What VHS Recorder for Capturing Home Videos

[MACKY]

I have a bunch of Home Videos taken over the past 22 years that I want to convert to DVDs. The older ones are Standard VHS format. I have a couple of VHS Recorders but none of them have S-Video Output. Do I need to pick one up? How much quality difference will there be between a Non-S-Video Output VCR and a S-Video Output VCR. I don't need to remove any copy protection ... I'm not trying to convert any old VHS Movies. If the right thing to do is to get a S-Video Output VCR, do you have any recommendation?

Thanks .... MACKY

[Tommyknocker]

If you are in the market for a new VCR, S-video will be the way to go. Since the videos are older, making sure the new VCR has a TBC (time base corrector) installed should be a high priority as well. I will I could recommoend one, but I can't at this time. Good hunting, though.

[MACKY]

Hi .... Except for converting my Home Movies I can't think of a reason that I would be looking for a VCR. I DO want to get the best quality out of my conversion that I can. They start back when my son was a new-born and have things like my now deceased Dad .... family holidays, etc. I have no idea whats involved in making these conversions (started reading LordSmurfs stuff). I don't mind buying something and then sell it later for some loss if I will end up with better conversions.

MACKY

[Tommyknocker]

The best quality in my opinion would be like this:
DV (fire wire)
S-Video
RCA (composite)
Antenna (RF)

Of course, there are a few others not mentioned, but these are the ones you can get from VCRs, that I am aware of.

[MACKY]

I just got back from reading an article on someone's experiences with a DataVideo TBC-1000. Let me start by saying it looks like I'm gonna being doing some more reading before I jump into this VHS Conversion. Let me ask .... is it a strong possibility that I will need some sort of TBC to get my ATI AIW 9000 Capture card to even sync up with a VCR playing back my tapes? Of course, just like ANYTHING else, if you want to do a decent job, you need to throw some bucks at it.

For example .... a Super VHS player with an S-Video Output jack, feeding a Datavideo TBC-1000 .... then into my ATI AIW 9000 using the S-video jack.

Funny thing .... I'm an obsessive kind of person that LOVEs technology .... everything that I seem to want to learn, fiddle with, and do decently, is a "Money Pit" ... not complaining ... just making a comment ...

[Tommyknocker]

I know it can seem like that at times, to be a "money pit". Anyway, for you to convert your VHS to DVD is really not that expensive. To avoid the TBC hassle, you may want to go ahead and rent a VCR with TBC to convert your older tapes, or to ensure all your tapes send a "clean" signal to your computer for conversion.

The most expensive way is to buy a DVD recorder, as they start around $300.00.