Path: utzoo!attcan!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!cs.utexas.edu!uunet!lll-winken!arisia!sgi!shinobu!odin!odin.corp.sgi.com!portuesi From: portuesi@tweezers.esd.sgi.com (Michael Portuesi) Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga Subject: All about VHS and audio (was Re: Recording Amiga Audio to VCR) Message-ID: Date: 14 Nov 89 09:43:13 GMT References: <781@orange9.qtp.ufl.edu> Sender: news@odin.SGI.COM Reply-To: portuesi@sgi.com (Michael Portuesi) Distribution: na Organization: Silicon Graphics, Inc., Mtn. View, CA Lines: 105 In-reply-to: sutherla@qtp.ufl.edu's message of 13 Nov 89 23:24:23 GMT >>>>> On 13 Nov 89 23:24:23 GMT, sutherla@qtp.ufl.edu (scott sutherland) said: s> SYSTEM: s> Amiga 2000 (Stock) s> CMI VI 500 s> Zenith Stereo VHS VCR s> QUESTION ONE: Is it possible to record an audio signal simultaneously on s> on the stereo and audio tracks? VHS VCR's record with three kinds of audio: linear mono (low-fi) linear stereo (low-fi, sometimes with Dolby NR) Hi-Fi stereo The linear audio (both mono and stereo) is recorded on a separate track. Hi-Fi Stereo is recorded along with the picture. To correct your diagram: s> ------------------------------------------------------------ s> =================Linear Mono and Stereo Audio=============== s> \ \ \ \ \ \ \ s> \ \ \ \ \ \ \ s> \ \ \ \ \ \ \ s> \ \ Video and HiFi Stereo Audio \ s> \ \ \ \ \ \ \ s> \ \ \ \ \ \ \ s> \ \ \ \ \ \ \ s> ===================Control Track=========================== s> ------------------------------------------------------------- A bargain-basement VCR is only capable of recording linear mono. VCR's that are labeled "Stereo" record in low-fidelity (worse than the average cassette deck) on the linear tracks. VCR's labeled "Hi-Fi Stereo" record in high-fidelity (with specs a bit shy of a compact disc) on the diagonal tracks along with the picture. Your question, "is it possible to record audio simultaneously on both the stereo and audio tracks" is a bit ambiguous, because there are two different stereo systems used in VHS VCR's. A Hi-Fi VCR will record stereo on the Hi-Fi track, and mono on the linear track, for compatibility with non-HiFi units. A Hi-Fi unit will play back the Hi-Fi track if it exists, else it will play the linear audio (in low-fi of course). My Panasonic PV-4860 (a Hi-Fi Stereo VCR) is unable to play back linear stereo (it comes through as mono). I think this is the case for most Hi-Fi VCRs, though it isn't much of a loss since most stereo stuff these days is also Hi-Fi. Because your Zenith VCR is labeled "Stereo", but not "Hi-Fi", it probably records only linear stereo. Another non-HiFi Stereo unit should play that back just fine. A mono VCR should play back a linear Stereo track in mono only. s> QUESTION TWO: If the VCR is receiving 2 video signal inputs at the same s> time, one from the RF cable and one from the RCA composite video cable, s> does one override the other? If so, which one? If it is the RF, can this s> be overcome? And does the other, unused video input cause interference? s> (Okay, so this is a multi-part question.) This depends on the VCR itself. My VCR has a switch which determines where the audio is coming from -- the VCR's built-in tuner (the RF cable), or the RCA jacks in back. Depending on the way the switch is set, you can record video and audio from the RCA jacks, video from the tuner and audio from the RCA jacks (simulcast), or video and audio from the tuner. Your VCR should have a similar switch or set of switches to control this behaviour. I would have to look at the instruction manual for your VCR before I could give you any more information. s> Well, I went to a video store to talk to someone that both Radio Shack s> and McDuff's had recommended as a person who might might know the answer s> to my questions. But his explanation only complicated things. [explanation deleted] His explanation was correct, confusing as that may be. s> So now I am really confused. I thought I had it all straight in s> my head, but this fly in the ointment has turned my brain back into s> video MUSH. CAN ANYONE SHED SOME LIGHT ON MY PREDICAMENT???? If you think you're confused, be glad you're not Joe Average Consumer. The companies who make VCR's take advantage of this confusion to sell VCR's with only low-fi capability under the guise of "Stereo sound." If that is all you are looking for, fine, but I think a lot of people are being fooled into buying something they're not really getting. Also, a lot of people who buy "Stereo" or even "Hi-Fi Stereo" VCRs will wonder why they can't watch or tape their favorite TV programs in stereo. This requires a separate MTS (multi-channel televsion sound) decoder that is part of the tuner section of the VCR. The decoder is completely independent of whether the VCR is mono, stereo, or Hi-Fi stereo. But the VCR makers don't stop to tell that to the consumer. Good luck. Hope this info helps. --M -- __ \/ Michael Portuesi Silicon Graphics Computer Systems, Inc. portuesi@SGI.COM