VHS archiving to HDD to DVD-R - Cables

ian lochrie

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When archiving old vhs videos of music i have done off the TV to the HDD on my Panasonic DMR-EX85 for editing to later transfer to dvd-r`s what is the best form of cabling is it better to just unplug the AV2 that generally goes to sky+ and use scart to scart or is they a better way
Also to keep the video in the loop all the time so I can just play the video at will what is the best way to do this when the 2 scart sockets are taken up with TV and sky+ .
 
Hi Ian.

It depends if your video is S-Video or not.

If it is, then it is definitely worth connecting via S leads ... [or via a scart configured for S video] ... this is because it gives a significantly superior form of signal transfer... even if your videos are only standard VHS and not S-VHS.

If it is not an 'S' machine then it makes no difference where or how you connect it.


Fortunately, the EX85 still had AV4 connectors which the more recent machines do not have.
So you could use these as a permanent connection for your video.

[ AV4 input - Lower phonos on back. S video connector input is also there ...if available from your video ]
 
Hi Ian.

It depends if your video is S-Video or not.

If it is, then it is definitely worth connecting via S leads ... [or via a scart configured for S video] ... this is because it gives a significantly superior form of signal transfer... even if your videos are only standard VHS and not S-VHS.

If it is not an 'S' machine then it makes no difference where or how you connect it.


Fortunately, the EX85 still had AV4 connectors which the more recent machines do not have.
So you could use these as a permanent connection for your video.

[ AV4 input - Lower phonos on back. S video connector input is also there ...if available from your video ]

At work at minute mate so cant check . If video hasnt got s-video can I still use the s video AV4 on the dvd to a scart at the Video end to use for archiving or just watching or am i off base
 
At work at minute mate so cant check . If video hasnt got s-video can I still use the s video AV4 on the dvd to a scart at the Video end to use for archiving or just watching or am i off base

No - but you CAN use a scart to 3 phonos lead.

[ Yellow [Video]. Red and White [Audio left and right ]

Note that such leads can be one of two types... That is an 'output' type, with respect to the scart, or an 'input' type with respect to the scart.

You require an output type.

Switchable versions of these leads are the best option as they can be switched for either function. The switch is on the scart plug itself.
 
No - but you CAN use a scart to 3 phonos lead.

[ Yellow [Video]. Red and White [Audio left and right ]

Note that such leads can be one of two types... That is an 'output' type, with respect to the scart, or an 'input' type with respect to the scart.

You require an output type.

Switchable versions of these leads are the best option as they can be switched for either function. The switch is on the scart plug itself.

Will this be as good quality to copy to the HDD to archive than using the av2 scart socket temporily borrowed from the sky+ . I will use his for occasional the 3 phonos-scart just to watch old videos but would you recommend it to be as good as the scart to scart for copying purposes.

Cheers mate and Thank you for the invauable advise you are always giving .
 
Will this be as good quality to copy to the HDD to archive than using the av2 scart socket temporily borrowed from the sky+ . I will use his for occasional the 3 phonos-scart just to watch old videos but would you recommend it to be as good as the scart to scart for copying purposes.

Cheers mate and Thank you for the invauable advise you are always giving .

It will be as good as you can possibly get.

The reason being that VCR's are only capable of composite video, at best ... which can be delivered by any form of conventional video connection.
It does not matter which way you connect.

The only exception being if the VCR is capable of S-video ... hence my first post.
 
The only exception being if the VCR is capable of S-video ... hence my first post.

A bit off thread but since full S-VHS decks usually have a lot of picture quality enhancing circuitry and I believe better heads they make a far better job of replaying ordinary VHS than most if not all ordinary VHS machines. I have a S- VHS VCR and the difference in replay between it and an upmarket ordinary VHS machine is very noticeable even with material originally recorded on the upmarket ordinary VCR. The best in ordinary VHS is of course recorded and played back on the S-VHS VCR.

I still argue of course that S-VHS gives 4 Hr recording that is IMHO as good as 2hr DVD.

BTW my S-VHS VCR does accept RGB in.
 
A bit off thread but since full S-VHS decks usually have a lot of picture quality enhancing circuitry and I believe better heads they make a far better job of replaying ordinary VHS than most if not all ordinary VHS machines.

I agree.. It's all.

The biggest single reason is the S link.

I have a S- VHS VCR and the difference in replay between it and an upmarket ordinary VHS machine is very noticeable even with material originally recorded on the upmarket ordinary VCR. The best in ordinary VHS is of course recorded and played back on the S-VHS VCR.

I still argue of course that S-VHS gives 4 Hr recording that is IMHO as good as 2hr DVD.

BTW my S-VHS VCR does accept RGB in.

They accept it... but only to pass it through to the next unit down the line... but I hear what you are saying.

Analogue is a more 'comfy' medium.
 
It will be as good as you can possibly get.

The reason being that VCR's are only capable of composite video, at best ... which can be delivered by any form of conventional video connection.
It does not matter which way you connect.

The only exception being if the VCR is capable of S-video ... hence my first post.

Thanks Gavtech so really i might as well go 3 phono to 3 phone and free a scart up in the TV ???
Sorry this doesnt make sense - having a daft moment
 
Last edited:
Thanks Gavtech so really i might as well go 3 phono to 3 phone and free a scart up in the TV ???
Sorry this doesnt make sense - having a daft moment

Hi Ian

Think you might have totally confused yourself.

I have my VCR wired up to my DVD Recorder, this is no connection to the TV at all. To see what is ON the VCR output I just view the DVD Recorder with the input from the VCR selected. So reduces connections to TV.

I have :-

VCR to DVD Recorder

DVD Recorder to Freeview PVR

Freeview PVR to TV RGB In

Hope that might help.
 
Hi Ian

Think you might have totally confused yourself.

I have my VCR wired up to my DVD Recorder, this is no connection to the TV at all. To see what is ON the VCR output I just view the DVD Recorder with the input from the VCR selected. So reduces connections to TV.

I have :-

VCR to DVD Recorder

DVD Recorder to Freeview PVR

Freeview PVR to TV RGB In

Hope that might help.

Yes sorry mate I realised I had a daft moment when I replied to the quote that I had tripped myself up

:oops:
 

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