Using OBS to capture VHS?
 

I have seen several tutorials now where some users are recommending OBS to capture.

I have done a search on this forum to see whats said here but got zero results back. So I though I would throw it out there for thoughts.

I have done a quick capture using my capture card (VHS to ES10 to Capture Card to Laptop) capturing on Virtualdub first and then using OBS. I have my thoughts, but before I share them I want to see what other people think first and (or) if they've tried it.

Granted in Virtualdub I captured Lossless (Lagarith) and on OBS captured MP4 (x264) both were interlaced (I have no idea if OBS can capture Lossless - so I didnt dig too deep for this trial).

This question is not meant to go further than capture for editing etc just for results

OBS is not analog capture software. It is digital screen recording software. It "captures" (not really) analog by screen recording from a display layer. That's not at all the same as capturing from direct hardware, and that makes a difference with integrity, sync, artifacts, quality, image controls, etc.

Furthermore, it all sorts of quality and compression issues. Because, again, it was not made for analog ingest/capturing.

"Guides" that use OBS are low-end, usually also using garbage capture cards like OBS, or even those cheap $2 HDMI adapters that were made for DVD players. Those "guides" have zero care about quality, and just want "a picture", no matter how many artifacts there are, wrong aspect ratio, wrong colors, blown out highlights, etc. We're not talking little % nuances, we're talking flaws that are obvious to everybody. Some of those same people usually dismiss it as "VHS quality", not realizing (or not wanting to realize) that the tapes don't look bad, their method does.

Strange that you got no results on the topic, because it's been discussed many times now.

I use OBS for two purposes when ripping VHS stuff:

1. Bulk capture tons of VHS footage for previewing at a low-ish bitrate. It does a pretty good job of capturing footage at low bitrate. I then find the clips I want to re-rip using the methods promoted on this forum by LS and others.
2. As another way to rip in problematic footage. SOMETIMES, the OBS method does a good job bad quality VHS tapes, on a fluke.

... but if you truly care about the final output, it is rarely (if ever) the way to rip VHS content.

When OBS is used as a "crutch" in this manner, for the "preview capture" style of use, I don't have a problem with it. You understand the issues, limitations, quality problems.

Though I do need to stress that "capture it again better later" can be a problem. We are well into that 35-65 lifespan of VHS now, and some tapes will only play one time. No redo possible. The oxide is damaged to a pre-shed, and the head can cause micro-shed. I have this problem on our 80s BASF home movies, and I've seen it on others (not all 80s, not all BASF). Just a word of caution.

It's the "use OBS, it's the best ever!" that is false nonsense. We're not doing that here, which is good.

reply
 

Thanks Lord Smurf - I thought as much - but wanted to check

Yeah, I should have mentioned that. If you any ANY tapes you know are precious - use the "proper" workflow from the get-go.

To your point about the longevity of tapes... My buddy is currently ripping 1000+ tapes from the past 40+ years and he just sent me this.

Never forget.

https://www.digitalfaq.com/forum/att...1&d=1688680396
https://www.digitalfaq.com/forum/att...1&d=1688680396
https://www.digitalfaq.com/forum/att...1&d=1688680396
https://www.digitalfaq.com/forum/att...1&d=1688680396

Those BASF are a real problem now.