Sony DV Direct VHS to DVD Conversion Problem with Model VRD-MC6

[WRArtMonk]

I bought my VRD-MC6 through HSN and they sent a pack of 25 Verbatim DVD+R with the sale. After putting one of those discs in the VRD-MC6 and hooking up component cables white & yellow to the "out" of my VCR to the red, yellow, white to the "in" slots of the VRD-MC6, I hit play on the VCR, saw the video footage on the screen of the VRD-MC6 and then hit the big round "record button". It looks like it works all the way through and then I see disc is full. Then I press finalize disc and each time I get the error "Cannot finalize this disc". I tried this 3 times. One time I chose the option HQ (high quality) and the other 2 attempts, I tried Standard Quality. None of the 3 discs finalized and none worked in the DVD player. When I put the discs back in the VRD-MC6, it checks it for a long time and says "Previewing AVCHD disc is not supported". Is this a common problem? It looked so easy on HSN to connect the VHS to the VRD-MC6, hit the big red button and finalize the disc. But it failed all 3 times. Any suggestions?

[jagabo]

AVCHD won't play on DVD players. You need a Blu-ray player. Doesn't the recorder have a DVD mode?

[hech54]

Any suggestions?

I have one....stop cross posting.

[DB83]

Use 'Standard Definition' record settings not HD settings.

[WRArtMonk]

Thank you, I'll look into what AVCHD means. I just followed exactly what the manual said from VCR to this unit.

I don't know what cross posting means? I'm sorry, I truly am brand new to all of this.

[WRArtMonk]

The setting had HQ (high quality) or SD (standard definition). This is after I have already chosen the option of "Video > DVD". I tried one in HQ mode and 2 discs in SD. It acts like it records my whole wedding and then runs out of room and says "disc full" so I go to finalize and it says "Cannot finalize disc"

[DB83]

AVCHD is High Definition. You can use this unit to record from a HD camera.

Your VCR is Standard Definition. There should be a setting within the unit to record in Standard Definition. A DVD is Standard Definition.

But also check the 'Video Source'. It seems that you have only set the recording modes either HQ or SD.

I do not have this unit so I cannot check the manual but recorders usually have 'source modes' and 'target modes'. HQ and SD are target modes which determine how much you can record on to one disk. HQ is typically 1 hour (could be less) and SD is 2 hours.

You posted your question in two topics. That is 'Cross Posting'

[WRArtMonk]

Thank you, I'll study closer to see if I can find an HD vs. SD setting.

Oh, sorry about the cross posting. I thought you wanted first time users to post in Newbie and then I saw the other topic that made sense as well. I didn't know that was wrong to do. Thank you for letting me know that and I won't do that again.

[jman98]

Thank you, I'll look into what AVCHD means.

It's a type of BluRay format on a DVD disc. DVD players don't understand it.

I find it odd that the recorder would let you make an AVCHD disc and then refuse to play it, but then again this is Sony.

[WRArtMonk]

So saw the related links at the bottom of my post (very cool!) and read them all. Besides the overwhelming feeling that the Sony machine I bought was crap, I also saw that it helps to have a vcr that had the "red" jack. Mine only has the yellow and white. Does that make a big difference as well? (my vcr is a "Sharp")

The saddest part of all this is I have owned a Canopus ADVC-100 in the past and ending up re-selling it because it was too complex for me to figure out (or my computer was too crappy and ran out of room way too quickly).

It looks like that's one of the best tools to own to properly back up VHS memories though. I just did this Sony thing because it looked sooo EASY and with 3 kids and 2 jobs, I need something I don't have to babysit much (zero time for editing). If I do send this back, any other suggestions for backing up both my VHS and all my MINI DV memories. -- Thanks!

[DB83]

I found a copy of the manual on the net.

Select copy mode = 'E' . Page No 18.

[WRArtMonk]

Thank you! I didn't see a thing about "copy mode" when I powered on the device and read the LCD screen. I'll dig into the setup and see where I can make that selection.

Thank you again, very much!

[WRArtMonk]

Thank you everyone for your help. I'm returning this product. The Sony VRD-MC6 gets a "thumbs down" from me. There wasn't a single place anywhere in the settings to change the setting to "E" and no buttons on the side that indicated this. Way overpriced to be this much of a pain in the butt!

[DB83]

This reply is probably wasted. The 'E' in the manual - you do have a manual do you ? - seems to refer to the option available to you rather than a selection.

The detailed selections appear later in the manual.

My hunch is that you have not connected your VCR to the unit correctly. The unit seems to have 3 RCA connectors - 1 video(normally yellow) and two audio(normally red and white). The cable to connect to a VCR would have to have identical connectors. But you mention 'component' and only two connectors. Granted you could have used the wrong word but component is not compatable with RCA and that may also go some way to explain why the unit has been attempting to record HD video.

[WRArtMonk]

Not wasted at all DB83. Thank you. I do appreciate the response. I would like it to work. So do I need the type of VCR that has red, white & yellow wires ports? You may be right, I might be using the wrong name when calling them component cables or perhaps I'm using the wrong connection. I thought the red, yellow & white wires were called component, but I could be wrong. They fit in both the VCR & Sony Direct find and the video plays on the Sony LCD screen while recording. So is it still possible I have the wrong wires plugged in there? The only other options are DV in, USB, SD card slots & the red, yellow, white "in" slots that I'm using. Should I try a different VCR that has the "red" slot or different type of cables? Thank you again for all your help DB83!

[DB83]

well, if the video plays on the LCD screen then there is nothing wrong with the connection.

From the VCR you should also have three plugs but unless I misread you only mention two but component video should have more. The correct term is composite.

As I read the manual, the unit can auto-detect the incoming signal or you can put everything on to manual.

I would select manual and folow the instructions from page 57 (also refer to pages 29 and 30) - the disk setup( for record mode) would be done first.

But if you want to quote your complete workflow from connecting the cables, turning on machine, inserting disk, making selections......... to the final 'finalize disk', there may be an obvious fault which you have overlooked and causes the present grief.

[jagabo]

The yellow RCA cable carries composite video, the red cable carries the right audio channel, the white cable carries the left audio channel. If your VCR has on one audio output it is mono. You can use a simple Y adapter to split the mono output for both the left and right inputs on the recorder. Some recorders will do that internally if you plug into only the red audio connection.

[nathan8]

HI,

my mom bought this unit off the tv and i have tried it on 2 different vcr's and when you hit play and the record the dvd recorder says no in-put which i dont understand cause when you hit play you can watch it on the screen of the unit. please help and yes i am using the right connectors

[DB83]

If everything that has been previously discussed has been followed, it is possible that the video you are trying to copy to dvd is copy-protected by macrovision.

Try a different video but also expalin what settings you are using on the unit. I can not find the manual right now but I expect it is still available if needed.

[sbanas]

I bought sony dvd recorder VRD-MC6 and I wanted to burn the disc from Canon video camera , but it is compatible only with sony video cameras , is the way to still record from canon camera or not?