Check the back of the DVD recorder and make sure you have the output from the PVR connect to INPUTS on the DVD recorder. I failed to look close enough the first time I hooked up my DVD recorder, and hooked up the INPUT A/V jacks to an INPUT on my TV. OF course it didn't work.

Read the DVD recorder manual. In your DVD recorder's RECORD menu you should be able to tell it what INPUT (source) you want to record off of. The choices will probably be INPUT1, INPUT2, ANTENNA. INPUT1 may be for jacks on the front of the DVD recorder.

The best cables to use from the PVR are probably going to be Svideo, and left/right (white/red) audio cables. If your DVD player has Component inputs, and your PVR has component outputs, then use those along with the audio cable.