TBC, Proc Amp or Detailer???

[Steve T]

Hi all,

Been reading the forums, but with so much information out here, I’m getting a bit confused and could use some help with what equipment to get.

I would like to do the following

Transfer my commercial VHS tapes to DVD, many are quite old and the color is washed out – they are no longer in print (I also need to get rid of Macrovision)

Transfer a lot of VHS that came via my tivo to DVD

Transfer mine, and friend’s home video movies to DVD.

Because of the home tapes, I’m going to have to use a computer, so I’ve been looking at the Canopus 100 and 110-breakout box. And from what I’ve read here a frame TBC seems a given for good quality. My question is about the Proc Amp and Detailer – I want the best quality that I can get – but do I need both?

And if I need all of the above, how should I gang them together? Proc amp, detailer, TBC ADVC 100? Or TBC, Detailer, Proc amp, ADVC 100? Or any combination in-between?

Thanks in advance for the help and suggestions

Steve

[lordsmurf]

Canopus does not have a TBC. For a DV-only device, Canopus works. I prefer DVD recorders or ATI capture cards, no reason to waste all day encoding AVI to MPEG for a simple transfer.

For old tapes, and to 100% remove all forms of errors (be it real or artificial ones), I'd go for the TBC.

The proc amp will work on color.

Detailer is just there to enhance detail. Most tapes are soft, but can be enhanced a bit. It's worth it for archiving tapes, especially rare ones.

I'd get them all.

You can get Vidicraft cheaply, but I'd splurge on SignVideo stuff if you have the money.

For TBC, AVT-8710 and TBC-1000 are fine.

The AVT-8710 has a builtin partial proc amp, but it's really not that advanced, not like a full one is.

[edDV]

TBC, Proc Amp or Detailer???

Each does a separate process

TBC - eliminates h jitter to get the pixels back into line vertically against a fixed timebase.

Proc Amp - sets video levels (black, white, gamma, chroma and hue) prior to A/D

Detailer - messes with frequency response in the analog domain. I have strong bias against this type of consumer level device. I think digital filtering in YUV is a better strategy after you have done TBC, Proc Amp and A/D.

[lordsmurf]

I would add my own definitions, I guess I missed where this was unknown to the poster:

TBC = stabilizes the video signal, standalone units are not meant to "clean" a video visusally, though that can sometimes be a side effect

Proc amp = correct colors, black levels, contrast, brightness

Detailer = sharpen the video, especially useful on VHS, which is a soft focus format, though correctable using one of these units

I'm quite fond of:
- DataVideo TBC-1000
- SignVideo DR-1000 Detailer
- Elite Video BVP-4 Plus Proc Amp

The more you can correct a signal in the analog domain, the better off your digital version will look. Once you go digital, ability to correct errors is reduced considerably.

[Marvingj]

As Far as Detailer is concern its gives you more hand on than a Digital Filtering YUD.

[pfh]

Don't forget a good quality vcr to start with.