maximising quality on S-VHS to DVD conversion

[Tafflad]

I am in process of converting my S-VHS tape collection to digital.

Panasonic S-VHS (PAL) NV-HS800B
... S-Video lead & L+R audio via RCA into
Panasonic DMR-E95H

Save to HDD in XP quality then copy over onto DVD-RAM disc

use DVD-RAM disc to get digital files onto PC HDD

For simple dice & slice editing I will edit without re-encoding (TPMG DVD author or similar)

There are a small number of tapes that I would like to get the best out of the image, or even clean-up before I burn the DVD's ....
Are there are particular software filters or similar that I can use to colour correct, de-noise (video & audio), remove colour bleed etc.

I have used VirtualDub to a small degree, but not sure if this is best way to go about things.

I don't want to spend a lot of money as it's really a one-off job.

[edDV]

For those few tapes, find a dub lab with a good frame sync. Ask for uncompressed on hard drive.

[Tafflad]

OK ... I know I could pay someone to do this, but that is not what I want, prefer to learn how to do things myself.

[edDV]

OK ... I know I could pay someone to do this, but that is not what I want, prefer to learn how to do things myself.

And willing to pay more? You can buy and sell their equipment but they know their business.

Check out a FOR.A FA-125 or better designed for SVHS.

[Tafflad]

>and pat more

to be honest yes.
There are many things that I do myself that could probably be cheaper to get someone in.

Just bought 2nd hand ADVC-300 off ebay last night, so that proably shows I'm happy to buy the kit needed.

[lordsmurf]

Knowing how to buy it and how to use it aren't the same.
Why not continue in your other thread?

You really can't split up restoring and capturing, the processes are often tied.

[Tafflad]

That is the point though ... I want to learn how to do this, and use right kit.

I have only recently joined the forum, if it is not the place to get help on how to do things, then I apologise ... I thought it was a place I could learn.

That may not have come out right ... I'm not having a go at you (not the intent), I want to learn more about video, & post production.
I have started with using Virtual Dub over past year on new digital clips.
Now I want to convert my existing analogue collection, and thought this 'restoration' sub-forum would have been best place to ask Q on converating & 'tweaking' the few 'key videos' amongst the collection.

As I'm therefore a newbie to this forum ... tell me to go elsewhere if that is where I need to be.

[M Bruner]

You're exactly where you need to be. The gurus are a little thick-skinned so don't take HOW they say something personally, just take WHAT they're saying as good info and act accordingly.

[lordsmurf]

You're exactly where you need to be. The gurus are a little thick-skinned so don't take HOW they say something personally, just take WHAT they're saying as good info and act accordingly.

Yes. 8)

[lordsmurf]

Your DVD recorder won't restore. Lots of noise added, none removed.
The Canopus 300 box restores poorly. While it can fix some things, it adds a lot of noise, too.

Good player (VCR) needed. I forget if yours is on the list or not.

TBC suggested after VCR. It's not the same as one in VCR.

Proc amp might help. This can be done in software, however -- VirtualDub is fine. Proc amp pre-processes.

Capture uncompressed or lossless AVI to 720x480. Use a good capture card. These days, even the $30 USB devices are fine with this basic spec.

Fix in VirtualDub.

Don't forget audio processing. Good video is fine, but it won't be enjoyable to view if the sound is crappy.

Sorry, in a rush. Hope those few quickie tidbits help.

[2Bdecided]

In the other thread (now locked) Lord Smurf wrote...

The ADVC-300 is an overpriced toy. You can get similar results from a $30 USB capture card or a used $50 DV camera.

Not in Europe you can't. DV cameras with AV-in (hopefully including some kind of TBC) are comparatively rare, and priced accordingly when they turn up on eBay.

Not sure which $30 USB capture card you mean - you talk about capturing lossless - I haven't seen any cheap USB capture cards which capture lossless.


@Tafflad,

VCR > ADVC300 > DV-in on PC > WinDV software.

If the VCR includes a TBC, and the tapes aren't out-of-whack, you'll probably be fine without a proc-amp or yet another TBC.

But having captured to PC, then you need to encode the resulting DV-AVI to MPEG-2 for DVD. And author a disc. It's time consuming.


You don't put the ADVC300 in-line between the VCR and DVD recorder.


Some people put a DVD recorder, (in loop-through mode), between the VCR and ADVC300, to improve the signal reaching the ADVC - especially if the source VCR is nothing special. Some Panasonic DVD recorders are really good for this, others not at all - try it.

This has all been discussed on these boards 100 times before

Hope this helps.

Cheers,
David.

[Tafflad]

Thnx ... it's all helping a great deal

[lordsmurf]

There's nothing special about video in UK. External TBC helps with signal fluctuations, among other things, that confuse a digital converter. Most all tapes are a bit out of whack.

I wish I could post more, but I'm just too busy right now.

[Tafflad]

Capture uncompressed or lossless AVI to 720x480. .

I'm assuming as source tapes, player and TV are PAL .. that capturing at 720 x 576 would be right for me.?

The comments have helped.

Dos anyone know of a good guide or FAQ that would help a newbie out ?

[2Bdecided]

I'm assuming as source tapes, player and TV are PAL .. that capturing at 720 x 576 would be right for me.?

Yes.

Dos anyone know of a good guide or FAQ that would help a newbie out ?

This might not be what you're looking for - it's very old...
http://www.doom9.org/index.html?/capture/start.html

FWIW I think you're overcomplicating things, and may live to seriously regret it!

Cheers,
David.

[lordsmurf]

That doom9 guide is decent, but there are several issues/errors/mistakes on it. The information on it is very old, especially where it relies on specific hardware/software/methodology. Lots of holes in it too, mostly in the analog domain, pre-digital info.

[Tafflad]

I'm assuming as source tapes, player and TV are PAL .. that capturing at 720 x 576 would be right for me.?

Yes.

Dos anyone know of a good guide or FAQ that would help a newbie out ?

This might not be what you're looking for - it's very old...
http://www.doom9.org/index.html?/capture/start.html

FWIW I think you're overcomplicating things, and may live to seriously regret it!

Cheers,
David.

not sure where I'm overcomplicating - please put me straight

[2Bdecided]

Just that when you've plugged a VHS VCR into an ADVC300 it looks like a DV camcorder to the PC (though you have to press play and stop on the VCR itself). There's plenty of free and paid software that will take in DV, let you edit it, encode it, author it, and burn it to a DVD.

There are even some cheap/free software packages that combine all of this.

e.g.
http://www.corel.com/servlet/Satelli...1&tabview=tab0
or
http://www.sonycreativesoftware.com/moviestudio
etc etc

or, for free,
WinDV + VirtualDub + HcEnc + muxman
etc etc

(none of the above examples are recommendations, but they do all work - I've used them all at one time or another - there are loads more)

Cheers,
David.

[Tafflad]

Thnx for tips & help - appreciated

[Tafflad]

That doom9 guide is decent, but there are several issues/errors/mistakes on it. The information on it is very old, especially where it relies on specific hardware/software/methodology. Lots of holes in it too, mostly in the analog domain, pre-digital info.

are there any newer FAQs or guides you know of ?

[lordsmurf]

Not in one place. It's discussed in bits and pieces here and there. Guides I had written up are looking a bit long in the tooth now, too. Not quite as much, but updates are in the works.

[videobruce]

I know I could pay someone to do this, but that is not what I want, prefer to learn how to do things myself.

Agreed

TBC suggested after VCR. It's not the same as one in VCR.
Proc amp might help.

The vast majority of TBS's have Proc Amp facilities built in. I wouldn't buy one if it didn't have this feature.

The greatest problem with VCR tapes is poor sync & burst levels. Either too high or too low or a combination of both. This in turn produces a too bright image or the reverse, a image with excessive chroma, or the reverse or a combination of the above. This is because of the crappy video AGC circuits in all VCRs' (except for professional models that allow turning the video AGC off.

The same goes for audio AGC circuits.

Cleaning up noisy video tape transfers is another matter that seems to be best done in a PC.

[2Bdecided]

Just noticed this bit...

Proc amp might help. This can be done in software, however -- VirtualDub is fine. Proc amp pre-processes.

You can't do it in software if the analogue levels are so far off that they're clipped during digitisation!

This can happen with many (?most?) camcorder tapes IME.

Cheers,
David.