Best player for viewing?

[Gary34]

What is the best way to view your digitized VHS? What is the best player? I’m assuming YouTube is best for VHS-C because of how bad the camcorders were that recorded them. VHS-C probably looks a lot better on a small screen. What about regular size VHS recorded in SP? What is the best player to view those on?

[Aya_Rei]

As in video player? Well on a PC I'd say either VLC or Media Player Classic since they can read mp4 files encoded with a 4:2:2 colorspace.

Though regular Windows Media Player, along with smart TVs, only support mp4s encoded with a 4:2:0 colorspace. 4:2:0 looks to be standard with streaming services too.

I'm assuming you mean viewing encoded mp4 copies of the raw digitized avi files. As the avi files the tapes get converted into are meant for editing and not so much watching as is.

As for YouTube. I'd say what's necessary is to deinterlace the footage and upscale it to 1080p (1440x1080 for 4:3). Since YouTube only supports 60 fps on 720p videos and above. That and a higher resolution video would lead to less video compression from YouTube. Upscaling the video to 1440p (1920x1440) would encode the video in their new vp9 codec which from what I heard, have less compression over their avc1 codec.

[Gary34]

Okay so the best way to view digitized VHS videos that have decent quality in the original recording is viewing then through VLC on a computer? What about casting VLC to a TV?

[lordsmurf]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gary34

What is the best way to view your digitized VHS? What is the best player?

VLC

Quote:

I’m assuming YouTube is best for VHS-C

No.

Quote:

What about regular size VHS recorded in SP? What is the best player to view those on?

VLC

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aya_Rei

As in video player? Well on a PC I'd say either VLC

Same for Linux, Android, Mac.

Quote:

I'm assuming you mean viewing encoded mp4 copies of the raw digitized avi files. As the avi files the tapes get converted into are meant for editing and not so much watching as is.

Correct.

Quote:

As for YouTube. I'd say what's necessary is to deinterlace the footage and upscale it to 1080p (1440x1080 for 4:3). Since YouTube only supports 60 fps on 720p videos and above. That and a higher resolution video would lead to less video compression from YouTube. Upscaling the video to 1440p (1920x1440) would encode the video in their new vp9 codec which from what I heard, have less compression over their avc1 codec.

Youtube compression is mostly turd-polishing for non-HD sources. Even HD isn't great now, the 4K gets preferred treatment, in an absolute sense. It means SD/VHS doesn't stand a chance, it has to be upscaled too much, it's too damaging.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gary34

Okay so the best way to view digitized VHS videos that have decent quality in the original recording is viewing then through VLC on a computer? What about casting VLC to a TV?

Casting? Depends on device. I output HDMI to a second "monitor" (not a TV, not a monitor, but large commercial display). Or Chromecast VLC app from shared folder on network.

[Gary34]

I think I got it. Best viewing is interlaced MPEG 2 at a high bitrate using VLC on a good monitor. https://www.digitalfaq.com/forum/vid...kflow-vhs.html

[lordsmurf]

Yadif 2x deinterlace mode in VLC if interlaced MPEG-2.

If do 3 things
- view archived lossless in VirtualDub, not for watching
- watch archived interlaced MPEG-2 in VLC -- both DVD-Video spec 3-9 mpbs, or sub-broadcast 15-25 mbps
- watch deinterlaced H.264 in VLC (or computer, or Chromecast/Android app) -- both 4:2:0 streaming copies, and 4:2:2 sub-archival conversions from videotapes

This is a quality method. (But, as you know, most people wouldn't know quality if a "quality anvil" fell on their head. Too many Wile E. Coyote "geniuses" in this world. They'll "duct tape & chicken wire" the most ridiculous setup, and then it blows up in their face.)

Yes, device matters. Viewing on a 100% bright phone/tablet screen is not ideal, nor "factory set" displays on laptops, TVs, monitors. If quality matters, then get a good monitor (these days, mostly LG, Dell) that can be calibrated. My Samsung tablet is actually really good (display, storage, RAM, size, etc), but it's not a cheapo Chinese model, and even iPad isn't great here.