Dubbing from DVD to VHS

Question

Level 3

565 points

Dubbing from DVD to VHS

Using DVD SP 3 I have produced a DVD of a video project edited in Final Cut Express. It won't work on a friend's DVD player. I therefore want to transfer it to VHS tape for them to play. How do I do that please?

I have a combined VHS/DVD set-top player/recorder. I have started the DVD and selected its video to run, and then changed the player/recorder to Tape and pressed Record but all I get is the currently-tuned TV broadcast channel. The player/recorder has several channels to choose from: A1 (the digital channels); A2 & A3 (?); and 1 to a high number (terrestrial analogue channels). I have selected all in turn but no luck. The correct video stream is clearly being sent from the DVD to the TV but I can't direct it to the tape side of the player/recorder.

The player/recorder has the following sockets:

Front 4 sockets- AV3: Video; L (mono); Audio R; DVD S-Video

Back 6 sockets, all headed DVD- Digital Audio Coaxial; Analogue Audio L; Analogue Audio R; Component Y; Component Pb; Component Pr However, the player/recorder is three rooms away from my computer so either the cables would have to be very long, or I would have to disturb the payer/recorder's rat's nest of cables and move it to the computer (possible, but tedious).

I thought of re-outputting all the video from FCE to a single QuickTime file but I doubt whether that would be readable on the set-top player/recorder (but would it?).

Any ideas please?

Also, any ideas why the DVD won't play on my friend's DVD player? It is not a cheap one and was bought about 6 months ago. It plays other DVDs.

G5/2.0 GHz Mac OS X (10.3.9) 1 GB RAM, 150 GB HD, Sony DCR-HC96 mini DV, FCE HD 3.0 DVD SP 3

G5/2.0 GHz, Mac OS X (10.3.9), 1 GB RAM, 150 GB HD, Sony DCR-HC96 mini DV, FCE HD 3.0 DVD SP 3

Posted on Dec 13, 2006 12:14 PM

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Answer 1

Dec 13, 2006 12:46 PM in response to SteveKir

Have you simply tried pressing record after playing the DVD without changing any other mode? What does the VCR's manual say about recording from a DVD player. It might not be able to, to discourage copyright violations.

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Answer 2

SteveKir Author

Level 3

565 points

Dec 13, 2006 1:01 PM in response to Chris Clarke1

Yes. Pressing Record while on the DVD side of the player/recorder addresses the DVD side only. The machine must be switched to the VHS side before the tape will run.

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Answer 3

Dec 13, 2006 7:07 PM in response to SteveKir

Hi!

Not knowing any other equipment you have, here's some options:

1) If you've started with footage from a MiniDV camera, do you have a chance of just previewing the final edit through your Firewire? E.g. put the final cut on a track in Final Cut + output mode to Firewire (your camera). Then just hook up 3 x RCA from the camera to your VCR.

Of course if the DVD consists of many different clips, whose final order has only been made in DVDSP, it will take more time to set them all up in the same order in FCP.

2) Does your computer have a TV out? Record through that while watching the DVD on your computer.

- - -

Sorry if this didn't help at all. Just thought they could be some work-arounds if nothing else helps...

Joe

=)

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Answer 4

Dec 14, 2006 10:03 AM in response to SteveKir

Hello, I believe you need to go to the VHS side and set the correct input you want to record from. Read the manual. It should give you step by step instructions on how to dub from DVD to VHS.
As far as playing on your friends DVD player: Burned DVDs will only play on 9 out ot 10 players according to the market info.
They are not like movies you buy in the store. Those are made from a glass master.
Also you need to always check compatability. Not all DVD players can play +R and -R. -R is the most compatable format.
What did you give him a +R? Check his player. They all tell you what they can play.
Good luck.

PowerMac G5 Dual 1.8gig 10,000rpm Raptor Drive for Apps./500gig G-Media Drive Mac OS X (10.4.8) Internal 250 gig secondary drive. 3 gigs RAM

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Answer 5

SteveKir Author

Level 3

565 points

Dec 15, 2006 4:11 AM in response to Danny Anderson

Hello, I believe you need to go to the VHS side and
set the correct input you want to record from. Read
the manual. It should give you step by step
instructions on how to dub from DVD to VHS.

Encouraged by what you said, I tried again. It still did not read the DVD once the dubbing started, but by pressing buttons in a different order than in the manual, and by ejecting and re-launching the DVD after each dubbing of a single video, it worked, (although the switch between videos is scrappy due to the DVD stopping at the end of each). Thanks.

What did you give him a +R? Check his player. They
all tell you what they can play.

I gave him a -R.

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Answer 6

SteveKir Author

Level 3

565 points

Dec 15, 2006 4:12 AM in response to Joe Corgan

I got it to work, more or less - please see my reply to Danny Anderson nearby. However, before I tried the conventional route again (as Danny said) I explored your method. I will need to use it in the near future for another job, and put below what I would have written using your method, for use by anyone wanting to try it:

"Well, I hadn't thought of using my camera as the intermediate source of the input to my player/recorder! I have just ploughed through the manual for both the recorder/player and for the camera and the following seems worth pursuing:

"The recorder manual states that "if the other VCR or device" [and that latter seems to include a camera] "is equipped with S-Video output, a superior picture will be achieved using an S-video cable." I see from the camera's manual that it does have an S-Video output socket (called "AV Out Jack"). Furthermore, the recorder's manual tells me how to set up its AV3 input mode to accept an S-Video input signal rather than the default Video mode (which it states only accepts a composite video signal).

"So, the next step (the first part of your first point) is to get suitable footage on to my MiniDV camera. The original captured footage is still on a tape but the material that I want to copy to VHS consists of three edited videos in three separate FCE Projects. However, I know how to create a timeline in FCE which consists of all the three videos. Pages 870 - 873 of the FCE 3 manual ("Setting Up to Record to Videotape) describes how to record it on a tape in my camera (Mark > Play > In to Out) via the Firewire link and with the camera in record mode). Then I can send it from the camera (in play mode) to the recorder via the S-Video cable (see above). Thanks for your help."

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