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03-04-2017, 08:57 PM
Vakicious Vakicious is offline
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I run a used Japanese music business, and I work a lot with digitizing old and rare VHSs. (some are very low quality from indie bands on a $10 budget.)
I have a few different VCRs, some tapes work better with different ones. I'm looking to add a few things to my setup, and I need advice.
Have:
VCRs - JVC HM-40000U, JVC SR101US, and a Panasonic AG-1970
Capture Card - Hauppauge WinTV HVR-1800

Looking at adding:
Datavideo TBC-4000 (or 6000)
SignVideo DR-1000 Image Engancer
SignVideo PA-200 dual proc amp

I've lost track of how many hours of research I've done, but the consensus seems to be the PA-200 and DR-1000 are some of the best out there especially together. Is the TBC-4000 (or 6000) superfluous over the TBC-1000 with the other two pieces of gear? Without the SignVideo stuff, which TBC is better? The 4000 and 6000 seem to do slightly different things.
I don't really know much about which capture card is best. Is mine a good one?

Thanks in advance!

-- merged --

Upon further investigation, I'm having trouble finding the Signvideo PA-200 and DR-1000. I found both the PA-100 and BVP-4+ over at TGP. How do they compare with eachother? I'd ONLY be using it with s-video. lordsmurf, can you weigh in on this?
I'm also trying to puzzle out which TBC is best. I was previously set on the Datavideo TBC-4000, but Leitch 575 seems to be a strong contender the more I read. (and I found a few ebay auctions for it) Ebay has the TBC-4000 and 6000 for about the same price too. Any advice on which of these three to go after?
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  #2  
03-05-2017, 07:58 AM
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lordsmurf lordsmurf is offline
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Welcome.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Vakicious View Post
I have a few different VCRs, some tapes work better with different ones. I'm looking to add a few things to my setup, and I need advice.
VCRs - JVC HM-40000U, JVC SR101US, and a Panasonic AG-1970
- The JVC 9600-9911 is one tracking/alignment range.
- The JVC SR-V10/101 (and possibly D-VHS) is another.
- The Panasonic is yet another, though I'm not sure how much the 1970 and 1980 have in common.

The 1980 and V10/101 are more cooperative, in general, especially with EP/SLP tapes. As you've experienced, having a lot of VCRs at your disposal is useful. And if you're doing work, necessary.

Quote:
Looking at adding:
Datavideo TBC-4000 (or 6000)
You need a TBC, yes, but why those models? For single-source workflows, the 4000/6000 offers nothing over the 3000. You essentially want it for the proc amp, yes? The genlocking and chroma keying of the 4000/6000 won't matter for VHS transfer.

(BTW, I have a TBC-1000 available, not yet in the marketplace. I've been too busy lately.)

Quote:
SignVideo DR-1000 Image Engancer
In the right situations, these can be very useful. But overall, they are rarely used. It really depends on your sources. This will be hard to locate, and probably not cheap when you do.

Tip: SignVideo is also known as Studio1, and is the successor of Vidicraft.

Quote:
SignVideo PA-200 dual proc amp
These are good alternatives to Elite BVP4+. But the DataVideo proc amps in the 3000/4000/6000 units can be just as useful.

(Note: I'd consider selling a BVP4+, since I have an extra.)

Quote:
I've lost track of how many hours of research I've done, but the consensus seems to be the PA-200 and DR-1000 are some of the best out there especially together. Is the TBC-4000 (or 6000) superfluous over the TBC-1000 with the other two pieces of gear? Without the SignVideo stuff, which TBC is better? The 4000 and 6000 seem to do slightly different things.
The 100, 1000, 3000, 4000, 6000 -- those are all identical performing TBC. The 1000 has a VP299 married to it (distro amp), and the 100 is a PCI card. The other 3 are slight variations, but the primary factor is dual channel and proc amp, in addition to TBC.

Quote:
Capture Card - Hauppauge WinTV HVR-1800
Quote:
I don't really know much about which capture card is best. Is mine a good one?
For VHS, that's not my favorite. I've forgotten whether I liked or disliked it. Find some past posts, in this forum, about that card. I know other members here have used it.

Quote:
Upon further investigation, I'm having trouble finding the Signvideo PA-200 and DR-1000. I found both the PA-100 and BVP-4+ over at TGP. How do they compare with eachother? I'd ONLY be using it with s-video. lordsmurf, can you weigh in on this?
As mentioned, SignVideo/Studio1 gear won't be an easy find. And when you do see it, you'll pay for it. The BVP4+ is a powerful proc amp, moreso than the SignVideo or DataVideo. It has drawbacks/quirks, but is most useful with nth generation VHS.

Quote:
I'm also trying to puzzle out which TBC is best. I was previously set on the Datavideo TBC-4000, but Leitch 575 seems to be a strong contender the more I read. (and I found a few ebay auctions for it) Ebay has the TBC-4000 and 6000 for about the same price too. Any advice on which of these three to go after?
My preference is always DataVideo and Cypress/AVT. The TBCs are more powerful, and more cooperative with VHS. I've been doing some tests of various TBC models lately: DataVideo, Cypress, Kramer, For.A, Panasonic, JVC and others. The Leitch/DPS is done yet, but I'm betting it falls on the lower end. The sample videos are pretty stunning, as I have a perfect test tape.

It depends on your source quality. And I'm betting your can be as awful as some of mine.

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