19 replies to this topic

[BilboBaggins]

Hi Giannina:

It's a little like trying to make a medical diagnosis over the phone -- generally not a good idea!! -- but here goes, and I'll try to keep it non-technical. Basically, you use a process of elimination ... play the video tape in two different VCRs and play the DVD in two different DVD players ...

If the video tape sounds and looks the same in the two VCRs AND is significantly better than the DVD, then there is a technical problem in the recording process, meaning it could be in your VCR output, the actual connecting cables, or the DVD recording circuitry.

If the video tape is different in different VCRs, the problem is in the original VCR itself.

Alternately, if you take the recorded DVD and play it back in another DVD player, you may find that it sounds/looks much better than it does in your new DVD ... in that case, the problem is in your DVD playback circuitry and not in the recording circuitry. Basically, it becomes a process of elimination to find where the problem is and then how to fix it (assuming it can be fixed!!).

Hope this helps ...

BB

[Giannina]

Thanks.  I actually understood that.

Giannina

[BilboBaggins]

Hi Giannina:

Thanks for the compliment -- I tend to get lost in technical matters and go into "technospeak" ...

I re-read your question and actually, the literal answer to your question is you're recording the playback output of your video recorder, not from the tape directly -- that's what comes out of the "video out" socket you're connecting your DVD recorder to. It should look very similar/identical to what you see on your TV when you play the tape. If it doesn't (i.e., if the quality is much better on your TV, or much better if you play it in another VCR), then there's an electrical problem and you can start to trace it ...

Regards,

BB

[Calliope]

I bought the Panasonic too.
I admit to being a techie.  I have a Tivo, which has a bunch of ballet performances still on it, so I transferred it to DVD.
Perfect digital quality!
Panasonic also released a VHS/recordable DVD machine, that is the easiest way to transfer, and you don't have to worry about the quality.

For those wanting to buy the recordable DVD, I would wait a year or so, for the price to go down.