Simply dubbing a tape from the PD170 to a VCR, is there a setting that controls which audio channel the PD170 outputs? For a taping done with two mics, I would like to record only the output from Ch2 onto part of the VHS tape. I couldn't find instructions on this in the manual.

You cannot do what you want with the 170 controls as it has none for that.

Your VCR may accept a single input on the Left channel and spread that to both channels, you can just not plug in one of the channels and use a simple splitter to feed both channels on the VCR, or you can feed a mixer from the 170 and use that to feed the selected channel.

Cam control or not, as long as there's a way to do it I'm happy. Thanks for the good suggestions.

Well I've never really used this, but on my VX-2000 there is a menu item in VCR mode called HIFI SOUND. There are 3 options: STEREO, 1 and 2. I always assumed these would allow the camera to output stereo (ch 1 & ch 2) or either of the channels in mono. Maybe I'm wrong in this assumption? Or maybe the PD-170 is different?

I missed this before in the manual, but the Changing the Menu Settings section describes a CH SELECT setting in VCR mode that allows you to play back either CH1, CH2, or both over both channels. "To play back the CHx audio from both channels 1/2."
This is what I was looking for. Thanks, Boyd!