Can my setup achieve high quality digitizing VHS?

[dpalomaki]

A few thoughts for consideration .

Highest possible quality is an open-ended standard that is impacted by what you are willing to spend up front, the time you are willing to invest in learning and doing, what final cost (after reselling gear you no longer need) you are willing to accept, what deadlines you face to complete the project (or portions of it) and at what point you are satisfied with the results. A continuing quest for the best possible may mean you never get it done.

Video editing/restoration is as much art as science and like writing, all products can be infinitely revised. Or like cooking, some folks like less salt and more pepper than others. I often feel I could and should have done a better job on a project while others think it is great (and sometimes the other way around ).

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I'm just incredibly frustrated because I've been trying to get these tapes digitized for months for this guy as I mentioned in my initial post, and now I feel like I'm at square one.

If doing this for someone else you should assess the quality standard they will accept and shoot for that. If a paying job and you are looking for word of mouth advertising be sure they are happy. If the guy is content with what you are able to do with your current gear then give it to him and eliminate that worry so you can move on to your labor of love. You could always offer to go back later and re do it once you perfect your technique if appropriate to your relationship.

You implied this has been on back burner for some time. For some stuff it is better to just get it done before it is too late. For example; grandparents are not getting younger and the content of home video is usually sufficiently compelling to forgive technical flaws. They likely would rather see something than nothing. (And for that matter noisy home video and movies look is an art effect some people try to achieve with modern HD video material.)

And it is natural to second guess any decision one makes - sometimes its called buyers remorse (or sellers remorse) .

[mbassiouny]

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Originally Posted by lollo2

I have the impression you are the only one to have audio problem. I may be wrong. Can you post an example?

Evidences, please; post results, otherwise is just an "opinion"

Not really an opinion. I hear audio distortions in captures.
I am not the only one, Another guy:
http://www.digitalfaq.com/forum/vide...istortion.html

I did not have the same audio problem with canopus advc or another Cheapo USB capture card. (for same tapes and same VCR)

Would love to post samples, but not too much time this weekend. How many USB-live2 devices do you have? How many countries did you try to buy from? They vary from a region/country to another afaik. Would be interesting to compare. If you are really curious and want to do your own testing, maybe you can try buying from another non-local amazon website or I can mail you one that failed me so you can see for yourself

Also I think at this point we can open a new thread for "hauppage USB live 2 tests and feedback" instead of being off-topic on this thread.

[lollo2]

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I am not the only one, Another guy:
Clipped audio distortion from VirtualDub2, Hauppauge USB-Live2?

From that discussion is not clear what the root cause is (tape, capture card, OS, capture software), at least for me.

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I did not have the same audio problem with canopus advc or another Cheapo USB capture card. (for same tapes and same VCR)

I trust you, but it is very uncommon. BTW, it could be an intrinsic defect of your card.

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How many USB-live2 devices do you have? How many countries did you try to buy from? They vary from a region/country to another afaik.

I am part of a fan club having many menbers around the world for old TV series (mainly Gerry Anderson's show). Everyone has TV recordings and commercial releases of the shows, in Italy, Spain, France, U.K., Germany, Canada, USA, Japan and Australia. Many of the members have Hauppauge USB-Live 2, together with some Pinnacle 710, VC-500 and IO GV-USB. VCRs are S-VHS JVC or Panasonic, some lower end machine also. Some fan capture using Panasonic ES-10 or ES-15 before the card because the tapes have problems. We share all different recordings for collecting reasons

In addition here and on Videohelp forums there are many USB-Live 2 users posting impressions, captures and feedback.

I am not a defender of this card, I do not care at all about it. But, as in all my posts, I like facts beeing published, not words.

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I can mail you one that failed me so you can see for yourself

Send me a PM, I will pay for the shipping and test your card with my hardware!

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instead of being off-topic on this thread.

Yes, I'll stop here, waiting your PM

[dpalomaki]

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..Clipped audio distortion...

The usual issue is missmatchd audio levels in the signal chain.

Some factors:
- Consumer device audio is usually a nominal -10 dBV unbalanced, not not all devices follow that standard.
- Professional gear is usually +4 dBU balanced audio.
- Input/output impedences issues may add 0 to 6 dB of loss, possibly more with old consumer feeding old pro gear.
- some capture gear expects consumer level audio, some pro level, some may allow user set levels
- not all gear provides internal level adjustment, it assumes levels will be managed elsewhere in the chain.
- capture devices (digitizers) do not have unlimited head room and usually do not have AGC to manage input levels
- capture software may not be able to control audio levels in the digitizer

When all this is added together is is possible to end up with clipping, a high noise floor, and/or both. And the clipping might not take place at the last step in the chain (digitizer) either.

A good way to mitigate this is to have an audio mixer with metering in the chain, and know how to use it.

[timtape]

Quote:

Originally Posted by dpalomaki

The usual issue is missmatchd audio levels in the signal chain.

Some factors:
- Consumer device audio is usually a nominal -10 dBV unbalanced, not not all devices follow that standard...

...A good way to mitigate this is to have an audio mixer with metering in the chain, and know how to use it.

Yes and sometimes a simple passive "RCA line level attenuator" will reduce the incoming level enough.

[mbassiouny]

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From that discussion is not clear what the root cause is (tape, capture card, OS, capture software), at least for me.

@lollo2, So I had some time today to get my VCR out and try my hauppage usb again, I used amarec instead of virtualDub this time as per your suggestion, and indeed, I hear no audio distortions with Amarec, but with VD1.9 and VD2 the audio issues are present.
I did not have time to investigate further. But I admit it is a miscommunication between my capture software and the device. Not the Hauppauge's fault.

There is still a couple more issues that I need to double check if they were VD related or not. Notably The card might sometimes give black and white instead of colored picture (even in the Hauppauge capture software). disconnecting the device then pluging it again solves this problem (probably some Driver issue? )

Quote:

Originally Posted by timtape

Yes and sometimes a simple passive "RCA line level attenuator" will reduce the incoming level enough.

I was using something like this (a DIY solution) to mitigate the audio issues I had with VD.

[lollo2]

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@lollo2, So I had some time today to get my VCR out and try my hauppage usb again...

Thanks for your experiment. With Windows 10, VirtualDub and the Hauppauge USB-Live 2 I had the problem of asynchronous audio/video but not the problem of audio distorsion you mentioned.
What OS and drivers are you using? The drivers version I use is 10_6_0_119_36075

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The card might sometimes give black and white instead of colored picture (even in the Hauppauge capture software).

It only happened to me when playing with standards (NTSC, PAL, Secam) in the setting cofiguration, but I guess is not your case. If you wish that I run some experiment to support your debug, just let me know