AFAIK, Dish is offering DVR's (Tivo) for this purpose, or at least they were. Did you check their website?

FWIW. My neighbors just had two free (special offer?) units installed on their Dish system...

TJ

TJ, Chose to not get their recorder because it has a monthly charge, plus I already have VCR's. Still am hoping to figure this out without incurring more costs!

Have spent hours reading the manual, researching online, and fiddling with cables. Will follow your directions, Jimisham. Wish me luck!

Thank you both for responding.

I have mine setup to do this.
Only I have the DVR from Dish Network.
What type of cables are you using to connect your satelite box to your VCR to your TV.

The hardest part about this is getting the VCR and TV set on
the proper channels for the type cables you are using.
What type of cables are you using.

Since I got the DVR I rarely use the VCR anymore.
Only use the VCR to archive shows to VHS tapes.

Pooh Bear

Pooh, don't know what kind of cables. I can get the VCRs
(3) and the DVD players (3) to work except for recording.
I still would like to record a few programs that I watch and then generally reuse the tape.

The two common types of cables are the coax cable (single cable),
and the RCA cables (3 cables, or one cable with 3 lines).
For standard coax cable you will need to set the VCR on channel 2,3,or 4.
For the RCA cables there is a special video channel.
On my VCR it is L1 or L2 and on my TV it is Video mode.
You will have to check your manual to find how to get the device to that channel.

The RCA cables will give a MUCH better picture quality than the coax cables.

If your TV won't accept RCA cable inputs you can get a RF Modulator box.
I use one of these for our DVD player.

Pooh Bear

Thanks, Pooh Bear. I have the three each: tvs, vcrs, and dvd players connected to modulators. (Forgot I'd gotten a small tv and vcr for another room because the price for the dishes was the same. :) ) Believe the service guy just replaced the cable company cables with the satellite cables without rearranging any of the myriad cords. I've printed out the info from the links you provided. Will study the connections of the newest tv and vcr and see what's what there since that would be the least complicated setup. Satellite guy left some packets of cables/cords, but no instructions on what to do (if anything) with them.
I do appreciate your help.

Update: Got the VCR to record! After I double-checked
all the connections to make sure they were plugged in
correctly, I re-read all the manuals (satellite, tv, vcr).
With the tv on (any channel), I used the VCR Remote to go to: 'Timer Recordings' >
'Make a New Program' > Chose how often I wanted to record the program (in this case 'Once').

Then the following was displayed:
Channel __
Start Time ______
End Time ______
Start Date ______
Tape Speed ______

This time for the Channel, I chose 03, rather than trying
to enter the actual channel I wanted to record.

I also made sure the tv was showing something on the same
channel that I wanted the vcr to record from!

Changing those last two things did the trick. Thank goodness. What a hassle.

(The cables are coaxial - one coming from the satellite
receiver and connecting to the VCR, the other coming
from the VCR and connecting to the TV.)

I've given all this info in case there are others out
there who've run into this problem.

Thanks again to all who helped steer me in the right
direction.

i am having the same thing trying to hook my vcr-dvd recorder to my satellite i am hooked to dish net work so i need help about this as well. help vizzy

What kind of inputs does your recorder have? Have you tried to record anything?

i have the screw and the area for the three plug wires as well but the guy who set it up hooked an another type of cord in the back and to the tv as well and i think with that in there i do not think i will be able to hook up my vcr recorder and when i called to see if i could get some help to hook it up they told me it was against the law to do so..

If you could post pictures of the back of your TV, your VCR and your dish box, I may be able to help you.

we have a hopper and it is real crap to try and hook it to thevcr-dvd recorder and we have no way of sending pictures through my computer but i understand how to hook it up with the red white and yellow plug wires and the coxial cable screw ons of course.

maybe a phone or computer is the best choice for now.