Equipment and process needs for entire VHS project

[mrsark87]

Hi guys, I know this has been covered to death, but I need to simplify it and narrow the focus so that I can order equipment and set up properly. I've read for days and taken extensive notes. I've done hobby editing with digital video for years using Studio Pinnacle. However, this vhs capture and edit language is very foreign to me. I'm gaining an understanding. Let me share my goals and materials. I have over 60 vhs tapes that are all personal, no commercial. Many were shot by me, many are copies of originals purchased when my daughter was performing. Shot my first in 1984 when my first daughter was born, so that's how far back they go. They have been protected. My goal is to archive the material and eventually get it all on dvd so we can enjoy it. I do not have the time or inclination to edit to the extent many of you do. I would like it improved somewhat. This is not something I want to do forever, just want to have good enough equipment and knowledge to take care of my collection and then stop (unless my brothers insist on me doing theirs).

What I think I want to do, after all my research, is get a good svcr or dvcr w/built-in tbc, from amazon or ebay. I could get the external tbc, but would like to avoid that. I don't think I want to go so far as to add the proc amp. (Can only spend so much money on this project). I could add it later if I saw it really necessary. I have an LG vhs to dvd recorder, but have learned this is not good enough. I plan to get the ATI 600 usb for capture (although I do already own the Canopus ADVC110 which I bought for this purpose). I plan to use VirtualDub (although I haven't tried it so I hope I can learn it) to capture. I will attempt using HuffYUV and Avisynth if I can figure that out. (So glad you are here for questions when I get to that point). I really want to keep it as simple as possible though. I do have a real job that I need to concentrate on. Although I do work at home and have lots of flexibility. My video set up will be in my office where I work at home, so I can sort-or do both. As to authoring, I am used to Studio so it would be easier, I think, to use that. But, if something else (Vegas, Premier) is better and easier to use, I am very open to switching. I just want to do basic editing....combining clips, adding titles with locations, dates, etc., and some simple fade transitions. Don't plan to get real creative.

I have a nice laptop (although I know many don't recommend this). I want to use it because I can set up everything and just leave it running. I use my desktop extensively for work so I don't want to use it if possible. My laptop is win8 but I can move it back to win7. I have several external drives to save to. I won't be pulling it out for anything else. I can just dedicate it to this project for a while. And lastly, I know which dvd's to use.

So, my question is, first, is this a decent plan? How strongly do you feel about these extra machines, knowing my end goals? Which authoring software should I use? Is that capture USB the best idea for that? and lastly, the player.....so many suggestions and reviews on these. Based on my reading and notes, I'm thinking DVHS....Here are the ones I'm considering. Could you please give me your opinion on them.
DVHS: Mitsubishi HS-HD2000U
JVC SR-VD4U
JVC HM-DT100U
JVC HM-DH3000U
Marantz MV-8300

SVHS: Pan AG1970
Pan 1980
Pan AG5710
Mit 448 or 449
Jvc 9900
srv10u
hr s8960
9850
9700
9600
8700
9900
9500u
9800

I think I can get almost any of them, just need to decide on a top 3-5, in order of first choice so I can see what to buy and how much I would be willing to pay based on where it falls in the list. Thanks in advance for any help. I know it's frustrating to address something that has been discussed so much, but that's the problem, too much info and I need to narrow it down to my personal end result needs.

[lordsmurf]

Quote:

Originally Posted by mrsark87

Hi guys, I know this has been covered to death, but I need to simplify it and narrow the focus so that I can order equipment and set up properly. I've read for days and taken extensive notes. I've done hobby editing with digital video for years using Studio Pinnacle. However, this vhs capture and edit language is very foreign to me. I'm gaining an understanding. Let me share my goals and materials. I have over 60 vhs tapes that are all personal, no commercial. Many were shot by me, many are copies of originals purchased when my daughter was performing. Shot my first in 1984 when my first daughter was born, so that's how far back they go. They have been protected. My goal is to archive the material and eventually get it all on dvd so we can enjoy it. I do not have the time or inclination to edit to the extent many of you do. I would like it improved somewhat. This is not something I want to do forever, just want to have good enough equipment and knowledge to take care of my collection and then stop (unless my brothers insist on me doing theirs).

What I think I want to do, after all my research, is get a good svcr or dvcr w/built-in tbc, from amazon or ebay. I could get the external tbc, but would like to avoid that. I don't think I want to go so far as to add the proc amp. (Can only spend so much money on this project). I could add it later if I saw it really necessary. I have an LG vhs to dvd recorder, but have learned this is not good enough. I plan to get the ATI 600 usb for capture (although I do already own the Canopus ADVC110 which I bought for this purpose). I plan to use VirtualDub (although I haven't tried it so I hope I can learn it) to capture. I will attempt using HuffYUV and Avisynth if I can figure that out. (So glad you are here for questions when I get to that point). I really want to keep it as simple as possible though. I do have a real job that I need to concentrate on. Although I do work at home and have lots of flexibility. My video set up will be in my office where I work at home, so I can sort-or do both. As to authoring, I am used to Studio so it would be easier, I think, to use that. But, if something else (Vegas, Premier) is better and easier to use, I am very open to switching. I just want to do basic editing....combining clips, adding titles with locations, dates, etc., and some simple fade transitions. Don't plan to get real creative.

I have a nice laptop (although I know many don't recommend this). I want to use it because I can set up everything and just leave it running. I use my desktop extensively for work so I don't want to use it if possible. My laptop is win8 but I can move it back to win7. I have several external drives to save to. I won't be pulling it out for anything else. I can just dedicate it to this project for a while. And lastly, I know which dvd's to use.

Some of this is custom advice for you, not generic advice. Some is the usual advice.

• 60 tapes of important family memories = ditch the ADVC
• No avoiding the external TBC. You have to get it.
• Get the good S-VHS VCR with TBC as planned.
• A good DVD recorder will be much faster than the computer method. Do 1-hour XP DVDs, using an LSI chipset unit (JVC suggested). You still nede the VCR and TBC, however.
• Consider 720x480 15Mbps SD MPEG-2 Bluray, not DVD. It looks better. Same processes. All you need is the Blu-ray burner. This is how our own family memories are done.
• How long are these tapes each? If short, it may be just as cost effective to pay somebody else for services. No work for you, same funds, or close to it.
• VirtualDub is really easy to use.
• Avisynth = more time, but you can do some really advanced restoration with Huffyuv sources
• Premiere, even the consumer Elements version, is best to use for editing.
• Windows XP preferred, Windows 7 may work for some things. Windows 8 does not.

Quote:

Which authoring software should I use?

Depends on how facy you want the menus. For high-quality menus, Ulead DVD Workshop 2. (More info on that in the Premium Members forum.) For menu-less discs, the free Simple DVD Creator 5 works fine. For somewhere in the middle, basic menus (not many options), TMPGEnc Authoring Works.

Quote:

Is that capture USB the best idea for that?

Depends on OS (Win7 yes, XP no), depends on workflow (DVD recorder vs capture card)

Quote:

and lastly, the player.....so many suggestions and reviews on these. Based on my reading and notes, I'm thinking DVHS....Here are the ones I'm considering. Could you please give me your opinion on them.
Pan 1980
Jvc 9900, srv10u, 9600, 9900, 9800

I edited your list (omission). Some of those were PAL models. Are you PAL? If so, then know the Canopus ADVC is fine for PAL. The chroma is 4:2:0. It's NTSC that lousy, 4:1:1. My VCR advice also changes.

Panasonic = best for SLP/EP tapes (NTSC only), and VHS-C
JVC = best all around unit, better image quality than Panasonic. But issues with SLP, VHS-C.

Quote:

I know it's frustrating to address something that has been discussed so much, but that's the problem, too much info and I need to narrow it down to my personal end result needs.

Not frustrating at all.

[mrsark87]

Thank you so much for taking a minute to reply to this. I know it's easy to think this has all been addressed if you will just read the forum. But, there's so much varying information. So, once I chose which path seemed best for me, I just needed some confirmation and correction. I bought a Panasonic 1980 that I found on Craigslist, have the ATI USB 600 on the way and ordered the TBC this week. I have the LG player with dvd recorder. Would that suffice if I wanted to go directly to recorder? Some of the tapes are purchased copies from school plays and such and are pretty good. They are more of a keepsake than something we will sit and watch. Thought they might be good candidates for direct recording. I do have to say that when I just play a tape and watch on tv, it really doesn't look any better coming out of the Pan than the LG. Should that be the case? Thanks again.

[lordsmurf]

Thankfully, not that much has changed in the world of analog-to-digital video. What was true 5 or even 10 years ago is true now.

The only things that have really changed are
- the advanced restoration method
- the addition of Blu-ray as better-than-DVD (MPEG @ 15Mbps)
- the harder-to-find nature of certain hardware and software, but it can still be found.

AG1980 + ATI 600 USB + TBC = good combo

Don't look at video tapes and expect it to have high resolution. Wrong issue. Look for video errors lke chroma noise (red/blue mist in images), timing errors (waviness of straight lines), and even errant noise (analog grain). A good VCR removes these. Only an LSI DVD recorder can too, though not as much. S-VHS VCR + DVD recorder is a good combo, however.

I don't know if that LG has the LSI chip. Some do, some don't. Compare it to the list on this site. See http://www.digitalfaq.com/forum/vide...ipset-dvd.html
If it does not, don't use it.

[mrsark87]

Looks like I got a little lucky. My LG was on the list. I assume I still need to play on the Pan AG. Then just feed through to the LG. This would only be on tapes that already look pretty good.

I have many that were originally recorded, then a copy given to me. The original recording was probably not great and the copy sure isn't. So, I'm thinking those need to go through some editing. I'll try to do that with Virtual Dub. I'm assuming I can figure that out. I still need to get Premier, then I think I'll be ready to go.

[lordsmurf]

Does the LG have a 3-hour mode?
If so, does it record 352x480? Record sample to a test DVD, analyze the VOB in Gspot.
If 352, good! Use it.
If 720 or 704, do NOT use it! Use 1-hour XP mode instead.

Yes, AG1980 > TBC > LG recorder. Quick and easy.

For the bad tapes, in need of restore work, post samples. Premium Members can also get FTP space. I'm working on several guides this month, including an update for the VirtualDub guide. See How to Capture AVI Video in VirtualDub