Problems with a transfer from MiniDV to VHS.

March 15, 2006 2:01 PM

Transferring MiniDV contents to VHS. Red/White/Yellow component cables hooked up to the OUT from the camera and into the IN of the VCR (SVHS deck). I push play on the camera and record on the VCR. Nothing is recorded but static, why?
posted by packphour to Technology (10 answers total)

On my video camera (a Canon) when I'm in VCR mode I need to go into the "VCR" menu and set it to use the video out. YMMV.
posted by bondcliff at 2:07 PM on March 15, 2006

What channel is the VCR tuner set to? Mine has to be set to "F-1" to accept the input from the camera.
posted by GuyZero at 2:10 PM on March 15, 2006

Response by poster: bondcliff: I'm using a Panasonic DVC-80 and it doesn't have anything like that in the VCR menu. Thanks though.

GuyZero: Good question. I don't have the remote for it and the VCR doesn't have a menu button on the front of it. Therefore, I don't think I can change it. There is, however, two channel buttons on the VCR but when I push them nothing is displayed to show what "channel" it's on or using. Not sure if that is relevant or not.
posted by packphour at 2:14 PM on March 15, 2006

Do you have the VCR hooked up to a TV, so you can see its output? Whatever the VCR is outputting is what it will record. It sounds like you need to put it on the "Aux" channel, or equivalent. Static means it's recording from the antenna input.
posted by knave at 2:58 PM on March 15, 2006

You might need the remote. Or a universal remote. Lots of old crappy VCRs have the "input" button only on the remote, and not on the face of the VCR. The input button, or something similar will toggle from coaxial in to RCA in (sometimes called line in).
posted by nathancaswell at 3:05 PM on March 15, 2006

Response by poster: knave: No, it's not hooked up to a TV. I'll see what I can do.

And I'll try one of the universal remotes I have and see if I can access the VCR menu.

Thanks all.
posted by packphour at 3:18 PM on March 15, 2006

You need to tell the VCR to use video in. GuyZero has selected F-1 = Front Video 1 input and you have to do something similar. Saved that VCR manual someplace? Try to use the channel down button and see what you get after channel 2. Or maybe that should read before channel 2?
posted by Ferrari328 at 3:26 PM on March 15, 2006

Red/White/Yellow component cables hooked up

You're probably on the right track already, but may I suggest:
Component video cables are usually Blue/Green/Red. Yellow/Red/White suggests composite video outs, ie: Yellow - Video, Red - Audio Right, White - Audio Left.
Something to double check if it's still giving you trouble.
posted by Hanover Phist at 3:36 PM on March 15, 2006

Response by poster: Ferrari328: I think it's along those lines. I got a universal remote to control the VCR, but the only new thing I can change is making it display (or not display) VCR on the LED screen.

Hanover Phist: You're right, I meant composite cables.

I have a new VCR showing up at my place any moment, so hopefully it's just me not being able to access the menu of the VCR and nothing more.

Thanks all.
posted by packphour at 3:43 PM on March 15, 2006

Here's the step by step:

#1: wire the machines like so:

[Camcorder Video/Audio Out] --> [VHS Video/Audio In]

[VHS Video/Audio Out] --> [TV Video/Audio In]

Now you're looking at what the VCR "sees" on its' inputs. Presumably, you'll be seeing static.

Find/get/borrow the remote (may I recommend a universal remote?) to switch the TV/Video input on your VCR to "Video", or the Tuner/Line input on your VCR to "Line", or some variation thereof; basically, you want it to stop looking for a signal on the tv tuner, and start looking on the video line input.

That should do it.
posted by davejay at 4:41 PM on March 15, 2006