tbc-100 tbc-1000???

[manthing]

can someone here confirm that the DATAVIDEO TBC-100 & the DATAVIDEO TBC-1000 are basically the same unit except that the TBC-1000 is a separately boxed unit and the TBC-100 is a pci slot-in card?

also, please look at this page:
http://www.threedoubleyou.com/tbc.htm

is it worth buying the CTB100 as compared to the DATAVIDEO TBC-100?

or if the DATAVIDEO TBC-100 is definitely superior, then what about LEKTCB100GEN which is only a few pounds more than the DATAVIDEO TBC-100?

the 1st basic thing i want to do is steady the vhs source so that i don't drop too many frames through my AIW capture card.

if on top of this i get a piece of kit that can tweak the image, then fine.

thanking you in advance.

[gshelley61]

They are basically the same. The standalone unit is much more versatile, of course (and worth more money). You can place the standalone unit anywhere in the signal chain you want, or use it with a VCR or DVD recorder. I suppose you could loop through the PC card version to do the same thing, but it is a pain as far as hookup goes.

[manthing]

ta gshelley61 ... "worth more" made me chuckle ... surely you meant costs more for the same functionality!

care to comment on CTB100 or LEKTCB100GEN?

[gshelley61]

It is worth more in terms of what the market will bear. A raw PC card will not fetch the same price as a self-contained, standalone unit will.

The CTB100 is the European version of the AVT8710, which is well known to forum members. It is a very compact standalone TBC, with some proc amp (picture adjustment) controls built in. Several people on the foum have mentioned that they really like it, and that it works well for them. The same can be said of the TBC1000. I have not owned either of them, so I can't make a personal recommendation.

[thecoalman]

ta gshelley61 ... "worth more" made me chuckle ... surely you meant costs more for the same functionality!

Sometimes it's worth the few extra bucks for ease of use, if your only going to be using it on your PC that may well be the way to go. A few things to consider are that it's going to take up a PCI slot, you can't easily use it somewhere else, you have to messing around at the back of the computer (which for a lot of people is not easily accessible) etc....

[davideck]

can someone here confirm that the DATAVIDEO TBC-100 & the DATAVIDEO TBC-1000 are basically the same unit except that the TBC-1000 is a separately boxed unit and the TBC-100 is a pci slot-in card?

The Datavideo TBC-1000 actually contains the TBC-100 board inside along with a distribution amplifier board. They should therefore function identically.

My only gripe with the Datavideo TBCs (I used to have a TBC-1000, now I have a TBC-3000) is that they create a temporary picture disturbance for about one second whenever the VCR Vertical sync crosses the TBC Output Vertical sync. This might happen during capture every half hour or so and is dependent upon the relative clock frequencies between the TBC reference clock and the VCR playback reference.

Some type of disturbance is typically created by any frame synchronizer whenever the Vertical sync boundaries cross. I have seen professional units that just repeat or skip one frame and then move on. The Datavideo units create a more noticeable disturbance where some number of horizontal lines are temporarily displaced throughout the rest of the picture.

The Datavideo TBC does not provide any appreciable chroma timebase correction but performs very well as a frame synchronizer. I have no experience with the other units you have mentioned.

[lordsmurf]

My only gripe with the Datavideo TBCs (I used to have a TBC-1000, now I have a TBC-3000) is that they create a temporary picture disturbance for about one second whenever the VCR Vertical sync crosses the TBC Output Vertical sync. This might happen during capture every half hour or so and is dependent upon the relative clock frequencies between the TBC reference clock and the VCR playback reference.

I've had one of these for about 3 years now, and have NEVER seen the error to which you refer. I would suggest your unit was defective.

[davideck]

I've had one of these for about 3 years now, and have NEVER seen the error to which you refer. I would suggest your unit was defective.

I have seen this disturbance on the TBC-1000 that I originally had as well as on both channels of my TBC-3000 so I don't think that any defect is involved. As I mentioned, some type of disturbance is to be expected whenever a frame needs to be added or dropped.

If the VCR timing is very close to the TBC reference timing, then this disturbance will happen very infrequently since Vertical Syncs are rarely crossing over each other.

Has anyone else noticed this?

[manthing]

anyone here know where in the UK i can get a good deal on the Datavideo tbc-1000?

i've exhausted google and such like, but only get 1 or 2 sites.

any suggestions people????

[steveryan]

The website you listed in your first post is probably the cheapest, i've never seen the TBC-1000 on special offer on any websites and i've never see one on Ebay. The price in the UK is ridiculous, they are $300 (£170) in the USA. According to the Datavideo website the power supply is DC 12V 1.2 amp supply (110V or 220V), would it be possible to buy one from the USA and use it over here?

[manthing]

steveryan, yes its cheaper from the good ol' US of A ... but you forget postage. i could be looking at $100!!!!

so i either need to find a very helpful air hostess or just pay the sharks in the UK.

[manthing]

and i've just learnt that if customs catch me out, they'll slap 17.5% VAT and possibly an extra 8% or 9% technology tax (or something).

blimey, it'll probably be cheaper for me to go to the states on holiday, buy the equipment and bring it back.

anyone have ideas about buying this stuff from mainland europe?