VHS Recording Tape

I guess you mean a Set Top Box to convert digital TV transmission to old analog TV. Choose the correct video format for your screen.
Ah... Perhaps Your recording at an old standard & passing it to a modern TV or HD TV with the digital output from 1080 HD to 720 or lower still.
OR
Get a Digital Hard Drive recorder.....

The modern way to Record video is to use a Hard Disk Drive Recorder rather than a VCR. They have a built in tuner and can record 2 stations at once and have a built in Electronic Program Guide. The EPG info is transmitted with the Digital TV transmission from the broadcaster.
I bought one 2 weeks ago for an old 85yo friend so he could record late night stuff and play back later. He still uses the VCR but only for old VHS Tape playback. It was a TEAC HDR9650TS Digital Video Recorder and I picked it up new for Aus$188.
Here are the unit features
Main Features:
DVB-T Twin Digital Turners
DVR Recording: Record three channels while watching a 4th from same network Smart Series Record feature to record a whole series at a touch of a button
2.5" Sata Hard disk: 500GB
Time Shift Function (Pause live TV)
HDMI Digital Output
Digital Audio Output
CVBS/YPbPr/SPDIF connectors
Supports TV formats 4:3 and 16:9
Electronic Program Guide (EPG) up to 7 days in advance
EPG searching and auto download
Recorded program edit
Parental Control
Copy files from internal HDD to external HDD
Built-in WiFi
Network Playback
USB 2.0 Interface

Try cleaning the heads, but it seems like the heads may be faulty, you might need to replace the vcr, they don't cost much these days, the repair might cost more than a new vcr these days.

heres a cheap headcleaner, look for one at local shops, wallmart bestbuy and so on
http://www.pcconnection.com/IPA/Shop/Product/Detail.htm?sku=7632166&oext=1038A&ci_src=14110944&ci_sku=7632166

You do not need to leave the TV on. To get the clearest picture you should connect the AV cables (yellow, white, red) from the cable box to the VCR, and from the VCR to the TV. There should be a setting on both the TV and the VCR to set the input to VIDEO so you don't have to use channel 3. You can shut the TV off while recording if you want. Also be careful because if you use the channel guide or info button while recording, it will show up on the tape.

Hi

This is probably caused by an irregular magnetic encoding pattern being generated by the tape itself. If the DVD recorder does not fully recognise the code, it may incorrectly interpret it as copy protected. If there is any tape flutter or there are tape edits, these can contribute to the problem. In addition to this magnetic imprinting can occur on old tapes that have been stored for a number of years without being spooled. basically wrong bits of the tape get magnetised. You can sometimes hear an echo on old tape recordings caused by imprinting.

You could try the following:

1) If available, try using a different video machine to play back and record from.

2) Whatever video machine you use, put your tape in, fully fast forward and rewind a couple of times, then try your recording again. This is particularly important if you haven't used the tape for some time.

3) If it fails again, check to see if it always fails at the same point.

4) If it does, try winding forward a little and then try to resume recording.

5) If you can record it means that a short section of tape is giving a spurious code to your dvd recorder and confusing it.

6) Use a re-recordable dvdrw to make a master. You won't keep wasting discs if the recording stops. You will also be able to produce another dvd from your master and edit it if your recording ends up in a number of segments.

7) Always use the highest quality setting possible when producing a master.

8) If all else fails, if you have a friend with another dvd recorder, maybe try that.

Have fun....

The deck needs a good cleaning. Try using a brand new tape and run it on playback for 20 min or so. You could try using a cleaning tape, but many of them are abrasive. If this doesn't work, you need a deck re-alignment which will cost more than your set is worth.

As with all tape related recording equiptment, the path the tape follows in your machine will collect debris which will interfere with the synchronizing playback signals originally recorded on our tape when first recorded. The "ROLLING" is the loss of those synchronizing signals and the "skewing" of the tape where the heads are now reading between the recorded information causing noise at the top or bottom or throughout the entire screen. SOLUTION for about 85% of machines exhibiting this problem is CLEANING and inspection of tape path alignment best done with a calibrated playback tape for accuracy. HOPE this helps . . . Jaszy

clean the head of your vcr that will help also connections of the wires good luck.

The following Models can be used as a recorder to record from a VCR, TV or another Camcorder. 2004 - SC-D107 2003 - SC-D5000, SC-D27 2002 - SC-D180 Recording In Player Mode 1. Connect the camcorder to the VCR or TV with the AUDIO/VIDEO cable (provided) (to the A/V Outputs on External Device) 2. Set the power switch of the camcorder to PLAYER mode. 3. Turn on the VCR or TV. 4. Insert the blank tape with protection tab closed into the camcorder. If you want to record from a connected VCR, insert a recorded VHS tape into the VCR. 5. Press the MENU button, turn the MENU DIAL to highlight A/V and press the ENTER button. 6. Turn the MENU DIAL to highlight AV IN/OUT and press the ENTER button to select AV IN. "AV IN" and picture appears on the LCD monitor. OUT : Releases the INPUT mode. 7. Press the START/STOP button to set the camcorder to REC PAUSE mode. "PAUSE" appears on the LCD monitor. 8. Select the TV program or playback the VHS tape. 9. Press START/STOP button to start recording. If you want to pause recording for a while, press the START/STOP button again. 10. To stop recording, press the (STOP) button. Notes: * Recording from an analog VCR to the camcorder is only possible when the VCR is playing back at normal speed. * If you want to see the camcorder picture with a TV, set AV IN/OUT in the menu to OUT.

There are no such adapters that would allow 8mm, Hi8 and Mini DV tapes to be played in a VHS VCR. Only the old VHS-C tapes can fit and play in an adapter. There are several reasons why 8mm (or Hi8 and miniDV tapes) cannot be physically played in a VHS VCR: 1. 8mm (Hi8, miniDV) is a different format with different technical characteristics than VHS. These formats were never developed with the intention to be mechanically compatible with current VHS technology. 2. 8mm/Hi8 tapes are 8mm wide (miniDV is 6mm wide), while VHS tape is 1/2" wide, making it impossible for a VHS video head to read the taped information correctly. 3. 8mm/Hi8/miniDV tapes are recorded and played at different speeds than VHS, so even if the tapes could physically fit into a standard VHS VCR, the VCR still couldn't play back the tapes at their correct speeds. 4. 8mm/Hi8/minDV audio is recorded differently than VHS. 8mm/Hi8 audio is recorded in AFM HiFi mode, while miniDV audio is recording in 12-Bit or 16-Bit PCM digital audio format. So, even if the video could be played back in a VHS VCR, the audio could not be read properly. 5. 8mm/Hi8 video is of higher resolution than VHS and is recorded in a different bandwidth length (miniDV video is recorded digitally), so once again, a standard VCR still could not read the information correctly, even if the tape could fit into a VCR.

Yes, if the camera is a US camera then it is NTSC. That would be your problem, you are trying to record an NTSC signal to a PAL video. THe frame rates and resolutions are all wrong. I am even surprised that it is playing back on your TV okay...