For.A FA-125 time base corrector vs. DataVideo TBCs?
 

has anyone here used a For.a FA-125?
i got a few of them super cheap and was wondering how they stack-up.
i dont have a 8710 or 1000 to compare them against

manual attached:

-- merged --

OK so im guessing nobody has used these.
i would really value a pro opinion on them so here is my offer:
if one of the site staff or other expert would be willing to test one and post their findings i will send one yours to keep free.

i also have a BVTBC10 i would love a expert review on - i only have one of those so i would like that unit back though.

Looks like a pretty standard genlockable frame synchronizing TBC. It'll take the place of a AVT-8710 or TBC-1000, but you have to watch the video output levels. The "unity" setting on the proc amp isn't always correct after many years of use and things like the hue, color, and brightness may be off as components age. Seeing how new these are, it might not be a problem. A real test would be to see if it does any line jitter correction.

Too bad it's NTSC only, I'd pay you for a PAL version of this. :)

yes - i have 5 of them and all are NTSC

How much are you looking to get for one?
Anybody test these and have an opinion on the performance vs the common candidates mentioned on the forum?

sorry - nobody responded to my offer so i kept 1 for myself sold off the other 4 on ebay.
i have used and think it works very good - if i ever score a tbc-1000 cheap i will do a camparo

Hi,
I don't know why I didn't see this but I have ways to scientifically test this, and it would have been good motivation for me. Oh well, I'll test some others sometime.

i'll see if i can get some more.
i would love to see a professional test on both the FA-125 and BVTBC-10
both seem quite good by my eyes.

Replying 5+ years later, but TBCs are still a current topic... :)

The FA-125 is weaker than both DataVideos or Cypress, though you may not notice in normal use. It can make some strange artifacts with heavy timing errors, as found on severely degraded nth gen tapes. Sometimes the line TBC from a good VCR stabilizes it enough to prevent the artifacts, but sometimes not. An ES10/15 in front of the TBC will usually resolve it.

The artifacts vary on every copy of this TBC that I've seen to date. It can vary from almost-not-present to severe, with the same nth gen tapes. As with lots of other gear (VCRs, TBCs, etc), the exact unit has to be tested thoroughly for quirks and caveats.

That doesn't mean the FA-125 a bad TBC -- quite the opposite. It's suggested here.

It's scarce now, but even 5 years ago it wasn't a common model. The only time you find these is when a studio unloads all their rack gear, which is not often. And usually not cheap, not really priced any differently than a Cypress or DataVideo.

Like a DataVideo or Cypress TBC, it does nothing for technical jitter (wiggling picture). It's an external framesync TBC, not line/field TBC.

I think the unit color runs a bit hot, perhaps tweak the contrast down, but that's it. I've not noticed anything unusual from the proc amp, certainly not unity. My only complaint would be that the proc amp controls aren't user friendly, but all you need is a tiny screwdriver. It is more nuances that the Cypress/DataVideo proc amps, more like Elite Video BVP4 in accuracy.

There are other adjustments on the unit, but I've never been able to get those to do anything discernible.

Speaking of hot, it does overheat after several hours. Like the plastic Cypress, I'd not run it for more than 6 before giving a break. It has a fan, but it mostly makes noise, as the unit has no air intake. If you want to use it for longer bursts, just remove the cover like many people used to do with computers.

I have never seen a Key West Big Voodoo TBC that didn't output noise in the signal. Those things are ghastly. The FA-125 should be far superior to it.