LinusTechTips video on VHS recovery, digitalFAQ mention!

[trenog]

I happen to be a follower of LinusTechTips content and it amused me to see that VHS restoration suddenly came up on their feed in the form of a video!

Lordsmurf even got a "shoutout" because they were looking at the Panasonic AG-1980P and quoted him directly from the following forum thread: https://www.digitalfaq.com/forum/vid...html#post44927

Here is the direct YouTube timestamp: https://youtu.be/foLPX4YTwHk?t=292. And the full video: I Thought My Childhood was LOST

Guess there may be some more attention coming this way to the forum!

[latreche34]

Not when Technology Connection stepped in and suggested in the comment section using OBS for capturing, Yikes.

[trenog]

Quote:

Originally Posted by latreche34

Not when Technology Connection stepped in and suggested in the comment section using OBS for capturing, Yikes.

There are definitely more than a few things I found contrary to accepted practices.

1. BlackMagic interface <- BAD
2. Composite video <- Not as good as S-Video
3. No external TBC <- BAD
4. OSSC as an alternative capture interface <- BAD
5. Modern AI De-Interlace <- BAD
6. OBS Record <- BAD

So hopefully people will be able to learn from what's already been figured out here than go for cheap.

Really the only good things mentioned are the TBC and the particular VCR used in the video.

[latreche34]

He also confused line TBC with frame TBC, not sure if it's out of ignorance or he just didn't want to dive into the subject to save time, Though a quick mention of the difference between the two would not have taken more than 30 seconds.

[LordSandwich]

Quote:

Originally Posted by trenog

There are definitely more than a few things I found contrary to accepted practices.

1. BlackMagic interface <- BAD
2. Composite video <- Not as good as S-Video
3. No external TBC <- BAD
4. OSSC as an alternative capture interface <- BAD
5. Modern AI De-Interlace <- BAD
6. OBS Record <- BAD

So hopefully people will be able to learn from what's already been figured out here than go for cheap.

Really the only good things mentioned are the TBC and the particular VCR used in the video.

The problem that anyone who is trying to get into this will face, is that it's so expensive to do it "properly". I've shelved my project indefinitely because I would rather save the money toward the down payment on a house than buy a workflow which I likely won't be able sell after I'm done because half my tapes have mould on them.

In addition, the learning curve seems very steep, and I don't know if I have the time to learn how to do this without getting it wrong. There also doesn't seem to be any high quality service in the UK that will do it for me.

With all that in mind, I can certainly understand that some people will want to just cut out the more expensive parts of home video digitisation, in order to avoid having to sell their car to start their project. I'm considering a cheaper route myself at this point.

[lordsmurf]

Quote:

Originally Posted by LordSandwich

The problem that anyone who is trying to get into this will face, is that it's so expensive ...
I would rather save the money toward the down payment on a house than buy a workflow

This is the kind of statement that irritates me...

For starters, it's hyperbole. A quality workflow will set you back $5k max, and you can whittle that down, those with compromises to quality. A house is easily $300k+ these days (2x-4x in some markets), unless you want to live in a trailer, and down payment is pretty rigid at 20% after the 08-09 snafu. So $60k minimum vs. $5k max is not even close to the same number.

Unless you have the personality of tree bark (ie, literally do nothing, live alone), you have hobbies, you have homes, you have families, etc. Those all cost money. Compared to most of those expenses, video is cheap, just a few grand total.

The same people that whine about costs are often the ones that spend excessively in other areas. Be it Starbucks habits, costly "gaming" computers, vintage Star Wars toy collecting, taking the kids of Disney World, hookers and blow, whatever. So it's not about the costs, it's about priority. If you don't value your own home movies, your memories, don't give it priority, then fine. But don't scapegoat dollars as the actual reason, that's just a cover excuse.

Quote:

which I likely won't be able sell after I'm done because half my tapes have mould on them.

That makes no sense.
- quality gear holds value, and in fact only keeps increasing in costs
- tapes don't just randomly grow mold -- bad storage is the culprit (ie, not taking care of your own stuff, with not ironically is what I'd expect from somebody that doesn't value their own tapes/memories)

Quote:

In addition, the learning curve

Everything requires learning, even something as simple as boiling an egg.

Quote:

seems very steep,

It may seem so, but it's really not. The main hurdle is getting the quality gear -- either finding it, affording it, or overcoming stubbornness to get it. It's not as simple as playing a VCR tape in the 80s/90s, but most people can do stuff now that was "rocket science" by 80s/90s standards.

Quote:

and I don't know if I have the time to learn how to do this

And that's what conversion services are for. Just be sure to pick the right service, not the slop shop that makes big promises but delivers crap (as they didn't use good gear, didn't know what they were doing, etc).

Quote:

without getting it wrong.

Against with the self-defeatist attitude. Why?

Quote:

There also doesn't seem to be any high quality service in the UK that will do it for me.

There are some folks in UK. Also some folks NOT to use.

Quote:

to avoid having to sell their car

If your car is only worth a few $k, odds are it's a POS that is about to fail permanently anyway. Probably best to sell it while it has value! Unlike video gear, a car is a rapidly depreciating asset, with a far more finite lifespan. At some point, you even have to pay somebody to take it away!

Quote:

I'm considering a cheaper route myself at this point.

There are some viable super-budget methods, if you're willing to take the quality hits, and understand that you will have tapes that simply cannot be processed on it (and thus must outsource to a service, or not transfer at all).

[LordSandwich]

I'll grant you the thing about the gaming pc, but I don't know why you put the word gaming in quotes. What else do you think I use it for? If I hadn't built it, I'd have more money to invest in a workflow, but I still wouldn't quite be there. Also, my car is low value, but it's doing just fine, and has never left me stranded. I don't think it's "about to fail permanently" (knock on wood).

Anyway, my main problem is the mould. I know the tapes should have been stored properly, but the fact is that I wasn't responsible for them for the majority of my life because I was a child. By the time I got hold of them, it was already too late. I've since been trying to figure out how I can get the video off them without ruining them completely. The mould is also the reason why I'm worried about devaluing any capture workflow I invest in. As I understand it, a VCR that has had mouldy tapes run on it (even if the mould growth has been removed - you can't remove the spores) is contaminated, and it will spread the mould to other tapes. As a result, it's surely worth less than one that has never had mouldy tapes run on it, right?

I'm sorry if I caused offence, but Linus' video dug up my deep frustration in my lack of progress. It's nobody's fault but my own really, and I didn't mean for you to take it personally.

[latreche34]

Get in touch with video99.co.uk he will be happy to do your moldy tapes, Also RobustReviews is a member here from the UK. It will not be cheap though unless you find a way to clean them yourself.

[lordsmurf]

Quote:

Originally Posted by LordSandwich

I'll grant you the thing about the gaming pc, but I don't know why you put the word gaming in quotes.

It's because gamers can be silly, thinking there is something special about merely having a high-end system. I have zero use for games, but build myself bleeding edge systems about every 6 years or so. It's true of most media creatives, and some update far more regularly than myself.

Quote:

Also, my car is low value, but it's doing just fine, and has never left me stranded. I don't think it's "about to fail permanently" (knock on wood).

I once had a car for almost 20 years. Eventually if became a tool that no longer functioned as needed, and I was just punishing myself by trying to force the situation. At the time, I thought I couldn't afford something better, but in actuality I couldn't afford to keep wasting time and money on it. I came to my senses, moved on to a reliable vehicle. The video workflow really is no different. You can attempt to use low-end crap, or you can just get the reliable tool to properly do the task. How much is your time and sanity worth to you?

Quote:

Anyway, my main problem is the mould. I know the tapes should have been stored properly, but the fact is that I wasn't responsible for them for the majority of my life because I was a child. By the time I got hold of them, it was already too late. I've since been trying to figure out how I can get the video off them without ruining them completely. The mould is also the reason why I'm worried about devaluing any capture workflow I invest in.
Linus' video dug up my deep frustration in my lack of progress.

Yes, that is a sad story -- and too common. I wish you well on this ugly task.

Quote:

As I understand it, a VCR that has had mouldy tapes run on it (even if the mould growth has been removed - you can't remove the spores) is contaminated, and it will spread the mould to other tapes. As a result, it's surely worth less than one that has never had mouldy tapes run on it, right?

Correct. When it comes to mold self-cleaning is heavily NOT suggested anyway. Spores can be toxic, or set off serious allergic reactions (anaphylaxis) that require emergency treatment (been there, done that).

Quote:

Originally Posted by latreche34

Get in touch with video99.co.uk he will be happy to do your moldy tapes,

It'll be DV, but it may not matter with moldy tapes anyway, and PAL DV is passable. If he does mold in UK, then this would be my suggestion as well. That would be my suggestion, in this exact case.

[sephi]

Quote:

Originally Posted by LordSandwich

I'm sorry if I caused offence, but Linus' video dug up my deep frustration in my lack of progress. It's nobody's fault but my own really, and I didn't mean for you to take it personally.

I hear you. I think everyone was or is still in the same boat, until they finally get off. I've put everything off for years. I've made every excuse and attempted every alternative and at the end of the day there is no easy solution and I'm really the only one in my family that has close to a technical know how to do this, so I know it really falls on my shoulders to preserve whatever footage we still have left. History is a big deal for me and I want to do this before a lot of individuals die, so I said screw it. It's time to commit the time, commit the money and do everything despite everything. If I get it done, I know it will be something I will be proud of and worst come to worst, I can always re-sell my bonified LS workflow.

[jeremfg]

I saw Linus video too, and my immediate concern was how prominently they spoke of the Panasonic AG-1980P. That thing is already as rare as unicorns, and now the demand for it will just increase exponentially.

But the selfish in me was just glad I had the perfect timing. I managed to score an AG-1980P last July and had it repaired and refurbished by Deter. I received my unit a few weeks ago and couldn't be happier. In fact, I took that picture on Monday

IMG_20221003_155823_DigitalFaq.jpg