I just got one of those used the other day at a garage sale, one of the sets of input jacks is right on the front panel.
It struck me that since they make that set so accessible, they might have made sure it could be used to record without a video signal. Those front panel jacks look so tempting. (I gave it a try to make sure it works the other day, but it's not hooked up so I can't immediately see if the theory is correct.)
One thing worth adding to the discussion is that the mono audio signal is recorded directly onto the tape, so it has all the badness of a tape recorder with a slow moving tape.
But a stereo vcr uses a subcarrier, and the signal is applied to the tape via the video heads (which of course is rotating to "increase" the virtual speed of the tape), so the audio recording is superior to the mono recording, and likely superior to a lot of home recording equipment. Certainly compared to using some other method to make a really long recording.
I am down but not out -- all the way -- I had this entire thing setup in my bedroom with a combo cassette-DVD audio box outputs to a stack of an old Marantz stereo amp with TV sending video to a VCR which also records the AM radio program for me. All of a sudden an anomaly occurs while I'm listenting to the playback the next day; about 10-20 minutes or so into a 5 hour program the audio goes out and stays out for long periods occassionally cutting back in for a minute or two and then out again for a long period if not for the remainder of the program..
I called the radio station to ask if they were having any transmission problems they could confirm and all seemed well on their end. Troubleshooting backwards all is working -- except -- the audio cuts on when recording on that VCR.
I have the TV-VCR combo and the old tabletiop radio down here in the cave (my computer space) so I thought I would give it the ol' college try and replicate something downstairs here. Maybe I'll just try to find a cheap VCR at a rummage sale and integrate with the equipment we've been discussing -- or most likely -- simply replace the VCR in the setup upstairs.
I've been using a DVD-Cassette-AM-FM Radio combo audio unit that was quite pricey to output the radio program leaving it turned on to the AM station
24x7. I've been worring about burning that unit out and would rather just go back to on and off on a nightly basis with the old table top which is not a great loss. Your comments about the Radio combo as used? Do they have any history of "expiration" simply by leaving the radio on 24x7. Foolish me, that's what I thought "solid state" meant for so long, that the "state" was engineered to be left operationally enabled rather than on and off and on and off.
The point is for all interested in this topic then...
To what end would fooling around with the VCR which seems to cut out its audio recording capability when recording?
What risk if any when operating one of the contemporary audio combo units (Sanyo) leaving the radio on 24x7 as it has been for at least the past 1-2 years? Counting myself lucky at this point.
Bullshit. The VCR needs the video sync to record properly, if at all. Without sync, the speed varies widely, causing the playback frequncies to be all over the place.
--
Service to my country? Been there, Done that, and I\'ve got my DD214 to
prove it.
Member of DAV #85.
Michael A. Terrell
Central Florida
If you feel the need to do it this way, you can cobble together the video signal by hooking the video to a TV or other source. If you're feeling adventurous, you can make an NTSC test pattern generator from a PIC. Absent the programming/debugging skills, you can purchase one for $8 from Elm Electronics:
formatting link
Their ELM304 is a PIC NTSC Video Generator made for exactly this purpose:
formatting link
With a crystal, four resistors and a regulated +5V power supply, you're done.
I don't fully understand what Line 1 or Line 2 actually are anyway?
I was starting to wonder if I could outsmart the TV with a cheap hack such as tuning to Line 1 and patching Video out in the rear of the TV to Video in on the front while recording the audio part which I've already worked out by using a mic and amp to pass the sound from the table top radio.
Then moments ago I get an epiphany! (maybe)
I have one of the first Amiga 1000s sold in the US. This computer has an RCA interface in the rear which outputs an NTSC signal to enable people to use an NTSC monitor with the Amiga rather than the RBG monitor they were selling off the shelf. The TV documentation says "Video Signal: NTSC Color." I might be able to patch the Amiga'a NTSC Video out to the TV Video in while recording on Line 1. Hmmmmmm
No joy. The video is coming through just fine. Funny how my old Amiga games are appealing all of a sudden. The mic picks up the audio from the table top radio and sound comes through the amp that powers the mic and I can monitor that audio output by the amp using headphones but the TV is not recording the audio, only the video being sent by the Amiga.
I now wonder if I may have a bad cable as the headphones prove the audio is coming out of the amp. When I try to integrate the amp with the TV using an
1/8" to RCA cable I can't get the TV to record the sound.
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