Newbie VHS to DVD

Paul2624

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I have recently bought my first DVD Recorder made by Ellion.

I have a collection of VHS tapes that I wish to transfer to DVD but as I am new to this I have no idea how to do it. Is it as simple as connecting my video to the DVD recorder because I tried this on a tv/video combo via scart lead and when I pressed record on the DVD I got an "error" message. I would like to know if it is worth trying to tune in a video and DVD to my set to record or do I require seperate cables etc? I don't want to pay these companies on the net £25 per tape if I can help it!

Many Thanks for your advice

Paul
 
Hi Paul2624 and welcome to the forum!

Right, with separate units it should be fairly simple to get your VHS onto DVD. But if you are trying to copy a VHS that was bought prerecorded then the chances are it will not work as the tape will be protected with Macrovision. If so then you will probably need to buy a special lead that removes this protection.
Assuming this is not a problem then you will need a scart to scart lead. Connect to the output scart (one of the scarts may be input only) on the VCR to the input scart on the DVD recorder. Set the DVD input to AV or whatever the recorder calls the scart input. Set the quality etc of the DVD recording and press record and play on the VCR.
It Should be as simple as that.

Mark.
 
Thanks for your help, I only seem to have a "Scart AV out" on my recorder not an Imput one as you suggest. I do have a "Video in" but this looks like it requires some extra leads. Any ideas?

Your help is much appreciated

Paul
 
According to Amazon, the Ellion has the following connections:

Front Input : S-Video, RCA A/V
Audio I/O : 2ch RCA in x 2/ out x 2
Video I/O : Video in x 2 / out x 1
S-VHS I/O : S-Video in x 2 /out x 1
Component Video Out : (Y/Pb/Pr) out x 1
Digital Out : Optical x 1/Coaxial x 1
Scart : Out x 1

So you need a Scart to three phono's in lead:

Maplins VA24B

VCR Scart out to Ellion audio in L&R and video in.
 
:oops: so there are no scart inputs on the DVD recorder then. In that case the above suggested lead is your best bet.

I really should take my own advise and :rtfm:

Mark.
 
Thank you for all your help on this, I shall get the lead you suggest and see if I can't get things going. Just one more question:-

The video I am going to connect the DVD to only has one scart socket marked "TV" the only other connection on the back are an "RF IN" and "RF OUT" (which I assume don't figure in this). Will it work with the scart in the TV socket and the phono leads connected into the DVD? Once this has been done will there be any tuning involved?

With a bit of luck this could be the last time I pester you, I thought I'd double check before buying the cable

Cheers

Paul
 
No probs, better to ask and be sure.

The video's TV Scart socket will output the required signals i.e. the video tape recordings. You will need to select the appropriate AV input on the DVD recorder, on my Panasonic it's AV3 (front AV input) and on my Philips it's Cam1 (front AV input), not sure which it will be on the Ellion. Should be marked though by the sockets in use.

PS Did not mean to tread on Mark's toes. :)

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Philips DVDR 70, Pace BSB 2200 (RGB), Labgear DTT 100 SetPal (composite video), Amstrad SRD 510 (Astra 1) composite video.
 
Thanks, I shall get that cable. My DVD has several A/V input sources:-

CVBS - Rear and Front (I think this is the same as Rear and Front A/V In, ?

SVideo in - Rear and Front


I assume the setting I want is SVideo rear? Once everything is hooked up I assume by playing the tape and flicking through the sources I will get the correct one when I see the picture of the tape playing through the DVD?

Cheers

Paul
 
Unless your VCR is S-VHS then no you do not want S-Video rear. You want either CVBS - Rear or Front.

If your VCR is S-VHS then you will need a differant lead to that I posted above.
 
I Bought a scart lead with the three leads today. Having tried it CVS front and rear I can't get a picture through the VCR. Should I have got an S-Video Scart lead with the two audio leads? I thought I'd get claification before I swapped the leads. I am assuming that if the CVS set up doesn't work then my video must be S-Video?

Thanks again for your help

Paul
 
You won't get a picture through the VCR! The picture will be throught the DVD-R. The lead is one way VCR out to DVD-R in.

Just because you can't get CBVS to work does not mean your VCR is S-Video, it could be, does it say so on the front?

Where and what lead did you buy?
 
I meant that I would get a picture of the tape playing through the DVD once I got the right source ie S-Video, CVBS etc. All I get is darkness! The lead I got was from Curry's a "3RCA-Scart". I think I should have got the one with a S-Video attachment instead.

Hope you can help, as you can imagine being new to DVD I am finding it frustrating!

Thanks
 
Quote "The lead I got was from Curry's a "3RCA-Scart"."

Which way round is it wired, In or Out?

I suggested a particular Maplin's lead because I knew it would work, if you buy elsewhere how do I know what you have bought.

Again, I ask is your VCR S-Video or not? Whether or not it is you would get some signal to the DVD with a suitably wired lead.

Help me by answering the questions and I will try to help you. It is not rocket science.
 
Sorry for not being clear, I basically wrote down the spec of the lead you suggested and took it to Currys to get one, the assistant assured me that it was the same thing. It is a "RCA Video and RCA stereo audio to Scart for improved AV Performance" it goes on to say "Quality AV Scart connection for hookup of AV Receiver to TV or VCR" No where does it mention which way it is wired but does that info help?

Unfortunately I can't find out if the VCR is S-Video or not, I have looked front and back and through the manual and there is no mention of it anywhere. Here is the spec so that may answer the question

Video System : VHS 2 Rotary Heads Helical Scanning System

Luminance Signal : FM azimuth recording

Hi-Fi audio signal: Output line level -3.8dB 1k ohm

S/N Ratio : More than 35db

Input Level: Video 1.0Vp-p, 75 ohm unbalanced
Audio 500mV, 50k ohm unbalanced

Output Level: Video 1.0Vp-p, 75 ohm unbalanced
Audio 5000mV, 1K ohm unbalanced

I don't know if that helps, I apologise for not being able to answer questions more specifically. If you think I should buy the cable you originally suggested then I will do that.

Thanks again for your time.

Paul
 
P.S the video only has one scart connector marked "TV" and is a Matsui VP9408
 
Paul, I would say with almost certanty that your VCR is NOT an S-VHS VCR. Therefor you can NEVER use an S-Video lead to do what you want othewrwise you will only get a B&W picture.

Right what we now need to know is the signal direction of the lead you have bought. A scart has different connections depending on weather the signal goes 'into' the scart or 'out' of the scart. It may be able to work both ways, in which case there will be a switch on the scart that should be set to 'in' for your use. If there is no switch then you need to look on the packaging and see if it mentiuons signal direction (and it almost certainly will). For this lead to work with your VCR & DVD recorder it must have the signal going 'in' to the scart and therefore out of the phono sockets.
The 'in' or 'out' on these leads will refer to the scart plug and not the phono plugs.

HTH,
Mark.
 
Paul,

The VCR is not S-Video, Matsui never made a S-Video, video.

I suggest you get another lead (correction to earlier PN) TB62S (written in a hurry) or possibly switchable lead.
 
Thanks Chaps, I am now up and running and everything is working!!

Cheers

Paul
 
Paul,

Pleased to hear all is working OK.
 

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