Buying VCR for digitalizing tapes?

[Thermaltake]

VCR arrived today, for now everything seems to be ok. But I will test it thoroughly in next week or so.

I tried to find calibration and 3R to disable it, but I don't have that option. Can you tell are these settings ok like this

https://i.imgur.com/yVwiTwE.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/dPjP91S.jpg

I set O.S.D off for now for digizalitation, don't want that play on every start.

-- merged --

Been recording now for a while now. And today I started to get buzz in one audio channel and picture is not that clear anymore getting some lines here and there. And strange thing is it's not happening on all tapes, only on some.
Any suggestion what that could be ?

[aramkolt]

Could be heads are dirty or the tape alignment path is a bit off for some reason. this is more likely to be the case if you are seeing static more confined to either the top or bottom of the picture and not both. I usually don't mess with the alignment unless everything else has failed (though I've never touch it with 20 or so VCRs that have come and gone haha). You might also want to look at the pinch roller and make sure it isn't cracked. Odds are that it isn't cracked, but it's easy to visually inspect anyway.

So yeah, would start with head cleaning - using the paper method and 90% isopropyl alcohol or higher. Some aren't a fan of the paper method, but seems to work pretty well and have a low risk of damaging anything. You could try a cleaning tape, but I've heard those can be quite a bit more abrasive than regular paper.

[lordsmurf]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Thermaltake

Been recording now for a while now. And today I started to get buzz in one audio channel and picture is not that clear anymore getting some lines here and there. And strange thing is it's not happening on all tapes, only on some.
Any suggestion what that could be ?

Quote:

Originally Posted by aramkolt

Could be heads are dirty

This exact issues suggests that the tapes here are causing the heads to be dirty.

- Are the tapes oxide shedding?
- Are you feeding it moldy tapes?

[Thermaltake]

Clean audio and control track head and drum with paper and 99,8% IPA, and they were dirty, especially drum.

Only one tape is doing that thing with audio and video(video got some lines from time to time not always) and that only happend at the beginning of track for minute or two, could be tracking issue... After like 4 min. or playing it's ok. With all other tapes I didn't noticed any issues.

-- merged --

I found solution partially.

When I turn off TBC there is no video stutter any more, but top of the picture is wobly and it's moving to the right a little, like it needs an alignment.
I tried to turn off and on video stabilizer but there are no difference when it's on or off.
I am talking here about one specific tape.

On other original movie tape that I got with and without TBC is ok. What I noticed on that tape without TBC is that the whole picture is moving a bit if I look closer to the screen, and with TBC on picture is steady.

[lordsmurf]

That's tearing, ES10/15 required, that error causes issues with VCR TBCs.

No, the ES10/15 is not superior, it adds noises/errors. But it's needed for a net-positive outcome.

[Thermaltake]

Quote:

Originally Posted by lordsmurf

That's tearing, ES10/15 required, that error causes issues with VCR TBCs.

No, the ES10/15 is not superior, it adds noises/errors. But it's needed for a net-positive outcome.

I dont have that on my JVC ?

[lordsmurf]

Have "that" what? ES10/15 is a separate item known for anti-tearing, used on passthrough.

My wrist hurts, I can't type more, search the forum for past discussions.

[Thermaltake]

dont type go rest! I'll search for that.

[aramkolt]

Must be that I haven't done enough testing yet, but I've yet to find a tape that actually "tears/flags" at the top with the VCR's line TBC turned on at least on the Line-TBC-containing-JVC's and AG1980. I see flagging all the time on VCRs without line-TBC enabled though.

[Thermaltake]

I just have two tapes that are little beatdown, and there is no flags or tears when TBC is off, but when TBC is on I have stutters here and there but picture is good without any other issues. I'll try another VCR in few days to see if maybe VCR is problem, cause I digitalize that same tapes few years ago on some shitty Aiwa vcr and there were no problems like this and I didn't keep them in bad condiction so they couldn't deteriorate like that.

-- merged --

EDIT:
there are no flags or tears when TBC is on but I have picture stutter from time to time, but when TBC is off I have flags and tears but no stutter.

-- merged --

Could it be that this VCR is also bad, like last one I got from vcrshop.

[lordsmurf]

Quote:

Originally Posted by aramkolt

Must be that I haven't done enough testing yet, but I've yet to find a tape that actually "tears/flags" at the top

Correct, you've dipped a spoon into an ocean.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Thermaltake

Could it be that this VCR is also bad, like last one I got from vcrshop.

No, 0%.

[Thermaltake]

Quote:

Originally Posted by lordsmurf

No, 0%.

I will borrow some vcr to test it. I'm sure that these two tapes can be digitalized without tear and without stutter on low budget vcr. I mean if they were ok in my old Aiwa vcr for 15 euros, they must be good in this 350 euros JVC ffs.

[lordsmurf]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Thermaltake

I'm sure

Based on what?

Tearing is caused by timing errors at signal start, line-length issues. Neither VCRs nor many TBCs can signal lock as a result. It's a tape issue, not a VCR issue. This needs a certain correction, and the ES10/15 excels at it. I was the one who found this ES10 passthrough way back in 2005 or so, and told others about it. Tearing was something I was trying to solve at the time, and so tearing tapes were in my DVD recorder testing library.

[Thermaltake]

Quote:

Originally Posted by lordsmurf

Based on what?

Tearing is caused by timing errors at signal start, line-length issues. Neither VCRs nor many TBCs can signal lock as a result. It's a tape issue, not a VCR issue. This needs a certain correction, and the ES10/15 excels at it. I was the one who found this ES10 passthrough way back in 2005 or so, and told others about it. Tearing was something I was trying to solve at the time, and so tearing tapes were in my DVD recorder testing library.

So can I solve it somehow what do I need ?

[lordsmurf]

Panasonic DMR-ES10/15 (and a few others in PAL), but used as passthrough (for the crummy DVD recorder). That has anti-tearing properties. Read in the forum.

[Thermaltake]

Quote:

Originally Posted by lordsmurf

Panasonic DMR-ES10/15 (and a few others in PAL), but used as passthrough (for the crummy DVD recorder). That has anti-tearing properties. Read in the forum.

But I'm not digitalizing on dvd I'm capturing tape on my PC.

EDIT:
I get it now, but to get this device only for passthrough is waste of money, no ?

[lordsmurf]

Passthrough, passthrough, passthrough. Not record to DVD.

[aramkolt]

Ya, I've seen plenty of flagging/tearing, but only on VCRs without line TBCs. But ff I put the same tape in a VCR with a line TBC, so far that has resolved any flagging/tearing visible on the non-TBC VCR.

If anyone has a tape that's particularly bad with flagging/tearing that has been difficult to correct with a line TBC alone, I'd love to try my luck at it and send a copy of whatever capture works best back to you in return if you need it. Would be nice to use for my eventual VCR comparison and TBC comparison that I'm putting together. If you have such a tape you can send me, please send me a message.

[Thermaltake]

Quote:

Originally Posted by lordsmurf

Passthrough, passthrough, passthrough. Not record to DVD.

Are there any other devices that can do passthrough ? Can't find that two models anywhere.

P.S
I just put that problematic tape that have stutters from time to time and record it without any stutter, but VCR was cold it my first tape, very strange...

[BW37]

There's a very long thread over at VH about using the Panny DVD recorders for passthrough. In PAL world there are many more models that are said to work for this purpose (vs. NTSC) so you should be able to find something.

BW