Is my PAL VHS capture workflow good? (JVC HR-S7960)
 

Hello,
this is my first post on the forum, even though I’ve been reading it for a while and have learned a lot thanks to this community. After studying the information shared here, I analyzed my needs and budget and I’m now setting up my workflow. I’d like to share it here to get some feedback and clarify doubts.

My goal is to digitize about 20 PAL VHS tapes containing footage originally recorded on Sony PAL analog camcorders from the 1990s. The tapes were all recorded between 1988 and 2000 using standard consumer VCRs with composite audio-video input.
At the moment, when played back on low-to-mid range (but fully working) consumer VCRs, about half of them appear to be in good condition. The others show various issues such as tearing and jitter, but only in certain sections.

My goal is not to achieve the absolute best professional capture possible, but rather to get the best results I can with the equipment I have available. I don’t have strict time constraints.
For now, I would mainly like feedback and advice regarding the capture stage; I plan to address post-processing later.

Equipment I currently have for my workflow:

VCR:

JVC HR-S7960E (in perfect condition, bought new old stock)
TBC/NR: ON
B.E.S.T (aka calibration): OFF
Picture mode: NORM/AUTO

Capture cards:

Pinnacle PCTV USB2 (I attached an image)
Hauppauge USB Live2 (latest model, not the 610 but the current one available on their website)

Capture software and codec:

VirtualDub 1.9.11 + filters (32-bit, downloaded from links found here on the forum)
HuffYUV codec (32-bit vanilla 2.1.1 without any patch, also from links found here)
or UTVideo YUV422 BT.601 VCM
Other VirtualDub settings: YUY2 4:2:2, 720x576, 25 fps

Laptop used for capturing:

HP G62 (early 2010s), originally Windows 7 64-bit
Intel processor
8 GB DDR3 RAM
SSD
Clean installation of Windows 7 Professional SP2 64-bit

Optional TBC-ish device:

Pioneer DVR-560HX-K

I already had the Pinnacle PCTV USB2 at home (purchased in the 2000s), but I couldn’t find much information about it. For this reason, I also bought a Hauppauge USB Live2, since it was easy to find and, to the best of my knowledge, is generally considered acceptable in terms of quality.

Basically, I’m here to ask for feedback on this workflow, especially regarding the capture cards, since I don’t really have a direct comparison with other devices apart from what I’ve seen in YouTube videos.

The Pioneer DVR-560HX is not officially part of my workflow, in the sense that I could borrow it from a friend, but I’d like to ask whether it would make sense to use it, or if the TBC in the JVC might already be sufficient.

Thank you very much! :)

Here is the picture of the pinnacle card

Welcome. :)

- Those ancient PCTV cards are not suggested.
- Live2 cards are not great, but not worst. So many image stability issues.

I don't recall if that specific PAL DVD recorder has TBC(ish) passthrough, you'll need to verify. Specifically research Bogilien's posts. If that Pioneer does not handle tearing, then it's no good, seek a Panasonic ES10/15 type instead.

The capture system seems fine.
If possible, capture to 2nd SSD/HDD, not the OS boot drive.

VirtualDub, Huffyuv, good. Ut can be fallback, but not ideal.

The line TBC in the VCR will be better, but it may conflict with the line TBC(ish), if present, in that Pioneer DVD recorder. Line TBC in a JVC VCR will not be enough, as it lacks frame correction (frame TBC). ES10/15 type passthrough DVD recorders have non-TBC frame syncs, which "bake in" sync errors to retain signal continuity.

Live2 cards absolutely choke on any imperfections, so some sort of frame correction is required with those cards.

You may find yourself in a situation where
- the better JVC line TBC must be disabled
- you rely on a DVD recorder for line TBC(ish) and non-TBC frame sync
- you take your chances with the Live2 card

^ FYI, this is precisely why I have certain Pinnacle capture cards in the marketplace here, and I ship worldwide. If you're going to go with a budget setup, or even a better setup, that card can make-or-break your workflow.

So:
- the computer is fine
- VCR model is great, should be fine unit if in proper functioning condition
- Pioneer DVD recorder is a variable, so confirm it's on Bogi's list
- capture card is your weak link, get that replaced, and you're ready to go

You've done your reading, you're almost there, conversions should work out well.

As a final note, there's really no such thing as a "absolute best professional capture". VHS (and Hi8, consumer formats) have basic needs.
- good VCR, usually S-VHS with s-video
- some form of TBC is required, ideally true line+frame TBC
- good capture card
The only thing that you could consider "professional" is the quality of the TBCs, but many hobbyists and DIY'ers also want that extra % of quality. The VCR you have is what most pros also use. Many have DVD recorders for anti-tearing and fallback. And then good captures. Pros often have a few other nifty devices like proc amps and detailers, but that's really it. Nobody can get around the basics, and there's really not a way to upgrade either. Pros mostly just have more decks, more TBCs, more capture cards, whereas hobby/DIY just have one of each.