Backing up VHS to DVD

PM

Im trying to back up my videos to DVD with my dvd recorder but Im having problems connecting everything. Can some one help me connect the DVD, Video and TV so I can play my VHS and record with my Toshiba DVD recorder?

Thanks

Backbiter

I've done this a few times with a Phillips DVD recorder. I have to say the manuals are hardly crystal clear and idiot proof, but basically you must:

Buy some cheap blank discs as you might end up recording the racing from Kempton park rather than your daughter's first birthday from 1983. Be prepared for some trial and error.

Connect VHS to DVD via scart lead
Connect DVD to TV via scart lead
Check with your manual which scart socket on your DVD is your input socket - the lead from the VHS goes in here.
The lead from your DVD to your TV goes in the DVD's output socket

You must check your DVD is on the right channel to record from the VHS input as opposed to, say, your external aerial (i.e your TV channels). This is normally the 'AV' channel - use the 'channel up' button on your remote to locate this. It should say AV on the LED display on the DVD.

Insert the tape you want to copy.


Press play on the VHS. Turn on TV. You should see the video on screen. If not, use the remote - press the button that has a mini TV screen with an arrow going into it until you see the video playing. (alternatively press the channel up/ down button till you do). If you still don't see the video it could be because the DVD is still not set to the right channel to pick up the VHS, so maybe flick through the channels on that again. I said this can be tricky to set up right.
Finally, on the Phillips model I use, there's a button on the remote called 'Monitor', which you must press to view what you want to record. I don't know if Toshibas have this, sorry.
Once you can see everything on screen, you are ready to start recording on DVD. Insert a blank DVD. Check it's the correct type for your recorder - DVD+R or DVD-R (again see manual).But you also need to set the record speed on the DVD - see your manual. For best quality you'll get about 1 hour on a disc, but you can get up to 6 hours. That's your choice.

Now the easy bit - just press record.

You can pause at any time to fast forward through the VHS tape/ change tapes etc.

Once you've put everything on that you want, you have to finalize the disc, or it won't play on another machine. See your manual for how to do this.

To learn how to do all this took literally hours of trying to make sense of a 70 page manual written by someone with very poor communication skills, as well as a few hours of trial and error with discs that cost over £1 each. It was worth it in the end though.

Good luck.

haveagoade

..............yeah but if you have macrovision on the VHS tapes you cannot record on the phillips dvd recorder without hacking it first.
Given the reputation for my Phillips dvdr80 for causing grief, I bought a Tecknika 2005 from Tesco cheap a while ago because it overcomes macrovision without any mods, and since it cost £59 instead of £350 for the Phillips,I am happy with that.