TBC unnecessary for solid tapes?

[Slushly]

I understand an internal and external TBC is necessary for crusty tapes, but I truly believe that a TBC does more harm than good in the most ideal circumstances. As my tape capturing is almost done, I've learned its good to have one for some of my tapes but for others I think it did more harm than good. So now I've shared some of my most solid captures without a TBC.

[Hushpower]

It would have been good to have with/without shots so we can compare.

[traal]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Slushly

I truly believe that a TBC does more harm than good in the most ideal circumstances.

Why do you say it does more harm than good?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Slushly

So now I've shared some of my most solid captures without a TBC.

Could you post some short clips? It's hard to tell from individual frames whether a TBC would have helped.

[Slushly]

Quote:

Originally Posted by traal

Why do you say it does more harm than good?

I mean this in a "less is more" situation. I think a TBC (using both frame and internal) on a perfectly tracking tape could actually affect the purity of the signal. I think a 1 meter video-s cable straight into the capture card looks great. In the end maybe you could get an very small change in stability on the tape but you sacrifice certain aspects of a raw videotape being captured. Possible change in color, change in clarity.

Could you post some short clips? It's hard to tell from individual frames whether a TBC would have helped.

Right now all my tapes are raw AVI files so I might just screen record the playback as a quick way of showing you.

[traal]

In that video, there's a slight curve at the bottom of the frame that a line-TBC might fix if your VCR doesn't already have it.

[lordsmurf]

Wait, no, backup...

I have a feeling this is a situation where a bad model, or exact bad unit, or even bad tapes, has led to such a broad false statement.

We need specs:
- type of TBC (line, field, frame)
- model of TBC
- model of item that contains TBC

Further:
- what capture card
- what VCR
- anything else?

Screen recording is rarely viable, it alters the video. Use VirtualDub, snip off an actual clip, then encode it to H.264 with Hybrid if too large. What is "raw" AVI, exactly?

That bird shot is pretty worthless for showing anything. A better shot is required for a sample to show TBC performance, or lack of TBC performance. It needs to be something static, not shaky handheld footage. Nor footage where large swaths are obscured by solid a color background.

Before/after clips required.

And define "harm".

[Slushly]

I don't really know if I have a completely static tape since these are all home videos but I'll try to find the most still scenes. Also, I'm using a brand new TV Wonder USB 600. For my bad tapes I used a TBC-1000 and a Panasonic AG-1980. At one point I had tried this setup on the Charleston video (the one with the bird) then out of curiosity, I used a JVC deck thats only been used a handful of times (no TBC) and liked it better. I don't have the comparison video anymore since I needed the space but basically the video with all the right equipment came out with slightly different colors and just slightly less clarity than using only the deck. Also I've noticed that the tapes I've had the least problems with are TDK those tapes don't seem to age at all. One method I've been using is I have a new Magnavox deck that before I play in the main deck, I use to fast forward and rewind tapes. This seems to help a lot with some of the tapes tracking. Also by raw AVI I meant uncompressed.

[lordsmurf]

DataVideo TBC-1000 has become a problem unit in recent years, with bad caps, and even bad board chips. If you bought the unit from a random person (eBay, etc), without any refurbs, then it is possible to be causing issues. But that's no reason to avoid TBCs, but rather avoid bad TBCs. Sort of like buying a bad used car is no reason to shun cars and start riding a bicycle. Not logical.

This is especially true of AG-1980P, bad caps almost always causes TBC issues (amongst others). Never, ever buy a random AG-1980P for anything other than parts, or you will get screwed. Only buy refurb'd units, preferably from Deter (as the TGrant decks still have bad caps in them, time bombs that require costly re-repairs; several of us on this site learned that the hard way).

Recommended JVC S-VHS VCRs with line TBC, in proper condition (ie, not from eBay), are some of the best VCRs you will ever use.

TDK, JVC, and certain high-end Maxell were some of the best VHS tapes in the 80s-90s, eeking into early 00s.
Other tapes, like Fuji, were popular crap (like Ritek DVD-R in the 00s), and were never good -- but many have claimed those have deteriorated, which is bunk, those were never good.

Magnavox decks were always mid-grade quality at best. Never best, never worst.

[Slushly]

Dang I didn't realize these devices were starting to have problems. I did my research but I guess you gotta have some street knowledge as well when it comes to an aging profession. It's also funny you mention that Fuji tapes are pretty bad because the three that I did capture were some of the worst quality I had seen and I captured about 40+ tapes.