VCR menu visibility before/during VHS capture?
 

Is there any free computer program through which I can see the menu of the VCR*(e.g. JVC)?
* Generally speaking: the video signal that the VCR currently presents.

Just turn the OSD on, but it will be captured with the video. Though I didn't exactly understand your question.

If you mean the "clean display" of menu video that the JVC VCR is sending to the ouput while not playing a tape, is not a problem of a "computer program", but of the generic capture card that is not able to synch that non-standard video.

Some sort of "TBC rebuilding the synch" may help.

Which model JVC?
Which aspect of the various menus that VCR can display?

Menu is typically presented for setting up/configuring the VCR, and for programming the VCR to record.
Operating mode is often seen as a brief overlay on the video output when playback mode changes, but it depends on the make and model.

Or are you looking for a computer program that can be used to control the VCR?

I probably meant the menu being visible on the TV screen while on the VirtualDub wasn't (the screen was frozen and distorted (?) in VD). However, the problem might not be with the computer program (VirtualDub) but with the capture card, as one of the participants in this thread mentioned. I'm not currently interested in resolving this issue, although @lollo2 probably mentioned it somehow. :)

Just switch off on screen notifications in menu. RTFM (of your VCR) in one word :) But if something is visible on TV screen but not in Virtual dub (the same TV screen) probably you have a problem with your capture card/settings

My guess is your capture card doesn't support the "blue screen" format - Many NTSC VCRs used an odd "blue screen" resolution like 288P which was fine for CRTs, but capture cards don't often know what to do with it because it isn't a real NTSC or PAL signal. Various passthrough devices will reformat it to NTSC such as DVD recorders, cheap HDMI upconverters, and certain TBCs. If you can disable the blue screen in the menus, sometimes that'll work.

It could be as simple as wrong video format. Capture cards have NTSC as a first choice, while current video is in PAL.
As LS once said- horses, not unicorns.

By definition you should see on screen all what device output. If not - something is wrong with capture card or settings.

"hold my beer" (Cypress TBCs). :read:

You have early, mid, and late gen. The mids have no issues, except on blue screens and menus. The lates hate everything. So diagnosing this issue is not simple, not binary.

Sometimes it really is as easy as "disable the menu", but more often not.

OK, at least I have no problems with my Cypresses with blue screens and menus :)
They has few incorrect lettering on front panel, but it is cosmetic defect :laugh: