Using a VCR to record Digital TV

[@orangefaux]

Hi, not even sure if you are active on this channel anymore. But I wanted to let you know that because of this video, I was able to help a senior record on vhs again. He is very rigid due to many needs and limitations, and the only thing he ever thought he was good at was recording his tv with his vcr. Since the digital TV transition about 14 years ago, he hasn't been able to record. Other workers tried to get him onto DVDs or even cable DVR, but he could never learn them and they weren't his VHS tapes. It was literally all he talked to me about the past three years I've worked with him and I'm a social worker, not a tech person, so it took me this long to stumble upon this you tube. And today, for the first time in 14 years, this man can record VHS tapes again. So, sincerely thank you from the bottom of my heart.You helped someone who needed it to be happy again 🙌🙏

[@eightiesforreals5519]

orangefaux Hi thank you for the comment means a lot to me that this video still helps people like you out and makes them smile even tho it was uploaded 3 years ago. Personally I’ve always had a massive interest in the modern history ever since I was a kid (nowadays it’s more popular culture from the 60s till now). Unfortunately the KZbin hobby was more a fad being that it was a very fun back in the day but just doesn’t seem to interested me anymore and I’ve since moved on the other things . But hey never say never 😉

[@targetrender9529]

It’s cool young people like this dude still appreciate old technology. Thank you, sir.

[@nathanbarker9165]

I love VCRs and always wanted to see if I could record on it even tho analog isn't a thing

[@Demon_slayer1122]

I collect old stuff

[@imonit1177]

This kid went all out for this one. CRT t.v., mullet, plad shirt. Straight 90's

[@dutchcinephile1362]

😂 A true OG

[@drakevevo3710]

you look straight out of the 80's I instantly like you.

[@darkempire37]

there is something comforting about the plunk of the tape and the whirring of the vcr heads

[@kevinhancock2739]

Thanks for the info. Very helpful. I grew up in the 80's when VCR was all the rage. Now currently trying to bring some of my dad's electronics back to life.

[@queenofthemarshmallows2875]

That haircut makes you look like you just have time traveled from the 1980s

[@gasjebasje99]

He's learning you about VHS technology You knew what this was

[@maxmustardman298]

this is so cool haha

[@maxymk123]

it adds so much to the video

[@Musicspinn]

Back to the future

[@PC4USE1]

I had hair that long in the late seventies and early eighties. I still have it but it's now short and white.

[@april27taurus]

YOU ARE A LIFESAVER!!!!! I HAD FORGOTTEN HOW TO HOOK THIS UP. I WAS ABOUT TO GIVE UP ON THIS. UNTIL I FOUND YOUR VIDEO!!!!!!! THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!!

[@soniaynclan9079]

Wonderful video! So easy to understand. Thank you so much. I am a 42 year old mom trying to figure this out for my autistic 10 year old who loves all things vhs. He usually just points his vhs camcorder towards the tv to record new movies but I was hoping to find a better way.

[@debbiemoray7959]

I have been trying to do this for sometime. Watched many youtubes, until I found you. Yours worked. Happy dance!!!!

[@hjebone]

Thanks for helping yet another senior, to record old episodes of xxx??? to a VHS tape! I have boxes and boxes of used VHS tapes, and this is much cheaper than buying each set or episode!

[@alexanderthelame8462]

That was not only really clever-but well and truly entertaining and educational-you rock,buddy!xxx

[@jonjonas2528]

VHS is the greatest

[@TechProYoutube]

yeah so much hours of tv to watch or just record your consoles gameplay

[@norbkowa]

Good to see someone young still using and liking physical media and not just streaming.

[@jdrs4214]

I love this kid!!!! I get what he is trying to say at the very end, where he says: “It’s very satisfying to use old VCRs.” I can’t explain what he feels, but I can somehow relate to him, because I used to abuse the heck out of music cassette decks, and VCRs, way back in the day, when I used to record stuff from radio and TV. Hell yea it’s satisfying!!!!

[@rockhead11]

I agree. I just bought a VCR and a tape deck is on the horizon. Mix tapes and tv shows that you can fast forward through the commercials!! I just wish the VHS tapes weren’t stupid expensive now

[@vjstv0101]

Thanks. I'll try this at my mother's house. She's in her 70s and wants to stick to this technology because she already knows how to use it.

[@MatrixAlphaCWX]

VHS AND CASSETTE TAPES! WoO! Got a ps3 or xbox 360? Most of us do. Just connect the video cables to a VCR and hit record when you watch netflix or insert a dvd. Crap loads of bands are also releasing Cassette's this year. Cassette's in my 2006 Mustang sound amazing. Haha Us Millennials' and younger generations are keeping it alive.

[@compitalc]

I didnt know bands who make music can make VHS's!

[@davidcollins1886]

This is a really good video, very detailed and well delivered. I have an old combined vhs/dvd recorder which I used to convert some old VHS tapes, but it would be fun to be able to record from the TV to VHS again.

[@Eltzer]

Can'tsay I learned anything new from this, but I love the way you explain things and your love for physical media, so sub.

[@jalen8r]

Yeah the vibe here is immaculate I got an n64/vcr crt setup in the garage and I been wanting to record gameplay to analog and I remember it worked exactly like this so that’s a bet

[@jalen8r]

Also brooooooooo come backkkkk you ain’t gotta do tutorials you just got the vibe down I’d be down to see you do 80s ass vids

[@pleasedontfeedtheai2341]

Great mullet hair, you must be a time traveler as well. I love my old Hitachi VCR, now to grab free tv w an amplified terrestrial antenna

[@rockhead11]

This is awesome! a CRT tv, rabbit ears antenna and a VCR. All you need is some tin foil on the antenna. ACTUALLY, I want to record a show from my digital OTA antenna and DVRs are stupid expensive so this is my alternative but I didn’t think about a VCR not recognizing the broadcast signal anymore. Well done, thanks!!

[@jonjonas2528]

Keep using your vcr VHS videorecorders and blank VHS tapes to get even with the news media

[@powerstuffup]

How are you getting even with news station?

[@VoltageNostalgia]

Im 25 i like to record live tv on VHS often. I have a CRT with a built in VCR so all you gotta do is connect the converter to the TV, put in a tape, and hit record. It can automatically turn itself on and record at set times and turn off when it's done, so you can set it to record the same time or show everyday, or once a week. Pretty fun

[@a8twenty]

Retrowave and The Regular Show. Awesome vid! I use my CRT for retro gaming but my vcr is hooked up to my 4k tv just fine.

[@bradleyread7738]

This is how I record Digital TV, passed through my VCR, into my Betamax (BNC + Audio) works a treat.

[@compositefrog1811]

i just got a hdmi to av adapter unpluged the hdmi cord going into my tv from the cable box, and plugged it into the adapter. Then got av cables and plugged them into the front of my vcr. (also plugged the micro usb cable into the adapter so i can power on) And i recorded a icarly marathon on vhs!

[@audiovision2818]

I've actually got my VCR connected to the cable box via an RF cable, and there are no issues with it on my end. I've done this with various VCRs, including a Panasonic, JVC S-VHS, and Sony.

[@evansullivanrichgels5531]

Do you take the output from your box and put it in the input of your VCR?? If so does that convert the signal to analog?? And if so are you able to then record digitally broadcasted shows to your VCR??

[@jeep146]

Very good brings back memories. VHS is inferior to modern recording methods. But, it is easy to do with no software involved. What I want to use my old VCR is to record stream by using a HDMI Splitter to HDMI convertor to RCA then to VCR . Many programs are copy protected but what I want is not. Just for fun to see if it will work.

[@juliastenback1102]

you are my favourite youtuber!

[@SuperCartoonist]

5:43 I know you are not going to need the right audio for the TV, but you can at lease record everything in stereo on tape if you connect the right audio to the VCR. Maybe someday you would want to watch the things that you have recorded in stereo on a different TV that would have a red RCA input.

[@opiekrumpus4182]

I use my vcr to record stuff off my roku. Quality is very good. Vcr's are still a very handy technology to use.

[@tiredasssleepyhead]

so its the same procedure!? minus the radioshack black box yeah? i want to record a 1hour plus concert from utube(here lol) that keeps getting copyrighted & taken down. i neeed it so bad😫hope it works

[@opiekrumpus4182]

@@tiredasssleepyhead If you want to get KZbin videos you can also use the app "TubeMate". Great app downloads all the videos you want.

[@Hansss_sedlarr]

Wow IT works! You can hook it up even to Other systems like DVD.. Thanks sir

[@frotogano6583]

I'm gonna do this with Captain Marvel so I can watch it with the 90s feel to it

[@chessboardman7888]

Forget the stupid haircut comments, this was very well - explained, THANKS ( and a needed video, nobody on utube is doing it, and you deserve credit for how well and clearly you explained things. )

[@sleepysteev2735]

I am now very interested to know how this could be one, if at all, on an HD TV with HDMI. If the RCA was converted to HDMI with a converter box, would the effect be the same? Also, does the time shifting feature still work on the VCR? One of the most useful features on some higher-end models was the ability to set recording times while out of the house, or even being able to record different channels in sequence through the built-in tuner.

[@x86Archives]

Great tutorial, man! You're really rockin' that 80's mullet (if I'm using the correct name of that hairstyle). May I ask how you got your hair like that? I'm thinking about doing the exact same sometime!

[@wolfpack8275]

Hey bro i used the time machine to tell ya u did us good bro, preserving history by any means

[@mac72ish]

THANK YOU LIL HOMIE.

[@rickets5094]

Hello pal not sure if you are still active on KZbin but I just picked up a VHS and was looking for cool things to do with them and stumbled across this awesome video

[@jonjonas2528]

Thank you for your cool VHS video you are a cool guy spread the message about VHS

[@ApolosaCakau]

I still love VCRs, glad I found this video, thus i shall save it for future use, you have gained a like and a subcribe 😊

[@springleman]

the dtv (digital tv) box wont get the vcr confused, if the dtv box can connect to the vcr through the antenna cable, it should have an analog tv decoder that would show the dtv on either channel 3 or 4.

[@evansullivanrichgels5531]

Hmmmm, something I'll have to try at some point.

[@shantellruthenberg5443]

Hi Harrison Travis...This video is very helpful here in SA where we are now moving towards going digital. I kid you not. Would like to know if you have a dvd player as well as the set up you mentioned connected and how that's possible...

[@charlie_nolan]

I was thinking you soldered in a digital tuner to the VCR main board or something, I already knew about a converter box. Nevertheless, I’m subscribing because you’ve inspired me to grow my hair like that, a choice I will surely regret after my senior photo next year but oh well

[@kerdunne3422]

Man I remember using blank tapes to record a show or movie my parents wouldn’t let me stay up late to watch and hope that it actually recorded the next day. Then DVR came but went just as quickly when you have streaming services 24/7.

[@jenessie385]

i have a hdmi to rca it shows up on the tv going through the vcr but when i play the video i recorded its black

[@handbrakeuser1762]

I like this very much. Very ingenious. I must try this out. Thank you very much.

[@satellaguy]

Thx for making this! I wanted to know about this topic lol

[@jakeifl0res]

"Bro, record this episode today, I'll watch this later when I get home from work"

[@UncleBobbo]

I just did something similar to record my favorite 80's horror movies onto vhs in widescreen so that I can enjoy them on vhs format on my modern hd television.

[@SuperRussian16]

Please tell me how do do this with modern TV

[@UncleBobbo]

@@SuperRussian16 its pretty easy. But it would depend on which equipment you have. There's always a way

[@stephenchase5593]

I love your videos!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@brentad2004]

I do the EXACT same thing with a DVD recorder (circa 2007 )which they don't make anymore- had to buy it used on eBay. If you're lucky, you can find one with a built in digital tuner, that WOULD let you program/schedule recordings to different channels. With these methods you can record up to 480p (which is not bad), and then use free windows compatible software (HandBrake is good one) to "rip"/convert the recording to MP4 format to play on an tablet or smart phone, if you are so inclined. BTW, I do have a VCR I bought for $5 at a thrift store, that I want to try this with just for S&G's.

[@3Cr15w311]

I've converted a lot of music videos and other hard-to-find material from Laserdisc using one of those DVD recorders from Panasonic. It makes a 704 by 480 DVD which can be "ripped" using Handbrake and converted to MPEG4 H.264 with the proper pixel ratio set so it is 704 by 480 in 4 by 3 or 16 by 9.

[@andrewmiller6754]

I had a small flat screen TV, do I still need that digital box? And would the vcr record off of that?

[@nickarchiver52]

you can't record off a tv

[@johnnyxo6818]

THANK YOU SO MUCH, IT FINALLY WORKED, I KEPT ON HETTING THE INPUTS WRONG

[@CesareVesdani]

Is it possible to record KZbin videos to VHS tapes?

[@eightiesforreals5519]

Cesare Vesdani definitely just get yourself a hdmi to composite converter

[@nickarchiver52]

@@eightiesforreals5519 or use an Xbox 360 or PS3

[@KSguitarmusic]

I'm going to need to probably do this or similar being that my 24-yr. old Panasonic CRT is no longer working well. For the past several years, we've been using an analog-to-digital (called "digital stream") converter box ever since the signals coming through our antenna changed to digita). We don't have cable but rather use an antenna. Here's the current set up with the Panasonic: Antenna comes in to the digital stream box (antenna in jack). Then, the “antenna out” jack goes over to the VCR (“RF in”) jack. Then, from the VCR (“RF out” jack, it goes over to the Panasonic. Also coming out of the Digital Stream box are the 3 red-white-yellow cables. They go to the audio/video input (lower row) on the VCR. Red and white (audio out) then goes to my stereo receiver. With the above set-up, we've been able to record to our VCR. However (and here's why I'm confused), I have not been able to record into a VCR using a 6-yr. old Vizio (HDTV) that we have in another room. What happens is that when I turn on the VCR the picture simply freezes. Hard to explain but with the VCR on it simply won't access the program. I assume that the reason we CAN still record to VCR with the old Panasonic is because of the digital converter box - assuming it's behaving the same as the "set top box" you describe? Once we replace the CRT and get a new TV (in the next few days)..I'm assuming we'll no longer need the digital converter box (?) OR can that box essentially continue to serve as a set top box? What we'd like to do is to be able to continue to record to VCR in both rooms. The Vizio does NOT have any sort of extra box. It's simply the RF antenna coming in to the VCR and then out to the TV. I'm glad I came across your video. Any further advice please let me know. Thanks!

[@sheilatorres5312]

From the bottom of my vhs heart, thank you!

[@vica1104]

Great video! I should get you to help me set my VHS :D

[@d4vid469]

we are in 2019 not 2009 dude........

[@nickarchiver52]

@@d4vid469 shut up

[@d4vid469]

@@nickarchiver52 ?????

[@nickarchiver52]

D4vid stop telling us to upgrade

[@proletariennenaturiste]

I've never seen a six head VCR. All the ones I've seen were two or four head. I found a four head one at a flea market and it is the one that I am hoping to get as long as it's the one that has the remote with it and allows for setting of the clock and such.

[@jamespleger752]

Thank you SO much for this video. I have an old (2006) Sony DVD/VCR combo unit, which plays pre-recorded VHS tapes fine, but I could not figure out, why it would not record VHS tapes. Now I understand. Your explanation is very clear ... maybe a bit repetitive, but that is OK, because this topic is a bit complicated, so it is good to re-state the information in a slightly different way. One factual point ... in the USA, the switch from analog to digital was made in 2009, not 2013 ... maybe you are referring to another country? Anyway, excellent explanation ... you should consider becoming a teacher, if you are not already.

[@eightiesforreals5519]

thank you means a lot but yes I live in Australia and the switch over was in December 2013

[@evansullivanrichgels5531]

So technically the switch from analog to digital in the US was in 2009, but it wasn't enforced until about 2022. What it listed was that all television companies by the year 2022 had to get rid of their analog transmitters. So naturally many companies didn't switch over right away. I had charter at the time and they didn't switch over until 2014 so up until that point I was using my VCR to record.

[@pungisotu]

How does this handle 16:9 content? It just crops it at the sides?

[@el-danihasbiarta1200]

anamorphic squeeze 16:9 content to 4:3

[@ClassicTechUK]

This is a great video. Thanks!

[@LethalMaster]

Thanks man I have one VHS but forgot how to record digital tv lmao 😆

[@patriciaraycraft8230]

I don't have a crt TV. How can I connect my vcr to a flat screen TV ? Maybe I just need an adapter from evilbay. Suggestions greatly appreciated. Thanks :-)

[@d4vid469]

why are you trying to use VHS Tapes? this is not 1980 dude......

[@nickarchiver52]

@@d4vid469 VHS tapes were still relevant until around 2003

[@camaradeize]

I just loved your video, great ! Thx!

[@TomIannucci22]

4:45 that's actually not true. I used to have a DTV box connected to my VCR thru RF and all you had to do was tune the VCR to channel 3 and then use the cable box tuner. TV also only had RF input so you could use the cable box without the VCR on as well.

[@TheRealKnightFuryPremiere]

I made a VHS tutorial a few months ago. UPDATE: I took it down due to confusion.

[@theoneandonlykyle9800]

I feel like I'm back in the 90s this is how we recorded our shows

[@gamingroom12]

I want to Record a movie into a VHS,How i Hook uo my VCR into the TV at the same time i Hook up the DVD player?

[@Z64sports]

You can't because copy protection

[@WickerBasket9]

You cannot copy _copy_ protected media due to Macrovision.

[@mariposa0621]

Thank you for making this easier for me!

[@lands1459]

probably not the place to ask but ive got a few VCRs i use for digitizing tapes. one of them i was recording on as an experiment but it stops recording after 20 seconds, every time. what is the issue? tape records fine on my other vcr

[@yakadoodledongywongy8718]

By the time digital came around TV's and VCR's used SCART. And I remember the days when a TV had an ariel out socket. You'd plug an ariel cable from the TV to the VCR Meaning you still used the TV remote to change channels etc. Iftact I don't think I knew VCR's haha built in tuner until this moment.

[@ken48827]

Trying to understand what equipment to use. I turned on closed captions and the box on top is called a set up box, speta box, set-top box, centa box, then set of books. Oh then deceptive books. Honest to god, what is that box on top of the VCR?

[@neatoburrito3170]

Set top box.

[@Scudmaster11]

What would happen if you record off the air without the digital tune to analog out then connect that VCR to a digital TV... would you get the channels that that 1 channel has the frequency band in analog with others in binary

[@Connie_TinuityError]

8:22 what channel was that?

[@AverageEggmonEnthusiast]

Theoretically, can you stream KZbin to your TV (with a Roku or similar device) and record it onto a tape with this method?

[@Waadee101]

This was great ! One question- How do I record videos on my laptop/imac on to a VHS tape?

[@UncleBobbo]

I use a media streamer hooked up to my vcr to do it. Personally, I use my tivo and pytivo server software. But there's multiple ways to achieve the same thing.

[@eightiesforreals5519]

you need a HDMI to av converter they can be found cheap on sites like Ebay

[@SwedishTVUploader]

Here you have a tutorial on how to do: kzbin.info/www/bejne/immmaqGaoraAh5o

[@KSguitarmusic]

Forgot to ask...why aren't you using the red (audio) cable, but rather just composite video and one audio channel? That won't work for me cause then I won't have a stereo signal. Shouldn't there be white-yellow-red coming out of the box into the VCR, and likewise all three coming back out the VCR and into the TV? One more question - what happens with the antenna once it's plugged into the box? Doesn't it have to come back out to send the signal to the VCR and then eventually to the TV? I don't recall you referring to any additional antenna connections...? I can't imagine that the video cable alone from the box to the VCR supplies the digital TV channels?

[@evansullivanrichgels5531]

To answer your first question, his TV is a mono TV, so he doesn't have the stereo option on the back, so he can't use the stereo on the digital set top box and VCR and then just plug in the two to his TV, that would mess the audio up. To answer your second question, plugging your antenna to the digital set top box is all you need to do. Once you connect the antenna to the set top box, the signal will be there, and by taking the RCA outputs from the box to the VCR, the signal will then be carried to the VCR's INPUT 1, naturally the VCR's output will carry that signal to the TV, and there you go. So the RCA from the box going to the VCR IS the connection that sends the signal of the antenna to the VCR if you didn't understand that.

[@noel888]

Nice demo My old vcr does not have a/v inputs only a/v outputs how would i work around that, if i can?

[@evansullivanrichgels5531]

Not sure if you can unless you have a ATSC modulator which would convert the RCA to a RF signal. You might be able to do it that way. Assuming your VCR had a tuner which pretty much all VCR's did.

[@MarioC-xj5hq]

Where is the first cable coming from, the wall antenna?

[@robertadaversa2503]

Can you use an old model Roku as the digital source instead of an antenna?

[@gamingmusicandjokesandabit1240]

What's the model of the VCR?

[@wendywilkinson2981]

Hey there - what channel should my VCR be tuned - to enable me to record a normal channel? thank you - bloody hopeless cheers from Wendy in Isolation

[@PC-Gamer-000]

Is there a way to record television shows onto a VHS tape, without having to have an actual antenna? For example, if I were to purchase "Free Clear TV" a simple coaxial stub screw in, do you think that would be enough of a connection to record a show onto a VHS tape?

[@janetwhite7062]

Can I record from the TV whilst watching another channel like I used to with my old Panasonic VCR Recorder by setting it to record at a specific time, or can you only record a channel you are watching ?

[@Team_Little_Mates]

I have that Panasonic CRT tv! Best out. Good one 😃

[@jonjonas2528]

Company's start making blank VHS tapes again just like when they started vinal records again

[@pungisotu]

Vinyl never stopped.

[@dkg6826]

Do you know how to connect TELECAPTION 4000 CLOSED CAPTION DECODER to a VCR? Thanks!

[@psmiddx2096]

Excellent video, dude. Does this not work via scart to scart on the set top box TO the VCR? As I have seen, some set top boxes, maybe newer ones, don't seem to have all the AV in/out points? Maybe it's me, but wondered if the scarts double for the AV cables?

[@rhstudio2018]

I'm still recording to vhs tape. ❤❤😊😊😊

[@keithwellerlounge74]

So we need a fancy box, or is that box like a Sky box?

[@FireAlarmBoy1974]

Yeah like one of those few features that can no longer be used is the tuner thats in the VCR itself

[@kaitlynholtgreve3724]

Hi, okay so I have a newer tv that has a digital converter built in. How would I connect the vhs to record shows? I've tried everything I could think of. Please help!

[@SwedishTVUploader]

you mean you have a VHS/DVD combo? you only insert the VHS tape in the VHS part, then blank DVD dl disc in DVD part. Then you will have a "dubbing" opinion, make sure that's you have that's it transfer VHS to DVD and not vice versa. if you do anything wrong, that's you're own fault.

[@thedenmeister6414]

Could the same set up work with a cable box replacing the antenna? I'm not in a good area for OTA channels

[@debbiemoray7959]

Yes. You need a digital adapter box. At least I did. And an antenna.

[@thedenmeister6414]

@@debbiemoray7959 Alright sweet so the box will work for both

[@gpheld]

Does it make any difference if you are using cable tv versus an antenna? Same process for cable tv?

[@evansullivanrichgels5531]

Cable TV makes this more difficult. Cable TV actually has macrovision coding protection in their boxes preventing the digital signal from being switched to analog. Something I haven't tried though that might work would be taking the coaxial cable's output from your box, putting it to the input of your digital set top box, then taking the RCA output and plugging it into your VCR, then so on. Never thought about that before.

[@tyler2610]

I figured out how to do this recently thanks in part to an antenna installer that I had put an antenna in my attic recently. I had been using crappy indoor antennas for about a year after ending my satellite subsctiption and could not figure out any way to record onto my VCR with them. Well when I decided to upgrade to a nicer outdoor/attic antenna I decided to ask the installer if there was a way I could still record onto my VCR with the antenna and he told me all I needed was a digital converter box. I got one and am able to record again using this set-up. I don't do it a lot but I do like having the option to do so and I missed it. I am worried about the new 3.0 digital OTA TV signal coming in the next few years that once it is in place I once again won't be able to use my VCR to record but I will do it as long as I can.

[@evansullivanrichgels5531]

Nope, that should be a problem. All antenna signals these days are digital anyway and that's exactly what your digital set top box is for.

[@18436Melissa]

I don't have a VCR, but i have a 43 inch Hisense Roku TV television, i can't record it with analog signals, what can i do to fix this?

[@ifanjenkinator3464]

Good job but I think you’re confusing “Antenna Out” with “RF Out” the first is a loop through like you explained but if it says RF it’s analog and so it would have worked in the vcr

[@2022irons]

I think Walmart in America still sells antenna cables, also called coaxial cables. Of course I could be wrong.