VHS2DVD audio retoration

[Snapafun]

Been reading videohelp forum all night but cannot nail an answer for my problem.

Basically I recorded a VHS to DVD using a DVD RW Player and channeling the VHS unit to it via RCA jacks.

Replay of the video from the DVD looked OK but there was no audio ( Musical sounds for dance competition ).

Not believing that audio was not recorded, I copied the .vro file from the DVD to my laptop running Vista Ultimate and was able to play the file in Windows Media Player ~ there was sound but the volume was too low to discern. ( Windows Movie Maker would not play the same file until I converted it to .mpg using MPEG Streamclip. Again, volume too low.)

1). Is it worth considering a restoration exercise to correct the audio problem? If yes, then where ought I start ?

2). I'm using a Pioneer Chase Play DVD RW Player. Anyone know of any settings I may have missed in recording the VHS ?

3). I used a Sony SLV EZ22 VHS player that has only one RCA output jack for audio though I note that the DVD Recorder has input RCA jacks for two ( stereo ? ). Anything I ought to be watching out for here ?

I do have some software installed for video editing but am very new at this. I will consider more software if required.

And yes, if I missed some manual along the way then point me there and I'll get on with R'ingTFM.

Frank

[thecoalman]

If you open the audio file in audacity it will give you a graph, you'll notice that the levels are very low. You can correct this with Audacity however it will be very hissy. It's best to record at a normal level.

Somewhere along the line the levels are dropping, if you hook the VCR directly up to the TV does it sound good?

If so check the manaul on your recorder to see if there is setting for the record volume.

3). I used a Sony SLV EZ22 VHS player that has only one RCA output jack for audio though I note that the DVD Recorder has input RCA jacks for two ( stereo ? ). Anything I ought to be watching out for here ?

You may want to try the other jack, in any event if you're recording in stereo only one channel will be recorded. You will only get audio out of one speaker. Go to your local electronics store and get a mono to stereo RCA adapter. You'll need female mono plug for the VCR. That will split the signal into two channels so you can run two RCA cables to the DVD recorder.

[Snapafun]

Thanks for the prompt feedback. Greatly appreciated.

I'll redo the DVD with the mono adaptor and try again.

As for audacity , I'll go read about it as I've only seen it before, in Linux. So some reading for howto also. Will get back when I've been there.

Thanks.

[Snapafun]

Update:

Got the mono hardware via a splitter type plug and started over. Things a little better but after playing around with the menu items for the dvd recorder found a setting for each channel that allowed me to increase audio in by 3~6db. Not sure what this means but the resultant recording improved dramatically. So will stick with these settings for awhile and see what transpires.

Thanks for the feedback, it gave me the direction of travel required.