Does Grex really work on VHS MV?

[kodec]

I trust no prosumer video stabilizers sorry, had to ask it I'm scared of spending $90 on something that's crap as usual, never mind the return policy, just want to spare myself of the hassle... So, anyone tried it in reality?

[Hoser Rob]

Never used that app, but at that price software is usually just a GUI someone wrote for a free open source program that actually is doing all the work. That's just routine in the computer business.

[kodec]

It's a hardware not app

[Hoser Rob]

oops.

[KarMa]

Looks like it is just for removing macrovision. If that's all you need then it's probably alright but I have zero experience with this device so I'm just guessing. Nice that it can do S-Video, which most consumer level VCRs never had.

[kodec]

Yes I've S-VHS VCR and all I need is something to remove MV from some tapes I want to digitalize. Just something that surely works and it's not overly expensive, let's say $100 is my limit. Don't care if it's called GENERIC VIDEO STABILIZER as long as it gets the job done. Once I bought sth and it did zilch. Think it was in $40 range can't remember the name but it left trauma.

[Pinto007]

If you have PCI slot, buy AVerMedia DVD EZMaker Gold card. Then find registry DWORD named MuteVideoMacrovision and set it to 0. Voilà!

[kodec]

If you have PCI slot, buy AVerMedia DVD EZMaker Gold card. Then find registry DWORD named MuteVideoMacrovision and set it to 0. Voilà!

Thanks but I have recently bought a new mobo and it carries PCI-E only. But hey, I'm actually using an AverMedia card, maybe it could be set in this one too? I'll check out tomorrow. It's A707 btw, don't know that long fancy name of it, forgot and threw the box away, just know this model name from the driver.

[lordsmurf]

It does not. The Grex has well-known problems with adding flickering, brightness/IRE issues, and other image problems.

It's not a TBC.
It's a POS.

I have one, and it fails almost every TBC test that I have.

[KarMa]

It does not. The Grex has well0known problems with adding flickering, brightness/IRE issues, and other image problems.

It's not a TBC.
It's a POS.

I have one, and it fails almost every TBC test that I have.

Can you recommend another macrovision remover for a similar price, as it seems like OP is only after macrovision removal.

[lordsmurf]

All of the "macrovision removers" have these issues.
Either that, or simply not working at all.

I want lots of things that don't exist.

[kodec]

It does not. The Grex has well-known problems with adding flickering, brightness/IRE issues, and other image problems.

It's not a TBC.
It's a POS.

I have one, and it fails almost every TBC test that I have.

Thanks LS, you're a digitalizing bard around here, much appreciated what you shared.

[kodec]

All of the "macrovision removers" have these issues.
Either that, or simply not working at all.

I want lots of things that don't exist.

Then what to buy? Ok give me one link with a price of something that exists, that works, and can be bought without selling my house first, forget my $100 limit mentioned before, show me sth on the internet that works and is there to buy.

[kodec]

If you have PCI slot, buy AVerMedia DVD EZMaker Gold card. Then find registry DWORD named MuteVideoMacrovision and set it to 0. Voilà!

Alas, nothing, no such entry in the registry. It really sounded too easy Btw I also have A177 it's an older Aver card, also PCI-E, and if someone knows if it has that DWORD in the registry I'm willing to pull out A707 and bring back the old one in.

[kodec]

If you have PCI slot, buy AVerMedia DVD EZMaker Gold card. Then find registry DWORD named MuteVideoMacrovision and set it to 0. Voilà!

Hey mate I have found this only entry that mentions MV anything I can do with it maybe, edit somehow?

[kodec]

If you have PCI slot, buy AVerMedia DVD EZMaker Gold card. Then find registry DWORD named MuteVideoMacrovision and set it to 0. Voilà!

Maybe it can be added manually to the same string where it is found on your card?

[themaster1]

It does not. The Grex has well-known problems with adding flickering, brightness/IRE issues, and other image problems.

It's not a TBC.
It's a POS.

I have one, and it fails almost every TBC test that I have.

Have you tried with various kind of macrovision (level 1,2,3) and CGMS-A. I expect it to remove macrovision artefacts (green bar, color stripes etc..) better than my capture card does. I'll find out soon enough.

[themaster1]

I've received mine today, it's a grey unit, bought it on the official site (not ebay) . I've played with it a little (ntsc tape, s-video in/out) it seem to work for macrovision tapes i haven't seen ire,brightness problems but for non macrovision tapes (these are problematic tapes by the way) it adds big color stripes at the bottom from time to time. On the site they say we can try the manual mode, i guess i'll try it once i figure out how to enable it.

color stripe (vcr menu through dvd rec panasonic)

[kodec]

Ughhh looks ugly right. Upload some scans from MV tapes when you get the time, or upload a segment; please describe for MV tapes are there any vertical even tiny jumps every fews secs or is the video vertically non-stop stable. For the vertical jumps I'm curious about, check the YT link below. It's my upload of an MV tape made by the gadget I bought years earlier. It's was a great gadget for the money, don't think it's available anywhere anymore, but I was 95% satisfied. Not 100% obviously otherwise I wouldn't search on

So the only artifact it introduces are these vertical jumps you're about to see, the time is set in the video where there are best visible, during end titles. Otherwise it doesn't affect the pic quality at all wich is fascinating really. If the Grex doesn't have it and don't mess with the MV pic otherwise, I will seriously consider buying it.

https://youtu.be/QmVnJARNb3k?t=5412

[kodec]

Meanwhile PINTO where are you tell me the string to try hack it myself

[kodec]

I've received mine today, it's a grey unit, bought it on the official site (not ebay) . I've played with it a little (ntsc tape, s-video in/out) it seem to work for macrovision tapes i haven't seen ire,brightness problems but for non macrovision tapes (these are problematic tapes by the way) it adds big color stripes at the bottom from time to time. On the site they say we can try the manual mode, i guess i'll try it once i figure out how to enable it.

Be careful, on the site it says:

"The default Operational Mode 001 that the Grex is shipped with is one that will suite all your needs. In some special cases with specific setups we may suggest you to select different Operational Mode. You should change Grex Operational Mode only if our technical support has recommended it. "

So better send them an email first and describe your problem (give them the link to this topic lol) and hopefully they will tell you how which mode to choose? I'm eagerly awaiting for the development of the situation

[lordsmurf]

Then what to buy? Ok give me one link with a price of something that exists, that works, and can be bought without selling my house first, forget my $100 limit mentioned before, show me sth on the internet that works and is there to buy.

There's no way to avoid a full-frame external TBC, which costs more than $100.

If such a thing existed, I'd have done it myself long ago.

If your budget is limited, then all you can do is make bad conversions, and put up with the errors. Then the thought is this: Is it worth the hassle of capturing to make bad videos? Probably not. Either do it correctly, or not at all -- ESPECIALLY if others will see your work. Don't subject them to your lower standards, should you do the low-quality conversion route.

The "Youtube/cam generation" seems to be fine with a Grex, as evidenced by undeserved glowing Amazon reviews, but the quality is still crap. The video has flaws, period, the end. Good reviews be damned. If you're on VH, odds are you're not going to be satisfied with the low quality it poops out.

[Adrian Hepker]

I trust no prosumer video stabilizers sorry, had to ask it I'm scared of spending $90 on something that's crap as usual, never mind the return policy, just want to spare myself of the hassle... So, anyone tried it in reality?

Rather get your hands on a Phillips Vhs deck 7 series if U can find one on eBay they work. Just composite tho[emoji1303]


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[kodec]

Then what to buy? Ok give me one link with a price of something that exists, that works, and can be bought without selling my house first, forget my $100 limit mentioned before, show me sth on the internet that works and is there to buy.

There's no way to avoid a full-frame external TBC, which costs more than $100.

If such a thing existed, I'd have done it myself long ago.

If your budget is limited, then all you can do is make bad conversions, and put up with the errors. Then the thought is this: Is it worth the hassle of capturing to make bad videos? Probably not. Either do it correctly, or not at all -- ESPECIALLY if others will see your work. Don't subject them to your lower standards, should you do the low-quality conversion route.

The "Youtube/cam generation" seems to be fine with a Grex, as evidenced by undeserved glowing Amazon reviews, but the quality is still crap. The video has flaws, period, the end. Good reviews be damned. If you're on VH, odds are you're not going to be satisfied with the low quality it poops out.

Are you familiar with this one? It falls within my extended limit of $250:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Professional-Video-Time-Base-Corrector-With-Frame-Pulse-And-C...4AAOSwBLlVYSUu

[orsetto]

Are you familiar with this one? It falls within my extended limit of $250:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Professional-Video-Time-Base-Corrector-With-Frame-Pulse-And-C...4AAOSwBLlVYSUu

That is the AVT-2710, pretty much the only "TBC" still actively marketed as a new item under $300. It is sold under several brand names around the world, with slight internal variations. It had a decent rep many years ago, but production quality slipped in recent years to the point where getting a "good" one is a bit of a hassle (often involving buy-return cycles from several vendors).

For the price, I'd suggest looking for a second-hand DataVideo TBC1000 instead. These also have issues, with many used examples being in dysfunctional condition. But the DataVideo has cleaner more consistent output than most AVTs, and its faults are more typically "mechanical" in nature (disconnect its useless distribution amp to tap directly into the TBC circuit primary output, and you've bypassed 90% of potential glitches).

Bear in mind, TBCs are yet another giant freakin PITA product afflicting us poor VHS transfer fools. They fall into just two equally-annoying categories: true "pro" TBCs from the Jurassic period that once cost $5000 but now sell for $100 on eBay, and TinkerToy crap like the AVT and DataVideo that were never more than "adequate" on a good day (and drive you up the wall on a bad day). The old "pro" gear is hopelessly worn out and not good with VHS or MV, the cheaper newer prosumer stuff has wide quality control variation. As with many such hardware questions, LordSmurf is of course 100% correct based on his experience with properly-functioning examples of the units being discussed. The catch is, good luck buying an example yourself today that functions as perfectly as the ones already long in his possession. IOW, most TBCs that you audition are not gonna perform dramatically better than a Grex: all these boxes are riddled with their own collection of bugs.

[kodec]

Are you familiar with this one? It falls within my extended limit of $250:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Professional-Video-Time-Base-Corrector-With-Frame-Pulse-And-C...4AAOSwBLlVYSUu

That is the AVT-2710, pretty much the only "TBC" still actively marketed as a new item under $300. It is sold under several brand names around the world, with slight internal variations. It had a decent rep many years ago, but production quality slipped in recent years to the point where getting a "good" one is a bit of a hassle (often involving buy-return cycles from several vendors).

For the price, I'd suggest looking for a second-hand DataVideo TBC1000 instead. These also have issues, with many used examples being in dysfunctional condition. But the DataVideo has cleaner more consistent output than most AVTs, and its faults are more typically "mechanical" in nature (disconnect its useless distribution amp to tap directly into the TBC circuit primary output, and you've bypassed 90% of potential glitches).

Bear in mind, TBCs are yet another giant freakin PITA product afflicting us poor VHS transfer fools. They fall into just two equally-annoying categories: true "pro" TBCs from the Jurassic period that once cost $5000 but now sell for $100 on eBay, and TinkerToy crap like the AVT and DataVideo that were never more than "adequate" on a good day (and drive you up the wall on a bad day). The old "pro" gear is hopelessly worn out and not good with VHS or MV, the cheaper newer prosumer stuff has wide quality control variation. As with many such hardware questions, LordSmurf is of course 100% correct based on his experience with properly-functioning examples of the units being discussed. The catch is, good luck buying an example yourself today that functions as perfectly as the ones already long in his possession. IOW, most TBCs that you audition are not gonna perform dramatically better than a Grex: all these boxes are riddled with their own collection of bugs.

Fools I love it, this is one of the best hobbies, there is something very satisfactory about restoring only on VHS existing old crap, it's like witnessing Ronnie O'Sullivan knock in a fast ton personally

Btw if I end up buying the TBC1000, how do you do that bypassing, is there a manual somwehere?

[kodec]

Just for the info, wanted to check it out but seems there is no TBC1000 currently sold on eBay.

[Adrian Hepker]

Meanwhile PINTO where are you tell me the string to try hack it myself

Funny enough , I use Eyetv with TVMax which did real-time Mpeg2 2 pass encoding never needed a TBC . Quality has never been an issue as been doing transfers for over 12 years . They are off the market now sadly . BM Infinity shuffle is more advanced in many ways . Just a pity about needing a TBC as it’s more sensitive than the other older Digitizers ..


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[kodec]

Meanwhile PINTO where are you tell me the string to try hack it myself

Funny enough , I use Eyetv with TVMax which did real-time Mpeg2 2 pass encoding never needed a TBC . Quality has never been an issue as been doing transfers for over 12 years . They are off the market now sadly . BM Infinity shuffle is more advanced in many ways . Just a pity about needing a TBC as it’s more sensitive than the other older Digitizers ..


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I have no trouble as well as long as no MV involved, have a decent VCR. Can't believe the guy from my town made cheap self-released documentaries at home studio back in the day, which are now documents of time, and put MV on most of them

[Adrian Hepker]

Meanwhile PINTO where are you tell me the string to try hack it myself

Funny enough , I use Eyetv with TVMax which did real-time Mpeg2 2 pass encoding never needed a TBC . Quality has never been an issue as been doing transfers for over 12 years . They are off the market now sadly . BM Infinity shuffle is more advanced in many ways . Just a pity about needing a TBC as it’s more sensitive than the other older Digitizers ..


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I have no trouble as well as long as no MV involved, have a decent VCR. Can't believe the guy from my town made cheap self-released documentaries at home studio back in the day, which are now documents of time, and put MV on most of them

MV was so easily defeated , seems pointless these days . If you are a small producer you would want exposure to get your name out ..the big studios is another story .


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