Exactly what does a VCR edit function do?

[BrainStorm69]

Since I haven't found a decent explanation in any manual I have, nor did a quick search here provide an answer, exactly what does a VCR "edit" function do?

I have found the following from a search of the net. Does everyone agree with this?

The function of edit switches (in general) is this:

In playback, most VCRs add a certain amount of edge "emphasis" to make the picture appear subjectively sharper. In S-VHS VCRs, they also "average" chroma information over several lines to reduce noise. Unfortunately, this causes chroma displacement vertically, and makes the color appear to be sliding down the screen.

Turning "on" the edit mode switches out most of the extra emphasis, as well as reducing the number of "averaged" lines, which helps makes subsequent dubs look a little better.

If you follow along that reasoning, I suppose what he is saying is that if you don't "undo" the things a VCR normally does to a tape when it plays, then if you capture the normal output (i.e., "modified" as per above) of a VCR onto another VHS tape, and then play it, you get a double dose of the edge "emphasis", etc. that VCRs normally produce. Therefor you don't want to do that.

However, does that hold true for capturing with a capture card and making a DVD? I would think that DVD players don't normally need to add edge "emphasis" to a DVD (someone please correct me if that's a wrong assumption).

So then my question is whether it's better to turn the edit function on when you are capturing from VHS for eventual DVD output, or whether it's better to leave it off and let your VCR do its normal edge "emphasis", etc. I would think that unless you intend on doing some sharpening on your own (either during the capture, or post capture), then you might be better off to not use the edit function.

Opinions, please?

[BrainStorm69]

So nobody knows?

[ronnylov]

Have you tried a short clip with both options? I guess it's a matter of taste if you like the sharpening or not. You can probably use a lower bitrate if the sharpening is turned off - which means edit option on. I think I personally would prefer to make the sharpening in software when editing if I find that it is needed.

[qlizard]

I have a JVC SVHS which has the "edit" function. After testing in captures with it on or off, I decided I don't like the result of it. In fact, I liked it least of all the options I have (auto, edit, soft, sharp). It varies by tape which of the other options I use.