PC to VCR Recording Help Needed

[Tristanne]

I hope I've put this in the right catagory, but I am having trouble with recording my desktop image on my vcr. I'm using a Dell Demension 800 PC and a JVC VCR. I have everything hooked up properly and I am seeing the image on both my monitor and tv, I have it set to clone, and I am using the Nvida tv out card with an S-video cable. Both images are in color. However when I try to record the image it's recording in black and white. I have tried this a couple of months ago with the same pc and vcr and it was recording in color.
I can't figure out why it's not anymore. I gather the problem is on my pc side because I have no trouble recording in color when it's just the tv or my dvd player hooked up through the s-video to my vcr.

I have re-checked my display settings and connections on my pc and vcr and they are all the way they were before when I could record in color, so is there any other things I should look for?
Appreciate any help!

 

[ekÆsine]

try switching from clone mode to primary mode.

 

[Harper]

What are you trying to record here?

You're game play on some game, or some DVD?

It's is a DVD that you are trying to record here, it almost sounds like that your TV does not like NTSC 443 singnals. (Like my parents TV does that every time i try playing an imported DVD on their setup)

 

[Tristanne]

Hi,
I was trying to record a bit of game footage, and also a dowloaded movie trailer to video tape both in motion. I have recored both of these in the past, so I know it will work.

I tried connecting a second vcr to the first through composit as it doesn't have s-video capabilites, to see what would happen, and I was able to record my PC image in color on the second one. So does it sound as if the problem is then with my first vcr and not the computer?

This is so strange! I would say it's a problem with the S cable itself, but I tried connecting my DVD player to my vcr with the S cable and it did record in color, and I can see the PC image in color on my tv, as it's coming through the vcr, I just can't record it in color, yet I know that it will because I've done it before. I just don't know what has changed.

I've gone through my vcr manual and tried every different configuration, but nothing works.

 

[Tristanne]

I FINALLY figured out what the problem was! I'm posting what worked for me in case anyone else runs into this same problem.
I found out that my computer was sending out the signal to my vcr as composite instead of as S-video. My computer settings were set to auto detect the hook-up, but when I manually selected s-video the picture went from color to black and white, and when I manually selected composite it was back in color. So what I did was to manually select s-video again, and then turn off the computer, unhook the S cable from the back, turn off the vcr and unhook the s-cable from the back of that. Then reconnect the vcr, turn it on. And reset the vcr to accept S-video connections. Then hooked the PC back up with the S-cable and turned it on.
After that I was able to see AND record in color again!
Everytime there is a power outage my VCR switchs from s to composite so I have to switch it back, once I do that I am able to see the PC image in color again, but I guess what happened is the PC was not recognizing the s cable and switched itself over to composite, which was preventing me from recording in color.
So when this happens again I now know what to do.
Hope this helps if anyone else ever encounters this problem, which I hope they don't!^_^