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  1. Member
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    I recently purchased the Magnavox zv450mw8a and yesterday I successfully copied a VHS tape to a DVD. Today I can NOT figure out how I did it.

    I've followed the manual instructions to a "T" but simply can't remember if I should be viewing the VHS tape on the TV while dubbing or if the TV should be off. I just called Magnavox and they tried to help but am so stressed out after throwing 5 discs away because while I had everything set up or so I thought it recorded the TV show that was apparently on. This was while I was or was not viewing the VHS recording.

    The equipment couldn't have gone bad in a day so it has to be some little thing I am missing. The manual does not specify as to whether the TV should be on, whether you should be viewing the tape or anything else.

    I would appreciate any help before I'm forced to return the equipment.

    Thanks.
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  2. Member
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    Welcome vegaspat

    Pages 49, 50 of the manual are self explanatory on the "dubbing" process and shouldn't matter if tv is on.

    The device should ignore all other inputs while this feature is engaged ... if it fails to do so then the unit should be returned.

    These devices are also highly susceptible to spikes and brown outs in power transmissions and should be connected to at the least, a basic power board with active spike filtering.
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  3. Member
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    Yes, I thought the instructions were pretty straight forward, but I managed to ruin about 10 DVD's trying to figure out why it would work one time and not another.

    I am glad for your info. Now I have to figure out what I'm doing wrong. So far everything I've attempted seems to work except for this last issue.

    I'm not into all of the fancy options. I just wanted to be able to transfer several important VHS tapes to a DVD.

    Thanks for your help and prompt response.
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  4. Member
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    One more question.

    The one VHS/DVD that I successfully transferred will play in the Magnavox, another DVD player but not on my DVD drive in my PC. Is that usually not a possibility?

    I guess I assumed that the DVD's would play on my PC if I so chose since some I had transferred from my camcorder to DVD's at Walgreens will play on my PC.

    Thanks again.
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  5. Member AlanHK's Avatar
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    Originally Posted by vegaspat
    I managed to ruin about 10 DVD's trying to figure out why it would work one time and not another.
    I don't know this machine, but will it use DVDRW? Most do, and then you can just try again with the same disc.
    Also useful to transfer to PC if you want to edit it there before making a permanent disc.
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  6. Member
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    Yes, it will use the RW discs also, but a long time ago when I tried to use them they created a problem for me and since then I stayed away from them. I'm sure that with all the new technology that wouldn't be a problem but since I'm not interested in all the other features like Titles, etc. I'll just plug along with what I have.

    Thanks for all the good info.
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  7. Member AlanHK's Avatar
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    I've got a couple of RW discs and Ive been using them a few times a week for the last two years. So they've saved me buying and throwing away hundreds of discs. Cost less than $1 each.
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    I think you have a point. I'll pick up some of them and see if I have any success. It's better than throwing away one disc after another. I think I've now thrown away at least a dozen experimenting with this new equipment.

    Thanks.
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  9. Member
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    How long has it been since the firmware for the pc drive was updated ? ... sometimes this is the cause with newer media not being recognized by pc's.

    RW media dose save costs but stick to well known brands ... those I have used are verbatim, lg, hp, datastream, and mediacache ... best avoid tdk, sony, philips branded.

    Make sure tapes are not commercially produced due to macro vision copy protection ... the device as a singular option for transfers is unsuitable for this purpose.
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  10. Member
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    I haven't updated it recently. The entire system is just a year old. Hopefully Lenovo used updated hardware?

    I will check that out though.

    Thanks.
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  11. I am wondering if the disks are recorded to but not finalized? With DVD recorders if you don't finalize the disk they generally will not play in ther equipment including a cpmputer DVD drive.

    --dES
    "You can observe a lot by watching." - Yogi Bera
    http://www.areturningadultstudent.com
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  12. Member
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    That was the first thing I checked.

    The disc was finalized. But last night I started from scratch on a dubbing and went through the whole process.

    I once again tried it on my PC, AFTER cleaning the drive. Well, either the first disc was defective, which I suspect it was or the drive had an issue because I was able to play it on my PC.

    So I think that perhaps the issue was finally solved.

    Thanks to everyone for tips and of course the responses.
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