VCR to DVD record odd problem.

[kenerly]

I have a lot of VHC home movies I'm recording to DVD. I'm using a RCA DRC8310 combo recorder. The recording does fine, but the output on the DVD has odd lines at the bottom of the recording when played back (see pic). Any idea what would cause this or how to correct it?

[yoda313]

I believe those are tracking lines. You could use a tbc to correct those. Or fiddle with the tracking control on your vcr a little more.

Probably a better option is to use the original tape and connect that directly to the dvd recorder. Then you shouldn't have the lines. Hopefully you still have the original tapes and a compatible player.

[samijubal]

Have you played the recordings on a TV or just a PC? That would probably be in the overscan part of a TV and wouldn't show.

[Marvingj]

It looks like tracking but could be alignment.....

[kenerly]

If I watch the DVD on my computer I see what is in the pic. If I watch the DVD on my TV or watch the VHC(vcr tape) on the TV I see no lines. As I'm sure you all know, I have to put the VHC tape in a adapter to play it in the VCR.

[kenerly]

I believe those are tracking lines. You could use a tbc to correct those. Or fiddle with the tracking control on your vcr a little more.

Probably a better option is to use the original tape and connect that directly to the dvd recorder. Then you shouldn't have the lines. Hopefully you still have the original tapes and a compatible player.

What is tbc?

[lordsmurf]

This is in the overscan. Leave it alone.

This is not alignment or tracking or anything else. This is an inherent
aspect of VHS technology. You cannot fix it, as there is nothing to fix.
That's how the tape was recorded.

[FulciLives]

This is in the overscan. Leave it alone.

This is not alignment or tracking or anything else. This is an inherent
aspect of VHS technology. You cannot fix it, as there is nothing to fix.
That's how the tape was recorded.

In other words even when playing back the original tape it does this ... the DVD recorder is simply recording what is already there.

You don't see it on the TV because all televisions have OVERSCAN ... the TV (and this was done on purpose from the very early days of TV) does not show the extreme edges (top, right, bottom and left) of the image. This hides "junk" that is there so you can't see it.

A computer monitor has no OVERSCAN so when you watch the DVD on the computer you see ALL of the image.

Even cable and satellite TV channels of today have junk sometimes along the extreme edges. That's just the way it is.

As LordSmurf said ... don't worry about it.

BTW I think some computer based DVD player programs have an OVERSCAN feature meaning it will either blow the image up a bit or mask the extreme edges so you don't see that junk on your computer.

- John "FulciLives" Coleman

[kenerly]

Thanks guys for the help.

[samijubal]

What you are seeing is the head switching point, it's purposely put in the TV overscan. All VCRs do this, they have to. It's where one head is switched off and another is turned on. When the heads aren't in contact with the tape, they are switched off, and the head on the opposite side of the drum is switched on, if they weren't switched off when not in contact with the tape, there would be static in the picture.

[LCSHG]

[ kenerly ]

Your original post would indicate that the lines at the bottom of the picture shown, are there when you are using your RCA Recorder.
Is this to a TV? It would appear that it was using a PC
If to a TV, I should think that the Vet, scan on the TV is incorrect but doesn't look as such.

The following may be of help
I use a 15” TV/Monitor for dubbing etc. The PC uses Power DVD as a viewing program.

A commercial VHS tape was recorded [dubbed] to a DVD disk. Using a standalone unit.
When played with a standalone on the 15”or a 37” LCD, the picture is properly proportioned both vert. and horz.
When played on my PC to the 15”, as a monitor for the PC, It will display some lines at the bottom, somewhat as you show,
If I adjust the vert. scan on either TV I can display the lines, as the orig. was a VHS
Some TV also have a slight “overscan”.

As said I don't belive uou have a problem unless the vert. if off on a TV