Pioneer DVR-320 for passthrough?
I have a chance to get this today for about $35, but I'm unsure of it's quality as a passthrough for converting VHS to Digital. Any advice would be appreciated. thanks!
|
No that is not a good DVR for pass thru.
That model was one of the early Pioneer models which required a perfect "broadcast" signal in order to capture. The concept of using DVRs to capture VHS tape playback had not caught on yet and they did not design in noise filters and sync regnerators or pseudo line TBC and frame locks until at least the next year models. As TBCs have dried up or reach stratospheric prices used.. people are starting to stretch credibility in the forum articles they have read in order to "hopefully" get something as good as a TBC or a good VCR. There was really only one specific model that did good for pass thru (ES10) and those are developing many problems with their capacitors with age. Unless maintained their power supplies are reaching end of life. We are at the point where do it yourself may be coming to an end because the casual consumer user does not have the skillset or patience to keep these old DVRs going. They are also not returning their used or failing ones to the pool by reselling them after they fail.. so parts are drying up. You can keep trying and might get lucky, but seeking the help of a reputable service provider to do the transfer may soon be in the better interest of people who have the gear and skills to keep it going, and those needing the service. Outlier random special cases are possible but less likely now. I hope I am wrong and things return to the norm like past years after this Seasonal drought.. but its almost irrational to keep up that hope. Some perspective.. this hardware is mostly over 16 years old now. That's old for vcrs, computer hardware.. or just about anything. In 1986 that would have been something from 1970 That's old. |
Quote:
|
The oldest pioneers has been mentioned here and elsewhere as not being particularly good. The x30 and newer (second number determines the generation) pioneers can do an ok job for correcting jitter etc on pass-through on most tapes(at least the PAL models). They're not quite as powerful as the panasonic models though, on the plus side they have more adjustment options.
EDIT: Looks like some US DVR-x3x (but not x4x on) models have a different chipset, so they may behave differently. |
A friend sent me a link about the 320, just as I had written it off (still probably going to) and I was wondering what the person in this comment was talking about here ...."My PC has an AverMedia BDA capture card, based on the Philips SAA713x chipset; I've done these tests using the CLD-D925 composite out to three different DVD recorder, used in passthrough mode as comb filters; the Panasonic DMR-ES15, the Pioneer DVR-320 (comb filter set for movement), and the Yukai DVDR-100B (a Mustek clone, for whom it may concern...), then from the DVD recorder to the capture card via S-Video cable; plus, a direct CLD-D925 -> capture card via S-Video; the test video is from the NTSC Video Essential." Says Pioneer DVR-320 comb filter set for movement? Never heard that before. Here's the link by the way... https://originaltrilogy.com/topic/Co...d/15421/page/4
|
It's the filter that separates color (C/Chroma) from brightness (Y/Luminance) in a composite video signal. Laserdiscs store video in composite format at a much higher bandwidth than VHS, so for that a good comb filter is essential to avoid luma and chroma interfering with each other. That can result in artifacts, like dot crawl (moving "dots" around edges) and flashing colour over "stripy" areas of the video, the thread is about investigating the comb filters in various devices. VHS has color and brightness stored separately on tape (also with a lower bandwidth), so when you use the S-Video output on a SVHS deck the color and brightness isn't mixed together to composite video at all, and you avoid that issue.
On these DVRs the filter can be adjusted a little to look better in either static or moving scenes. |
Quote:
|
That's correct.
|
By the way, sorry for sounding pushy, but the auction went off at 12:30 CST, so I was kinda in a hurry...lol. I let it pass and someone bought it for $31.
|
Quote:
ES10 has the "strongest" TBC but personally I best like the ES15 for general use. I have made a test illustrating the effect of ES10 here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=japF...di_77D&index=3 and all three DVD recorders here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dsgm...I9S-IXPzdi_77D |
Quote:
Quote:
That JVC model is old, no TBC, no filters, not recommended. That capture cards has known problems with SD capturing, especially frame dropping/duping even when TBC is present. BM themselves have stated that it's really not meant for consumer analog sources like VHS, only pro analog sources like BetacamSP. Why do people keep buying those things? It's like buying a hatchback to tow a trailer -- wrong tool. Quote:
It's not a TBC. It is useful, especially paired with the DVK/5000 units (which does makes it about 99% as effective as true TBC, though still with ES10/15 artifacts). The ES10/15 also acts mostly as line TBC(ish), often weaker than a JVC/Panasonic line/field TBC. It has near-zero frame sync TBC ability, though it does have some minimalist corrections (which is why the DVK/5000 is needed to bolster it). External frame TBCs mostly correct the signal, with some correction of image quality. But the Youtube samples of "TBC" mostly address line timing functionality. You can still see quite a few leftover errors that Panasonic or JVC would have resolved, especially the Panasonic field (multi-line). |
Quote:
-- merged -- |
Awesome, thanks LS. For the past 35 years I've been wondering how Brainy Smurf ended up so smart. But now it's obvious. You tutored him....possibly to impress Smurfette? I think she was my first crush...lol. Just before Nicole Eggert and Alyssa Milano, followed closely by Kelly Bundy!........oh man those tight skirts she wore! I just love memories....
|
Quote:
But alas, that ended. :( Quote:
|
5 Attachment(s)
I think Josie Davis ended up better looking than the other 3. And I had no crush on her whatsoever...lol.
|
Quote:
|
Can't find anything about an ES17, maybe you meant one of ES16, ES18 and EZ17? For PAL at least most panasonics work (the ES20 is a bit special as it has different hardware so avoid that for pass-through), though the newer models are not quite as powerful as the ES10. For that price it's probably worth trying.
|
Quote:
|
Site design, images and content © 2002-2024 The Digital FAQ, www.digitalFAQ.com
Forum Software by vBulletin · Copyright © 2024 Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.