Stupidity is time consuming

Last week I was doing some work on our two video editing workstations. I had rebuilt the older one to make it more like the newer one software wise. Then I wanted to test the input encoder box from new machine on the old machine. This is because it wasn't working right on new machine. It seemed to work fine, which is good. Then I wanted to make sure the standard input method still worked. I switched the cables on the VCR to test. I got no signal! I thought I maybe messed up the drivers by installing the other input box. So I used system restore to rollback. Still nothing! I had the previous image (I thought) so I tried to restore it. It was corrupt somehow though so that was a no go. Then I tried to rebuild machine again, ugh. This time the drives got assigned wrong. I figured I needed to get it right so I rebuilt it a third time. This time it still didn't work. Finally I started listening to the nagging voice in my head to check my inputs. I hooked up a TV to the VCR I was using and still nothing, hmm. I checked and moron boy (me that is) had connected to the VCR input rather than output. ARGH! Several hours wasted due to not checking my cables.