copying vhs tapes to dvd plus editing
 

I am new here so forgive me if this has been asked before. I am helping a friend convert some old football game vhs tapes (highschool) to dvds. He would like to edit them and cut out some of the footage leaving only "highlights".

Is there an easy way of doing this without buying expensive software and hardware?

He is using Windows XP Pro if that helps.

thanks in advanced,

Dave

Transferring VHS to DVD is never as easy as those cheap $25-100 devices in stores promise.

• It all starts with the VCR, with a good playback
• then the signal must be stabilized somehow along the way, whether it's
  • in the VCR,
  • in an in-between device (timebase corrector aka TBC, or other item like a Grex),
  • or in the pre-recording system in the capture card or DVD recorder
• and finally it must be digitized with a quality method

The sad news for most folks is:

• consumer VCRs tend to be completely inadequate for a stable quality image
• image errors can be hard to filter without using a TBC for at least $200
• and those cheap $25-100 capture devices tend to be really crappy, and DVD recorder quality varies from model to model

Things will almost always need to be bought, and it will fall in the 3-digit price range for sure. What you need isn't sold at Best Buy or local stores in most cases, it's only online, often used.

And that's just getting the tape to the computer.

Once on the computer, it usually needs further filtering, being from VHS. And then you'll need editing software.

The good news here is a lot of filtering work can be done in freeware. However, you'll need to buy decent editing software. The semi-good news here is something like Adobe Premiere Elements only runs $50-75 or so, not really that expensive in the grand scheme of things.

If anybody tells you different, then realize you're either being lied to, or told wrong information from somebody that doesn't really know what all is involved. Store salesmen are notoriously faulty with their logic and info, typically just parroting myth from a customer who didn't know anything either. Transferring to DVD and editing video sounds easy on the surface, but once you start to get in there, you quickly understand all the limitations, and how messy and difficult the process can be.

This site was actually started to help demystify this entire process ... this ordeal. So you've come to the right place for information. We're not all cluttered up with information on copying DVDs, converting Youtube to DVD, and all that sort of typical video nonsense.

Scrape together a budget, let me know how many tapes there are, and I'll see what sort of plan I can come up with.

In some cases, it's a better idea to just pay somebody else for the conversion work (we do a LOT of this for editors), and then return to you on a hard drive. All you'll need to do is edit, skipping the costs and learning time of conversion. In many cases, the dollar amount works out the same, with the added benefit of you not having to actually do the work.

I am not able to find a JVC HR-S9911U vcr, but there are some used s-vhs 19 micron head by JVC on ebay. How do I choose between them? Also, what about a recommendation for a dvd recorder for someone on a budget? I am a football coach looking to convert a lot of vhs tapes to dvd.

Also, I saw in another thread that the Panasonic AG-1980P vcr was mentioned as being good and there a few available on ebay, too. Is this better than say a jvc hr-s7800u, hr-s3500u, hr-s3600u, hr-s3800u, JVC SR-TS1U, or a JVC HR-S4500U?

The 9911 is not necessary my first choice in the JVC line anyway. It can be easier to find, and often is in better condition because it's a "newer" machine, the final one in the prosumer line before JVC ended the series of S-VHS machines. But the older HR-S9600 and 9800 units are arguably better. Even the 7800 and 7900 decks, as well as the Professional-series SR-V10U can be better than the 9911.

Check out the larger VCR list at http://www.digitalfaq.com/forum/show...uide-1567.html

The HR-S7800 is a good deck. It has less RAM than the 9000-series machines, although this only becomes an issue on really bad tapes. That is somewhat rare -- I've not seen it happen in a couple of years now.

All deck models in the 2000-5000 series are inferior to the 7000/9000/SR series machines. These low-end S-VHS models lack TBC and DNR, although they do have some video image filters, and the ability to select linear or HiFi tracks (which can be useful for audio flutter errors). I only suggest the low-end S-VHS decks if the price is right ($50-75 or so in like-new condition), and the budget for a nicer machine is out of the question. A low-end S-VHS deck is better than a plain consumer VHS VCR from a retail or department store, in most all cases.

• The 3500 is way too old, not at all suggested.
• The 3600 and 3800 are okay. I have a pair of 3800's still. Just sold one, thinking of selling another one here early next year.
• The 4500 is too old, not suggested.

The AG-1980P does not output as clean a signal as the JVC series 7000-9000/SR machines, no. But it can track lousy SLP/EP mode tapes better than the JVC. The TBC is also more powerful, but sometimes it reacts badly as compared to the JVC TBC on the same tape.

The machines are simply different: Panasonic and JVC. This is why many serious videographers own at least one from each series.

The JVC SR-TS1U does not appear to have a TBC, it looks to be a linear editing deck. In fact, much how the SR-V10U looks to be a re-badged HR-S7900U, the TS1U looks to be a re-badged HR-S4600U. Features appear near-identical (no TBC!). I would suggest this deck if you wanted to record S-VHS tapes, but that's about it.

Hope that helps. [8]

Heck yeah that helps--great information. Thanks a bunch! I am also looking for a dvd recorder. I see a JVC DR-M10S DVD Video Recorder for sale but it is being sold as is. Should I avoid this and stick with refurbished models?

It really depends. I sell things "as is" for legality purposes, but I test everything and write down honest descriptions. However, not everybody is that way. Sometimes "as is" is a way to hide the fact that it's broken. Other times the person just doesn't know what it is or how to test it -- especially if it's from an estate sale.

I'm not a big eBay fan. I consider it a necessary evil. If you must use it, go ahead. But if other places have the same (or similar) items, even at a slightly higher price, I'd suggest that over the eBay auctions.

I've not seen a DR-M10 refurb in at least a year or more. Where are you seeing those? I remember when eCost had tons of them for $60 each. Now all they have is crap, or the good ones at a 10-20% higher price than Amazon.

Right now, I'd consider this to be a great buy, both for what you get, and the price -- JVC SR-MV45US DVD-R & S-VHS/VHS Dual Deck @ http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...SIN=B000OH7RF0

Brand new, the JVC DR-M10 was $300+

Thanks again, that's what I figured. The DR-M10 refurb was from ebay. I'm not huge on ebay either, but that seems like the only place to get anything of quality. I checked your list of affiliates, but most everything they carry is new. Where else can I look for refurb items?

These are the most common refurb dealers in the USA:

• Amazon.com
• Buy.com
• eCOST.com
• Geeks.com
• TigerDirect.com
• Wegotbetterdeals.com

For DVD recorders, it's mostly Amazon and eCost carrying them.

This is not a bad buy: http://www.wegotbetterdeals.com/tosh...hed-p-700.html
I'd buy it if I had need for it, and $225 extra in the budget. (Have neither, however.)

But at $225 cost, it's not a whole lot more for the better JVC SVHS+DVD setup. (Okay, well close to double $$ -- but still, the JVC is a better overall purchase of the two.)

Thanks again for the information, I'm going to check those out.