DVD RECORDERE LASER

I AM SURE MY DVD RECORDER IS HOOKED UP CORRECTLY. I HAVE HAD IT HOOKED UP FOR 2 YEARS, THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN IT DID NOT RECORD. I CAN PLAY. BUT THE STRANGE THING IS THAT MY VIDEO CAMERA DOES NOT PLAY ON THE TV SCREEN WHEN I HOOK IT UP, NOR DOES MY VCR RECORDER RECORD A TIMED PROGRAM. I HAVE CHECKED AND DOUBLE CHECKED AND EVERYTHING SEEMS RIGHT. COULD MY LASER BE WORN OUT ON MY DVD RECORDER? HOW CAN I FIND OUT FOR SURE IF THIS IS THE PROBLEM?
CONNIE