Mike:
I'm trying to dubb from my VX2000 to an analog videotape machine. I put it in LCD and patch the yellow to video, red and blues to audio both on the camera and the tape machine. I also have a S-VHS connector and have tried using it.
It doesn't record on the VCR! Now I suspect it works because I have patched the yellow/red/white into the appropriate patches on the back of a television monitor and it works just fine - audio and video.
But when I try to dubb, it doesn't record - just hash!
I suspect I'm missing something - but what?
Thanks for your help!
Jay Roper

The only suggestion I would have, because I have seen it happen MANY times, is make sure the Camera is in VCR mode and not in camera mode. Aside from that make sure you have the cables hooked up to the INPUT side of the VCR. Some actually don't have that (some older or very inexpensive one's).

Did you set your VCR inputs? My SVHS has inputs on the front panel and rear and each must be selected as video(composite) or S Video and the front or rear jacks must be selected.
This is a royal pain, every time I lose power the default is composite , rear.

Thanks, guys - but to no avail. I tried it on an old Mitsubishi S-VHS which only has inputs and outputs on the back and I made sure I used the inputs to the machine.
Tried it on my new S-VHS Mistubishi - same thing - no recording.
Yes, made sure it was in the VCR mode, actually made sure by looking in viewfinder that tape was playing back.
I'm beginning to think about going over to Sony and asking them what's happening.
Anybody got any more ideas?
Thanks.
Jay

I've discovered that different VCRs want a different line-in setting, but there are only a couple to select from in most cases. Of the two decks I have used, the JVC S-VHS deck likes L-2 and the other (Memorex combo) likes L-1. If you have a TV connected to the VCR and can't see the camcorder's output on it, you can't tape it- and vice versa. If you CAN see it you should be able to tape what you see. Sorry if I'm stating the obvious.
My JVC has the issue Bryan referred to - you must tell it which video source (RCA/S-Video) is active, but I don't think that's an issue in your situation or you'd be getting audio with no video.

Weird. I have nothing useful to offer except to say that I have built computers but still have trouble getting our family VCR to do what I want.

If you get video and audio out to a TV monitor you are getting a signal from the camera so it has to be the VCR. Have you tried recording from one VCR to another?

I've never had a problem recording to my JVC S-VHS VCR with either my with VX1000 or my PD150, though I agree with others who commented that the settings can be a pain.

Good luck

Here's the solution.

Go to the junk drawer in your kitchen. The one where you think you put the owners manual to the vcr.

There you will find the little tiny part you've been looking for for something else.

Take that part with you to put it where it belongs.

While there, you will discover the missing manual. It will tell you, (On a page where id shouldn't belong) the proper way to set the "LINE IN" settings to record to your VCR.

Trust me.

Just a thought.

I assume you checked the VHS tape by rewinding and looking for a recorded signal?

The reason I mention this is because my Sony SLV-R1000 decks will happily record without sending a video signal to the tv monitor unless I first play something on the deck. Otherwise it is just hash out; but the record function is working away.

Bad design but that's the way I get caught out from time-to-time.

There is a menu setting on the VX2000 and, naturally, I don't remember what it is called (and my camera's not handy, so I can't check it). It might be something like "DV IN" or some such.

At any rate, it toggles the camera pass through analog. In one setting, it will accept analog in, in the other, it will put analog out.

Check your manual -- it will tell you.

This should take care of the problem.

I don't find that in the 2000's manual, Paul. It implies that you hook up the cables and fire away. It does suggest that the VCR might have to be in 'Line In' mode.

I think that if the video output can be observed on a monitor, then the problem is in the operation of the VCR, not the camera.

Sony does mention that you cannot copy protected tapes but if his is original footage, that should not be any problem. In any case, the protection issues are handled in the recording VCR, not the transmitting. Unless one is trying to run through a Home Theatre AV Receiver. Some of those will not send a protected signal to the VCR.

I'll take a look when I get home. I've run into this before with both of my Sony cameras, and it drove me crazy 'til I found the right menu setting.

I've pretty much followed the manual instructions! Strangely, it did work for a while but recently is not! I'm faked out on the line in setup! My VCR has the inputs on the back. Is there supposed to be a separate switch or something to setup the line arrangement? I sure can't find it on this old Mitsubishi!
I surely do appreciate the help.
jay roper

My VCRs display the line-in "channels" below channel two - L-1, L-2. Playing a tape while hunting them down might help. When you find the right setting your material will suddenly appear on the connected TV.

Home VCR's are a royal pain. I've wired up all sorts of professional decks and NLE editing systems, component switchers, etc., but I never can seem to make the hundred dollar VHS deck take video in on the first try. I think most of them default to the antenna/cable RF connector. You have to figure out how to go into the menu and change things to something like dub mode or line in. Some older quasi-pro VHS decks actually have switches for this, but most have only menu access now.

Okay, I looked . . .

The menu setting is in the first group, VCR SET, when the camera is set to VCR mode. It's the third entry, A/V->DV OUT. Try toggling that if the other good suggestions made here don't work.

Well, I've gotten it to work as both the camera and the VCR are supposed to! As the younger generation might say, "My bad!"
Turns out there is a tiny switch on the VCR labeled TUNER/EXT. The switch needs to be in the external mode in order to accept an incoming signal.
Doh!
Thanks for all the help - digging out the manual as suggested was the answer.
jay