Quote:
Originally Posted by grumpy999
I would like to know how to record movies and tv shows from my computer to my old vcrs ,
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Hi Grumpy
Your VCR would like to see about 1 volt peak to peak (or .707 volts "rms root mean square") video input signal and about the the same on the audio input. Your VCR likely also has an RF input (coax F type) for VHF channel 3 or 4 (selectable) for both video and audio. for this discussion we will disregard this coaxial input.
The Sound
The output from your computer the one that normally goes to you external amplifier to be amplified for speakers is probably about the right level and the right format for your VCR to record. Just run a patch cord from the computer to the VCR. The computer end probably a phone jack/phone plug TRS (tip ring sleeve 3 contact) 3.5 mm (0.14 in) and two RCA type plugs at the vcr end.
The Picture
For the video,(previously digitized television shows) your computer will have to take those digitial files and convet them to analog.
PVR (personal video recorder) type cards which play back previously recorded television on your TV are designed to do this. Instead of playing back the video on a TV, input that signal to the record in receptacle (RCA receptacle or Svideo) on your VCR. The PVR card may be finicky as to what file type It likes to play back though. Also it may be you need to grab your audio from the PVR card.
Do you have the original hardware which was used to save the movies and TV shows to your computer? This hardware would be a good place to start.
Of course you can do this. Keep in mind tapes you make are not going to be any more resilient that they were 10 or 20 years ago. The Quality of your movie or TV show will not get better because you put it on tape and your VCR collection as well as VHS tapes will degrade further with time.
It would be ok to do this for fun or a project but not worthwhile as a way of saving disk space since disk space is so cheap now.
This brings up a good question I need to ask myself.
What to do with the dozens of VHS tapes and Audio reel to reel tapes that I have squirreled away? Some of these tapes have nothing worthwhile recorded on them and/or I have already saved them in another format.