VCD to VHS always black and white, PLEASE help

[Eilveron_]

Hey there
I'm trying to covert a perfectly working VCD over to a VHS tape (not using the component cable). I am using a Sony DVP-NS305 DVD player to the Sony N50 VCR. It appears colour, except when i view it through the VCR, or off the tape, when it is completely black and white.
I have played around with the many cables at the back but to no avail. My VCR has the option of switching from PAL to NTSC but it does not seem to help.
I have read up all over the internet and vcdhelp but nothing provides any solution.
On your site it says somewhere:
Black and White picture
"If you have connected with a SVHS-cable be sure that your TV support SVHS, if not then get a composite-cable. And be sure that you have selected correct system, like PAL or NTSC on the Videocard/MPEG-Card."
This has to do with doing a screen capture, but might it have some relevance. Also, could it have something to do with macrovision?
Thanks in advance, don't be scared to talk techy, i'ld like to think i understand it

[Eilveron_]

Is there a better forum i should post this in? I put it here because it was the only one that mentioned VHS, although this isn't really a capture.

[RexEscape]

Make sure the cable you're using isn't black n' white. Make sure it is the red, black, and yellow cable. That's why you're getting a black n' white vhs copy.

Just kidding... Could it be that the VCD you're trying to copy has a macrovision copy protection?

[Craig Tucker]

This is almost certainly a format issue, NTSC-PAL or PAL-NTSC. What format is the VCD and what is the format for your particular region.

My VCR has the option of switching from PAL to NTSC but it does not seem to help.

I think you will find that this is for playback of PAL or NTSC tapes, and not for switching the input source for recording.

Here in the UK nearly all new VHS recorders will play both PAL and NTSC, but hardly any are capable of recording (properly) from an NTSC source.

[Eilveron_]

LOL
So is there any way I could do this? Other than doing this direct feed.
It is a VCD i made from DivX files I have, so if i remake them as PAL, as opposed to the NTSC film thing i currently made (in TMPGenc), might it work?
Is there any way to change a VCR, or the cables to make it work? Or the DVD player..... or the VCD itself...

[Craig Tucker]

No you won't get your VCR to record it correctly, you have 3 options.

1 Change the format of the VCD to PAL
2 Buy a VCR that will record from an NTSC source (expensive option)
3 If your video card has a TV out try connecting this to the input of your VCR and recording directly from the DIVX. I would suggest having a TV connected also, so you can size the video viewing window correctly.

[Eilveron_]

Yep, I've converted to the Australian PAL, and all works well.