TBC

[AngusMacGyver]

Hi, guys.
I have a doubt about what TBC does.
I'd like to know if it can remove that "dance" effect of VHS tapes. I hope you understand what i mean.
If it can't remove it, what can I use? My problem is I have a lot of VHS tapes with PAL-M (Brazilian Standard) recordings and I have a PAL-M -> NTSC video composite converter. I'd use a "VCR -> Converter -> TBC -> Capture card" sequence. What do you think? It could works?
Thanks in advance.

[rcb]

If nothing more here, you might check over on lordsmurf.com .... He's pretty well up on TBC's.

[SatStorm]

In general terms, TBC helps all the fields of an analogue source to be captured on PC.

Depending the situation, can do from nothing to anything

Sometimes, if your material comes from camcorders, it is worst to use it.

Since your source is PAL M converted to NTSC, you need it less than true NTSC users.

[AngusMacGyver]

OK, thanks! I would have to test it before I buy a TBC, but here in Brazil I can't find any person that have it.
Another question is:
There are many standalone DVD recorders that have integrated TBC. They can perform a good job in my case?
Thanks again.

[SatStorm]

Yes, those ones are a good deal, mostly.

When you wish a fast and good VHS to DVD transfer, a DVD standalone recorder is a good alternative.

If you wish to do the same with PC, you can do more things, like enchance the source, filter it, edit it, label it, put it in another order and overall have lower filesizes, which in praxis means about 3 - 4 hours of a VHS tape per 1 DVD-R disc. With the standalones recorders, for about the same quality is far less (1 to 1.30 hours at most....)

It is all about what you want to do. A simply VHS to DVD-R transfer or something more.

[AngusMacGyver]

OK. It sounds good for me.
I don't wanna be boring to you, SatStorm, but I'd like to know if DVD recorders from Philips have a built-in TBC. When I read Panasonic's specs there was explicit mention to TBC feature. Philips (at least DVDR-75) doesn't have that spec. Does it mean Panasonic will give me better results from VHS tapes records than Philips? Or it was only ommited from Philips' brochure?
I'm thankful again.
As I can see, you're the TBC master of DVDRHelp.

[SatStorm]

No, the TBC master is LordSnumf!
I don't use TBC so much, only to my old VHS tapes (many of them SECAM, a System Even Crapier AMerican's).

I don't really know to answer you on this. Panasonic has a great reputation, Philips from the other hand is unknown on this.
Better look at the DVD Writers list on your left of your screen. There are opinions and reviews there, from various forum members and site visitors, for almost all the DVD Writers (Desktop or PC ones)

[AngusMacGyver]

Ooops!
I'm sorry.
But you're always posting about TBC.
Thanks.

[Kevin abq]

When I read Panasonic's specs there was explicit mention to TBC feature. Philips (at least DVDR-75) doesn't have that spec. Does it mean Panasonic will give me better results from VHS tapes records than Philips? Or it was only ommited from Philips' brochure?

Not bloody likely. Usually if they have a TBC built-in, they'll say it. TBC circuits are expensive. I think Philips claims to have a "Virtual-TBC". We all know what "virtual" means ...."it ain't there"
I'm a big advocate of TBCs because they have helped me a lot capturing from VHS tape. Before I had a TBC I used to have a 25% failure rate because of lip-sync. Now it's only 1% or so, with a little over 1,500 captured movies behind me. My primary capture setup is a VCR, TBC, USB hardware encoder and a couple of PCs. We also have a standalone recorder to grab right off satellite.
Everyone has their favorite standalone, but what sold me on our Panasonic E50 was the integral TBC and the Hybrid Variable Bitrate which lets you specify the recording time and the unit sets the bitrate as high as it can and still fit it onto the disc. FWIW