How to Copy a VCR Tape

Copy VHS tapes by hooking up two VCRs.

Copying a videotape requires two compatible VCRs and one composite audio-video cable to connect the components. The output of one VCR is connected to the recording input of the second VCR to create a simple dubbing setup for copying one tape to another. Composite AV cables are color-coded to the matching color jacks on the back of a VCR, so the connections take less than a minute. Actual dubbing time depends on the length of the tape to be copied.

Things You'll Need

• 2 VCRs
• Composite AV cable
• Blank videotapes

Instructions

1. Insert the red, white and yellow plugs on one end of the composite cable into the matching color AV OUT (playback) jacks on the first VCR.

2. Connect the cables on the other end to the AV IN (record) jacks on the back of the second VCR.

3. Plug in the electrical cords of both VCRs to a power outlet and turn on the equipment.

4. Insert the cassette tape to be copied in the first VCR and press the "Rewind" button to return to the starting position.

5. Insert a blank tape in the second VCR and rewind, if necessary, to the starting position.

6. Press "Play" on the first VCR and press "Record" on the second VCR to begin dubbing. Both cassettes will rewind and shut off automatically when the tape reaches the end.

Tips & Warnings

• Increase the recording time for the second VCR by pressing the "Tape Speed" button. Press once to record at SP (standard play), which is two hours of recording time. Press the button once more to record at LP, which increases the recording time to four hours, or press the button a third time to record at SLP, which will record six hours on a standard two-hour tape by dubbing at a slower speed. Picture quality tends to be diminished when the tape is recorded at slower speeds.

• Connect the AV cables before plugging the VCRs into an electrical outlet.

References

• Media College: How to Connect Two VCRs