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  1. Hi, I've been looking in search here to try to find how to record your computer screen to your VCR but have not found any threads that help my specific situation. My computer and VCR does not have an S video outlet so that option is out. I have my laptop connected to tv via VGA and the red & white mono L/R audio so the screen shows with audio but how can I get what shows on my tv from my laptop to be recorded on my VCR?

    I have my VCR hooked up to my tv & I even tried to run an additional red/white/yellow from tv to VCR hoping that would work. When I record while in PC mode on tv, it records what's on the cable channel. When I unhooked cable, it just records black. I have tried to do this in ch 1 & 2 as well as 3 and nothing works.

    Does anyone know how I can do this? I know how to get VCR tapes to computer through easy cap which has the red/yellow/white connected to USB that runs to computer so is that how I can get VCR to record what's on computer screen too? Easy cap has the program which allows you to tell it to record so my thought is how will the VCR know or am I over thinking?

    Thank you in advance for any help.
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  2. Member
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    Perhaps record to a DVD, then record the DVD to the VCR using any standalone model.
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  3. Thanks for your response Dave. I am kind of new to all of this. I have never burnt a DVD before. If I recorded my computer screen via computer program and it becomes a savable avi or wmv or whatever file, is it playable if burnt to a DVD in that way?
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  4. Member DB83's Avatar
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    You could try something like this :-

    http://www.ebay.com/itm/VGA-To-TV-S-Video-S-Video-RCA-AV-Composite-Adapter-Converter-C...item1e87aa34e2

    If you see on your tv what is on the laptop screen when you plugged in the vga cable it may record a signal in a vcr with another rca cable from the adapter in to the vcr.

    You must have good reasons why you wish to record what is on your laptop screen in this way. There are other better methods.
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  5. Thank you also for your response. I guess because I don't know much in general about it, I don't know the better ways?

    Mainly, I am recording to VCR for my dad who only has a VCR in his house. I know how outdated this all sounds lol : )
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  6. Also, to the eBay link you gave me, that would plug in to laptop VGA and need this cable http://www.ebay.com/itm/5-foot-RCA-Composite-AV-Video-Cable-Patch-Yellow-Boot-/1806628...item2a10581b78 to go from that piece you mentioned to the VCR? That would just by pass connecting to tv screen right? I am not so worried that it shows on tv also as long as it records from computer to VCR
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  7. Member DB83's Avatar
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    Well you will note that this method is video only. You would require another cable from your laptop to the vcr for the audio. Add to that any audio-sync issues.

    Even if you get it working, the picture will be so poor quality that is really is not worth all the effort. But only you will find that out if you try it.
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  8. Member DB83's Avatar
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    Originally Posted by imtotallyamanda View Post
    Also, to the eBay link you gave me, that would plug in to laptop VGA and need this cable http://www.ebay.com/itm/5-foot-RCA-Composite-AV-Video-Cable-Patch-Yellow-Boot-/1806628...item2a10581b78 to go from that piece you mentioned to the VCR? That would just by pass connecting to tv screen right? I am not so worried that it shows on tv also as long as it records from computer to VCR
    Correct. You then monitor the vcr picture on the tv. No direct connection from the laptop to the tv.
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  9. Yes, I do have the audio red/white that connects to get sound. Thank you for advice on video quality. Do you know anything else to suggest to be able to make this happen somehow (with good quality)? Like Dave who mentioned DVD?
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  10. Member DB83's Avatar
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    There may be some cross-wires here. I think Dave is suggesting you directly record your tv signal direct to dvd and then re-record that to vcr.

    But you could equally 'cut out the middle-man' and then record your tv signal direct to vcr.

    But, reading between the lines, you are getting more direct to your laptop than a simple tv signal ??

    A more 'advanced' method and to give better quality is to use screen-capture software which will directly record what is on the laptop screen to the laptop's hard disk. From there, assuming your laptop has a dvd-burner inside, you can then make a dvd (Dave could have had that also in mind) and then re-record that dvd to your vcr.
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  11. That adapter will almost certainly not work. It is designed for devices that already output s-video and composite to a D15 port. That may look like a VGA port but it's not. Few computers outputs s-video and composite to their VGA port. Note this text from his listing:

    Please, check your PC & Video Card manual or manufacturer to make sure that your VGA card has TV-Out function capability through the VGA connector to ensure this cable will work for you!
    That's him covering his ass because he knows the cable wont work for you and you won't bother asking for a refund on a $5 purchase.



    What you want to use is a VGA to s-video/composite scan converter like this:

    http://www.amazon.com/Generic-PC-to-TV-Converter/dp/B00351VWKI/

    There are many such devices. Beware that most have limitations on what VGA resolutions and refresh rates they support. Typically 1280x1024 at 60 Hz is the max. And picture quality is poor. You can barely read normal sized text on the Desktop when viewed directly You wont be able to read it at all after recording to VHS. See the images in this post for examples:

    https://forum.videohelp.com/threads/283861-VGA-to-S-video?p=1756748&viewfull=1#post1756748
    Last edited by jagabo; 24th Feb 2014 at 18:34.
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  12. Member DB83's Avatar
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    @jagabo

    I always respect your opinion. But why sell something that claims to do what the OP wants when you say it will not. The only condition I saw is that the laptop supports tv-out over vga
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  13. Buy your father a DVD player. It may cost $50 or less. Or a used one from eBay or elsewhere (like the Salvation Army or Goodwill Industries) for even less. Get brothers/sisters/relatives/friends to chip in. Make it a birthday/Christmas/anniversary/Fourth Of July/etc. present. As you said, what you want to do is outdated. Capturing old and important tapes to digital for posterity is one thing; purposely making one these days is ... (fill in the appropriate word yourself).
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  14. Originally Posted by DB83 View Post
    why sell something that claims to do what the OP wants when you say it will not. The only condition I saw is that the laptop supports tv-out over vga
    I edited my post to cover that. Here's a similar adapter at Amazon:

    http://www.amazon.com/Monoprice-102509-S-Video-Composite-Adapter/dp/B001I25ZWM/

    Note all the "it didn't work" feedback.
    Last edited by jagabo; 24th Feb 2014 at 18:31.
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  15. Member DB83's Avatar
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    Well I suppose that most vga cards do not support composite out. The OP would have to find that out for herself.

    Unfortunately, vga-out to vga tv-in is not the same as vga-out to composite-in.

    Twas but a thought and only a few bucks if it did not work
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  16. Lol thank you all for your responses. Lol @manono - I have certainly tried to get him a DVD player, like most technology, he refuses to learn. I know, I know, well then that is his loss. I'm sure we all know people like that, stubborn. @DB83 sorry if I did not say more to be clear. Did not mean to create any negative view of your help to me. @jagabo, thank you for the link to converter and tutorial. Also thanks for mentioning screen size. I am going to get one of these and see how that goes. Thank you all again for all the help, appreciate every single response!
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  17. I would suggest you follow Davexnet's advice, it's the easiest most flexible solution to your problem. Use Camstudio to capture your laptop's screen to AVI, make sure to set your media player to full screen. Then use Freemake Video Converter to turn the file into a DVD that you can play and record off your DVD player (use a rewritable disc). Or perhaps you have a player that has a USB port and can play AVI, then you'd only have to copy the file to a flash drive.
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  18. Thank you nick2k4 - I was curious to know how to record to DVD so thank you for the link to converter. I apologize for sounding dumb but I really would like to learn all of this, in the best method (makes tech life so much easier lol). Thank you all again very much!
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  19. I listed simple programs a.k.a. the all in one sort to try and keep things to their simplest and get you going right away. There is nothing wrong with not knowing how to do something and you've come to the right site for info on anything related to media. A good place to start is the Guide section, then feel free to ask any questions. Here's the DVD guide from Freemake. I didn't see any guides for Camstudio, but capture software is usually pretty simple to figure out.
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  20. I should add when you look at the page for any tools (programs) on this site, scroll down the page to just before the comments, any guides that use that tool will be listed.
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