I'm not 100% sure what your problem is, but maybe I can help.
I have 6 remote controls, video, tv, dvd, satellite, freeview, hi-fi (I listen in surround sound).
Anyway, you must have your video (vcr) on channel 5 to record it (or whatever channel you want to record), although you may be watching it on freeview. If however you have a video channel set to record off your freeview then you can set the vcr to that channel.
I guess there are a lot of people on here who have sat watching BBC1 on the vcr's receiver (the tv on AV channel) thinking they were recording ITV while watching BBC1, only to find out they'd recorded the same channel they were watching. As my tv has 2 scart sockets, I have a 2 into 1 scart box that goes into the 2nd scart socket on the tv and the satellite and dvd share it. All I have to do is put one of them on stand by while watching the other so they don't interfere with one another.
I hope that helps.