Panasonic DVD recorder passthrough settings (DMR-ES10, DMR-ES15, DMR-ES25)

[Alwyn]

So you play the tape on another VCR which is connected to Panasonic's AV1 IN and then Panasonic AV OUT is going to capture device?

Yes, that's it.

Aussie version does not have AV3 which is on the front panel's left bottom corner?

The left bottom corner input on mine is AV2.

I have not tested using Panasonic Scart OUT -> I-O Data capture. Would be quite curious if the passthrough from other device would work on Panasonic's Scart OUT but not from the S-video OUT.

As Doman suggested, give that a go. Depending on the SCART adapter, it will have an In/Out switch. Put it to Out.

There are differences in the various outputs from these types of units. For example, on the ES-15, the video output from AV4 is different to that from the SCART; AV4 has a momentary brightness boost, whereas the SCART doesn't have the boost. Also, my ES-35V doesn't have any SCART connectors at all, so there could be variations in how the internals work.

[Jyri]

I now changed the setup to use Panasonic Scart AV1 to output the signal to I-O Data capture device. Well, the first issue is that the AV1 does not support S-Video so I get just a black & white signal with S-video cable. Scart AV1 can output composite or RGB. Despite this I tested connecting the LG to the different Panasonic inputs with either composite or S-video and none of them would give a result where the top of the frame is straightened. So the only way to get a straight top frame is to play the tape directly on Panasonic. So just a head-up for anyone else wanting to use this as a passthrough device.

Attached is the back of the Panasonic DMR-ES35V. Looks like the full model is DMR-ES35VECS.

[Alwyn]

Deleted due to info from Sharc's post following.

[Sharc]

Being a late entrant so it may have already been said and tried, but anyway:
For passthrough, use the connectors on the FRONT (AV3) of the ES35VECS as inputs, and the S-Video connector (not the SCART because this may work for DVD playback only (?)) at the BACK as output. (And enable the Comb Filter of the ES35VECS in case of Composite input signals coming from the VCR).
I think this worked here, but I don't have the model any more for trying myself ....

[Thermaltake]

Thermaltake:
What were the changes in the image after replacing the capacitors?

Changes were, more stable picture and sound because I replace all of them.

[Jyri]

Being a late entrant so it may have already been said and tried, but anyway:
For passthrough, use the connectors on the FRONT (AV3) of the ES35VECS as inputs, and the S-Video connector (not the SCART because this may work for DVD playback only (?)) at the BACK as output. (And enable the Comb Filter of the ES35VECS in case of Composite input signals coming from the VCR).
I think this worked here, but I don't have the model any more for trying myself ....

I tested this already and it doesn't work. Top of the frame is still skewed. The result images are visible in my original post: https://forum.videohelp.com/threads/403635-Panasonic-DVD-recorder-passthrough-settings...16#post2796406

[rgr]

VHS HQ is supposed to improve image quality (well, maybe it did – in the 80's) but it pales in comparison to what can be done with a true raw capture and some filtering on a computer. VHS HQ applies a horizontal blur (lowpass filter) to the luma channel to reduce noise, followed by a very basic horizontal sharpening to create artificial sharpness (results in halos). It averages chroma lines to reduce chroma noise, thereby making the chroma more blurry on the vertical axis as well. It's a very simple and destructive filter.

The setting on S-VHS machines to turn this circuitry off is most often called "Edit", or "Tape Dub". In my opinion this setting is worth getting an S-VHS machine if you want to have a quality that is better than the original tape played on a plain VCR.

Well, turning on Edit on the JVC's S-VHS (HR-S7600 and derivatives) doesn't do much.
Temporal smoothing is still extremely active, literally destroying the picture and causing bizarre effects.

* - yes, I know I'm replying to an old post

[rgr]

I'm guessing the TBC from S-VHS is also not frameTBC?

That's a lineTBC only, dealing with intraframe/line synch cleaning.

You're right -- but using TBC on a JVC VCR, I got exactly 0 drops+inserts for 1 hour of recording with some corrupted frames. (The same applies to using a FireWire camcorder as a passthrough).

[lollo]

Yes. For tapes in nice conditions the external TBC is not needed. You can get a clean capture without inserted and dropped frames an d with audio and video in synch. As you probably know, I have verified that across many many captures comparing the Analog material with the same content available on dvd or dvb-s/dvb-t, so quite confident about that.
Sometimes, for tapes not in good shape an external TBC is needed for a proper capture.

In the FireWire approach the camera is playing the role of the “digitizer”, so it does not perform any time base correction (although is somehow more resilient than the Analog capture card we use in case of instability); so you still rely on the TBC of the VCR, which can be sufficient or not, according to the conditions of the tape.

[Eric-jan]

You should not use the SCART output on the PAL version, only the RCA or s-video outputs for capture, component can also be used if you can convert/capture that.
The NTSC model of the ES35V has the advantage you can set IRE on in and output, in the form of bright/dark adjustment,
The PAL version needs to be switched between RGB(scart) or set for Component/S-video.
So video menu settings are different on these PAL or NTSC machines.
btw the SCART connection is handy for monitor use, in both PAL or NTSC mode picture is fine on the SCART connection the RCA and s-video connections do need the correct mode setting for PAL/NTSC on the RCA component connection progressive mode is also an option if needed.

Playing VHS directly on Panasonic and using S-video OUT -> I-O Data capture works and I get the TBC-ish corrections. Same thing if I play VHS on Panasonic and dub it directly to DVD. However, burning to DVD is not what I'm after as that will be compress the burned movie quite a bit. Besides my main goal was to use Panasonic as the passthrough device so that I can for example play a Betamax tape on my Sony Betamax player, run the signal through Panasonic to get it TBC-ished and then finally output it to I-O Data.

Yes of course.
But what i meant was if playing from your LG RC278 VCR and burned to DVD media would also get the "TBC-ish corrections"/stabilization?
For testing you would try out every option, as with the SCART output option.
Of course it could be the European models behave different with external sources.

[rgr]

No that setting is only relevant for the component (and on later models, HDMI) output.

Although I don't normally capture using my EH55, I have performed quite a few tests out of curiosity and find these settings the best for my particular HDMI capture device (LGP2P which captures at 1920x1080 60fps):

Is this the PAL version? I wonder about the HDMI option (enhanced, "normal"?). Do you have any sample captures with both settings?

[Eric-jan]

No that setting is only relevant for the component (and on later models, HDMI) output.

Although I don't normally capture using my EH55, I have performed quite a few tests out of curiosity and find these settings the best for my particular HDMI capture device (LGP2P which captures at 1920x1080 60fps):

Is this the PAL version? I wonder about the HDMI option (enhanced, "normal"?). Do you have any sample captures with both settings?

On mine, ES35V, i have to disable rgb in the menu, rgb sits in the SCART connector, depending HDMI or Component, you cant use both in the same time , if you want to use Component YUV RCA, you must unplug the HDMI cable, check the manual (download? ) how to proceed for your model.
if you want to use HDMI as output, you leave HDMI output ON , for Component you switch it OFF.
just scroll through all menu options.
HDMI can give handshake or Macrovision problems, component in progressive mode defeats Macrovision.
The HDMI RGB enhancement option is for bright/dark levels on some NTSC models this can be done for in and output, component does not need adjustment, as far as i know.
My (PAL) DMR-ES35V has no HDMI.