Panasonic ES40V S-video output not working

[pozzyal]

I'm converting old VHS tapes and heard that S-video is higher quality, so picked up a Panasonic ES40V on Craigslist. Seems to work great and is in great condition. However, from all I can tell reading the manual, I should be able to use the S-video output on the "DVD Priority" connection section for either VHS or DVD, but when I play a VHS I just get blue screen. Audio RCA jacks are connected and I hear the audio. I'm running it into a Manhattan converter and capturing in Cyberlink Powerdirector 14. Any idea what my issue is? Can this be done, and will quality be better? I don't have any blank DVDs and it seems wasteful to burn them - unless they'll be as good or better quality than direct transfer to PC? If that's the case I can burn them then rip and edit later, but that's certainly not my first choice.

Thanks!

[dellsam34]

You probably should be connecting to common output rather than DVD priority. But since it doesn't have S-Video out I'm afraid that you won't be able to output S-Video from a VHS cassette.
I think what DVD priority means is when there is an input signal it is output but as soon as you push play on the DVD side DVD signal takes priority.

[pozzyal]

You probably should be connecting to common output rather than DVD priority. But since it doesn't have S-Video out I'm afraid that you won't be able to output S-Video from a VHS cassette.
I think what DVD priority means is when there is an input signal it is output but as soon as you push play on the DVD side DVD signal takes priority.

The problem is that there is no S-video out in the common section. And the documentation states:
DVD/VHS COMMON OUT
≥For DVD/VHS COMMON output terminals, both DVD and VHS
signals can be output.

DVD PRIORITY OUT
≥You can also playback a tape with the DVD PRIORITY output
terminal except while recording, or making a scheduled recording,
on the DVD.

So that really makes it seem like this should work doesn't it? I read something on another post which mentioned that the VHS output is doing something to the signal to get it to S-video, and that maybe the "receiver" (in this case my manhattan converter) is getting confused somehow. I was hoping someone here may have more insight into that, in case it is the issue, and/or in case there's a workaround. Any thoughts?

[ProWo]

Read this:
https://club.myce.com/t/s-video-from-panasonic-dmr-es40v-not-working/288052/5

[oln]

On the related DVD/HDD recorder models (without the VHS part) it's a not unheard of issue issue that the video switching chip develops issues. I think the models with the VHS deck use the same system/video chip but not sure if they use the same switching chip. If S-Video is broken, maybe the component output will still work if you have a capture device that supports it, which should give the same output quality.

Otherwise, given it's related to the DMR-ES10 and ES15 DVD-recorders, it's possible may have some of the same correcting capabilities if passing it a video signal from a different VCR so it may still have some use for that.

[orsetto]

Apologies if you've already done the following, but you didn't mention them yet so I thought it worth suggesting:

Double check that the Panasonic S-Video-out connector is actually outputting a signal by hooking it up to the S-Video inputs of a television or other VCR: most USB video dongles are notorious pieces of crap that often don't work quite right, so its always best to confirm the VCR's own connection is working by hooking it to an old-school analog device it was intended for. If none are available to you:

Double check the software that runs the Manhattan device. I just looked thru the user manual, and its utterly useless as to operating info: apparently the thing comes with its own generic EZ Grabber software, or you can overlay another capture application (the Cyberlink software you're evidently using). There's a good chance the device needs to be deliberately switched over from composite (yellow RCA) to S-Video input, or you'll get nothing when connected to its S-Video jack. The EZ Grabber interface shown in the instruction manual has a "Setup" button, but of course the worthless manual gives no clue about what might be in that setup menu so you'd need to actually install it to find out. Hunt around the menus of your Cyberlink Powerdirector first, to see if it might be able to switch the inputs without the EZ Grabber app. My guess is 50/50 the Manhattan needs to have its input switched over.

Other recommendations would be to try a different S-Video cable (you'd be amazed how finicky the connectors can be) and make sure the DVD section of the Panasonic is totally inactive (no disc loaded, all buttons switched to VCR). Check to be sure the S-cable isn't connected to the Panasonic's input jack instead of output jack: the rear panel on the ES40v is confusingly laid out so that would be an easy mistake to make.