Please Help!!!! I need to transfer video from my VHSC to DVD.

[blueiies]

Hi,
I am not a computer expert, so I don't know all the initials that everyone throws out there about formats and such, so please write simple so that I may understand. I am trying to convert my VHSC tapes to DVD. I have a Panasonic PV-L550 VHSC palmcorder and a Sony multifunction DVD recorder. I connected a cable into the A/V out on the camcorder and the red/white/yellow end of the cable into the Sony recorder for video/audio. My problem is that the video dubs fine, but I have no audio. Why does it not record the audio as well?
I also have a VHSC adapter, where I put the VHSC tape into the adapter then into the VCR to play. I have tried connecting my VCR with this tape in it to my Sony DVD recorder only to find that while the tape is playing in the VCR, it has all these lines going up and down on the picture and sometimes is just black/white static picture that gets recorded on the DVD. Please help! It seems that the only 2 options that I have to work with does not work in transferring to DVD. What else do I need or need to do to get a simple copy of my VHSC tapes onto DVD? You do not know how much I appreciate your help, as I have many family tapes that I would like to transfer.

[edDV]

Try playing the tape from the Palmcorder direct to a TV and see if audio is present. If so, there should be a setting on the DVD recorder to choose RCA audio.

You will usually get the best quality video playback from the camcorder that recorded the video.

[jman98]

The Sony DVD recorder may be foolishly believing that your video tape is copy protected. Sony is pretty schizophrenic with half the company being pro-consumer and the other half (this half runs things) believing that ALL consumers are thieves because they are a media producer and that's how media producers think. DVD recorders are rather infamous for overreacting to home made tapes and refusing to record them correctly because it thinks they are commercial tapes with Macrovision. You would have to buy a TBC device to fix it - IF this is your problem. And it may not be.

I have to ask - were these video tapes made in another country? The problems you are seeing could be due to a mismatch between the format of the tape (if it was recorded in Europe for example) and your DVD recorder. Also, is ANY of this equipment originally from a country other than the USA or Canada?

[blueiies]

@jman98.....all of my home videos were made in the U.S. I bought the camcorder and dvd recorder in the US as well.

[neomaine]

@jman98.....all of my home videos were made in the U.S. I bought the camcorder and dvd recorder in the US as well.

Then I'd recommend finding a service in your area for best results and saving time. You might think you have time, but... you have no idea. Probably run around $10-$15 a tape.

See if you have a friend or colleague who can recommend a good copying service to you.

[garyg45]

A couple of months ago I transfered my VHSC and VHS tapes to DVD. Because my old equipment no longer worked I bought a new Toshiba D-VR620 VCR/DVD player/recorder combo for approx $170. Using the VHSC adapter I was able to transfer 18 VHSC tapes and about 15 VHS tapes to DVD. This may be another option for you.

The Toshiba does have some limitations. Because most of my VHSC tapes had many taped events on them I wanted each event to have a separate title on the DVD. The Toshiba doesn't provide precise editing, so in order to get the start of a taping I had to include the last couple of seconds of the previous taping. The Toshiba only provides for 30 characters in the titles, and you have to enter the characters similar to texting with an old phone; hit the 2 key three times to get a "c". The DVD menu is very plain, and there are no options to make it look better. Therefore I'm doing some free trials of video editing software. I don't know how sophistcated you want the DVDs to look, but that may be something you may need later.

A previous post mentioned sending the tapes to a company to have them transfered. I also have Video8 tapes that I had to send out to be transfered because I have no equipment to play them. My research found that a lot of companies send the tapes to India for processing, and a lot do automated processing. One company that doesn't do automated transfers is ScanCafe, and they got a lot of good reviews. I decided to try a company located in Pennsylvania that doesn't do automated transfers or send them to India. It is Timeless DVD. They are still working on the 4 tapes I sent them about 6 weeks ago. I also found that the companies don't tell you there is a shipping charge to send the tapes and DVDs back to you, and that it takes 2 months or more to have the work done.

I hope this helps.