I was doing just the opposite. I will try it right now. Thank You so much.

Actually the "rainbow" comes from the section of your tape that you have recorded onto that hasn't had the previous material erased. This is due to the fact that the erase head in the VCR is several seconds behind the record/playback head. I often start my videos with 5 seconds of black before anything else starts. This is usually enough time to get past any rainbows or other startup problems that VHS has. Another option is to make sure you start your recording on a section of tape that has never had anything previously recorded on it.

If you want to eliminate them completely, you'll need a VHS deck with a flying erase head. This has special erase heads built into the rotating record/playback head, so that the video track gets erased almost immediately before being recorded on. You'll then get almost perfectly clear starts when recording. Expect to pay at least twice as much for one of these as compared to a comparably equipped deck without the flying erase head feature.

That explains why it is just sometimes on the begining. I also start with black so it is not on my actual edited video but it drives me nuts being on the beginning of the VHS tape preventing me from having a smooth intro to my video. So, I need S-in and a flying erase head? These toys get expensive.

As nice as an S-video input might be for other reasons, this has nothing to do with the rainbows or eliminating them. But i do agree it would be a nice thing to have anyway. :)

I guess I wasn't completely clear, but Chienworks filled in the blanks. I mentioned the speed of the tape, because this is what accentuates the distance between the erase head and the record. If you record at slow speed, you notice the tearing and rainbow will last longer than if you record at the Fast Normal speed. Some VCR's may never see this because they require more tape on the takeup side and will bypass this area of the tape. You should allow room before your program for the variations in the head wraps of the different machines. I usually plan on at least 10 to 20 seconds of nothing before the first video.

HTH

Dave T2

Of course, you could also go to Radio Shack and buy a videotape bulk eraser.

John

Do I understand this correctly, leave 10 to 20 seconds unrecorded on the VHS tape ten start the tape with 5 to 10 sec of black leader from the cam followed by your edited video? It seems like a long time but probably looks better. Thanks for your patience I'm trying to learn.

Hi Tink,

I think the common method is to record from the head of the tape, but allowing 5-10 seconds of black before the program begins.

You might not want the noise (snow) that rolling-in before recording might give. Your viewers may think they are at the tail or the tape is blank.

On my duplication masters, I usually provide 10 seconds of black between slate and program, so when running dubs I can "roll-in-record" on the target machines when the slate blips-off. That provides the time (on the dubs) for the rainbow to finish and gets the program into the tape past the area where most of the threading-unthreading activity takes place (which creates dropout).


HTH, MPH

Tips:
http://www.martyhedler.com/homepage/Vegas_Tutorials.html

Marty has got it right. If you already have 10 seconds of black or your video, use that as the roll up record time.

Dave T2

How could a rainbow ever be unwanted? They are so beautiful. They just fill my heart with joy and happiness...