My DVD player via VCR RCA plugs: dvd=corrupt video, vcd=ok

[Lyzic]

Anyone else experience this oddity? Recently I moved back to my parents house after my semesters at University ended. Because my parents tv, which is far better than mine (but nowhere close to the 27" hdtv flatscreen my roommate had) has only an RF cable inlet, I am forced to hook up my dvd player, a Samsung DVD-M301 to the RCA inputs on my parents VCR. I hook the sound up to my stereo, which is fine.

The oddity however, is that the video is corrupted when I play DVDs. The video goes from perfect, to fuzzy, to black and white and fuzzy, and back again. BUT, when I play a VCD, it is perfect!

Is there something I should know? I am relatively new to all this side of technology, having just got my DVD setup at christmas, and only recently started a VCD collection. Is there any way to make my DVDs play as good as my VCDs?

:)
Cheers,
~Lyzic

[revjake]

It's called "Macrovision," m'child.

Y'see, in order to make sure you can't dupe VHS tapes of your wonderful DVDs, your DVD player sends a special signal to the VCR that says "HEY! This is copyrighted material!"

As such, the VCR does its level best to ruin the viewing experience for you.

VCDs that *you* (or anyone else, for that matter) make, however, don't have the protection on 'em.

Depending on your player, it may be possible to disable Macrovision. Check the "DVD Hacks" section to your immediate left.

Actually, don't. I just checked it for you, and apparently you can't disable the Macrovision on that model without a hammer, scalpel and twenty feet of duct tape cut into 1/4" strips.

I'd say you'll have to plunk down a few bucks for a straight RCA-to-coax converter---they're easy to find.

Or, tell your folks to buy a new TV. There's a nice Apex flatscreen at Wal-Mart now...

For something totally unrelated, check out The Stouthouse.

[Lyzic]

Damn man, clear, concise, to the point. Nice !

Dammit, might as well start saving for a TV now I guess :(

[Mirror_Image]

In the meantime, you could try something like this: RF Modulator

[revjake]

Once again, Mirror is the man.

I'm sure you can get one for less that $30, though, if ya shop around a bit---heck, it couldn't be that hard to build one, if you're a li'l bit handy with a soldering iron.

Mirror, just wondering, is that Freud in your avatar?

[Dave B]

RF Modulators are actually fairly tricky to build for the average hobbyist. Especially if you wire it into your existing TV cabling to provide a permanent channel....

If you anyone does give it a go ensure that the video is passed to the downstream rather than up your existing aerial and broadcast to the neighbours!