Dumb-down explanation of VHS transfer gear?

[andrewprjnn1]

Alright, so I've been overwhelmed with all the information in this entire forum, but not in a bad way. It's intricate. It's a sanctuary. It's holy. It's a bible. It's digitalfaq, and I couldn't be more appreciative of it.

I'm still trying to absorb the proper technical jargon here to complete my setup but before I bite the bullet on any more gear, I just want to list what I got and what I'm assuming is needed further if anyone can correct me:

Gear I have:
-JVC SR-VS30U MiniDV/VHS VCR (only VHS side works)
-Sony DSR20 DVCam Recorder (using for MiniDV)
-Sony LMD-9050 Multiformat Monitor (just to have a way of viewing the image)
-Custom built PC (Forgetting some exact specs, but it runs Windows 7 Pro, top of the line 3rd gen i7 processor, GeForce GTX-770 Classified, 32GB DDR3 RAM, 256GB Samsung Evo 840 SSD, 4 TB WD Black Edition 7200/rpm HDD)
-Elgato (elcrapo) Video Capture Device (I know, it's a crappy little stick, but only have to temporarily capture the content within my tapes to ease some anxiety)

Gear I'm seeing to need:
-A TBC (time base corrector) - Reading up on the Datavideo TBC-1000. Hefty penny to drop on it, but I understand an investment into something like this to correct the signal over the line TBC inside the JVC's are an absolute must.
-Capture card - Haven't really looked into this yet, but open to any leads before I dive in.
-Scenalyzer 3.5 or Live 4.0 software - Read up on it in the forum here. Will commence the download soon and read up more on it.
-A proper A/V rack - Keeping it off the floor and away from as must dust as possible. Because of constraints in finances, will likely just get an open back shelf and maintain the hell out of my equipment with air dusters and dusting rags.

Am I missing anything here? Lordsmurf if you're available, would love your input!

Thanks everybody!

[lordsmurf]

Glad to read that the site is helping demystify video for you.

- VCR is good. (The MiniDV half is junk anyway, mostly just eats tapes, you're not missing anything.)
- DV camera probably fine; I prefer Canon
- broadcast monitor if probably fine, but I never found those useful; just calibrate a good IPS LCD
- Win7, i7, RAM, SSD, HDDs .. all fine. If this is your main/only computer, no dedicated capture system, just remember to NOT multitask while capturing, do not let software "do stuff" in the background, disconnect from the internet during capture
- Elcrapo indeed, there are better, so get a better capture card

Anxiety from what? From the bogus boogeyman rhetoric that you're tapes are degrading? Though there is a tiny bit of truth to it, it's very specific to past storage conditions (attics, basements), or certain tapes (early 80s BASF).

- Yes, TBC needed, your understanding is correct. (Remember: marketplace subforum for vetted gear, not eBay gambling)
- Capture card depends on OS. Win7 best for capturing, several good options, including ATI 600 USB
- For DV, either Scenalyzer or WinDV
- Even I don't use a "proper rack". I have custom racks built from wood, with some gear sideways on the desk (to access both front and back of the gear, which is often important).

Optional extras =
- proc amp (if not in TBC ... or even when in TBC, external proc amps can be powerful tools),
- detailer
- ES10/15 for tearing correction, serious timing issues

[andrewprjnn1]

Quote:

Originally Posted by lordsmurf

Glad to read that the site is helping demystify video for you.

- VCR is good. (The MiniDV half is junk anyway, mostly just eats tapes, you're not missing anything.)
- DV camera probably fine; I prefer Canon
- broadcast monitor if probably fine, but I never found those useful; just calibrate a good IPS LCD
- Win7, i7, RAM, SSD, HDDs .. all fine. If this is your main/only computer, no dedicated capture system, just remember to NOT multitask while capturing, do not let software "do stuff" in the background, disconnect from the internet during capture
- Elcrapo indeed, there are better, so get a better capture card

Anxiety from what? From the bogus boogeyman rhetoric that you're tapes are degrading? Though there is a tiny bit of truth to it, it's very specific to past storage conditions (attics, basements), or certain tapes (early 80s BASF).

- Yes, TBC needed, your understanding is correct. (Remember: marketplace subforum for vetted gear, not eBay gambling)
- Capture card depends on OS. Win7 best for capturing, several good options, including ATI 600 USB
- For DV, either Scenalyzer or WinDV
- Even I don't use a "proper rack". I have custom racks built from wood, with some gear sideways on the desk (to access both front and back of the gear, which is often important).

Optional extras =
- proc amp (if not in TBC ... or even when in TBC, external proc amps can be powerful tools),
- detailer
- ES10/15 for tearing correction, serious timing issues

Ahhhh! Thank you lordsmurf! Made the hunt a lot easier for me