Flashes of video...

I am trying to copy some VCR tapes onto a Sony PC110 through the A/V out on the VCR (Samsung, fairly new). The TV and DVD signals go thorugh perfectly, but for some reason the VCR video signal doesnt (audio is fine).

The strangest thing is that when I cycle through the input sources, when it comes round to the VCR signal I get a brief flash of the image on the camcorder screen in perfect detail before the screen goes blue again.

This would seem to rule out hardware or cabling problems... is anyone aware of some menu setting or software issue that causes this? I have tried the obvious settings recommended in the user manual, but no joy so far!