here is my experience so far, vhs to dvd.

[victoriabears]

Oh how right Lordsmurf is, I have a EP set of tapes I am wishing to get to DVD, and if only one statement he makes is right(and in my opinion there are many), "each tape has its own characteristics and needs" is 100% right, I paraphrase here.

They were recorded on a panansonic ntsc vcr, pv-v 4520k.

I have to agree that unless you wish to turn yourself into a nuclear scientist, using a dvd recorder is diffiult to beat against using a computer.

You can still use the various suggested hardware processors, I have tried:-

Elite BVP 4 +, great for screwed up image problems.

Vidicraft detailer 3, can enhance a washed out image

Canopus advc300, is the easiest to use for the novice and very reliable.

Sign Video 1000, wonderful in enhancing and creating a more atchable picture.

AVT 8710, not impressed-go with a datavideo isn't your hobby really worth the extra money!

Datavideo 3000, does pretty much what the 1000 does with more bells and whistles, and is very very good at stabalising an image, you process a vhs that you thought was fine through one of these TBC's and you'll see the difference.

My final experience is the most amazing thing, with the aforementioned troublesome ep recordings, using a standard sharp stereo vcr to a datavideo 3000 to a dvd recorder( I am not going into Brand, it is so argumentative, I have Panny/RJ/Toshiba/Daytek and they all do good stuff,JVC's difficult to buy in Victoria, thats why I haven;t got one), did a great job, my jvc 9800 must need work as it didn;t seem to do as good a job, but in that range of vcr's the JVC sr 10U is the machine that kicks ass, very very nice picture, got one for $100 off Ebay!Brand New.

The JVC 9911u S-Vhs vcr is a very nice machine but if your vhs tapes are good recordings, use a good vcr brand, Toshiba/Sharp 4 head minimum, and may be a TBC and you'll be good to go.

Crappy vhs recordings will need any of the above, I'd start with a JVC 9911 or , opinions needed here is the SR101U as good as the SR10U ?

Thats my experience so far, get a dvd recorder, record is SP mode at most and use your computer for the fun stuff, editing and adding menus.

Thats all folks

[lordsmurf]

It sounds like your starting to see the ugly side of video, and the very reason a RESTORATION forum even exists.

Once you start to acquire a nice stack of video hardware, as you have apparently done, it becomes your own knowledge that holds you back. Try to learn the abilities of each device to it's fullest, as well as the abilities of all possible combination of equipment, and the settings of each. Which takes time. This is where I have been for a while now. Every new video teaches you new set of experiences.

I think the only advice I can add is SAVE YOUR TAPES! Again ... SAVE YOUR TAPES! At least the important/valuable ones. When... not if, but WHEN... you learn new tricks, or add more hardware, odds are previous imperfections can be corrected even more. Archive as best as you can now, and if you can archive better later .. just be sure leave yourself that option.

I have the HR-S9800 and the SR-V10U .. they both operate about the same to me. The SR-V10U is the same as the 7900 was. Less MB on the TBC, but still quite nice.

[victoriabears]

Yes, that is a good point, about saving the tapes , in many ways the dvd is more suceptible to damage than a vhs!, some of the stuff I had years ago that I thought would never be of interest to anyone-HA!

What is this item on Ebay?

http://cgi.ebay.ca/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=5769418792&rd=1&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWA%3AIT&rd=1

any use in the domestic vhs restoration scene?

Thanks for the nice comments.