VCRs

[DanJ]

So I borrowed my gf's Hi-Fi VCR to capture this 10-Spot concert of this one band in my sig. Well, let's set more groundwork. I have a 198? VCR. It's mono. It blows. It can't record. It sucks overall, I think it has about 1/2 of a head fully functioning.

So she has this new Sony VCR, that some guy at Best Buy messed up in pricing. It's one of those 19 micron head ones. So anyways, I got this video from a guy. It's on nice Maxell Gold tape and plays fine on my old VCR (but like I said that VCR is mono and can't possibly display the video the best).

So I pop this VHS into this new VCR and I get crap. Pure snow crap. No tracking could fix it. And the tape is just happy as hell in my old VCR. Other tapes play fine in this new VCR.

I swear to god "things" make no sense sometimes.

 

[Platypus]

Is the VCR set for playing that type of video? Newer VCRs sometimes have modes...

 

[CattyKathy]

<< I swear to god &quot;things&quot; make no sense sometimes. >>

Yes, it makes no sense sometimes, a lot of time

 

[DanJ]

Well. I don't have the remote (currently, she didn't bring it)...but I spose there could be some kind of hidden mode there.

I dunno what mode it would be though. Just a recording.

 

[DanJ]

So why doesn't this tape work in this new VCR people?

 

[Doggiedog]

It could be recorded at a different speed than the standard SP or EP or it could be recorded as an S-VHS tape.

 

[beat mania]

I doubt they make mono SVHS VCRs, even back in the 80's.

 

[DanJ]

So confusing. My old VCR registers it as normal SP play, as does the Sony (even though it gets no picture, just lotsa snow).

Any other suggestions from the afternoon people?

 

[Shy]

I have this problem too. No ammount of tracking makes the snow go away on most tapes that play FINE on my 1980's VCR but not my 1999 one.

But tapes I record on my 1999 VCR work PERFECT.

Makes no sense whatsoever.

My family has rented movies and we've been unable to watch them EVERY TIME with this new VCR. Just snow. We don't want to risk using the 1980's VCR since it EATS TAPES.

Someone has gotta have an easy solution to this.

-Shy the Mononucleus

 

[HowardStern]

Try the tracking control

 

[DanJ]

Hey Howard. Read the post next time.

Thanks.

 

[montanafan]

Did you say that you tried other tapes in this new VCR while you had it hooked up to your VCR and the TV in the same way and it played them fine? If so, I don't know what the problem is. If not, then fiddle with the VCR/TV button on each, sometimes there's a priority where one has to be on and the other off or you get nothing. Could also try dubbing instead of coaxial connection if that's what you're doing. Real simple one, are you sure you have both on the same channel as the TV?

Again, if the answer to my original question was yes, I'm sorry for the obvious suggestions.

 

[d33pt]

that's why i dont even have a vcr anymore.. it's all about digital.

 

[axelfox]

What the heck is a VCR? Is it something like DVD?

 

[beat mania]

No, VCR is better because you can actually RECORD stuff with it.

 

[DanJ]

As for recording, yea...but my computer can do that too

I just wish I knew why this damn tape didn't work. Now I've got captured mono sound that I'll have to redub with the jacked VCR just to get full audio.

AND WHY DOES IT TAKE 3 DAYS TO DO SOME FORMAT CONVERSION ON A 2 HOUR AVI. God I hate my Celeron 450 at this point.

 

[kei]

argh
having trouble with vcrs myself
just tried to hook up my vcr to my roomates so i could record a videotape and it backfired
tried 2-3 setups and gave up
had to be quick about it because i was doing it without her permission
doh
:Q

 

[beat mania]

So you get snow and all that. Does the sound come out fine or is that messed up too?
What was used to record the tape?

 

[d33pt]

one word. TIVO