How to improve video distortion, picture quality from VHS?
 

Hello, I'm transferring my old vhs tapes to digital format. I'm looking for advice that will improve video distortion & picture quality.

Here my current workflow:
JVC HR-J600U /Panasonic PV-S9670-K/JVC HR-D870U -> Dazzle DVD recorder -> Virtualdub2 -> Handbrake

Windows 10
Intel I9 coffee lake
EVGA GEFORCE GTX1060

Thank you

Almost all of that quality loss is due to a low-quality VHS player, lack of TBC, and a low-quality Dazzle card.

VirtualDub2 is not good for capturing, has 1.10.x issues. Use VirtualDub 1.9.x
VirtualDub2 is great for importing/exporting. Also issues with some filters. The fork is really a very mature beta more than polished software.

Win19 OS is lousy for capture, but can work with narrow allowed good hardware.

Graphics does not matter. Onboard motherboard graphics is fine.
CPU no longer matters, everything has been powerful enough for SD for over decade now.

The S-VHS VCR with line will have most powerful impact to quality, night-and-day.
Framesync TBC maintains quality at capture.
Capture card maintains quality; that Dazzle is known for some of the lightness issues I'm seeing, especially sans any TBC.

You need a quality workflow to get quality results. Otherwise what you see is the best you'll get, with that crummy hardware.

How to improve video distortion, picture quality from VHS?
 

Thank you for the feedback, lordsmurf. :)

I would interested in purchasing TBC AVT-8710 (green) if when its available in Marketplace. I assume you're located in US. When available, is it possible to ship to Canada?

Is there capture card do you recommend?

You may need a Panasonic DMR-ES10/15 or related DVD-recorder to fix that specific issue with the horizontal tearing at the top, the in-VCR TBC, and external AVT and Datavideo TBC don't always deal with it to well, as talked about tons around the forums.

The Panasonic VCR you got is an SVHS deck (allthough not one of the top of the line ones with built-in line TBC), so it may not be too bad if paired with the ES10 or similar for correcting horizontal jitter.

How to improve video distortion, picture quality from VHS?
 

Thank you for your reply, hodgey.

I do have Pioneer dvr-450h dvd recorder at home.

I'll give try to see if works pairing with panasonic s-vhs vcr.

Could the distortion be caused by an incorrect setting in Virtual Dub "Video>Set Custom Format..."?

How to improve video distortion, picture quality from VHS?
 

Thank you for your reply Hushpower.

I leave Set Custom Video Format on default.

Did the pioneer DVR help? I know the PAL equivialent has some TBCish functionality, and can often help fix tearing issues like this, I would think the NTSC version would act similarly but i wouldn't know for sure.

How to improve video distortion, picture quality from VHS?
 

Hi Hodgey,

Pioneer DVD recorder NTSC did help with the distortion. Next step to fix grainy video. I'm trying out Neat Video v5 plugin to see if it will slightly improve it.

Neat Video is amazing. I have been stunned at how good it is. Sometimes it overcooks the noise reduction a bit but it can be adjusted.

There's nothing that NeatVideo can do that Avisynth can't do better (usually MUCH better). ;)

Acknowledged, LS. But for those of us who are technically challenged (Avisynth code scares me! :eek:)/time poor, Neat is a godsend. A couple of clicks and you're done. They charge for the ease of use though! $$

-- merged --

The initial default was 320 x 240 (for PAL_B). I changed my capture to 720x576 (Menu Video>Set Custom Format). More pixels = better quality capture?

Hybrid makes Avisynth easier, but Hybrid itself has learning curve. But GUI is easier than script.

<sigh> I need to find time to write my Avisynth guide. It's not hard to do basic things.

Also want to do Hybrid guide.

I want the superpower of never being required to sleep (and not get tired, so no monkey paw curse, please!).

How to improve video distortion, picture quality from VHS?
 

Thank you for the advice, Hushpower.