Choosing correct TBC for VCR with professional monitor?
 

Hey guys! Short-time lurker, first-time poster. I have a question, and it seems like you guys are the most knowledgeable on the subject.

I used to own a Sony PVM-20L5, which worked just fine with my consumer grade Sony VCR (not sure of the model #). From my understanding, this monitor has some sort of VCR Mode/Automatic Frequency Control to handle the dirty sync/signal from VHS tapes (as most consumer TVs do). I am now using an Ikegami HTM-1917R, and the NTSC/Composite input card does NOT seem to have AFC of any sort. If I play one of my own VHS tapes in the same VCR, the signal is going absolutely bonkers and cannot generate a stable signal whatsoever. Here's where it gets interesting though - VHS tapes from my local rental shop display pretty normally (except for a weird sync issue/wave at the top of the picture). However, my personally owned original VHS tapes (some being brand new) have the sync issue. I figured that it was Macrovision causing this issue, but I'm not sure if those cheap Macrovision remover boxes will do the trick.

From doing some research, it seems like a good TBC might help me out. I unfortunately missed out bidding on a Key West Big Voodoo BVTBC8 on eBay (by $1 no less), so I've been trying to find other ones. I narrowed it down to a few - maybe you guys can let me know if these will help me or not!

-DataVideo DVK-100 (Chroma Key w/built-in TBC)
-Nova 810 TBC
-Hotronic AP41 TBC
-Kramer FC-4000 (not the FC-400)

Any help would be appreciated! If a TBC is not what I need to be able to watch my VHS tapes on my monitor, it would be awesome to know what I could to do fix it. Thanks! :)

So, since nobody responded, I ended up buying the DataVideo DVK-100 Chroma Key hoping it would work...and it did! It seems like this unit uses the same TBC circuit found in their standalone units. My VHS/VCR signal is now super stable and my monitor likes it now! The box is a bit bulky and its fan is a bit loud, but it gets the job done.

So if you're looking for a DataVideo TBC and can't seem to find one, snag the DVK-100 Chroma Key and it will achieve a similar result.

Saw this post, but unable to reply at the time...

Actually, I don't think this is the case.

The best way to see if it's "the same" would be through a full teardown, inspecting the chips on the board.

In fact, looking at DataVideo docs, this item was designed to pair with the TBC-5000 in a multi-camera setup in the 2000s. It's part of the post-TBC1000 generation (100, 1000, 3000, 4000, 7000), and likely contains the 5000 chips, if actually "the same" integrated TBC. And the 5000 is known to expect broadcast/camera source (think BetacamSP), not home VHS, a fact I'd discussed with DataVideo in years past.

TBC is a loose term, often thrown around. The chroma key is a chroma key, with all advantages and side effects. The TBC path may be less transparent that pure TBC. Furthermore, the exact details of the TBC are not known, simply that some type of TBC is included.

That said, it probably does work to some extent, for some tapes. How well it compares to the classic "1000" type DataVideo (PCI cards, black metal boxes) remains to be seen. It probably fails much earlier, especially on nth gen VHS/

More research is needed to reach this conclusion. :hmm:

Of all the units in your shortlist, it probably was the best of the 4 picks. So that much was a good decision.
And it's great to hear that it's working for you.
But I'd not suggest anybody jump on the DVK-100 unless you have some money to gamble with.

This is all true! I'm not as well versed on any of this stuff as you guys are and don't have the knowledge or the equipment to fully back up the claim at all. However, for my particular situation, this unit functions the way I expected it to, which is positive!

Thanks for the reply and the in-depth information - I hope to learn more about this stuff in the future


P.S. When you say "...fails much earlier, especially on nth gen VHS...", what do you mean by this?

The DataVideo TBC-100 (thus 1000,3000,4000,7000) is probably one of the most resilient TBCs in terms of bad signals. For.A fails first, then Kramer, then Cypress. If the signal is rotten, as mine often are, as I specialize in restoration, you need a TBC that will allow transfer of the footage. DVD recorders used for passthrough flail all over the place. The 5000 is going to fail on more difficult tapes, as is this device, since it likely is based on the 5000. Assuming it's a true transparent TBC at all, and works as desired.

If you ever want to loan out the 5000, let me know. :wink2:

I have tests that will make even the TBC-100 based cards curl up in the fetal position and cry 'mommy'. :cry::devil:

-- update --

I've confirmed that the DVK-100 is not what you want. I was correct. Lousy TBC.
More detailed into will be posted in a new thread in the near future.