Everything is set up correctly, computer splits screen on TV and I can record to video with my s-video out and audio cables. However if I Play VHS tape on different VCR other then mine the sound has a loud crackle to it. I don't know what is causing this. I tried recording the same thing on another VCR and this time if I play it back on my own VCR I hear the cracked sound... where it didn't show up on the other VCR used for recording ...

Is there some setting that audio only sounds good on the VCR that you record on ( most unlikely ) any help would be apprectaited

Sounds (forgive the pun) really odd!

Firstly the settings you use from Camera or DV OUT will be the same regardless of the destination VCR.

I think you will have to try and narrow the problem. Could be that the crackle is at source but is more pronounced on some VCRs due to slight variations in the VCR Head aligment.

Does the crackle exist on the original tape? You may have to listen with ear phones to ascertain this.

If not, then the problem is almost certainly,

a. The audio lead that you are using to transfer the sound (Do you have other audio leads to try?) is damaged.

b. Loose solder on the camera side of the audio port

c. Loose solder on the VCR audio in side (Unlikely if you are getting this on different VCRs).

At first though I'd check all cables and see if another set works.


Good luck

I've had issues with VCR head alignment especially with HiFi Stereo sound. From one VCR to another I've had crackle and even lost some audio that I mastered to VHS HiFi Stereo which was my "poor man's" DAT for a while.

I think it's head alignment anyway. If it is indeed HiFi stereo, on the other VCR can you turn the stereo off and get the mono soundtrack and still hear crackle (if you can, it's your source that's the problem).

It could also be recording levels, but you can't usually set those on regular VCRs and they should be auto adjusting. Purejammy made some other good points, so I could be just rambling because I know how gutted I am about those audio masters no longer being any good on my current HiFi VCR :(