SUMMARY:

* Video synchronization (NTSC) is constantly lost between A Sony TR-81 hi8 camera and the VRD-MC5. This is NOT a cable problem and the problem happens with both S-Video and composite video.

The TR-81 camera does not have this problem with any other device I use (I have used it with my TV, my Sony TRV-25 (mini-dv) both to record and to passthrough to my computer (mac/iMovie).

* Looking for a way to get the video re-synchronized OR a way to "jailbreak" the VRD-MC5 so I can use the Sony TRV-25 as a pass-through A/D converter (It is a feature to import analog video into "firewire" video). The VRD-MC5 wants to control the "mini-DV" camera and issues a rewind command to the camera then waits for a response before recording. It refuses to go immediately into record mode when it receives the video signal.


DETAILS:

I have successfully used a Sony VRD-MC5 with a Sony TR-101 hi8 camera (via S-Video and composite video) and a Sony TRV 25 (Mini-dv via "i-link).

My Tr-101 transport died and I am trying to use a TR-81 but the video looses synchronization after about 5 - 10 seconds, the VRD-MC5 displays "no signal", gets it back in about 10 seconds then does the whole thing over again.

I have changes cables and this happens via S-Video and composite video.

I have clearly described the problem to Sony support and they have been extremely unhelpful so far and a waste of my time. They eventually said the VRD-MC5 was not compatible with the Sony TR-81 in spite of the product description.

I believe the software version on my unit is NEWER than a January 2008 update on the Sony support site however they refuse to advise me if I should or should not apply the update.

The system info on my VRD-MC5 does not clearly state the version number but encodes it. That information is:

5BE5-7240-41R0-BS25
(1UOX-0501-0004)21.0.07S
Model: VRD-MC5 U2

The version on the support site from January 2008 is "30R2". It would seem my machine has version "41R0" which seems to be much newer than "30R2".

Given the above information I explicitly asked Sony if I should apply the "30R2" update on my VRD-MC5 machine even though it seems to have a newer "41R0" version. They do not answer the question.

When I pushed back Sony support then said TR-81 and VRD-MC5 are incompatible in spite of the product literature saying the VRD-MC5 can import from any analog video device (S-Video or Composite).


If I cannot fix the video synchronization problem, my only alternative, without buying a hi8 player/camera on e-bay, is to copy the hi8 video to the mini-dv camera, then copy the mini-dv tape to the VRD-MC5.

I expect there will be undesirable effect from this because the mini-dv will introduce yet another encoding and compression step. I might be crazy but I think my hi8 video usually look much better than what I get from the TRV-25.

Constructive comments/suggestions are welcome.

Thanks!

I also have the same unit with the same revision number 41R0. Mine also loses the signal after a few seconds of recording (only after it ruens a dvd)
It did work when I got it, and the second time I went to use it, this happened. I'm only trying to record from my HD DVR from direct tv? ANyone else??
:eek:

I just purchased a VRD-MC5 and called up Sony Support to check on the firmware. They told me the latest version is 41R0. I have that one on my unit so I'm good to go. They couldn't tell me what was fixed between version 30R2 and 41R0

As for losing sync when recording from a DVR, the issue could be that the video you are trying to burn is copy protected. If the VRD-MC5 picks up a copy protection flag, it will give a generic statement saying "waiting for input source."

If the VRD-MC5 picks up a copy protection flag, it will give a generic statement saying "waiting for input source."

Since it's a Sony my guess is it will get that warning even when the source is not copy protected. Sony DVDRs are about the worst for false CP warnings.

I have experienced exactly the same problem. I hooked up my VRD MC5 to my Sony DSR 11 mini DV deck to record my own tape (no copyright problems) onto a DVD. It went smoothly but when I played the DVD on several DVD players my voice was out of sync with my picture. I tried doing the transfer twice - using the mini firewire connection first, and then using the composite video connection. Neither worked.

The DSR 11 mini DVD deck is a professional grade machine and the fact that the MC5 cannot dub a synchronised image from it means that the problem is quite universal and not only confined to certain camcorders.

I do not know how to fix this problem and I believe it may be unfixable. I am not a techie but in making DVDs from tapes (digital tapes at least) the image and sound is being compressed from one format (tape) down to a another format (MPEG2 for DVD). I understand that there is a need to de-mux etc in order to maintain sync. Most computer programs do this automatically but since the MC5 is not a computer, I think it cannot do this type of re-encoding.