#1  
01-20-2012, 07:32 AM
sl74 sl74 is offline
Free Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2012
Posts: 1
Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Apologies in advance for what is probably going to be a longish post.

I've a large collection of old VHS tapes - some over 20 years old - and I'm looking at capturing them onto the computer for the purpose of storing them on DVD. I've no plans to author any DVD's from the footage. Just store them for now. The tapes are mostly sport, but there's a mix of other stuff that I'd struggle to replace that I'd like to salvage - movies, TV shows, etc. Being in the UK, they are all in the PAL format.

I'm already in possession of a Hauppauge HD PVR, which i use to record from my Cable box. I've hooked it up to an old VCR and, while it works, the footage isn't of the best quality. It's also rather temperamental, halting recordings if there is any sort of jitter or break in the picture. And the whole process seems rather sluggish using it. It has a habit of freezing and needing to be turned off and back on again.

So I'm looking at another method. One that will give me better quality, as well as removing some of the footery problems I encountered with the PVR box. I'm not expecting miracles, some of the tapes have seen better days, although most play fine. I've been reading through forums and I've a rough idea of what I might need to do. I'm really just looking for reassurance that I'm on the right track, and guidance back onto it if I'm not. I've broken down my questions into three parts.

[Note : My computer is a Windows 7 machine, 4GB Ram, Gigabyte P35-DS3R Mobo, Q6600 processor and Radeon 5770 Hawk gfx card]

1. VCR. I have consumer LG model, which is decent for what it does. But from what I've read, having the correct VCR can make a huge difference. I've read a list of recommended models, but it can be difficult to find these higher end machines. Since a fair chunk of the tapes are recorded in long play, it would seem that the Panasonic machines would be better for me. Is that correct? Would the NV-HS1000 be a good choice? And what is the difference, if any, between this model and the NV-HS1000B. What sort of price would be fair for either of these? Anything else I should consider? Would the models on this list http://www.digitalfaq.com/forum/vide...ing-guide.html still be accurate, or is there anything else I might consider?

2. TBC. It seems one of these will be a must. Would the AVT-8710 do the job for me? And would I be better buying a TBC first and seeing the difference it makes to my current machine before investing in a new VCR?

3. Lastly, the capture device. I like my Hauppauge PVR. It works well for what it does. But I would prefer to capture the data uncompressed, for editing and archival purposes, then compress down once editing is complete for computer storage. On the other hand, using it would save me money. Would a TBC help with the problems of it dropping out of the recording whenever some jittery/broken footage is encountered? And would I avoid this problem if I used a capture card, rather than one of these boxes? If I go the route of the capture card, what would be recommended, given that I'm using W7? I've had a look for the ATI TV Wonder 600 USB devices, but they seem hard to find in the UK.

Think that covers it. I don't mind paying the money for the proper equipment to do a good job with this. But I don't want to spend money on new equipment I don't need. Thoughts?

Thanks for reading.

Last edited by sl74; 01-20-2012 at 07:34 AM. Reason: Changing title
Reply With Quote
Someday, 12:01 PM
admin's Avatar
Ads / Sponsors
 
Join Date: ∞
Posts: 42
Thanks: ∞
Thanked 42 Times in 42 Posts
  #2  
02-01-2012, 05:00 AM
lordsmurf's Avatar
lordsmurf lordsmurf is offline
Site Staff | Video
 
Join Date: Dec 2002
Posts: 13,503
Thanked 2,448 Times in 2,080 Posts
Quote:
Apologies in advance for what is probably going to be a longish post.
Yes, a wee bit long. Always consider upgrading to Premium Member for priority help on long Q&A sessions.
Anyway, welcome to the site, I'll be glad to help out...

Quote:
I've a large collection of old VHS tapes - some over 20 years old - and I'm looking at capturing them onto the computer for the purpose of storing them on DVD. I've no plans to author any DVD's from the footage. Just store them for now.
Another option is to completely skip DVD. Encode to high bitrate MPEG-2 (15Mbps, about 34% more than DVD's max allowed of 9.8Mbps), and someday author to Blu-ray instead. You can completely skip over DVD at this point. Save an archival version to hard drive, for keeps (not just temp storage), and then make BD's for disc versions. Quality may end up much better. This is what I've started to do. While Blu-ray media is not really all that archival as compared to DVD, I'll have hard drive versions long-term for archives. The discs are just for convenience of watching on a HDTV.

Quote:
The tapes are mostly sport
As a quick note, sports generally need more bitrate, due to a mix of high detail (crowds), fast action, and constant camera cuts. That applies to any MPEG-2 or MPEG-4 compression. Something to keep in mind at all times, when dealing with sports type content.

Quote:
1. VCR. I have consumer LG model, which is decent for what it does. But from what I've read, having the correct VCR can make a huge difference. I've read a list of recommended models, but it can be difficult to find these higher end machines.
Yes, and it's highly worth seeking one out, too.

Quote:
Since a fair chunk of the tapes are recorded in long play, it would seem that the Panasonic machines would be better for me. Is that correct? Would the NV-HS1000 be a good choice? And what is the difference, if any, between this model and the NV-HS1000B. What sort of price would be fair for either of these? Anything else I should consider? Would the models on this list VCR Buying Guide (S-VHS, D-VHS, Professional) for restoring video still be accurate, or is there anything else I might consider?
Panasonic for EP/SLP/LP, yes.
However, PAL doesn't have the nasty unstable 6-hour mode like NTSC (EP/SLP). Realistically, JVC gear handles 4-hour LP modes fine, too.

Anything from the list is fine: http://www.digitalfaq.com/forum/vide...ing-guide.html

Or anything with the same TBC/filter features. While that list is exhaustive, I don't know that it lists every possible option. Feel free to ask about specific models. Be aware that "medical" or "editor" decks (old Big Bertha type SP-only decks) are not what you want, even with TBC. You want the "consumer-looking" VCR-appearing VTRs/editors from Panaosonic.

Quote:
2. TBC. It seems one of these will be a must. Would the AVT-8710 do the job for me? And would I be better buying a TBC first and seeing the difference it makes to my current machine before investing in a new VCR?
It's a must. The AVT-8710 is also known as the CTB-100. Either should be fine, assuming it's not one of the defective models.

CTB-100/AVT-8710 defect info: http://www.digitalfaq.com/forum/vide...710-doa-6.html
TBC guide: http://www.digitalfaq.com/forum/vide...time-base.html

Quote:
Would a TBC help with the problems of it dropping out of the recording whenever some jittery/broken footage is encountered?
The external TBC (i.e., AVT-8710), yes.

Quote:
I've had a look for the ATI TV Wonder 600 USB devices, but they seem hard to find in the UK.
Just import over the pond. I do it all the time, in the other direction.

Quote:
Think that covers it. I don't mind paying the money for the proper equipment to do a good job with this. But I don't want to spend money on new equipment I don't need. Thoughts?
I agree fully. That's my mantra, too!

- Did my advice help you? Then become a Premium Member and support this site.
- For sale in the marketplace: TBCs, workflows, capture cards, VCRs
Reply With Quote
Reply




Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Capture card advice - Dazzle vs ATI 600? MMM3 Capture, Record, Transfer 4 07-26-2014 07:23 AM
Advice for an external capture card/device __celso Capture, Record, Transfer 3 09-04-2013 09:30 PM
Capture card and setup advice, what's best to convert 80 VHS tapes ? volksjager Capture, Record, Transfer 14 02-20-2012 09:28 PM
Advice needed: Connecting an ATI AIW Card for capturing Steve Capture, Record, Transfer 1 12-16-2011 05:52 AM
Advice regarding a new capture card Deadalus Capture, Record, Transfer 3 06-23-2004 12:03 AM

Thread Tools



 
All times are GMT -5. The time now is 10:55 AM