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How do I record programmes from BT Vision onto DVD?

Our digital TV expert says...

Hello Robert, thanks for your query about recording programmes from your BT Vision+ box to either DVD or an external hard drive. BT Vision (www.bt.vision.co.uk) is the internet-TV service from BT, which is available to all BT Total Broadband customers. It lets subscribers watch the Freeview channels that are available in their area, and also offers a range of on-demand pay-per-view content.

Unfortunately, although the BT Vision+ box has both ethernet and USB ports that could allow the transferring of files straight to a PC or an external hard drive, at the moment it is not possible to do this. This is because you can’t access the data on the Vision+ box in a way that means you can download recordings as raw data.

However, you can copy programmes to DVD by connecting a DVD recorder to the BT Vision+ box using a scart lead and playing the content from the box. For more information on how to do this, please read my guide below:

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The BT Vision+ box

Before attempting to connect your BT Vision+ box to a DVD recorder, you should familiarise yourself with the layout of the box. Have a look at the diagrams below, so you know where all the necessary sockets are.

This is the front of the box:

Source: BT Vision

This is the back of the box:

Source: BT Vision

What do I need to connect my set-top box to my DVD recorder?

Set-top boxes have two different types of output, so will have two different kinds of sockets. These are:

• Scart - Using a scart lead to connect your set-top box to your TV will give you better picture quality, widescreen switching and stereo audio. When connected using scart, the feed from the set-top box doesn’t appear on a TV channel, instead it comes in via the TV or recorder’s AV or Line-In feed.
• RF/co-ax - Most set-top boxes will also have a co-ax socket. These are used as a “loopthrough” to route the TV aerial feed through the set-top box to a DVD/VHS recorder.

To connect your BT Vision+ box to a DVD recorder, you will need two scart leads and two co-ax cables. These may be supplied by BT, but if not, can be purchased from all good electrical retailers.

Setting up BT Vision+ with a DVD recorder

To connect your BT Vision+ set-top box to a DVD recorder, just follow these simple steps:

1. Use a scart lead to connect your set-top box to your DVD recorder. Be sure to use the AUX scart socket on the back of the Vision+ box
2. Use another scart lead to connect your set-top box to your TV. Make sure you use the TV scart socket on the back of the Vision+ box
3. Next, connect your DVD recorder to your TV with a co-ax cable from the RF Out socket on the back of your recorder to the Ariel Input socket on the back of your TV
4. Then connect your set-top box to your DVD recorder using another co-ax cable. Use the RF In socket on the back of the DVD recorder and the RF Out socket on the back of the BT Vision+ box
5. Finally, connect your set-top box to the aerial on your roof. Plug the aerial co-ax cable straight into the RF In socket on the back of the BT Vision+ box.

If you have any problems with this, please look at this diagram on the BT Vision website.

How to record programmes to DVD

Once you have setup your set-top box and DVD recorder, simply select the programmes you want to record from your BT Vision+ hard drive and press “play”. Then press record on the DVD recorder. If you are having problems, you may have to tune your DVD recorder into the right frequency with the BT Vision+ box.

Other things to note include:

• You’ll be unable to write copy-protected content, such as the on-demand programmes and films, to a DVD
• If your BT Vision+ box is connected to your TV using a HDMI cable, the scart sockets will be disabled, and so copying to DVD won’t work.

I hope this helps answer your question Robert. If you have any technical problems with your BT Vision+ box, be sure to read BT’s troubleshooting guide for more hints and tips.

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