Viability of cheap VHS capture

[crissrudd4554]

I found a nice quasi-pro Sony unit with hifi but it seems i always get occasional tics and slight noise when playing back anything. My only other deck is an old GE which is fine but is only mono.

I have to check the serial number but I know my GE is from 1999.

[crissrudd4554]

So after some searching I found a used JVC S7800U VCR. It has a built in TBC, video stabilizer, and S-Video inputs. I’ll do some test captures when it arrives and report back.

[crissrudd4554]

So I got the VCR and while I am still tinkering with it I’m a bit disappointed because image wise this is softer than the General Electric VCR I’ve been using. Maybe that’ll just have to be my compromise if using S-VIDEO eliminates the glitches.

[crissrudd4554]

So I went to a Panasonic AG-1970. The quality was worse on that than the JVC. It had a good TBC option but image quality was terrible. So I’ve come to a conclusion. SVCR’s SUCK! Going back to composite and doing a test capture on the Panasonic I used to have in the living room.

[crissrudd4554]

Well my capturing is gonna have to be postponed indefinitely. Now my main VCR is acting up. I push play and the screen goes black regardless of what tape I play yet if I push stop I get the blue screen like I should. Bizarre.

[crissrudd4554]

So last week I stumbled on these videos by chance which inspired me to try perhaps doing captures using the DVD recorder.

https://youtu.be/TdxQ6ioKyzs

https://youtu.be/1ZYsb_7poJw

As the second video shows using the DVD recorder will not record tapes encoded with Macrovision unless you have a stabilizer box. Bought one of those stabilizers for $45, came in the mail today, and sad to report it did not work when I tried recording with my Panasonic ES15. The setup was correct and I still got a video signal on the TV so I know the connection works but the video would not record. So much for that I guess.

[BusterD]

I have a Prospec DVE image stabilizer model from Japan that has S-video, paid like $100 for it 10 years ago. Ironically I ended up using it for only a handful of tapes, most of the VHS tapes I own are from Japan and usually don't have Macrovision.

[crissrudd4554]

Nothing really new to add. Just figured I’d inform everyone where I’m at with this at the moment. Anyways still using the Dell Latitude for the bulk of the capturing. The two programs I’ve come down is PowerDirector 9.0 and the 2008 Pinnacle Studios I mentioned a few times. Occasionally I may also do some captures with EyeTV Hybrid on my Mac.

The devices I’ve come down to are the WinTV 850, 2016 Dazzle (video only), 2008 Vidbox (audio mostly, occasionally video), and Mygica Capit. The Capit I use with Pinnacle while the others I use in different configurations with PowerDirector. I’ve also been adjusting the bitrate total with PowerDirector. Quality’s a tad reduced but for the purpose of what I’m trying to do it’s fine.

VCR is a semi refurbished Samsung VR8260C. Works pretty good so far. Still have the ES15 DVD Recorder but I’ve moved on to an ES10 with replaced capacitors. Works pretty good as a pass through though those occasional jump frames I’ve been trying to work around still remain. Not by much. The other week ago I recorded a tape that was about 95 minutes and didn’t spot a jump until 65 minutes in. The only way I think I might be able to work around this is using a legit TBC which don’t seem to be readily available these days and the ones that are are a bit out of my price range. Guess just ignore the skips or record the tape(s) again and edit it later.

Anyways that’s about all I got to say. Thanks for all your help folks. This is as good as it gets I suppose. Sorry for any ramblings and ignorance on my part during some of this discussion. It’s a lot of hard work but this is about all I can come down to. Take care folks!

[crissrudd4554]

Haven’t posted here for a while so figure I’d post some updates. I eventually came to the conclusion that the reason I was getting jumps was by using the DVD recorder as a pass through. So just to make this as short as I can I eventually upgraded to a Panasonic AG-1980 VCR. As of now after having repairs done to it it seems to be functioning properly. All the captures I’ve done are jump free.

I wouldn’t exactly say it’s the best VCR in terms of picture quality. Often times you’ll see the “ghosting effect” throughout but from information I looked up online it appears that’s just something you more or less gotta live with if you’re gonna use this particular unit. Fair enough. It’s not ‘too’ distracting, at least not enough that I feel the need at this point to invest in something better.

As for my setup, I have the TBC on, SVHS off, I’ve been sticking with S-Video. My main go to capture devices are a Mygica Capit and the WinTV-HVR-850. The Capit I use with the 2008 Pinnacle Studios, the 850, well, depends on what program is working at the time. Sadly it won’t capture MPEG with Pinnacle much to my chagrin. So I either use it with PowerDirector, Roxio, or WinTV software again depending on which one works best for me at the time and how long the tape is. My Dell bit the dust a few months ago so now I’m using an Acer. Anyways that’s about all I got. I think I’m in a place with this now that for now I’m happy with.