD recorder, I got sound on the TV but no picture, and nothing on the DVD recorder.
Again, I think you mean that you have to have COMPONENT to the TV video INPUT from the DVD video OUTPUT to support progressive scan. That is the correct setup. However, to use your DVD recorder, you need a signal source routed to the DVD recorder's video and audio INPUTs, typically either S-Video or composite (single yellow cable) video for the video source and one Red and one White analog audio cable for the sound source. These 3 cables must come from one of the OUTPUTs on the 811, not from anything on your TV or A/V receiver if you have one. Otherwise, the only source for recording is from a built-in analog TV tuner in your DVD recorder, if your Toshiba has such a tuner (many DVD-Rs do).
With the S-Video cable from the 811 OUTPUT directly to the DVD-R's S-Video INPUT and the 2 (1 Red, 1 White) analog audio cables from the 811's OUTPUT 1 or 2 analog audio, directly to the DVD-R's analog audio INPUT, you can view the DVD-R's recording source (i.e., the DBS channels on the 811) on you TV by selecting the TV's Component 2 input source (i.e., your DVD) and selecting the external source on your DVD-R's channel selector. On my DVD-R w/ a built-in analog tuner and front and back external source input connections, I have an L-1 for the rear S-Video source, an F-1 for the front S-video source, a dubbing position, and then all of the scanned-in analog TV channels.
With this setup, if your TV is set to COMPONENT 2 for DVD viewing, you should see on the TV whatever is on the DVD-R's channel/source selector. If you don't, you may have a bad S-Video cable. BTW, this setup won't work if you have a video OUTPUT from your DVD-R going to the 811's video input and you try to view the DVD-R through the 811 on channels VID-1 or VID-2. This sets up an infinite loop and all you see is garbage on your TV if the TV has COMPONENT 1 for 811 selected.
Yes. That is all connected properly. The setup worked great with the cable box. My question is how do I connect the DVD to the 811 Satellite box to get video on my DVD recorder.
Again, run an S-Video cable from the 811's S-Video OUTPUT port to the DVD-R's S-Video INPUT port and what the DVD on your TV via your COMPONENT 2 for DVD input.
I tried connecting to all the inputs and outputs on the back of the 811 box to my DVD, but none of those worked either.
You should only be connecting the OUTPUTs on the back of the 811 to the inputs on your DVD-R if you want to record something from the 811. If you do that, you can't cable the signal back to the 811 for viewing on your TV from the 811's input to the TV. That creates an infinite loop and the signal is lost. You can however watch DVD's from the 811's input to your TV if you connect the OUTPUT of your DVD-R to one of the 811's composite video inputs. That may be OK for watching VHS tape on the VCR, but it will be less satisfactory for viewing a DVD versus watching the DVD on your TV with direct COMPONENT cabling from the DVD-R to the TV.
I just talked with the Dish tech and we checked the 811. He said that the DVD isn't recognizing the Line In from the 811 Video 1- whatever that means. I have no idea, nor did he, how to correct the problem. But he had me reconnect the wiring to see if the 811 is emitting power from the Video 1 inputs and he said it is, but we never did get the video to the DVD recorder.
Now, I need to figure out how to get the DVD recorder to recognize or accept the Line 1 from the 811 Satellite box.
The 811 Video 1 Line In is a single Yellow video cable from the Yellow, Video 1 OUTPUT port on the 811 to a Yellow video INPUT port on your DVD recorder. Not seeing the 811's output on your TV? Have you select the external video source input in your DVD-R's setup? Are you attempting to view the 811's output on your TV with TV selected input from the DVD (Component 2 you called it)? If you have followed all that I've said above and you still don't see anything on the TV, you either have a defective video cable (I'd be using S-Video not composite video in the first place), a defect in your DVD-R, or an error in how you are setting up your DVD-R to select a recording source (go back and check the manual). Just for added assurance, I'd ensure that there aren't any cables attached to the OUTPUTs on your DVD-R that run to the 811 INPUTs. None. Na Da.