No VHS sound

[hakemon]

Hope this is the right spot to put it, because it's video related.

I ran into an odd VHS tape that was pre-recorded by someone, and it's audio is a little odd.

When played on a "HiFi" VCR, there's full stereo sound. When played on a mono VCR, there's absolutely no sound, except a small 60Hz hum.

The mono VCR works just fine though with other tapes.

I even tried a Stereo VCR that was a Pre-HiFi VCR, and there also is no sound.

[HomerJ]

It sounds like the VCR used to record this tape had a faulty (regular) audio head or circuitry.

[Cosmic]

It could be the tape was recorded on a broadcast/industrial machine which had the option of selecting Hi-Fi/Linear Sound/Both when recording.

These machines had manual recording controls, often two sets of buttons, one set for the Hi-Fi tracks and one for linear. Panasonic and Sony made these.

So it would seem that the tape most likely only has Hi-Fi tracks.

Best,
C.

[HomerJ]

In that case the linear audio track should be quiet, no buzz/hum.

[hakemon]

Is there anyway to get the tape to work on my "linear" based machines? Like, hook up a hifi VCR to the stereo linear VCR and use the linear VCR to re-record the tape? (via composite connection)

[Cosmic]

As long as the original tape doesn't have Macrovision or any other anti-copying feature on it, you should have no problem copying it. You will of course lose a generation, but you will be able to watch it with sound.

C.

[hakemon]

As long as the original tape doesn't have Macrovision or any other anti-copying feature on it, you should have no problem copying it. You will of course lose a generation, but you will be able to watch it with sound.

C.
As long as I can watch the video I'll be fine. It doesn't have Macrovision..

I'm probably the only one here that still uses an old top loading panasonic.. :p