How to convert BACK to VHS

[sheezits]

I've authored several DVDs and want to copy them onto VHS. Is there a software program that I need to do this? What are the steps I need to do this? I wasn't sure if I'd get better quality by going directly from the computer to VHS, or if copying the DVD would give me the same results and/or quality.

Thanks to everyone who posts to this group. It's been a great help to me.

[yoda313]

Hello,
With dvd prices now it's best to back up on dvd. However, if you want to go back to tape for those without dvd here's how. The computer must have a video output jack on the video card (rca yellow jack or svideo). Then hook that video output to vcr video in. Get a y splitter audio cable to output the soundcard in stereo to your vcr audio input jack (if your vcr is mono get a joiner to reverse the process). Record the input channel on your vcr, press play on your computer software player, and your done (realtime conversion of course). There you have it.
Kevin
P.S. Dvd is best for security and preservation, plus there a lot cheaper now

[huntr]

Or you can try VCR/DVD combo so you can copy video into VHS.

[daamon]

Hi sheezits,

When you say you've authored a couple of DVDs, I'm taking that as you've actually gone as far as putting the finished article on to disc...

If that's the case, then there's no region code (unless you put one in), no encryption (unless, somehow, you put that in) and no macrovision (again, unless you put that in too). So, simply hook up a VCR to your DVD player and play the DVD disc while recording on the VCR.

You can use a combo as huntr says, or have the VCR and DVD player separate with the signal out cable from the DVD going to the signal in of the VCR...

Good luck...

[sheezits]

Thanks for the help. I have the hookups, but wasn't sure what software I should use to play the avi (or mpg) file. I'll give it a try later tonight.

I have saved everything to DVD, but some friends want VHS copies of the presentations. I also made a VHS copy from the DVD, but didn't know if I'd get better quality going directly from the computer graphics card, as opposed to burning a DVD and making a copy from that.

Again, thanks for the help. I'll repost once I try your suggestions.

[sheezits]

I hook everything up and get audio (it also appears on the television), but can't get the video signal. I tried using both an S-video cable and RCA cable, yet no video. Any ideas?

Scott

[dvdx_925]

did u connect the cables before u turned on the computer, if u didn't reset your computer. Also make sure you are recording on the right channel, i think in most cases it should be on AV. To play your videos, just use any media player such as windows media player but i would recommend using PowerDVD.

Really apart from all that, I would strongly recommend you just to burn your video on dvd and play it on your standalone computer connected to your vcr and record it like that. Sometimes you have to adjust the picture position when u have it connected to your computer, which can be a pain in the ass.

Hope this clears everything up!

[iantri]

You would need to enable the TV output option in the Display control panel.

But this isn't a good idea, anyway. When you record the TV-output from the video card, there is no correlation between the frames in the video and the refresh/fields of the TV.

For example, when a DVD player plays a film movie back (NTSC), it outputs the 23.976fps into 59.94 fields (half-frames) by playing it in a 3:2 pattern, where the first frame of original video is played in three fields, and the second frame is played in two fields, then three fields again for the third frame. This produces the smoothest output possible.

When dealing with 29.97fps interlaced material (or 25fps interlaced material in PAL land), the fields of the video match the fields in which they are displayed on the TV. If the video is progressive, each frame is shown in two fields each.

When the video card outputs, it has no concept of this correlation -- it outputs a 59.94hz (or 50hz PAL) signal to the TV, where the image is refreshed 59.94 (50) times per second. There is no guarantee that each frame of video will fit cleanly into each refresh, so the end result will be jerky video and "tearing" (pans will look as if they are "torn" in half, as a frame is shown partly in one field and partly in another).

This is all a long-winded way of saying you will get better results from connecting the DVD player to the VCR and pressing record.

[ZippyP.]

This is all a long-winded way of saying you will get better results from connecting the DVD player to the VCR and pressing record.

But it was a great explanation nonetheless.