I recently started copying my S-VHS video tape recordings of TV programs, made over the last 10 years, to DVD using a Panasonic DMR-ES15. The first 20 or so programs were copied perfectly. But a black screen has appeared on the last few DVD's that I have copied to. It appears for a few minutes, during which time you can still hear the audio, and then the picture reappears. On the black screen you can sometimes barely make-out the last image on the screen before the black screen appeared. it does not occur at the same point on each DVD.The black screen does not appear on the video tapes. So far, the DVD recorder continues to copy programs directly from the TV, as opposed to video tape, without a problem. Would appreciate any help with this that you can give me.

I recently started copying my S-VHS video tape recordings of TV programs, made over the last 10 years, to DVD using a Panasonic DMR-ES15. The first 20 or so programs were copied perfectly. But a black screen has appeared on the last few DVD's that I have copied to. It appears for a few minutes, during which time you can still hear the audio, and then the picture reappears. On the black screen you can sometimes barely make-out the last image on the screen before the black screen appeared. it does not occur at the same point on each DVD.The black screen does not appear on the video tapes. So far, the DVD recorder continues to copy programs directly from the TV, as opposed to video tape, without a problem. Would appreciate any help with this that you can give me.

i gotta es15 (great machine, btw) and i havent run into that issue. all i record are backup -rs for my store botten dvds and tv shows off my dvr. no s-vhs.

i take it the black screen does not appear on your monitor while the recording is in process?
in the same 'timeframe' as the dvds black screen ?

Sounds like some type of CP or interference on the Video is causing the video on the ES-15 to blank out. Sometimes if the tracking gets off the tape will play if going direct to the TV, but the AGC in the DVDR may black out the picture and continue recording the sound.
I would look for that. Try watching the VHS through the DVDR, preferably when recording and see if the picture blanks out. I would suspect tracking problems.