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VCR modification to sound like R2R

CareerOfEvil

CareerOfEvil

New Member
I remember reading a while back about some guy who modded a VCR to record only audio, if I remember correctly only the bottom part of the VCR magnetic tape is reserved for audio but they modded it so the entire tape used audio, and they had a more convenient reel-to-reel quality audio device! Not to mention the cheapness of VCR tapes and players... does anyone have any information on this or have done this themselves? It'd be really interesting to try!

The biggest problem I heard is that many VCRs require some kind of video signal otherwise the audio signal shuts off as well... I can only wonder how they bypassed that.
 
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The edge track on VHS tapes is a mono only non HiFi quality signal. The HiFi system was called VHS HiFi and usually required using the AV inputs and outputs.

To record audio only no special modifications are required if you have a VHS HiFi deck. It uses an extra pair of audio only heads on the head drum to lay down a high quality audio signal. Some VHS decks allowed recording only the audio signal. For those that don't, just record any video signal along with the audio and neglect to connect or use the video output connection when playing back the tape.
 
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Sony had a Hi-8 audio only recorder if I remember correctly. This used 8mm videotapes but used the whole tape for audio. No video. I don't recall hearing this done with VHS but I think that better VHS decks "striped" audio along with video rather than do a linear recording along the edge of the tape.
 
I tried it, back when my VCR was new. Sounded good. But nowadays, I can barely keep a VCR running. I'd hesitate to invest much in software, when the hardware is such a PITA.

But that's me. I spend enough time keeping internal combustion devices running. I guess I don't have much patience with recalcitrant electronics.
 
I've done this before with excellent results on a HiFi VCR. Although I stopped because I wanted to get a VCR with input volume as well as chapter (song in this case) selection. Still looking.

But like I said, the recordings I had made with just a standard HiFi VCR sounded great on good quality VCR tape which can be picked up at Radioshack. Closer to the record than most cassette recordings I've made, including on metal.
 
VCR is not reel to reel quality. A good VHS Hi FI is competitive with cassette. But no better or no more compatible from deck to deck. But still not as good as a better consumer class or superior open reel machine in the broadcast class or higher at 7 1/2 IPS or better 1/4 or 1/2 track Stereo. You really want to record on a VCR and have useful indexing, you get a U matic or Beta VCR and a Sony PCM F-1 adapter (unfortunately not analog)
 
Back in the early 80s I went with a friend up to the Twin Cities to audition cassette decks. We happened upon one shop that had a prototype VCR deck that was used for digital recording. Interesting stuff. This was before the first CD players came out.
 
VHS Hi-Fi had specs to rival or exceed the best open reel decks of the day, including pro machines running at 15 ips. Because of the rotating heads, the effective tape speed is closer to 100 ips, iirc.

And dropouts. Lots and lots of dropouts.
 
JoeESP9 said:
The edge track on VHS tapes is a mono only non HiFi quality signal.
Click to expand...

That's not 100% true. There was a short time period, in between regular mono VCRs and VHS HiFi, when you could buy a stereo VCR that used the edge track, split into two channels. Still very lo-fi (depending on speed), but stereo nonetheless. When VHS HiFi came out, there were a few decks that recorded both ways in stereo - I owned one. It was a Panasonic, and even had level controls for the audio. Once HiFi was established, manufacturers stopped including the linear stereo option.

I own one prerecorded VHS - Concert For Bangla Desh. It's linear stereo, non-HiFi....and of course I can't listen to it in stereo anymore.:tears:
 
On some of the older VHS decks there was a switch for video or audio only for Hi-Fi. The recordings sound pretty decent, I used to use a deck for recording off the radio. It does not rival open reel. Also there is some tracking problems if you play the tapes on different decks.

I remember Technics came out with a PCM Digital VHS deck that was supposed to make very good tapes. It was on the cover of Audio magazine during the early 80's.
 
I record audio with VHS HiFi all the time and it sounds very good. In fact I just recorded one of my favorite 3 hour long radio programs last night and have been doing so for years. I dub off the tracks I want to keep on a reel to reel machine and even at the very slow SLP speed the HiFi VHS makes decent quality recordings, far better than any cassette deck that I have ever come across. I don't think they are quite as good as open reel, however.
 
Might depend on the use of the recorded tapes. For short term compilation of music it would sure make sense, 6 hours of music pretty much playable anywhere. But I'd not go this route for long term storage and use due to the nature of the machines. Today's VHS machines are the finest example of cheap BPC generic stuff out there. We've had 8 or ten video recorders over the years and when they puke no amount of cleaning/servicing will get them right. No matter the name on the front, all alike inside. On the other hand my old Teac 4010s I bought in 1969 still plays like the day it was new, and tapes from that period sure sound good too.
 
KentTeffeteller said:
VCR is not reel to reel quality. A good VHS Hi FI is competitive with cassette. But no better or no more compatible from deck to deck. But still not as good as a better consumer class or superior open reel machine in the broadcast class or higher at 7 1/2 IPS or better 1/4 or 1/2 track Stereo. You really want to record on a VCR and have useful indexing, you get a U matic or Beta VCR and a Sony PCM F-1 adapter (unfortunately not analog)
Click to expand...

I used to use a Hi-Fi VCR for recording audio (without video) and can tell you it exceeded the abilities of cassette pretty handily as it recorded using almost ALL of the width of the tape (possibly more as it recorded the signal diagonally).

Specs of the Hi-Fi VHS system (available for less than $100 in VHS's "prime"):
frequency response (20 Hz to 20 kHz),
signal-to-noise 70 dB
90 dB dynamic range
70+ dB channel separation.

Specs of a Nakamichi Dragon (price when in it's prime = $2,500).
This was NOT your average cassette deck and was considered to "rival" RTR:
Frequency response: 20 to 22,000Hz (ZX tape)
Signal to noise ratio: better than 72dB (dolby C)
Total harmonic distortion: less than 0.8% (ZX tape)
Channel separation: better than 37dB
 
1tumbleweed said:
That's not 100% true. There was a short time period, in between regular mono VCRs and VHS HiFi, when you could buy a stereo VCR that used the edge track, split into two channels. Still very lo-fi (depending on speed), but stereo nonetheless. When VHS HiFi came out, there were a few decks that recorded both ways in stereo - I owned one. It was a Panasonic, and even had level controls for the audio. Once HiFi was established, manufacturers stopped including the linear stereo option.

I own one prerecorded VHS - Concert For Bangla Desh. It's linear stereo, non-HiFi....and of course I can't listen to it in stereo anymore.:tears:
Click to expand...

I forgot! I once had a Fisher VCR that had stereo edge track recording. It sounded pretty bad and I never found any tapes that had a stereo edge track. I got rid of the Fisher for a JVC that was VHS HiFi.

At one time I had both Beta HiFi and VHS HiFi decks. I liked the Beta better because it had separate audio recording level controls and metering. It made making audio tapes much easier on the Beta. The Beta also had a better picture.
 
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audiojones said:
. I don't think they are quite as good as open reel, however.
Click to expand...

THey're probably better than this open reel:
sonora-r2r.jpg
:D
 
"Hi-Fi" video recorders have an inherent s/n ratio at the tape/head interface of about 45dB. To get the claimed 80dB they use a companding noise reduction system (like dbx) which gives the numerical doubling of dynamic range, but doesn't fix the poor signal to noise ratio. That means that depending on the material, and the loudspeakers, you can hear the head-switching noise, and you can hear the noise reduction system adjusting the gain. It's way way better than the linear audio, but it is not a match for a competent R-to-R.
Incherchangeability between different machines is a major pain, and as mentioned, lots of dropouts with less-than-the-best tapes.

From the words of the original post, I got the feeling someone had put a 1/2-inch two track head into a video transport. That head - only to be found in some really high end studio recorders - probably cost more than most people spent on their entire audio setup.
 
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