How to have a good signal going from vcr to capture card

[frederick]

What is the best way? Do you amp it and what type.

You are only good as the weekest link.

[Bob W]

I use a gadget I bought at BestBuy called a Sima Video Copy Master and it filters,amplifies,levels and gets rid of macrovision all in one sweet unit. It goes between the output of the VCR and my capture card. It sells for about $40 and worth every penny IMO.

[frederick]

I am using the color corrector from sima. I guess I could use the copy master by sima but I think this might be over kill.

[txpharoah]

In general, no money spend in video is overkill.

For best output, make sure the video is perfected or corrected before it even hits your capture device.

The JVC HRS9800U SVHS VCR has numerous digital audio and video filters (along with noise reduction), and added with a Datavideo TBC-1000 timebase corrector, you're looking at restored VHS footage that will make any consumer VCR output look like complete crap.

Those Sima things are okay, but understand they are little more than overpriced and a very-stripped-down version of a true timebase corrector. If you can pick one up for under $50 or so, then get one. It's worth about that much maybe. Maybe.

They all have limits. And the more money you spend (generally) the more options you'll have available, and the better the chips that were put into the video item.

You're also better off running digital color corrections filters during capture and during output from editing. The analog color-correction devices tend to distort chroma and saturation/contrast. Digital gives better controls, but you have to also consider how much time you want to put into the editing. If you're impatient, then analog may be your best option.

[K2]

I also use a $40 video stabilizer (hardware). Not a Sima
Really worth it in the long haul.
But I agree that even $100 would be well spent.

[vhelp]

@ txpharoah,

what would really be nice, is a little "hardware filter" device.. if there is
actually such a gizmo for VHS sources, to work w/ what VCR unit you
already have.. instead of buying a complete unit.

Anyone heard of such a device ?? ..I think I've heared of such a gem by
the makers of those MPEG.. M1 / M2 or something.. could be wrong though.

-vhelp