Anyone have problems encoding VHS with Liteon dvd recorder??

[jamiemark]

I just bought a Liteon 5005 dvd recorder and I noticed when I transferred an older tape of mine (in LP mode) that at certain times the picture on playback (also noticeable as it's recording on my TV) seems to freeze in spots or movements are jerky (never had this problem with my Panasonic recorder). I'm using a Toshiba 6 head vcr that's usually very good with a good gold plated cable. Also using a great dvd media (Maxell) so I doubt very seriously it's that. Does this sound like an encoder problem, spots on the tape that may just have a weaker signal, or something this recorder may do from time to time without a built in TBC??? Any info or help would be greatly appreciated, thanks much.....

[jamiemark]

Come on guys, I find it hard to believe no one here can offer any advice/suggestion????

[Baldrick]

PLEASE wait a few days before you bump a topic(reply to it).
PLEASE also choose a subject that describe your topic...not just encoder problem.

[spiritgumm]

Hope you don't mind me adding another problem to your post: occasionally getting major wiggly lines (flag-waving) when recording from an old TV-duped vhs tape. Doesn't do it when I hook up the vcr to Liteon coaxil-antenna IN but you can see the picture straining to wiggle. Didn't do this on a Panasonic E50 dvd recorder (nor vcr-to-vcr).

[FulciLives]

Sounds like something a Full Frame TBC would solve.

- John "FulciLives" Coleman

[spiritgumm]

Shouldn't the Liteon have one built in? There's no quality settings to adjust, so I hoped it just did it automatically. This is a magnification of a previously non-existent problem.

[jamiemark]

I'm convinced now that this thing is just a huge piece of junk, and a big waste of money. It almost looks like it's dropping frames, but it will do it even if the signal is just passing through it, you don't even have to be recording!!!! It does this WITH and WITHOUT "enhanced" firmware, so I dunno .......I ran it into my Panasonic E-50 (which HAS a built in TBC) and that didn't help with the picture either. Next time I'll try the JVC unit, this machine only succeeds as a multi-region player, that's it!!!!!

[lordsmurf]

This is a combination of user error, imperfect source, and lack of knowledge. Sounds harsh, maybe, but simply the truth.

Great recorder.
No problems here with the 5001.

Do some reading. Clean the source (TBC, better VCR, etc). Look into firmware. Have more patience, and don't jump on the "this is junk" bandwagon after a couple days.

[spiritgumm]

Thanks for underestimating us, 'smurf.

[jamiemark]

Ditto................
I've been buying/using vcr's and the like for years (and had a dvd player first year-1997), if this thing has a screwed up picture with a signal passing through from digital satellite(not an ep mode vhs), then I have to conclude it's junk. Any of the firmware I installed would NOT correct the problem, so PLEASE tell me where I'm going wrong, since when do you need a TBC for a digital satellite signal???

[spiritgumm]

Hi Jamiemark,
the advice for a TBC might have been for my problem - I thought any replies would specify whom they were for, but I guessed wrong. Sorry for mucking up your original post. I'm going to try the download before I return this. The unit's buttons stopped working immediately (have to use the remote), so maybe the download will fix that as well as instruct the hardware to clean up the incoming signal.
-spiritgumm

[FulciLives]

Ditto................
I've been buying/using vcr's and the like for years (and had a dvd player first year-1997), if this thing has a screwed up picture with a signal passing through from digital satellite(not an ep mode vhs), then I have to conclude it's junk. Any of the firmware I installed would NOT correct the problem, so PLEASE tell me where I'm going wrong, since when do you need a TBC for a digital satellite signal???

Well first of all when you originally said that even pass-thru was giving trouble it is safe to assume that we all thought the problem was the aforementioned LP speed VHS tapes since such tapes tend to be troublesome when converting to MPEG without a Full Frame TBC. Please note that stand alone DVD recorders only have a very mild Line TBC not a Full Frame TBC and often such a TBC does very little if anything to help.

However now that you say it gives you trouble even with a clean signal then yes it very well might not be a TBC (or lack of TBC) problem.

One last test I would do is test with a DVD (DVD player to stand alone DVD recorder). Use a DVD that has no copy protection or make a back-up on the computer first since such a back-up will be copy protection free. That is about as clean a signal as you can get so if that still gives you trouble then maybe there is something wrong with your particular Lite-On stand alone DVD recorder.

As a final note I suggested this test because some people have found that some cable/satellite channels come in weak enough that a TBC is needed for problem free recording to a digital form such as MPEG.

- John "FulciLives" Coleman

[jamiemark]

NO problem dude, I may be new to this forum but I've always considered myself pretty electronic savy. Using a 6 head Toshiba s-vhs vcr, I doubt that's the problem, and seeing as I had the same problem with a stronger signal (satellite), I can't see how it could be anything BUT the unit itself.

[FulciLives]

NO problem dude, I may be new to this forum but I've always considered myself pretty electronic savy. Using a 6 head Toshiba s-vhs vcr, I doubt that's the problem, and seeing as I had the same problem with a stronger signal (satellite), I can't see how it could be anything BUT the unit itself.

The VCR you have is very nice ... probably one of the best consumer grade VCR's ever made. I have several 6-head (and one multi-system 8-head) Toshiba VCR's myself.

However no matter how great the VCR is that will still NOT help if the VHS tape needs a TBC. It is not uncommon for LP or SLP/EP speed tapes to require a Line if not Full Frame TBC for proper digital conversion. That's just the way it is sometimes.

Granted the Lite-On is giving you trouble even with what we believe to be a clean source HOWEVER you said that even a Panny DMR-E50 didn't help when it came to the LP speed VHS tape.

So perhaps the Lite-On is screwed up but as far as tape sources go with the Panny you probably need a Full Frame TBC such as the DataVideo TBC-1000 or the AVT-8710 from avtoolbox.com

BTW you have a really bad attitude.

Stop that !!!

- John "FulciLives" Coleman

[dowa]

jamiemark
the jerkiness image you have because you are using hacked firmware.
with the original firmware it will never happen.

[lordsmurf]

jamiemark
the jerkiness image you have because you are using hacked firmware.
with the original firmware it will never happen.

That is not a side effect of hacked firmware.

.
.
.

My analog cable here sucks, and antenna can too sometimes. I run it through a TBC in one room, and a SIMA SED-CM in another. That fixes any problems I see with the signal. FYI: DVD recorder tuners, in general, are not that strong. Run it into a VCR first, then composite/s-video to the recorder.

[jamiemark]

Granted the Lite-On is giving you trouble even with what we believe to be a clean source HOWEVER you said that even a Panny DMR-E50 didn't help when it came to the LP speed VHS tape.

So perhaps the Lite-On is screwed up but as far as tape sources go with the Panny you probably need a Full Frame TBC such as the DataVideo TBC-1000 or the AVT-8710 from avtoolbox.com

BTW you have a really bad attitude.

Stop that !!!

- John "FulciLives" Coleman[/quote]

Thanks John, your comments are helpful and appreciated. I think I should clarify, I ran the vhs signal into the Panny and then passed it into the Liteon (without recording on the Panny). The Panasonic I've never had a problem with recording from ANY tape or from satellite. I'm really at my wits end here, maybe this happened because of hacked firmware, I dunno, but I've since re-installed just the regular firmware with no change. For some reason I can't find anywhere in Canada that sells TBC's, what's up with that???? Sorry you think I have a bad attitude, usually only people who REALLY know me can say that . I'm a Fulci fan too, so you're A-O-K in my books!!!!
BTW, I should add that as a dvd PLAYER, it works perfectly, no jerky picture at all.........

[jamiemark]

My analog cable here sucks, and antenna can too sometimes. I run it through a TBC in one room, and a SIMA SED-CM in another. That fixes any problems I see with the signal. FYI: DVD recorder tuners, in general, are not that strong. Run it into a VCR first, then composite/s-video to the recorder.

Smurf, my satellite signal goes from the satellite box to the dvd recorder with analog RCA plugs, do you know if this machine's encoder still runs even if you're just passing a signal through it?? I don't think running the signal into the vcr first would help any, as that was the original problem when playing a tape from the same vcr. It's weird, but as a player, this machine works perfectly, none of these problems exist when simply viewing a dvd. The sucky part about all this is, I bought the machine online and can't return it once it's been opened, damn.........

[jamiemark]

[quote="FulciLives"]
One last test I would do is test with a DVD (DVD player to stand alone DVD recorder). Use a DVD that has no copy protection or make a back-up on the computer first since such a back-up will be copy protection free. That is about as clean a signal as you can get so if that still gives you trouble then maybe there is something wrong with your particular Lite-On stand alone DVD recorder.

Just tried this test, and after about 45 mins., picture started doing it again, the encoder in this unit must really be fubared.....

[FulciLives]

One last test I would do is test with a DVD (DVD player to stand alone DVD recorder). Use a DVD that has no copy protection or make a back-up on the computer first since such a back-up will be copy protection free. That is about as clean a signal as you can get so if that still gives you trouble then maybe there is something wrong with your particular Lite-On stand alone DVD recorder.

Just tried this test, and after about 45 mins., picture started doing it again, the encoder in this unit must really be fubared.....

Well at least you know for sure now that the problem is with the LiteOn. It is a shame but maybe you can still use it as a player only ... or take it back if that is still an option.

- John "FulciLives" Coleman

[jamiemark]

Unfortunately I bought it online and the place won't take it back once it's been opened (wtf?!?), however, after some research on here it seems someone else had this problem with a Liteon:

https://www.videohelp.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=261233&highlight=liteon

Shame, how can a company get away with selling faulty merchandise????