http://www.ecoustics.com/latest/articles Latest articles, updated every five minutes http://www.ecoustics.com/tl/24013/ If you're looking for a svelte, effective, and fun solution for recording and watching television on your Mac, the Elgato EyeTV 250 is just the ticket. Mon, 29 Sep 2008 16:00:06 -0400 http://www.ecoustics.com/tl/20064/ ...I wanted to give the Neuros OSD a spin. When I first heard about it last year, I knew it was a unique product, but it wasn't until I got my hands on one that I figured out how useful something like this can be. Don't get me wrong, it's not 100% innovation at its best, and while the execution of its secondary features is somewhat flawed, the core of the product can be extremely useful for those in the analog jam... Wed, 05 Dec 2007 11:50:45 -0500 http://www.ecoustics.com/tl/18817/ Call in the band and strike up the fanfare; there’s finally a high definition TiVo that doesn’t cost as much as one month's rent! In fact, at $299, you could call TiVo's newest addition, the TiVo HD DVR, affordable! If all you needed to hear was HD TiVo and $299 in the same sentence, then don't hesitate. Go get one while the getting is good. If you want to learn more, read on. Tue, 24 Jul 2007 03:17:55 -0400 http://www.ecoustics.com/tl/17973/ I'm sure you've been there; your son, daughter, husband, wife, etc. entered a code into the parental control setting and now can't remember, or you purchase something used that was locked with a code from a previous owner. Either way, now your device is locked down tight, and you need to guess the password in order to use your device. Thu, 07 Jun 2007 17:56:52 -0400 http://www.ecoustics.com/tl/14879/ I have a 61" Hitachi Ultravision, circa 2000. The electricity went off the other day, and when it came back on, my television works as good as before except I do not receive any UHF channels. I have an outside antenna that is connected with a 75-ohm coaxial cable. On my Sharp LCD television, the UHF channels are working very well. Both are connected to the same antenna. I would like to know what I need to do to receive the UHF channels again. Wed, 30 Aug 2006 17:56:36 -0400 http://www.ecoustics.com/tl/13384/ My mother has a Sylvania SSC192 TV/VCR combo. I bought her a DVD player for her birthday, and I can't help her connect it over the phone. Her TV/VCR unit only has a place for the white and yellow connectors, but not the red. Plus, her remote does not have a button to switch from TV to video. Help please!!! Wed, 08 Feb 2006 12:23:33 -0500 http://www.ecoustics.com/tl/12859/ The RCA jacks in the back of the TV work wonders. As I mentioned in the previous article, my headphone jack is broken and I get no sound in the speakers, as a result. I already bought the box which has three sets of RCA jack (red, white, yellow), so I can have my VCR and DVD hooked to my... Thu, 08 Dec 2005 17:36:45 -0500 http://www.ecoustics.com/tl/10765/ tim1996 asked the age-old question , "Why do I hear AM radio on my phone, VCR, or TV when used or on mute?" Read this article to learn why it happens, and what you can do to minimize this phenomenon. Fri, 04 Mar 2005 13:45:56 -0500 http://www.ecoustics.com/tl/10694/ Question: I recently purchased the new Sony DVP-NC875V/B DVD chnager. I really like the unit but it won't play DVD-Rs and DVD-RWs (it's supposed to). I have tried both Memeorex and Sony media. Those DVDs play on my Sony DVD/VCR combo player (less than a year old) just fine. Any ideas? I may try +Rs to see if those will play. -submitted by Marshall Answer: Sony claims playback of all DVD recordable formats, but then there's a note in the manual basically stating that they guarantee nothing. There are so many variables to recordable discs, it's hard guarantee that all variants will play. Sony does mention that DVD-RW recorded in the video (instead of the VR) mode are more widely compatible, which is true. If you're making the recordings yourself, it's worth a shot. You'll also want to be sure that any DVD you author is properly finalized, otherwise it probably won't play. I'd also continue down the path of trying different blanks since those also have a major impact on compatibility. Trying your hand at the + discs is also worth a shot. Let us know what you discover by using the discussion page below. Matt ... Fri, 25 Feb 2005 14:30:46 -0500 http://www.ecoustics.com/tl/10692/ I have a TOSHIBA MW20FP1 TV/VCR/DVD combo. Why does my screen get a big black box sometimes? I cannot take it off except by changing channels and then it comes back again. Also how do I get the info screen off? Fri, 25 Feb 2005 13:56:51 -0500 http://www.ecoustics.com/tl/10660/ Question: Help! I have an immediate need for help with my magnavox vcr. I have a deaf student who needs the closed captioning enabled. I can get the t.v. (samsung) to show the closed captioning, but when I put in a movie, with cc listed on its box - no closed captioning appears! My student cannot participate until this problem is solved. Any ideas? I have tried every "field" and "channel" option listed within the samsung t.v. operator's manual. -submitted by teacher Answer: There are 8 common CC modes on a TV ( CC 1-4, and Text 1-4). These are adjustable in the television's menu. CC1 is the most common close caption mode in use, so I would verify that the TV is set to this mode. If that doesn't work, feel free to try other modes as well. Be sure that the "CC on mute" mode is not enabled, which only turns on the CC decoder if the television is muted. When changing modes, allow up to 1 minute for the CC text to appear. Also make sure that the VCR is properly connected to the display. Verify that the special audio program (SAP) feature on the TV is ... Sat, 19 Feb 2005 13:34:49 -0500 http://www.ecoustics.com/tl/10596/ Question:Our JVC HR-J4434 VCR switches from color picture to black and white and back many times during playback. This only happens when playing video tapes; not when viewing cable input through the VCR. Will a tape head cleaner correct this? If service is required would it be worth it on a 6-7 year old VCR?-submitted by lochkellyAnswer:I'm willing to bet that it's an S-VHS VCR connected with an S-video cable to the TV (the kind of cable with the pins in it). Check each end of the cable and make sure that it's securely connected to the back of the VCR and TV. A black and white image is common on bad S-video connections.A great way to diagnose this is to play a tape, and while someone is watching the screen, jiggle the cable at each end to see if the color intermittently returns. If this doesn't work, connect the VCR using a different S-video cable and it will probably be fine. If for some reason it is not the S-video cable, I'd have a hard time convincing myself to fix it. Great S-VHS VCRs are available for less than two hundred bucks, and will offer you more features than ... Tue, 08 Feb 2005 13:29:29 -0500 http://www.ecoustics.com/tl/10562/ Most turntables use standard RCA style connections to hook up to various devices, but the signal they output is often different than what your VCR uses. In order to get proper sound, ... Sat, 05 Feb 2005 16:10:55 -0500 http://www.ecoustics.com/tl/10538/ Question: I have a Fisher Studio 24 compact disc player and when I put a disc in and push play it says searching ,but then says M-error. What does that mean? What can I do? -submitted by debbie4000 Answer: There's nothing like cryptic error messages to only make matters worse when your device doesn't work. Not only do you need to figure out why it's not working, but you need to take your best guess at what an "M-Error" is. "M-Error" is short for mechanical error. This kind of error is common to devices like CD Players, DVD players, and VCRs. Basically, it can happen to anything with a mechanical system that loads and ejects media. Mechanical errors can be any number of things. In some cases a gear is stuck, in others a part has jammed. Sometimes, a CD is positioned wrong or has fallen off of the carousel, causing the platter to not turn. One way or another, something mechanical is inhibiting the operation of the unit. Without being able to look inside and see what's causing it, that's about the best diagnosis someone can give. I'd be willing to bet there is a busted gear underneath ... Thu, 03 Feb 2005 20:58:57 -0500 http://www.ecoustics.com/tl/10501/ Since the invention of the VCR, TV viewers have been blessed with the ability to record a television show and watch it at a later time. However, VCRs have never been perfect, since setting up recordings on a VCR isn't always intuitive, and using a removable medium like a tape makes them inefficient. A VCR is a dumb box. It has no idea what it's recording, but only that you told it to record a channel at a certain time. Today, recording devices are getting smarter and more efficient. Millions of people have replaced their VCRs with a hard-disk drive recorder (also known as a DVR, which stands for Digital Video Recorder) that time-shifts programming by compressing your shows in real time and saving it on a hard-drive, which is similar to how your computer stores files, web pages, and documents. This means that you no longer have to bother with tapes, or fast-forward and rewind, to find your previously recorded show. Some of these recording devices operate in conjunction with a service called TiVo. What is TiVo, and what do they do? TiVo is a service. What they do is provide an EPG (Electronic Program Guide) that ... Thu, 20 Jan 2005 17:14:52 -0500 http://www.ecoustics.com/tl/10495/ Question: I have an RCA Scenium HDTV 52" with built in DVD player. I want to add an Apex DVD RECORDER AND RCA- VCR, but the television won't accept either one. Any Suggestions ? Does the built in dvd player effect the operation of other items? Thanks.......... -submitted by PRICEISRIGHT Answer: I can't say I'm 100% sure what "won't accept" means, but I can at least assure you that the internal DVD player does not affect the connection of external components. You will still be able to connect both the DVD recorder and VCR to the TV. If you are having trouble getting them to work, make sure that you've connected the cables to the appropriate inputs/outputs on each device. The cables on the VCR and DVD recorder need to be connected to an OUT, and to an IN on the TV of the same type. Be sure to pay attention to the labels on the TV, and jot down the label of where you plugged in each device. Once that is done, you will need to change the input on the television to match where you plugged it in. If you connect the VCR with a ... Tue, 18 Jan 2005 15:55:30 -0500 http://www.ecoustics.com/tl/10489/ Question: Will any VCR purchased in Canada can work in India(Asia)????????? Please reply. Thanks. -submitted by ramwala Answer: Unfortunatley, no. Canadian VCRs are based on the NTSC television system, which is the analog TV system used in Canada, the United States, Mexico, and others. India uses a version of the PAL system, which is not compatible to NTSC. If you are looking to buy a VCR that supports both formats, they're out there, but they are not easy to find. It may be easier to own 2 VCRs, one for Indian tapes, and the other for Canadian. Also be aware, not every television is compatible to both formats, so you may also need a conveter for your television. Another problem you'll face is power standards. India operates on a 220V power standard, while Canada and the US operate on 120V power. Any device you plan to operate in India will require an adapter to convert 220V power to 120V. Let us know how you fare in India by using the discussion page. Matt Whitlock - Editor, TechLore.com Sat, 15 Jan 2005 18:04:07 -0500 http://www.ecoustics.com/tl/10421/ Question: dvd player some dvds make the picture red/orange, fading in and out. Is it the movie? What can I do to fix this? -submitted by bycynthia Answer: Many commercial DVDs employ a copyguard known as MacroVision. When a DVD player is connected or routed through a recording device, like a VCR, the image on copy-protected DVDs will be erratic. Fading in and out is the most common effect of MacroVision. Many times, people that do not have RCA style connections on their TV often connect the DVD player to their VCR, which will cause these kinds of problems. If you've connected it for this reason, you'll need to purchase a device called and 'RF Modulator', which will give you the ability to connect it to the display without going through the VCR. Click on the link below to go to the discussion page, and take a moment to follow up with everyone at TechLore. Matt Whitlock - Editor, TechLore.com Wed, 05 Jan 2005 18:10:21 -0500 http://www.ecoustics.com/tl/10411/ Question: I have a Symphonic VCR and when I go to put a tape in it is fuzzy. sometime you can she it but it bounced the other tapes are all white snow but when I put the tapes in my friends VCR it works perfect is there anything I can do with out spending money on a new VCR maybe something I can do because I am on a low budget. Please write back asap my kids home school and need the vcr -submitted by CandiCane0305 Answer: Since the tapes work in your friends VCR, it looks like your VCR is on it's last leg. It is possible that the heads are dirty and need to be cleaned. You can purchase a VHS cleaning kit for about 10 to 15 bucks at a local Radio Shack. However, if this isn't the problem, it'll be money down the drain since it can't be returned once you've used it. I understand what it means to be on a budget, but basic VCR prices are low enough for them to be considered disposable devices. A cleaning kit could cost you $15 with no guarantee of success, while a new (albeit cheap) ... Mon, 03 Jan 2005 14:30:42 -0500 http://www.ecoustics.com/tl/10376/ Question:My daughter has a 13" Emerson combo tv/vcr it shuts its self off after a few seconds is there any thing I can do, its not worth spending the money to fix it. If not how can I get the tape out of the vcr without it working.-submitted by KenAnswer:If a tape is jammed in a nonfunctional TV/VCR combo, it can be very difficult to remove. One of the clear problems with combos is that the VCR compartment is nearly impossible to get to in the event of a failure. Considering it only powers on for a few seconds, a defective tape in the VCR could be cause of the problem, rather than the result. The only way to know for sure is to remove the tape, but be aware that the tape could be unsalvageable. If you plan on throwing away the combo, the only course of action you have is to take the combo apart and try to get a clear shot at the VCR compartment. If you're uncomfortable doing it yourself, or want to get the unit repaired, you can take it to a service center to have it removed for a fee.If you can't get it ... Mon, 27 Dec 2004 16:01:24 -0500 http://www.ecoustics.com/tl/10280/ If you have analog home videos, either VHS tapes or analog camcorder tapes (Hi-8, etc.), to convert into DVDs and you want to use a DVD recorder to do the conversion, this article will assist you with that process. To view other options to convert analog tapes to DVDs, read How To Convert Your VHS and Analog Camcorder Tapes to DVD first. Note: It is illegal to convert copyrighted VHS tapes unless you own the copyright. Many commercial VHS tapes employ a copy guard known as Macrovision. DVD recorders recognize Macrovision and will not permit duplication of tapes that employ this copy guard. Note: If you are using a DVD/VCR Combo Device, skip this step entirely. First, determine the video and audio inputs on your ... Tue, 14 Dec 2004 10:13:17 -0500 http://www.ecoustics.com/tl/10272/ The TiVoLuTiOn. TiVo has been getting lots of media attention lately, and with the mass media reporting, a lot of facts seem to get twisted around to put a spin on the story. At this time, millions of people own a hard-disk drive recorder that time-shifts programming by compressing your shows in real time and saving it on a hard-drive, which is similar to how your computer stores files, web pages, and documents. Some of these recording devices operate in conjunction with a service called TiVo. What is TiVo, and what do they do? TiVo is a service. What they do is provide an EPG (Electronic Program Guide) that contains channel and show information for your hard drive recorder. This EPG is downloaded to your hard-drive every night when it calls out (which is why it has to be connected to a phone line). Without the EPG, these hard drive recorders would be just as dumb as VCR's were, and no one would know how to use them. It's the Electronic Program Guide that makes these things so darned easy to use, which is why they are immensely popular. So What's All the Hoopla? Back when the TiVo software ... Tue, 14 Dec 2004 10:13:17 -0500 http://www.ecoustics.com/tl/10268/ If you have analog home videos, either VHS tapes or analog camcorder tapes (Hi-8, etc.), to convert into DVDs and you don't own or intend to own a digital camcorder in the near future, this article will assist you with that process. To view other options to convert analog tapes to DVDs, read How To Convert Your VHS and Analog Camcorder Tapes to DVD first. What You Need In order to convert your analog tapes, you need to have the following: A VCR or an analog camcorder An external video capture device such as the Pinnacle Systems' Dazzle Digital Video Creator or Adaptec's VideOh! DVD A computer with suggested minimum requirements: Pentium 4 or equivalent, 512M memory, an open USB 2.0 connection, 20GB disk space (you will eat it up fast, especially if you convert at a high resolution) Video editing software - Windows XP comes with Windows Movie Maker, newer Mac's come with iMovie. Also, the video capture device should come bundled with editing software. A DVD burner Blank DVD media The Process At a high level, the process consists of playing the analog (VHS, Hi-8, etc.) tape through the VCR or analog camcorder, converting it ... Tue, 14 Dec 2004 10:13:17 -0500 http://www.ecoustics.com/tl/10266/ If you have analog home videos, either VHS tapes or analog camcorder tapes (Hi-8, etc.), to convert into DVDs and you own a digital camcorder, this article will assist you with that process. To view other options to convert analog tapes to DVDs, read How To Convert Your VHS and Analog Camcorder Tapes to DVD first. What You Need In order to convert your analog tapes, you need to have the following: A VCR or an analog camcorder A digital camcorder A computer with suggested minimum requirements: Pentium 4 or equivalent, 512M memory, 20G disk space (you will eat it up fast, especially if you convert at a high resolution) Video editing software - Windows XP comes with Windows Movie Maker, newer Mac's ship with iMovie. Check your computer and do some investigation before you purchase a video editing software package. A DVD burner Blank DVD media The Process At a high level, the process consists of playing the analog (VHS, Hi-8, etc.) tape through the VCR or analog camcorder, converting it to digital format through the digital camcorder, and then storing the digital formatted video file on the computer. This file can optionally be edited using ... Tue, 14 Dec 2004 10:13:17 -0500 http://www.ecoustics.com/tl/10257/ If you have analog home videos, either VHS tapes or analog camcorder tapes (Hi-8, etc.), to convert into DVDs and your computer has a video capture card, this article will assist you with that process. Tue, 14 Dec 2004 10:13:17 -0500