If I have these devices, do I need an expensive VCR?

[tluxon]

I want to convert all my VHS (no S-VHS but all quality media) tapes to some digital format, probably DVD-compliant MPEG-2. I've been doing some of them for a while now using a Toshiba W-704 VCR and have been getting good results. However, I'm in need of another VCR and I figured on getting a nice one with "TBC, Frame memory, and digital filtering circuitry". First I want to make sure I really need to.

Up in a closet I have what is called The Play-Right by Vidicraft. Many years ago I used it a few times when dubbing movies with macrovision and it worked perfectly. The box describes the unit this way:

* Eliminate color flashing, loss of color, picture rolls, streaking and jittering during playback of copy-protected movies.
* Clears up scrambled pictures caused by copy-protected videotapes.
...

I also have a "Super Video Processor" that I got probably 10 years ago from Radio Shack (Archer, Cat. No. 15-1276). It is subtitled "Professional Taping Features Add Exciting Versatility to Your A/V System", and the box provides this description:

Dramatically enriches video detail, color and brightness. Helps you make better copies of personal tapes, gives you superior camcorder-to-VCR copies and lets you clean up poor tapes for viewing. Variable enhancer preserves picture details normally lost during dubbing, and an efficient video noise reducer helps reduce picture graininess...

Is paying a lot more for a VCR with things like a built-in TBC, 2-4 MB of frame memory, and digital filtering circuitry (including noise reduction) really necessary? Would the Play-Right and Video Processor make these extra VCR features redundant?

Thank you!

Tim

[lordsmurf]

It depends on the quality of the tapes you have to work with.

[Marvingj]

If your Source is of Quality it will look good. But if you Tapes are bad, it will be worst. Playright was fair at the most & with the Radio Shack Video processor was fair. I had both. But if you want a real improvement, check out Lordsmurf website, He has some really nice interesting topics. sound like you want quality copies. For Quality there is a Big price. Good Luck.