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04-20-2020, 12:05 PM
davyvr davyvr is offline
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Hi all,

I'm having an issue with capturing some VHS tapes (home videos from +30 years ago). Here you can find a sample of the captured video, in which you will see the issue.

So, to describe it a bit, with perhaps some unimportant details but never know:
1) I played these tapes using a Panasonic NV-HD620 video recorder, with a SCART to Composite converter in the back, and then a red-white-yellow composite cable connected to the input of my Sony KD65-XE9005 Smart TV. Everything looks fine there, except for the low resolution of course.
2) At first I was hoping I could directly record the image from my TV, but I soon noticed that there seems to be no way to do that (no video output, no recording of analog source, no apps that can do that, ...). --> If anybody knows a way, please share it. The image on my TV is A-OK so if I could capture that one I'd be good.
3) Since that didn't work, I bought an EasyCAP USB video grabber. I know, Chinese junk, but I kind of hoped it would do the trick for 15 bucks.
4) I unplugged the composite cable from my TV and plugged it into the EasyCAP, which I plugged into the USB 2.0 port of my laptop (after installing drivers), and started capturing. Not with the software that comes with it, but with VirtualDub2.
5) Now the issue: as you will see in the sample video, I have a lot frames that are B/W instead of colour, and colour banding running through the screen, and artefacts at the bottom. Strange is that I only have it on certain parts of the video, not the whole thing (parts of it really look good), and when I play back the tape on my TV (retried it afterwards) the exact same piece of image that is bad here, looks perfectly fine on that TV.

Now, my first thought is that the Chinese junk is junk and I should get something better. But I'm weary of buying something else (more expensive) and getting the same problem, just because perhaps the reason for the good image on my TV is filtering from Sony inside their TV sets.

So: Any thoughts (with some fundamentals behind them, more than just my hunch) on what exactly would be causing this issue, and how I can solve it? If I need to buy other capture equipment, what equipment should that be, or would you recommend? If not, is there any other way to solve this?

P.S: You'll notice that also the sound is NOK (high pitched, out of sync) but that's my bad and I know how to solve it. I don't worry about that part. I didn't re-do it yet because I might need to recapture the whole thing anyway.

I hope someone can help me out... Thanks a lot in advance!
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  #2  
04-20-2020, 12:26 PM
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lordsmurf lordsmurf is offline
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You have a compound problem here, multiple issues going on...

Quote:
Originally Posted by davyvr View Post
Now, my first thought is that the Chinese junk is junk and I should get something better.
That's part of it. The nickname "Easycrap" is deserved.

Quote:
But I'm weary of buying something else (more expensive)
I have good capture card in the marketplace for under $100. That's not expensive. Capture cards used to run, and can still run, $200/300/500+

Quote:
perhaps the reason for the good image on my TV is filtering from Sony inside their TV sets.
TVs are made to be forgiving to the chaotic noisy signals (signal, not image) output from a VCR. But capture cards are precise, and need stable signals. You need to research "TBC" on this site. That's also part of your overall capturing issue.

Quote:
with a SCART to Composite converter
I have a lot frames that are B/W instead of colour
This is a common problem with the converters, especially the cheap ones. Lots of past posts about this in the forum, from PAL users. Note that better PAL VCRs have s-video out. I have that on my PAL decks.

- Did my advice help you? Then become a Premium Member and support this site.
- For sale in the marketplace: TBCs, workflows, capture cards, VCRs
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  #3  
04-21-2020, 10:23 AM
davyvr davyvr is offline
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Thanks for your quick reply to my issue!

I have used an ATI All In Wonder 9000 series in the past to capture other VHS tapes, but the ones I have now are some I have found recently and were overlooked back then.
Anyway: I used the same VCR (luckily I kept it), I also transferred via composite, and I also didn't have a TBC at that time. And for my expectations the quality was certainly OK back then. I don't expect perfect quality, just watcheable home video quality (the sample I posted before doesn't categorize under watcheable for me, that was just too bad).
And to put it into perspective: I'm only talking about 3 tapes, so I won't invest in a TBC for that.

So: do you think your ATI 600 USB alone could help me out to solve the B/W & color banding issues? I'll check what professional services cost and compare it, see what's most interesting.
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  #4  
04-21-2020, 10:45 AM
davyvr davyvr is offline
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OK, small update: it seems I'm able to have them digitalized with someone close by (+/- 10 miles) for a bit less than 100 bucks, with a TBC. So I'll best look that way and leave my trials to do it myself for what they are.

Thank you for your help! And sorry that it was futile in the end...
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