VCR plays sound, but picture doesn't move

[Roger Redford]

Dear experts,

I've been having some very strange symptoms lately.


When I play certain videos, the sound will work
normally. But the picture will freeze in one place.
I will stop the video, and then press play. The
picture will be further along. But again the picture
will freeze.

What is really odd is that this only happens with
certain videos.

This is a brand new VCR too. I even cleaned the heads.

Has anyone seen this before? Is there any solution?
What is the secret?

Thanks

 

[Mark D. Zacharias]

With ordinary video and sound, they are locked together in time. One cannot
stop and the other continue.

If there is digital signal processing of the video, then a still frame might
be displayed if video information is lost temporarily.

If you somehow had a simulcast playing, then your audio is from another
source, such as FM, and the vcr may just be freezing up mechanically on
playback.

I'd seriously think about returning the vcr, since it is new. Seems like
it's probably defective.


Mark Z.

 

[Gobzo]

I actually owned an older model Toshiba VCR that had a 'Freeze' button
on it. It would freeze the picture being received by the unit, unlike
Pause. So it was possible to record a movie consisting of one still
frame from the incoming transmission. This feature was not digital to
the best of my knowledge as the year was around 1983-1985 or so.

Roger's unit is shooting for a return, that is for certain.

Gobzo

 

[Roger Redford]

Thanks for your help.

The crazy thing is that this is the second VCR that has done this.

And, of the seven videos I took out from the library, five of them
showed these symptoms.

Do some VCRs come as digital signal processing, and others not?
Is it possible to get a pure analog VCR these days?

 

[Mark D. Zacharias]

Do some VCRs come as digital signal processing, and others not?

Is it possible to get a pure analog VCR these days?

I would think tapes from a library may be fouling your vcr's heads, and a
cleaning is in order.

I haven't shopped vcr's in a long time. I would think a better vcr might
have digital processing, especially if it features any special effects, like
digital still-frame of live TV, PIP, etc. A cheapie machine, which is most
of what's out there these days, would be unlikely to have any such
sophistication.


Mark Z.

 

[Roger Redford]

Actually, here is something else.

I tried the videos in my neighbor's portable TV with built in VCR.
They work fine there.

I'm plugging the VCR into my computer, which has an ATI All-IN-Wonder
card. There is both the composite cable, and the cable input.

Do you think that there might be some kind of copyright protection
engaging?

 

[Mark D. Zacharias]

And somehow you didn't think this was relevant?

Gee wiz. We try to help out here, but we're not psychics.

OF COURSE it's possible you've got a Macrovision copyguard problem. Damned
likely, I would say.


Mark Z.