How Did People Do VHS on Home Theater? (1 Viewer)

[Patrick Larkin]

Hi --
I only got into the home Theater thing with the onset of DVD. I do however, have one or two VHS tapes that I need to view. (the Widescreen version of Lost Highway, for example).
Since I got my DVD player and DD/DTS receiver, I haven't hooked my VCR back up. I feel the need to do so.
My questions are these:
1. What sound do you get out of a VHS? Do I set the receiver to Dolby Pro Logic? And if so, does it matrix the L and R channel to give me a center channel?
2. Whats the deal with the THX Star Wars video tapes? What do they give you audio wise that other video tapes don't give you.
3. And finally, I'm guessing because of #1, that the dialogue isn't anchored in the center.

 

[Matt Butler]

Pro-Logic.
Star Wars and most everything on VHS thats stereo is Dolby Pro-Logic.
Thats pretty much it.

 

[Ken_McAlinden]

If the material is 2-channel surround encoded (such as Lost Highway), you watch it with pro-logic decoding selected. This will result in the extraction of a center channel and mono surrounds in addition to the left and right stereo information. THX processing for home video software is essentially a set of mastering standards, so you should get very well mastered 2-channel matrixed surround.
Regards,
------------------
Ken McAlinden
Livonia, MI USA
[Edited last by Ken_McAlinden on August 13, 2001 at 10:03 AM]

 

[Patrick Larkin]

If the material is 2-channel surround encoded (such as Lost Highway), you watch it with pro-logic decoding selected. This will result in the extraction of a center channel and mono surrounds in addition to the left and right stereo information.

Thanks.
Will any VCR do or does it have to be some certain type?

 

[Michael Reuben]

Treat VHS stereo tracks exactly the same as you would DD 2.0 tracks on DVD. For purposes of surround processing, they're the same thing.
quote: 3. And finally, I'm guessing because of #1, that the dialogue isn't anchored in the center. [/quote] Yes it is. The center channel is composed of sounds that are equally present in the left and right channel. Dialogue is almost always mixed this way. If the dialogue shifts left or right, it's because the sound designers meant it to.

Will any VCR do or does it have to be some certain type?

As long as it can playback in stereo, you're fine.
M.
[Edited last by Michael Reuben on August 13, 2001 at 10:16 AM]

 

[Rob Gillespie]

You would need a 'HiFi Stereo' VCR. Many VCRs can only read the horrible mono track.

 

[Jerome Grate]

My first response was going to be "very quietly" since VHS viewing is frowned upon

, but I still use VHS for viewing, especially those movies that are clearly not on DVD. I watched Star Wars the other night Special Edition Widescreen, and it was manageable especially with DNR on the 7600 and Logic 7 to turn your mono surrounds to stereo with pans in the back. Check your receiver sometines using the DSPs can enhance pro-logic material.
------------------
If loving Home Theater is
wrong, I don't want to be
right!!!

 

[Patrick Sun]

I time-shift via 2 Hi-Fi VCRs (sometimes 3), and I listen the Dolby Surround encoded soundtracks (decoded with DPL by my receiver) when I play the VHS tapes back later when I watch my TV shows. I think they sound pretty decent, considering the source, plus, most are dialogue driven shows, so I don't expect that all-enveloping 5.1 sound from DVDs.
------------------
PatCave; HT Pix; Gear; DIY Mains; DIY CC; Sunosub I + II + III; DVDs; Link Removed

 

[Jesse Skeen]

I've got my stereo CED videodisc player hooked up to my system, and pro-logic movies sound great!

 

[Todd Hochard]

Whats the deal with the THX Star Wars video tapes? What do they give you audio wise that other video tapes don't give you.

As far as I'm concerned, this is a marketing gimmick, and nothing more.
Pro-Logic works, but man, VHS is just plain hard to watch on my 53" HDTV.

Todd

 

[Jerome Grate]

Todd, sounds like you need two things, a vcr that has s-video with TBC/DNR and a line doubler. TBC/DNR really does a great job in cleaning up VHS movies. It eliminates that color bleeding and jaggies that you see on VHS movies, couple that with a good line doubler you got a really manageable viewing.
------------------
If loving Home Theater is
wrong, I don't want to be
right!!!

 

[Clinton McClure]

My last girlfriend still has my Hitachi HiFi Stereo VCR.

------------------
You bought fish boots...