Best Method for Converting S-VHS and Bringing into Sony Vegas

[Great Googly Moogly]

Hello all! Brand new here. First post. I'm also a newbee at video.

I have some old footage from an unfinished project from a video production class I took over 10 years ago that I'm interested in finishing now that I'm becoming more familiar with Sony Vegas (I have version 6). What I've done thus far is I had rented a hardware device that I used to convert from VHS (not S-VHS) to DVD. I then experimented by extracting from the DVD and converting into a couple of different file formats, some of which have seemed to yield better quality than others. So first of all, I was wondering if there was any way that I could convert directly from S-VHS to whatever optimum format I'd need for editing in Sony Vegas. (I'd imagine that even if this were possible, it would probably involve getting a hold of a S-VHS camera which may be a pipe dream in itself.) Secondly, if it's not possible to perserve the original, higher quality S-VHS in any way, any other advice that might help to improve what I'm doing here would be greatly appreciated! I did look over some other threads and noticed that someone had suggested using VOB2MPG as far as extracting from DVD is concerned. This may wind up being the best I can do.

Thanks in advance!
GGM

[lordsmurf]

Need good VCR or camera.
Need good capture device, to lossless or uncompressed (DV if you must).
DVD recorders can be good cap device, depends on make/model. Yes, VOB2MPG is one method, but I'd suggest the DVD Decrypter method.

You're at a good place for this info. Look in capturing + restoration forums.
More capturing articles and topics here and here.

[Great Googly Moogly]

Hey, thanks for the reponse, lordsmurf. Nothing about S-VHS in your post, though. The footage that I have was recorded with a S-VHS camera. That was the point to the first question in my post, although it may have been obscured by all of my rambling.

[jagabo]

Nothing about S-VHS in your post, though. The footage that I have was recorded with a S-VHS camera. That was the point to the first question in my post, although it may have been obscured by all of my rambling.

You get an S-VHS deck. One with a line tbc and noise reduction. You should use this for regular VHS also.

[Great Googly Moogly]

Need good VCR or camera.
Need good capture device, to lossless or uncompressed (DV if you must).
DVD recorders can be good cap device, depends on make/model. Yes, VOB2MPG is one method, but I'd suggest the DVD Decrypter method.

You're at a good place for this info. Look in capturing + restoration forums.
More capturing articles and topics here and here.

Hey lordsmurf, thank you for the link to the Digital FAQ page. I'm going to have to read through all of that to get caught up on a lot of stuff.

Now, as far as DVD Decrypter, I did follow your advice and tried it but what I wound up with was all of the VOB, IFO and BUP files.

For lordsmurf or anyone else's consideration or help:

The Vob2Mpeg idea, I had gotten from VegasBud in an old thread. He suggested Vob2Mpeg because you wind up with a single file with no menus or chapters and still retain the best quality possible. Since I'm trying to bring my file into Vegas, I thought that would be the better choice for me. Unless there's a setting in DVD Decrypter that will allow me to wind up with a single file? Anyway, my problem with Vob2Mpeg wound up being that it required <.net framework 2> in order to work and Windows wouldn't let me install that due to a prior version already being on my system?

[Great Googly Moogly]

Nothing about S-VHS in your post, though. The footage that I have was recorded with a S-VHS camera. That was the point to the first question in my post, although it may have been obscured by all of my rambling.

You get an S-VHS deck. One with a line tbc and noise reduction. You should use this for regular VHS also.

Thanks, jagabo. I may try and purchase an S-VHS deck somewhere, preferably with a fire wire output so I can bring it in directly. Otherwise, I'll have to check and see if there's an AV/DV jack on my digital camera. Then, I'd be able to use it as an interface for the S-VHS deck and bring it in that way.

I may be just fine working with the files that I have, anyway. The VHS do DVD converter unit that I used initally may have been S-VHS anyway. I just don't know for sure, now. It's been a while

Still working on it. Any other input is appreciated.

I'd also like to take this time to welcome myself to the forum!

[olyteddy]

I may try and purchase an S-VHS deck somewhere, preferably with a fire wire output

Good luck with that. VHS VCRs usually don't have fire wire output. You'll still need a way to convert the analog video to digital.

[hiptune]

Nothing about S-VHS in your post, though. The footage that I have was recorded with a S-VHS camera. That was the point to the first question in my post, although it may have been obscured by all of my rambling.

You get an S-VHS deck. One with a line tbc and noise reduction. You should use this for regular VHS also.

Thanks, jagabo. I may try and purchase an S-VHS deck somewhere, preferably with a fire wire output so I can bring it in directly. Otherwise, I'll have to check and see if there's an AV/DV jack on my digital camera. Then, I'd be able to use it as an interface for the S-VHS deck and bring it in that way.

I may be just fine working with the files that I have, anyway. The VHS do DVD converter unit that I used initally may have been S-VHS anyway. I just don't know for sure, now. It's been a while

Still working on it. Any other input is appreciated.

I'd also like to take this time to welcome myself to the forum!

Welcome, I've been here a hunderd years but do not post that much, mainly lurk.

The best simple way to do it is to use the "svideo out" of the camera into an ADVC 100 or ADVC 110 A to D converter right into computer capture via 1394 FW. This unit can lock in sound sync, and is tried and true for over 6 years now.

I would look at the footage good and decide if you can get away without noise reduction in capture, then do not use any. The video might be in absolutely perfect condition and need nothing but a good clean capture. It depends on brand of tape, how well the cam recorded, and how the tape was stored. Let's guess that these tapes are not worn out from over play, and runied from poor storage.

Trust me you'll be fine with a good solid DV capture througn the Canopus ADVC 100, I have used that box for many years as well as the higher end ADVC 5000, I love these converters.

[Great Googly Moogly]

Welcome, I've been here a hunderd years but do not post that much, mainly lurk.

The best simple way to do it is to use the "svideo out" of the camera into an ADVC 100 or ADVC 110 A to D converter right into computer capture via 1394 FW. This unit can lock in sound sync, and is tried and true for over 6 years now.

I would look at the footage good and decide if you can get away without noise reduction in capture, then do not use any. The video might be in absolutely perfect condition and need nothing but a good clean capture. It depends on brand of tape, how well the cam recorded, and how the tape was stored. Let's guess that these tapes are not worn out from over play, and runied from poor storage.

Trust me you'll be fine with a good solid DV capture througn the Canopus ADVC 100, I have used that box for many years as well as the higher end ADVC 5000, I love these converters.

Thanks, hiptune! Awesome info!

[edDV]

Nothing about S-VHS in your post, though. The footage that I have was recorded with a S-VHS camera. That was the point to the first question in my post, although it may have been obscured by all of my rambling.

You get an S-VHS deck. One with a line tbc and noise reduction. You should use this for regular VHS also.

Thanks, jagabo. I may try and purchase an S-VHS deck somewhere, preferably with a fire wire output so I can bring it in directly. Otherwise, I'll have to check and see if there's an AV/DV jack on my digital camera. Then, I'd be able to use it as an interface for the S-VHS deck and bring it in that way.

I may be just fine working with the files that I have, anyway. The VHS do DVD converter unit that I used initally may have been S-VHS anyway. I just don't know for sure, now. It's been a while

Still working on it. Any other input is appreciated.

What is the make/model of your SVHS camcorder? All will have S-Video and audio outputs. Some have built-in TBC/noise reduction.

What digital camera?