# Recording FROM 921 to DVD



## dhughes248 (Jul 14, 2005)

I am at my wit's end. I am trying to archive video recorded on my 921 to DVD. I realize my 1080 will be only 480, but I can live with that. However, the signal I get from 921 to the recorder (I have tried three different types and brands) is beyond horrible. The image is contrasty, color blooms, without resolution - less fidelity than what is on my Treo 650 cell phone and that's pretty awful.

I have tried component cables in - no signal shows (yes the receiver is on SD). I tried Svideo and still no signall to the DVD recorder(s). Finally I went all the way down to composite video and finally got a signal, but it was terrible. I have tried at least three sets of cables, including drafting a set of component video cables using red for video and blue and green for left and right with the same terrible results.

I even tried disconnecting the DVI cable from the 921 to my TV, but also did not work. Surely to god I won;t have to resort to hooking the TV Rf out of the 921 to the input of the DVD recorder.

I have working around audio and video since the 1960s and this problem is stumping me. It looks for all the world like an impedance mismatch ...

Thanks in advance and if you don't want to clutter the forum with an answer just to me, my email is [email protected]

Dave Hughes
Herndon, VA


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## David_Levin (Apr 22, 2002)

Hmmm,

Why would you have expected component to work? Many DVD recorders will only accept component at 480i (which the 921 does not do).

What speed were you using for the DVD recordings (6/8 hour modes are VCD quality).

Have you tried hooking the s-video cable directly to your tv?


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## dhughes248 (Jul 14, 2005)

Hmmm,

Why would you have expected component to work? Many DVD recorders will only accept component at 480i (which the 921 does not do).

>>> My DVD Recorder from Phillips has component video in


What speed were you using for the DVD recordings (6/8 hour modes are VCD quality).

>>> Speed is irelevant to the problem; The image appearig at the DVD recorder was faulty and even when recorded at the one-hour maximium speed was not any better.

Have you tried hooking the s-video cable directly to your tv?
>> No. I am looking for Video from the 921 to my DVD recorder. There is no S-video outout from my 65-inch Mitsubshi Diamomd HD television.

Thank yhou for your comments.

Dave


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## AVJohnnie (Jul 27, 2004)

Dave,

My best results for DVR to DVD transfer have been achieved using S-Video from the 921 to the DVD recorder. However, I’ve not done a DVD backup since L215. I know (by my own experience) that the SD output of the 921 since L215 is (what I would call) poorer than what it was with L213. I will be trying a DVD backup within the next couple of days or so and will post a follow-up as to the results achieved.

--John


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## HailScroob (Aug 3, 2004)

AVJohnnie said:


> Dave,
> 
> I know (by my own experience) that the SD output of the 921 since L215 is (what I would call) poorer than what it was with L213.
> 
> --John


SD output is significantly poorer under L215.

A few days before 215 was released, I transferred a few recordings I didn't want to lose to DVD... just in case. Well, I started watching one of these DVR recordings on my 921 last night - "Going To The Mat," an SD Disney channel movie - and it looked really strange. In close up shots, the skin on people's faces almost looked like a color-by-numbers painting, with clear demarcation lines between light and dark areas. A dark gray solid color wall behind the actors looked like it had thousands of ants crawling over it. And everything just seemed not quite in focus. Now, this is like the third or fourth time I've watched this recording on the 921, and I never noticed the picture looking so "off" before - in fact, it has always looked really good. So I pulled out the DVD copy, made when the 921 was on L213, and played it. What a difference! People looked like people, not masks, dark gray paint looked like paint, not creepy-crawlies, and everything looked sharp and crisp - just like I remembered it. Both the 921 and the DVD are hooked up to the TV via S-Video.

I dunno what the heck they did, but I sure hope they undo it&#8230; and fast.


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## bhawley (Oct 27, 2002)

dhughes248 said:


> Hmmm,
> 
> Have you tried hooking the s-video cable directly to your tv?
> >> No. I am looking for Video from the 921 to my DVD recorder. There is no S-video outout from my 65-inch Mitsubshi Diamomd HD television.
> ...


I think David was suggesting to hook the s-out of the 921 to the s-in
of your Mits. to confirm the signal is there and the quality, thus eliminating
your dvd recorder as your problem.


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## ibglowin (Sep 10, 2002)

Hi Dave,

I have been using a Philips 615 DVD recorder for over a year now without any problems on my 921. The Philips recorder works great but it did take me a while to figure out how to get it to work (the manual sucks) Also the 921 doesn't always switch 100% from HD mode to SD mode. Your best bet before trying to archive anything is to reboot the 921 (hard) and then it will always switch over to SD without fail.

I have component cable (out) from the recorder and (IN) to the back of the TV. I use a SVHS cable from the (OUT) of the 921 to one of the (INPUTS) on the 615.

YOU CAN'T GET A PICTURE (PASSTHROUGH TO THE TV) WITHOUT FIRST HITTING THE "MONITOR" BUTTON ON THE REMOTE.

After that as long as the recorder is turned on and the 921 is functioning properly you should see a picture. Of course what you should be seeing is the display setup screen on your 921 because you first have to switch it over from 1080i to 480i. When you hit that button your 921 should go dark. Now hit the "monitor" button on the 615 remote and (MAKE SURE YOU HAVE SELECTED THE CORRECT INPUT ON THE 615 AS WELL) I am using EXT2. If that gets off to EXT 1 or CH2 or whatever you will not see anything. You have to use the channel up/down to get it to EXT2 After you have made sure all is set right you should now be seeing the 480i output coming through from the 921. You will now have to finish selecting your aspect ratio (16x9, 4x3, etc) and then exit out and queue up a recorded program for dumping to DVD.

I have made close to 200 DVD's with only a couple of coasters.

Hope this helps.


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## David_Levin (Apr 22, 2002)

dhughes248 said:


> My DVD Recorder from Phillips has component video in


Well, that was my point. The component in on the Philips only supports 480i. The 921 will only output 480p, 720p, & 1080i (over component).

And, as another user elaborated. I suggest you try feeding the s-video directly to a TV to confirm the output of the 921 and the cable itself are ok (I've seen bad cables).

I've done some recordings since L215, I'll double check tonight.

Can you get a screen shot of the picture corruption you're seeing?


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## dhughes248 (Jul 14, 2005)

YES...YES...YES ..... This is what I see on my 921 ..... I also hooked s-video diretly to TV with three different cables with the same efffect.

Dave

SD output is significantly poorer under L215.

A few days before 215 was released, I transferred a few recordings I didn't want to lose to DVD... just in case. Well, I started watching one of these DVR recordings on my 921 last night - "Going To The Mat," an SD Disney channel movie - and it looked really strange. In close up shots, the skin on people's faces almost looked like a color-by-numbers painting, with clear demarcation lines between light and dark areas. A dark gray solid color wall behind the actors looked like it had thousands of ants crawling over it. And everything just seemed not quite in focus. Now, this is like the third or fourth time I've watched this recording on the 921, and I never noticed the picture looking so "off" before - in fact, it has always looked really good. So I pulled out the DVD copy, made when the 921 was on L213, and played it. What a difference! People looked like people, not masks, dark gray paint looked like paint, not creepy-crawlies, and everything looked sharp and crisp - just like I remembered it. Both the 921 and the DVD are hooked up to the TV via S-Video.


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## dhughes248 (Jul 14, 2005)

Yes. I have done all of that except mthe hard reset. I will try it. 
Thx to all.
Dave



ibglowin said:


> Hi Dave,
> 
> I have been using a Philips 615 DVD recorder for over a year now without any problems on my 921. The Philips recorder works great but it did take me a while to figure out how to get it to work (the manual sucks) Also the 921 doesn't always switch 100% from HD mode to SD mode. Your best bet before trying to archive anything is to reboot the 921 (hard) and then it will always switch over to SD without fail.
> 
> ...


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## AVJohnnie (Jul 27, 2004)

HailScroob said:


> SD output is significantly poorer under L215.
> 
> I dunno what the heck they did, but I sure hope they undo it&#8230; and fast.


Very interesting indeed, HailScroob. What you describe parallels that which my brother is getting with his 921. Although I have noticed some degradation in SD render with L215, what my brother is getting with his is definitely more so, and not unlike that which you've described. My brother and I both own the same version of Mitsubishi Diamond monitors (pro-calibrated) using the same connection methods. Prior to L215, display quality was virtually indiscernible between the two.

I notice that of our three 921's, mine is the oldest - Boot (120B) / Flash (F051) / HW (HECD). My brother's is newer than yours - Boot (150B) / Flash (F053) / HW (HEED). As I posted earlier in another thread, I can't help but wonder if L215 is showing us a variable "toxicity" depending on the version of 921 you happen to have?

Well, I've managed to run this thread completely off topic - but then again, maybe I haven't, really... Anyway, my apologies to Dave for doing so&#8230;

--John


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## David_Levin (Apr 22, 2002)

dhughes248 said:


> YES...YES...YES ..... This is what I see on my 921 ..... I also hooked s-video diretly to TV with three different cables with the same efffect.


So, this problem is not being caused by your DVD recorder.

I did some recording last night and didn't notice any problems. Perhaps a slight degradation, but nothing that really stood out.

I wonder if it makes a different what the resolution of the source material is. I was recording a 1080i source in 16:9 mode out the S-Video port.


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## AVJohnnie (Jul 27, 2004)

David_Levin said:


> I wonder if it makes a different what the resolution of the source material is. I was recording a 1080i source in 16:9 mode out the S-Video port.


Exactly David --
The most noticeable degradation (issue with L215) seems to be SD content viewed / recorded via the 921's SD connections.

Dave --
Have you tried doing the image position adjustments noted in some of the other threads (http://www.dbstalk.com/showpost.php?p=420278&postcount=21) to see if that has an effect on your viewing / recording problem?


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## dfergie (Feb 28, 2003)

I very rarely record sd on my 921 and have never tried to archive to my Panasonic as I have Replays for sd , but I do Record downrezzed 1080i to it onto dvd rams and get good results. Have not noticed any major changes since L215 came about.


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