Is an external TBC required with a Sony VX2100e digicam?
 

Hello and thanks to all of you that maintain this fabulous resource!

I have a dozen or so old VHS tapes with family footage and a bunch of hi8 tapes to capture. I already have a Sony VX2100e miniDV camcorder and have just picked up a JVC HR-S8600EK that has a built in TBC and the BEST/3R (?) DNR system.

I'm wondering if it's worth me picking up an ADVC-100 & a TBC-1000.

I've read that the capture from the vx2100 will need the luminance adjusted since it will capture black at 7.5IRE but I expect I can sort that in Edius or Virtualdub. I#ve also read an opinion that the vx2100 has a fairly poor comb filter.

Can anyone tell me if the camcorder will have a TBC like functionality and if the comb filter is a significant issue?

Cheers.

Thanks, and welcome. :)

Excellent choice in VCR. Your tapes should look better than they ever have. :thumb:

Generally speaking, you must always use an external TBC between the VCR and the capture device. The digital devices expect a perfect or near-perfect signal, and feeding it a butchered analog VHS videotape is not taken very well, with the capture process dropping frames or aborting entirely.

Adjusting IRE is not overly easy to do in software. Changing color spaces (including IRE) is fairly damaging, depending on how serious it is. Understand that I've rarely seen a proper 7.5 IRE from anything -- not broadcasts, retail videos, etc. The values can range anything from 0 to 16. A lot of "7.5" devices are more like 5. When you alter luminance, you're altering more than just black (IRE).

It may be worthwhile to buy another capture card. Based on vocabulary and VCR choice, I can assume you're in Australia or UK? Even a Canopus ADVC-50/55 or 100/110 would be a decent choice, since it's 4:2:0 PAL colorspace, and the IRE should be adjustable on the box. Then resell it when the project is done. Those boxes do actually hold up most of their value, even if they're not the very best. (Ironically, the best devices have limit lifespans, due to tight OS and NLE integration.)

Edit: I just cheated and looked at your posting IP. (UK) :D