VTR collection grew during COVID

[jprincz]

Came across this forum by accident and spent the last few hours reading. Thanks everyone for the info share.

Figure would post something a bit different here. During COVID got a bit carried away on adding to the collection of VTR's (D1, D2, HDCAM, HDV, 1" +++) and misc equipment we have to help people capture old broadcast tapes to files (typically Prores/DnX .mov files and/or mp4. )

People have been asking me about the collection so made this ~7min video explaining 'in English' as best as possible for the less technical folk. Glad to answer questions.

Video link:https://www.dropbox.com/s/z343mjqh64rwffv/machine%20room%20long%20030421.mp4?dl=0
(Video was shot vertically with intention to use on TikTok and Instagram

Enjoy!

[dellsam34]

Oh wow, I felt like a kid in a candy store, I have few remarks though if you don't mind. First the presentation video should have been in widescreen not smartphone screen. Second, for VHS tapes, I don't like your idea of using a basic VHS machine, You should be using a S-VHS deck and capture via the Y/C output, I get the idea that your focus is on pro formats and not lousy consumer VHS but still you should be using a S-VHS deck with line TBC even if it is a consumer machine. Lastly, and this is just my personnel preference, I don't like hardware de-interlacing and upscaling but I understand that software methods are time consuming and hardware is a real time thing especially if you have large orders.

Having said that I definitely recommend you if I got requests for formats I can't capture or don't have the time or capacity for, Here is my YT channel. Thanks for sharing your video.

[orsetto]

Oh wow, I felt like a kid in a candy store

+1

I was also bothered initially by the vertical phone framing, but a couple mins into the video I realized it probably was a better match for taking in all the gear racks top to bottom in a small room where you couldn't step back far enough if using traditional landscape format.

Never saw an actual D-1 unit or the Sony deck with monitor screen built into its control panel: very cool! Also very cool you're got two Type C reel-to-reels running smoothly: I remember they required a lot of maintenance and frequent part replacements in their heyday, which is probably much more difficult now. Hardware de-interlace and upscale can work well depending on the unit and how its operated: I've seen some remarkable direct VHS>MP4 conversions made that way, so I imagine it would be more than good enough with professional formats as input. But it isn't common practice among the DIY VHS crowd here on VideoHelp (cost, availability and some technical issues make it a tricky choice vs software conversions).

BTW, how many sets of earplugs must you burn thru in a week to muffle the whine of 40-50 exhaust fans concentrated in that little room? It sounds like the Jet Propulsion Lab in there!

[dellsam34]

BTW, how many sets of earplugs must you burn thru in a week to muffle the whine of 40-50 exhaust fans concentrated in that little room?

Not to mention the noise of video heads of the quad and type C machines, They sound like turbochargers.

[jprincz]

Thanks! here's some more info to the why's:

First the presentation video should have been in widescreen not smartphone screen.

Second, for VHS tapes, I don't like your idea of using a basic VHS machine, You should be using a S-VHS deck and capture via the Y/C output

Lastly, and this is just my personnel preference, I don't like hardware de-interlacing and upscaling but I understand that software methods are time consuming and hardware is a real time thing especially if you have large orders.

Here is my YT channel. Thanks for sharing your video.

This video was shot for TikTok and Instagram as an explainer to previous shorter videos that were shot widescreen. Widescreen doesn't look good on those platforms.

VHS - not shown are 2 JVC BR-S822U with component outputs (Y,R-Y, B-Y) into a DPS-295 TBC. Forgot that VHS was even in the rack! GREAT EYE!

Totally like deinterlace on software. We still use Squeeze (my personal preference) when transcoding files already captured. Hardware based Teranex does an amazing job on the deinterlace and upres (when asked for) and when capturing to Prores or mp4 (20-30mbps) rather not have to encode again and simply handoff files.


ALSO ALSO - it's not as loud as it may seem, and, typically most of the equipment is off except for the decks that are being used at that particular time.

[themaster1]

Crazy how big some of these tapes are !