I would like to use my Panasonic NV-GS400 as a video recorder, recording TV program directly from the TV. I have my cam connected to my TV set with both the AV and the S-Video cables, but I do not get the TV image into the cam.
Can anybody please try to explain how to do it?
I may have to mention that I do have the japanese 'black mamba' with japanese menu only, and the manual for the US NTSC model.

P.S.:About a year ago it was this forum which helped me to decide which cam, my very first Videocamera, to buy. I have been enjoying the cam a lot and have produced my first DVDs, thank"s again, Allan and all the others.

I have recorded several times with GS400 from TV and I used AV RCA cables for that. Firstly, I don't think it's a good idea to keep both S-Video and RCA in the cam. Pick one. Secondly, there was maybe something needed to be done in the menus, so make sure you check there. If you don't get the picture then either, it might be something with your TV set. Can you maybe try with some other TV?

Are you perhaps trying to record PAL TV with an NTSC camera? I don't think that will work...

yes, you are right, it is a PAL TV, and my cam is the japanese NTSC GS400...
another issue could be that the connections on the TV are 'video in', not 'video out'

You aren't going to be able to record PAL on an NTSC camera, the formats aren't compatible. Unfortunately this is a real problem when you buy a camera that uses a different format from the standard in your country.

I'd do this as a one off if I were you rather than a regular event, you do not want to put hours on the head unless you can help it.
That's my view anyway, the less hours on the head the better

I'd do this as a one off if I were you rather than a regular event, you do not want to put hours on the head unless you can help it.
That's my view anyway, the less hours on the head the better

thank's, this is a really good advice. When I asked the question a program was running on TV of which I would have liked to us some parts to include in a video of mine.
Generally speaking, which would be the best - simplest resp. cheapest way to record a TV program digitally? Is it having a PC with a TV card, and then recording on HD? ( A HD DVD recorder is expensive, and therefore not my option )

When I asked the question a program was running on TV of which I would have liked to us some parts to include in a video of mine.

Of course you're aware there are some copyright restrictions related to doing this...

Of course you're aware there are some copyright restrictions related to doing this...

well yes, I am. But to tell you frankly I also have been using any music freely with my videos and never felt bad about it, as so far it was only a handfull, ok, maybe two handfull by now, of friends/family members who have seen my videos. No real problem then, is it?

I thought the NV-GS400 was the PAL version (and the PV-GS400 was the NTSC version).

First thought that came to my mind though, is that using a DVD recorder would be much less expensive (no head wear on the GS400, and lower media cost). In the states, DVD recorders can be purchased under $100(USD).

Another approach would be to purchase a real cheap camcorder (like on eBay) that can record from A/V in. I've picked up a few low end miniDV cameras in real good shape for around $100(USD) on eBay (all NTSC though). Great for using as a capture deck for capturing from the tapes you shoot with the more expensive cameras too.

I thought the NV-GS400 was the PAL version (and the PV-GS400 was the NTSC version).

First thought that came to my mind though, is that using a DVD recorder would be much less expensive (no head wear on the GS400, and lower media cost). In the states, DVD recorders can be purchased under $100(USD).

isn't it just the other way around? The 'N' in NV-GS400 standing for NTSC, and the 'P' in PV-GS400 for PAL?

A stand alone HD DVD recorder under US$100, yes?

I know that this is a little late, but your problem is twofold. Your PAL tv which you are trying to record off of, does it have RCA AV outs? I'm doubting it does. Most TVs don't have outs at all. You'd have to use a tuner, and then a PAL-NTSC converter, as a PAL tuner very well may not use RCA for connections, and it's hit or miss with wether or not the camera can do the conversion.

I know that this is a little late, but your problem is twofold. Your PAL tv which you are trying to record off of, does it have RCA AV outs? I'm doubting it does. Most TVs don't have outs at all. You'd have to use a tuner, and then a PAL-NTSC converter, as a PAL tuner very well may not use RCA for connections, and it's hit or miss with wether or not the camera can do the conversion.

hmm, though right now I do not have the need to record from the PAL TV any more, thank's for the input. I am still curious, and I hope others too, to find out the best way to do it.
My PAL TV did not have any outs at all as I had to realize, but it is connected to a tuner receiving sattelite TV. So I could hook up a converter directly to my receiver, and that converter would have the outs I need, yes? How much would be such a converter? Any brand names?

Still I am curious if having a PC with a TV card ( mine doesn't have any TV card yet ) would allow to record the TV program directly to the HD. Is that not the easiest and cheapest solution? If so, could I mix those PAL signals with my own NTSC shots in post productiuon with Vegas, or would I have to convert one first?

Panasonic consumer camcorders sold in the US have the prefix "PV." The camcorders with the "NV" prefix are sold in other parts of the world (although you can purchase them here if you really want to).

Plenty of DVD recorders are available in the US for $100(USD) or less. I have no idea what prices are like in other countries.

You could get a TV tuner/capture card for your computer too (making sure the tuner is a PAL tuner, of course).

I never thought about it before, but using the PV prefix for NTSC cameras and the NV prefix for PAL camcorders certainly would seem to indicate a rather dyslexic thought process!

Plug "NV-GS400" into Google and everything that comes up is PAL.

Plenty of DVD recorders are available in the US for $100(USD) or less. I have no idea what prices are like in other countries.

You could get a TV tuner/capture card for your computer too (making sure the tuner is a PAL tuner, of course).

those DVD recorders record in mpeg format directly to DVD, not to HD, right? If using TV card I could record to HD, and would it be another, 'better' format?

are TV cards either for NTSC or PAL only, or could they capture both/either?

my NTSC-GS400 bought in Japan is called NV-GS400

At that price, there is no HDD in the DVD recorder. Most DVD recorders can do 8mbps MPEG-2, which is all but overkill for recording from an analog OTA broadcast, unless the codec in the recorder stinks. You can go to Half-D1 when recording from an analog OTA broadcast also, to make the compression much more efficient. You could capture, using a tuner/capture card to uncompressed files (make sure you are using 7200rpm drives, with NTFS formatted partitions, if you have a PC), and then compress using whatever codec you like, later.

Take a look at some captured DV files from your camcorder, with your computer. I'd be pretty surprised if it isn't 25fps, with 576 lines.

thanks again for your answer.
if you don't mind two more minor clarifications please:
1: you wrote: 'Most DVD recorders can do 8mbps MPEG-2, which is all but overkill for recording from an analog OTA broadcast, unless the codec in the recorder stinks.' sorry, this question is just because of my limited English, but the meaning of your words is that the MPEG-2 encoded recordings would do more than justice to the ananlog signal, or in other words that the quality of this recording would be more than enough. Did I understand that right?
and 2: what is 'Half D-1'? ( sorry if my question is very dumb )

and the capture videos from my camera are: 29.970 fps interlaced, 720x480x24, DV

If you are willing to invest a little money you can buy an external video input card, I don't advise the internal ones, I have had 2 and they were both appauling quality (and they weren't cheap ones either!) I now have a very nice little external video in card which is usb 2.0 so you get good bandwidth going in. It has s-video, analogue and composite in. So it's all I need,
hope this was of help

If you are willing to invest a little money you can buy an external video input card. It has s-video, analogue and composite in.

do I understand right that the 'video input card' would connect directly with my TV set, and convert the signal to digital? In other words, no TVcard for the PC needed. How much does such an external 'video input card' cost?
Which would be the advantage/disadvantage of the two setups? ( either 'video input card' connected to my TV or 'TVcard' to receive directly )

a tuner receiving sattelite TV. So I could hook up a converter directly to my receiver

Doesn't your sattelite reciever have any digital outputs?

PV-GS is NTSC (P stands for Panasonic)
NV-GS is NTSC in Japan, usually black camcorders (N stands for National)
NV-GS is PAL anywhere else

MPEG-2 files encoded at a bitrate of 8mbps will provide excellent quality recording of over-the-air, standard television broadcasts.

Half-D1 means 352x576 pixels (for PAL) or 352x480 pixels (for NTSC).

Many people record analog broadcasts at Full-D1, which is either 720x575 (PAL) or 720x480 pixels (NTSC).

Half-D1 provides enough resolution for recording standard broadcasts and is a good match.

Full-D1 provides much more resolution than needed to record standard broadcasts, and makes compression less efficient.