Converting vhs to dvd need for more than 1 LTBC?

[Emello]

Hi, I'm a newbie, but pretty computer literate. I want to convert a number of old vhs tapes. The tapes vary in quality, some are copies, and all are about 10-15 years old. I have a fast pc, a good amount of hard drive space and RAM, a Hauppauge WinTV 150 card. After reading a number of posts here, I was looking at using a JVC HR-S7800U, and a Canopus 110 for capture. Do I need the extra LTBC that a Canopus 300 gives in addition to the TBC of the JVC? I don't really want to spend the extra bucks for the 300. I have Premiere 3.0 for basic editing and filtering. Any suggestions comments are welcome. Thanks in advance.

[lordsmurf]

The Canopus ADVC devices do not contain a TBC. That is misinformation, and it traces back to B&H from what I have seen and heard (stupid salesman). It might have some various filters or partial frame synchronization in there, but it is not a TBC.

Your Hauppauge PVR-150 is fine, as long as it does NOT have the audio noise/loudness issue. That card was often fubar in several ways. The 250 and 350 were better. Only get a new card if required. The Canopus device is DV only, it's nothing special, it's not going to do any major signal filtering.

The JVC HR-S7800 is going to serve you well.

Worst case, you'll maybe spend $200 on an AVT-8710 at some point. It all depends on how bad off your tapes are.

Good luck on your projects.

[Emello]

Thanks for the fast, accurate answer. I had not heard of issues with the Hauppauge 150, what should I be looking out for? Has anyone had experiece with Datavideo's DAC, I see a DAC 200 for sale for less than a Canopus 110, seems both units serve the same function, locked audio and converts to DV? Thanks.

[lordsmurf]

The DataVideo is mostly the same, "locked" audio (sort of a misleading term, to be honest) and DV conversion in hardware. Just FYI, most devices "lock" audio. Canopus just markets everything but "includes it's very own electrical power plug" on their products. They're really quite ridiculous.

Between the two brands, there was a quirk, a difference, and I forget. It's been discussed on the forum, but you may have to really dig.

The Hauppauge 150 issues are well documented in this forum. More searching required. It was audio distortions (too loud, blown out, etc) as well as some video IRE distortions (video super-bright and over-contrasted).

[Emello]

Thanks, any thougts of about Datavideo 3000 used versus the forementioned AVT 8710? The AVT seems really reasonably priced. LS do you prefer the Datavideo 1000 to the AVT? I agree with you about Canopus, if you don't have 6 pin firewire, then you have to buy a powersupply and you void your warrranty unless you buy the Canopus one.

[lordsmurf]

The AVT-8710 works with both PAL and NTSC. I mostly use mine for NTSC, but it's nice to have the option when I use my PAL VCR.

[davideck]

any thougts of about Datavideo 3000 ...

My Datavideo TBC-3000 and PVR-250 made a great PC capturing combination. I needed a Frame Synchronizer in front of the PVR-250 to eliminate audio/video skewing issues with some tapes, and the TBC-3000 gave me a proc amp as well. Worked great.

These days, however, I use my Toshiba HDD/DVD Recorder as the TBC/Frame Synchronizer. It is more transparent than the Datavideo, provides better timebase correction, and has additional controls.

As for VCRs, my recently aquired Panasonic AG-1970 is providing incredible VHS images. If you're looking to preserve VHS detail, then this is the one.