Surround Sound from a VCR

[Zorba]

Okay, so I've read that VHS tapes have surround sound encoded on them. But VCRs (at least everyone I've ever had) only have the Left-Right audio outputs. So can you actually get the surround sound from the VCR to the receiver?

 

[nsafreak]

The best you can get from a standard VHS tape is Dolby Pro Logic sound. Pro Logic is a matrixed sound scheme so you aren't going to get the same level of surround sound from a VHS that you would from a Blu Ray/DVD but it isn't too bad.

 

[Zorba]

And you can get that over the regular 2-channel analogue jacks? I know it won't be as good as DVD or BluRay, but I have a lot of VHS movies I don't really like enough to replace, but would like to still get surround sound on them.

 

[sivart]

Yes, as long as your receiver can decode Dolby Pro Logic (I.e. any 'home theater' receiver that is less than 15 years old).

My first surround sound system was a pseudo 5.0 system back in 1994 using Dolby Pro Logic. I though that it was so cool in a scene from Ghost where you could hear the train moving behind you.

Pseudo 5.0 meaning that while I had 2 back speakers, Pro Logic uses the same sound for both rear channels, so technically it is 4.0

 

[3chordcharlie]

Your reciever will play any stereo source through pro-logic if you tell it to, although you really don't want to unless it's supposed to be played that way (most music, for example, sounds terrible if you use pro-logic).

 

[Oyeve]

pretty much what everone has said. My first foray into surround sound was an old Sony receiver (back when they were ok) and it was just Dolby Surround. In other words Right, Left and rear (rear was mono in the first surround systems). There really was no encoding persay on tape displaying dolby. It technically was an analog sound remixing, "steering" certain sound to extreme left or right which the rear channel circuitry would pick up and steer to the rear speaker or speakers (first surround you could use one rear as it was mono anyway). Analog Dobly surround really didnt kick off until prologic that added the center channel and stereo rears, still analog but much better capabilities especially if the analog source was mixed properly. Then came Dolby Digital on laser disc and the rest is history.

 

[Zorba]

Cool, I never had surround sound when VHS ruled, but I had friends who did, so I knew there must be a way. Now I can really drive my wife crazy adding a VCR to the stack .

 

[zinfamous]

Originally posted by: Zorba
Cool, I never had surround sound when VHS ruled, but I had friends who did, so I knew there must be a way. Now I can really drive my wife crazy adding a VCR to the stack .

that's odd.

I used to have a Letterboxed VHS of Jurassic Park that opened with the THX sequence. Yeah, glorious analog THX...

 

[Agentbolt]

My first surround sound system was both A) with a VCR and B) about 3 years old. Let me explain!

I went to Wal-Mart, COMPLETELY clueless, and asked what surround sound system would be best for my old 4 head VCR I'd inherited from my parents. To this day I don't know if the guy was screwing with me or not, but he steered me towards a Durabrand 5.1 speaker system. 5 speakers! A subwoofer!! He explained it even came with the red and white audio cable I'd need. Fantastic!

I get it home, plug it in, and start listening. Besides not really being any louder than my TV's speakers, there was another problem. All 5 speakers were playing the EXACT same stuff, Same volume, same sounds, same everything. I jumped on the internet and learned this particular model (which cost a grand total of 23 dollars) simply output the same MONO signal to all 5 speakers. It wasn't even stereo.

edit: Incidentally, Dolby Pro Logic II is REALLY good. I was using it for my 360 and there was some really good discrete surround action going on. (Couldn't use the HDMI cable and digital audio out at the same time thanks to that stupid plastic casing). I ended up taking a screwdriver and hammer and fixing that issue so I could use optical cable, but the difference wasn't all that great. Your VHS tapes will sound great through it, just look for an even vaguely modern receiver.

 

[Agentbolt]

COOL KID ALERT

Double post, sorry.