how do i record on vhs

dcrtrv460 wrote on 3/6/2005, 10:05 PM
i have my video on camcorder (sony dcr trv 460). What i want to do is record it on vhs. I know i have to hook it up to the tv and play it. But what do i press on my VCR? Play button + Record button? just record button? i just want to know wha should be pressed on vcr so it can be recorder on vhs. I hook up my camcorder with the white, yellow, red cable.

Comments

JackW wrote on 3/6/2005, 10:21 PM
Not knowing what VCR you have, and what it requires to record using it, I suggest you look at the manual that came with the VCR. If you don't have one, try record alone first, then try record plus play. One should work.

Jack
B.Verlik wrote on 3/6/2005, 11:33 PM
Plug your camcorder into the VCRs RCA jacks (input) Yellow for video, White for left audio and Red for right audio. (If you have an S-input, that would be better than the yellow, but most VCRs don't have an S-input.) Usually most, or I should say a lot of VCRs will either need to be set to "Record from input jacks" or maybe just put the VCR on Channel 00 or Aux. (this is where you may need the VCR manual) At this point, you should be able to see the picture transfer from the camcorder, through the VCR onto the TV. When you acheive this, you're ready to record. Rewind camcorder to beginning, Just hit the "record" button ( on almost all VCRs) should do the trick, then hit "play" on the camcorder and it should start recording onto the VCR. And hit "Stop" on both when you're done.
richardfrost wrote on 3/7/2005, 1:36 AM
Gr8 advice from Steve.

I would just reiterate that you need to connect your Camera to your VCR, not your TV. Your TV needs to be tuned to the VCR so you can see what is happening, and your VCR will need to be tuned to your camera, which usually involves selecting an external input. Have your camera switched on and the lens cap off so that you have a picture to look for, to know you have everything connected up correctly.

Once you can see on your TV the view from your camera, ensure your tape is rewound in your camera and your VCR. Then press record on your VCR and start the playback from your camera.

On most VCRs, finding the external input channel can be done by using your VCR remote, selecting channel 1, then using the channel up/down (or +/- button) press down a few times till you see the picture from your camera. Some VCRs have the sockets on the front behind a removeable panel especially for this purpose.

You may find your camera or VCR have wiring diagrams for this.

If your VCR does not have the yellow, red, white phono style inputs, you may need to get one of those scart adaptors, which is basically a scart plug with the yellow, red, white sockets on the back. Ensure you buy one which allows for input and output. Finally, you need to ensure you plug it into your VCR's scart input. The scart output is the one which goes to your TV.

Good luck. It'll be easier the next time you do it.
dcrtrv460 wrote on 3/7/2005, 3:20 PM
Still having trouble.
My VCR has yellow-in & out, and white-in & out. I connect my camcorder to the VCR. OK. But the problem is that i see the picture, but its 99% all blue screen and really faded video and also it is moving to left of the scree. I dont hear any sound either. Should the red wire be connected too even though i dont have any input for that in my vcr?
B.Verlik wrote on 3/7/2005, 5:32 PM
You should connect to the VCR Yellow 'in' and White 'in'. That must be a very old or inexpensive VCR. I didn't think there were any VCRs that didn't have both white and red audio inputs anymore.That doesn't matter, you should get the sound from the white anyway.
What doesn't make any sense, is you getting a blue screen, unless you have your camcorder in playback mode and you're not playing back the tape. That's why I suggested playing back the camcorder tape, while trying to see it on the TV as the signal goes from the camcorder through the VCR, to the TV. When you play back the camcorder tape, you should both see and hear the camcorder tape on the TV. The part where you wrote:
But the problem is that i see the picture, but its 99% all blue screen and really faded video and also it is moving to left of the scree. I don't understand that statement at all. If your VCR works properly, you should be able to get the camcorder tape to play through the VCR onto the TV and then all you have to do is rewind the camcorder tape, re-start playing it and then hit the record button on the VCR. It should be that simple. But you have to be able to see your camcorder tape on the TV 1st. I wish I could draw a diagram here, but the words above should explain it. I'll spell it out again. Connect from the camcorders "Outputs" to the VCR yellow input and white input. Then from your VCR yellow and white "Outputs" to the TVs inputs. If your VCR is hooked to the TV with a co-axial antenna connection, that should still work. Just have the TV set up as if you were going to play back a VCR tape and it should work. The hard part is figuering out how to set your VCR to record from an outside source and only your manual can give you the correct info. But most VCRs can be selected to record from either the menu or by selecting a certain channel (Normally Channel 00 or input can be selected from menu.) This is when you should see your camcorder tape playing back. Then hit the record button on the VCR and go. I couldn't make a simple job anymore complicated than this.
Also, just in case you don't know, when you play your camcorder tape, be sure the camcorder is set to "VCR" mode not "Camera" mode
dcrtrv460 wrote on 3/7/2005, 6:35 PM
Before, i didnt have the outpots from my VCR to my TV. Now i even did that, but there is nothing. I play my camcorder and nothing records on vcr, neither does the video shows on tv from camcorder. I dont have the manual for VCR, because t is reall old.
"The hard part is figuering out how to set your VCR to record from an outside source and only your manual can give you the correct info. But most VCRs can be selected to record from either the menu or by selecting a certain channel (Normally Channel 00 or input can be selected from menu.)" selected from what menu? i flipped thru channerls using chnnel up and down buttons on my vcr but nothing shows up. what is wrong here?
Chienworks wrote on 3/7/2005, 6:41 PM
Is there an "input select" button on the remote control? All three of my various VCRs that i have lying around have such a button. Pressing it cycles through Tuner, Rear line inputs, Front line inputs, and then back to Tuner. The VCR at work switches to the line inputs by selecting "channel 00".
dcrtrv460 wrote on 3/7/2005, 6:45 PM
well my starts from 02 when switching channel from vcr buttons. how do i go to 00
Chienworks wrote on 3/7/2005, 7:14 PM
If pressing the channel down button doesn't do it, then there must be some other button, such as input select, or line input.

Now that i think of it, some of the older mono VCRs automatically switched to line input when you plugged A/V cables into it. I had a couple of them line that. It confused me for days until i finally figured out that i couldn't tune in cable anymore until i unplugged the A/V cables.
B.Verlik wrote on 3/7/2005, 7:28 PM
Evidently, you don't have a channel 00 or you could just go below 02. If your VCR has inputs, it should be able to record whatever is plugged into them. Why don't you try posting a new topic here. 1st go to your VCR and look up the brand and model number. (should be either on the bottom or back of the VCR) and simply ask. Anybody have or use to have this VCR: Panasonic (or whatever) model number ### (whatever) . Then when they open the thread you can ask: Can you please tell me how to record using this particular model or where I can find an instruction manual on line.
My original VCR (1980's), all you had to do was plug into the inputs of the VCR and it automatically switched to recording from the inputs instead of a TV channel.
New VCRs are going pretty cheap these days, you may want to switch to stereo anyway. (single white input with no red input means it's a mono machine.)They start at about $39. and usually come with instruction manuals. I don't know what else to advise.
Laurence wrote on 3/9/2005, 7:18 AM
I do VHS tapes a little differently I suppose. I have a DVD / VCR combo deck with a DVD to VHS dubbing function. I burn a special VHS mastering DVD with a minute or so of black at the front and back, then put this in the combo deck, load a blank tape and press "copy". It saves all kinds of time in the long run if you are doing a bunch of VHS tapes.