PTE to VTR Tape

[Conflow]

PTE to VTR Tape (PAL System)

Recently I have been asked to convert a small PTE.Exe Show to (PAL) VTR Tape ~ In other words can I record a small PTE.Exe to a Video Tape Recorder/Player ? Hardware is no problem but I have failed to find a Software Utility that can do this. Hardware SKART Connections are available. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Brian.Conflow.

[PeteC]

PTE to VTR Tape (PAL System)

Recently I have been asked to convert a small PTE.Exe Show to (PAL) VTR Tape ~ In other words can I record a small PTE.Exe to a Video Tape Recorder/Player ? Hardware is no problem but I have failed to find a Software Utility that can do this. Hardware SKART Connections are available. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Brian.Conflow.

Hi Brian,

I'm retired now but have 40 years experience in broadcast TV. Any videotape recorder, DV, VHS, whatever, needs to see a standard PAL video signal to record. You don't need any software to do this. It's just a matter of feeding your graphics card TV output to the VTR.

Many computer graphics cards have either a composite video (RCA socket) output, or an S-Video (5 pin mini DIN) socket for output of your computer display to a TV monitor.

All you need to do is feed preferably the S-Video (better quality) out of your graphics card to the VTR S-Video input. Plus a separate RCA cable for the sound, if needed. If you can't do the S-Video, use composite video instead, but you will probably not like the loss of quality.

Then ensure your PicToExe presentation plays full screen, so that you don't get any extraneous desktop showing and record to the VTR.

I haven't tried this, so this is "in theory". Pete

[LumenLux]

Brian, I would agree with Pete, but I can move it from "theory" to "done often."

Long before we had any DVD capability from PTE, I would port some PTE shows to tape so I could show on TV. The only software needed was that which was necessary to instruct/set my Matrox graphics card at the time.

[Ken Cox]

Brian

eons ago there was a system crash and a lot of valuable forum info was lost - the forum was restarted basically from scratch -- this subject was really discussed to great lengths by myself,Lumenlux, slugman[James O'rear] to name a few

I advocated a device made by

http://www.avermedia-usa.com/2005home/prod.../pc_to_tv.shtml

i was using one of their early products - it and a video capture device were purchased when i installed win95A - as Robert said pre dvd era by a few years

-- i was told by the more informed people "people have had tv outputs on the their laptops all along."

-- the problem was they didn't know what they were for and very few had any inclination to use them " I have a laptop" was all they were interested in -- reminds me of people wearing their garage door opener on their belt so people would think they carried a beeper

you run into the same problem with right side screen verticle wiggle as with dvd's so frames and borders are not recommended -- as Robert says - full screen manipulation is a must

this way is a piece of cake compared to dvd

ken

[Conflow]

Pete,LumenLux and Ken,

Many thanks Guys for the information. Yes, I have S-Video Output from an installed Video Card with Mini 5pin Din Socket, and yes again, I always use 'Full-Screen' with PTE for my own Presentations.

I take the point about S-Video compared to Composite Video and in Ireland we use the PAL System.

I also have 2 x Nicam Stereo Mitsubishi VTR Recorders so it looks as if I am fairly well set-up in the Hardware Department.

Last question:- Is there anything special I have to do when making the PTE.Exe, do I need an AVI File of this ?

The Background:-

My client requested a number of Copies of a 'PTE.Instructional Presentation' on Video Tape as it was the most common Universal Format available to their Students. Absolute quality is not an issue as these VTR Presentations are for Data Training purposes and must withstand the "rough & tumble" of Engineering Students and in that theater CD-Disc didn't stand a chance.....we were all Students once upon a time !

Again many thanks to you Guys for your prompt courteous help, it's most appreciated....

Brian.Conflow.

[Ken Cox]

Last question:- Is there anything special I have to do when making the PTE.Exe, do I need an AVI File of this ?

Brian

just run the show from the exe to the vcr/tv setup and observe the show

if you dont like what you see then modify the exe till you like it

when satisfied, tape it

try it -- see if customer is happy

if you have provisions on the vcr to do sound on sound the teacher may want to narrate thru' the show

when you have a master tape, remove the write protect tab, make copies and submit your bill

ken

[lathompson]

One more thing Brian...

When you make the show, be sure that you use a black slide as your first and last image. Make the 1st one 15 seconds or so long and start the music just before or same time as your title. This will give you time for the show to start and for your VTR to get up to speed recording nothing but black for a few seconds prior to the show begining.

At the end, use the black slide, and perpare the show to keep the last image up and not end until you push the esc key. That gives you time to allow for a smooth ending with a few seconds of black at the end.

If you don't do these things, you cannot keep from showing the computer's desktop before and after the show.

Good luck!

Larry

[Conflow]

Ken & Larry

Thanks again you Guy's for those little 'timesaver-tips'...most important !

I shall let you know how things proceeded.

Brian.Conflow.