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audio tracks on VHS
I am submitting video to several public access TV stations. Most
accept DVDs but some still require tapes.1) A couple say something like, “Audio track 1 must be clean (no
signal) … Audio must be on normal channel only — not hi- fidelity.”My consumer VHS deck’s instruction manuals say nothing about this
stuff, and my consumer SVHS deck mentions the normal track in passing,
but alludes to no controls I have over it other than dubbing audio
onto existing video.Will my consumer decks automatically do the right things to comply
with these standards? Or is there something else I need to know?2) Another requirement is: “Control track will be unbroken from the
start of the leader information through the end of tail information.”
Again, my consumer decks have no controls or mention of “control
tracks.” If I just dub my master tape onto SVHS or VHS in a single
go, will it meet this spec?John F. Williams
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5 Replies
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There ARE some “pro” VHS decks that have all these options.
(I just THREW AWAY 3 of them last month… of no use to anyone these days).
But, I’ve never heard of these “requirements” for a VHS tape’s audio.
This would be a much more common specification for 3/4″ U-Matic and/or BetaCam tapes.
Most places don’t have the capability to record on each audio track separately on VHS (as you don’t) and the LINEAR (non-Hi-Fi) tracks on VHS are AWFUL.
I’m still betting this audio spec is not for VHS.
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[John F. Williams] “2) Another requirement is: “Control track will be unbroken from the
start of the leader information through the end of tail information.”
Again, my consumer decks have no controls or mention of “control
tracks.” If I just dub my master tape onto SVHS or VHS in a single
go, will it meet this spec?”You don’t need to worry about the “control track”.
It is simply an automatic function of VHS (and most other video) recordings.Just start recording at the beginning of your new tape, and don’t stop EITHER deck (the player or the recorder) until well-past the end of your program.
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I think that ANYONE willing to accept anything on VHS nowadays really should not be laying down any laws on spec. They should hide under a stone and never call themselves a broadcaster.
If theyll take VHS, I think theyll be jolly glad that someone is willing to give them it and will probably want to take you out to lunch and chat.
Peter
NB This is criminal
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Peter,
Many of the people making these public access stations work are volunteers, creating as much of a public service as they can with very limited budgets. I think their communities should be giving them awards, not asking them to hide under rocks. My experience with a dozen of them so far is that none has asked me out to lunch, they are either too busy with their jobs, or too far away.I’d be interested to hear a little more about why you said what you did, it wasn’t at all clear to me what you meant.
John F. Williams
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In the UK we dont have these public access channels (at least not that Ive ever seen) Maybe i dont understand their philosophy or funding and structure.
But here VHS has never been a broadcast format. As such I found the mention of vhs rediculous, but as i said maybe i dont get the idea.
I have no intention to badmouth any individuals or their ideals, but did find the concept of the laying down of delivery specs on VHS a bit amusing.Peter
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