Having read the many posts on digitalfaq (seriously, the depth of knowledge in this website is astounding) I feel somewhat confident in starting my journey in digitising my family's old PAL VHS and VHS-C tapes. With that said, hello to all
Here is my workflow for the experts to scrutinize:
Equipment- 1996 SONY SLV-X817 (VCR)
- 2005 SONY RDR-GX210 (DVDR as Pass-through)
- ATI AIW 7500 PCI (Capture Card)
- SoundBlaster Live! 5.1 (Sound Card)
- XP SP2 Setup with HuffYUV and VDUB 1.9.11 (OS+SW)
vcr_dvd.png
Questions/Comments
VCR has
composite-out 
, into
composite-in on the DVD Recorder, and
S-Video-out into the AIW Capture card.
From what I have read, using some DVD players as pseudo-TBCs is an acceptable workaround, but there is no literature on whether this is applicable to my model. Regardless, the circuitry is doing
something, as without it (i.e. VCR straight into the AIW), I get worse picture quality - chroma bleed, more prominent fringing, and dropped frames
I do appreciate the streamlined UI of MMC, but I'm capturing in VDUB due to the capture resolution constraints (704 in MMC vs 720 in VDUB). Is that sensible? I think capturing with 720 makes masking and generally editing easier.
I am capturing with the Sony VCR's Adaptive Picture Control (APC) set to ON. APC is described as "
..tests each tape and adjusts recording and playback parameters for best performance". Sounds like a good feature to leave on, but I was wondering if it alters the image beyond that, e.g. questionable NR, and in that case, maybe it should be left OFF.
To that end, am I correct in assuming that APC acts as a dynamic/automatic proc amp?
Before discussing upgrades, what is a realistic expectation for the quality of captures using my current setup? Perhaps some members can chime in with model-specific information.
Worth noting that all tapes are in excellent condition, and are originals (no re-recordings).
Upgrades
I've set my eyes on an upgrade, the JVC HR-8600EU, but based on lordsmurf's experience, they eat VHS-C tapes for breakfast. In that case, what's a 2023 recommendation for a single VCR that would satisfy a conversion of ~30 VHS + ~30 VHS-C?
For Europe, I have found that only vcrshop.com seems reputable enough to warrant a safe purchase, but they don't stock the often recommended Panasonic 1980s.
I've budgeted an additional 500EUR over what I've already spent for the equipment listed above.
Thanks for reading, looking forward to your feedback!
-- merged --
It's been a while, but I thought I would provide an update on my capture journey. I've learned a lot
Gear Updates:- I've replaced the Sony VCR with the venerable Panasonic HS960 in hope of dodging VHS-C hunger issues vs the JVCs
.
- I have an ES10 on the way, for dealing with any potential frame sync issues.
- External TBC remains a pipe dream, either due to availability or cost in 2024. The nagging thought of its absence is always here, mind you.
Answering (some of) my own questions:
The AG-1980 is for NTSC-land. The PAL equivalent is NV-FS200, as many members have mentioned across the forum. In spite of this, I decided to go with the HS960 instead.
S-Video is
non-negotiable. You are shooting yourself in the foot by locking in anything inferior in your masters. VHS is already difficult to deal with as it is, don't make it harder.
Since I've already started capturing, I'll be directing any additional questions to video-capture or video-restore subforums.
