Writing digital video to VHS?
 

Hello DFAQ forum,

I am building a workflow that will allow me to go from digital video, to analog video, then back to digital. The purpose of this is to pick up analog artifacts for aesthetic (read: artistic) purposes. The point is to get a "shot on tape" look without having to shoot on tape. I know that's silly, but bare with me, I have a silly sense of humor. :D

I'm using junk gear from China and the Goodwill:

• "Elgato" video capture dongle (RCA2USB)
• Chinese HDMI2RCA adapter box
• Mitsubishi HS-U448 VCR

I am using AmaRecTV to digitize the tapes. For my purposes, this part of the workflow is (currently) functioning great.

The problem: writing the digital video onto the tapes in my VCR. What I tried to do is run HDMI out of a laptop, into my HDMI2RCA DAC, and then the RCAs into my VCR's composite 'IN' port. This did not allow me to record the digital video onto the tape.

Backtracking, I next tried running RCA from my Magnavox VHS camcorder to the same 'IN' port, and essentially make a copy of the working tape in the camcorder. My deck would not record onto the new tape (and yes the erasure prevention tab is in tact!) :hmm:

OK, so it seems I'm missing something basic. OEM 'owner's guide' says that to make a copy, 'INPUT' has to be set (using the remote) to 'L1' or 'L2' depending on which 'IN' port you hooked the RCA cables into. Well, this is junk from Goodwill, so it's off to ePray to gamble on a "tested" remote.

Context given, here's my question: how do I use my VCR to record signals coming to the 'IN' ports? I thought I had a grasp on how that would work, but it has not behaved the way I expected. Should a functioning remote allow me to jump this first hurdle?

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I know that this forum has a lot more emphasis on reading tapes than writing to them. I also suspect that the answer to my inquiry is an obvious one, but I need help. If you have comments, advice, readings, etc. on how I can make forward progress toward my goal of 'digital to analog to digital' workflow, that would be most welcome.

Thanks,
JM

I did this a few weeks back for a "perfect circle" project.:wink2:

Burn your video to a DVD, then connect the video-out on a DVD player to the video-in on the VCR and play+record away.

You should be able to monitor your input without recording, just set the VCR to the corresponding line input, once you get a working feed then hit record.
As to why you are not getting a picture, this could be anything from the following, Your laptop is not set correctly to output from HDMI, The HDMI output resolution/standard is not supported by the HDMI-RCA adapter, The VCR is not outputting video, use TV for initial setup.
As I always say, use the process of elimination, start from the source and make your way into the VCR. Hooking things together and trying to figure out where the problem lies is like working on car without opening the hood.

Thank you, both. I think the first problem is that I am unable to set the VCR to the line input I am using, since this is apparently something you can only do with the remote. I'll see where I get when that part is figured out.

Quick update for posterity (and anyone interested):

The remote solved my problem. "Input" needs to be set to "external" in order for the VCR to record incoming signals (duh). I have three consumer decks and they all appear to work this way; because they are consumer models, input can not be selected without a remote.

At this point, I have successfully passed a video from my computer, to the VCR, and back to the computer again.

The biggest remaining challenge lies with aspect ratio and up/down scaling resolution funkery.