How do I record MiniDV onto VHS tape...

[luca brazzi]

Mate has bought MiniDV camcorder and wants to record the material onto VHS tape.

Can watch the stuff on TV fine, plugging the leads into the red, white yellow sockets on the TV.

However, his VCR (Sony SE720G/I) does not have these 3 sockets, just 2 scarts (presumably one for Sky in, and the other for output to TV)

What are his options?

[FourWheelDrift]

luca brazzi said:

Mate has bought MiniDV camcorder and wants to record the material onto VHS tape. Can watch the stuff on TV fine, plugging the leads into the red, white yellow sockets on the TV. However, his VCR (Sony SE720G/I) does not have these 3 sockets, just 2 scarts (presumably one for Sky in, and the other for output to TV) What are his options?

Surely if he can watch the DV video on TV he can record it, just sort the channels out on the VCR.
If the VRC & TV are connected plug into the the TV watch it on TV, set VCR to channel '0' and record.

Or can he not do this for any other reason.

[luca brazzi]

Is it simply a case of playing it through the TV sockets, and tuning the video until the right picture appears?

He says he's played the tape on TV, and recorded on the VCR, but nothing came out....he may not have tuned the VCR....not sure.

Can a VCR be tuned to see what's on the TV screen, even though its not going through a regular TV aerial?

[FourWheelDrift]

luca brazzi said:

Is it simply a case of playing it through the TV sockets, and tuning the video until the right picture appears? He says he's played the tape on TV, and recorded on the VCR, but nothing came out....he may not have tuned the VCR....not sure. Can a VCR be tuned to see what's on the TV screen, even though its not going through a regular TV aerial?

Should work the same way as if you are recording action from your PS2.

It is just a case of tuning the Video until he gets the picture. The correct channel on the video for cameras is either "0" or something like A1 or A2. It will usually be a blue screen or black screen with 2 vertical white lines. Or better still play the video and tune until it can be seen. If it's an automatic tuning VCR he'll have to turn it off and unplug it for a few hours to cancel the battery backed up settings. Then play the DV video, have SKY on (everything to catch all the channels).

There may also be some settings on the TV he would need to change to tell it to use the right socket (where he plugs his phono cables in).

Alternatively he could get a phono to SCART adapter plug. (White,yellow,red plug into a SCART plug) like this...



Bit of a chore but there should be no reason why he can't record this way.

IMHO and a whole easier is to save faffing around tell him to go out and buy a SCART adapter.

HTH.

Edited to take out a bit of crap about SCART cables

>> Edited by FourWheelDrift on Monday 21st July 17:10

[luca brazzi]

Thanks matey. He ended up taking a scart out of the video and plugging the camera into it with an adaptor I think. He's a happy bunny now.

Cheers
Steve