Can I record both my OTA and Cable channels

[Novel8]

I have both and am trying to find a way to record from each product, but having a hard time. I tried cable out to a A/B switch in and ota in, out to old vcr, out of vcr to TV. I am only able to record cable on chnl 03. I think the problem lies in the ota connection. I have to go to my TV source to go to it, but it does not see my vcr like the cable does. I even inputted with the TV remote to 03. Weird thing though, in this setup I am able to hear cable audio of a channel, but no video. Is this at all possible? BTW, i bought a radio shack 2 x 1 combiner, which confuses me. It says on it one input and 2 outputs...but the salesman told me that i could use this unit in reverse..In other words those 2 outputs can be changed to two inputs. Is that what they mean by 'combine". I did a google search on this and got nothing related to that statement.

 

[americanaudiophile]

You don't say what you use to change channels for the OTA antenna and cable line?
If you have a cable box with RF output and an over the air tuner you would feed each to the A-B switch (to select what you record) and the output of that to the VCR which would be set to the channel that both output (usually 3 or 4).
If you have both the OTA antenna and cable connected directly to your TV and that does the tuning then there is no output for you to feed to the VCR which may have an analog cable and ota tuner built in but not digital ones.

 

[Novel8]

You don't say what you use to change channels for the OTA antenna and cable line?
If you have a cable box with RF output and an over the air tuner you would feed each to the A-B switch (to select what you record) and the output of that to the VCR which would be set to the channel that both output (usually 3 or 4).
If you have both the OTA antenna and cable connected directly to your TV and that does the tuning then there is no output for you to feed to the VCR which may have an analog cable and ota tuner built in but not digital ones.

I use separate remotes for both of them. I do an autoscan for my OTA. In order for me to go to either one, ota and cable, i have to go to my TV remote and choose my sources. That is what makes it difficult. I tried the A/B switch concept and does not work. I have given up. Most likely, i would need 2 separate vcr's and record them separately. Thanks