What type of unit is the Vidicraft Vidimate VDM200 exactly?

[Cyrax9]

After a lot of teeth-knashing I finally bought one of my first remastering tools. a Vidimate VDM200 from Vidicraft -- lightly used and in great condition.

What I'm trying to figure out though is exactly what this unit does. Is it a Proc Amp? Is it a Detailer? Is it both? The description I saw reads Video Proccessor/Mixer. This sounds like a Proc Amp to me, but the controls on it make it look like it could also be a detailer. Which (if either) is it? I know it's not a TBC, nor is it a DNR but I'm curious since this is the first hardware filter I've ever purchased.

NOTE: Although I'm not quite sure if it's a Proc Amp or a Detailer I know it has to be one or the other if not both, and these are the two filters I need to get started so any information would be appreciated. Next up I'm buying a JVC HR-S9911U S-VHS VCR since it seems to be a highly suited model for remastering VHS Tapes with the internal filters.

I hear Vidicraft made excellent products so I'm hoping to try this unit right away. If someone could tell me what its functions are as stated above I'd appreciate it. I did some hunting around here but I'm still not sure if it's a detailer or a proc amp or both and I read that it's very helpful for color correction so I thought it was worth the $55 I paid for it. If anyone could help me locate a manual (PDF scan or otherwise) for this unit it would be much appreciated as my unit lacks a manual since it's second hand. (If asking for a manual is asking for warez please feel free to delete this part of my post -- I don't think this violates that rule though.)

[guns1inger]

Vidicraft combined the functions of their Proc Amp (which I mentioned earlier) and Detailer in single units... the AVP-100 Audio/Video Processor and the later Hong Kong manufactured VDM-200 Vidimate. There was also a VDM-300S Vidimate that had s-video inputs and outputs, but that particular unit is harder to find.

Taken from this post

https://forum.videohelp.com/viewtopic.php?t=239205

Amazing what a little searching can find

[Cyrax9]

Gah! I misread the line that says

Vidicraft combined the functions of their Proc Amp (which I mentioned earlier) and Detailer in single units...

as being "some units" rather than "single units" -- shame on me!

So this is indeed both as I thought. If I'm correct I will only need to run my video through one Proc Amp/Detailer, correct? I shouldn't need to run it through two Vidicraft filters unless I want to use extra proccessing, or would that actually lower the quality rather than raise it?

Thank you for setting me straight on this -- if I hadn't misinterpreted that thread I wouldn't have posted this. (I did read that the VDM200 is supposedly an excellent unit though.) This just leaves a JVC HR-S9911U and standalone TBC to add to my system right now. I'll have to research the TBC further and purchase the VCR soon. I'll be looking into a DNR in the future but I really wanted to get the Detailer/Proc Amp taken care of.

I wonder what forced Vidicraft out of business... it seems like they made very user friendly products and I know they did eventually move most of their operation to Hong Kong -- apparently the "VCR II" has another name over there -- Jeemsee or something similar but I can't remember it exactly.

This unit was $55.00 off of eBay listed in excellent physical and operational condition so I'm looking forward to trying it out.

[guns1inger]

Vidicraft are still going - at least they still have a web presence at vidicraft.com

[Cyrax9]

Ironically I saw that website -- I don't think it's the same company, or at least not the same products. They have standards converts but no proc amps. In the same post you cited, they mention vidicraft shut down in the 80s or early 90s.

I was a bit surprised to see that website myself (found it through google) but I think it was just the name, not the company. From what I understand (again same post you cited,) SignVideo is actually the same group of people who ran Vidicraft which would explain why their units look so similar. They also have something I'd really like to get some feedback on there -- it's supposed to correct the VHS Y/C falloff issues and is another standalone unit besides the singal or dual-Proc Amps and the Detailer they make.

Likewise I know someone who claims to have seperate Vidicraft units -- I'm trying to get the model #'s from him so I can look them up -- supposedly they're a bit better than the combination of Proc Amp/Detailer and have a bit more power running through them. The VDM200Plus is excellent for a VHS VCR though, however if I can find an HR-S9911U I'm going to need something that'll handle S-VHS.

[gshelley61]

If you need units that can handle Y/C (s-video) signals, you'll want to look at the SignVideo products. They are indeed the same folks who originally manufactured U.S. made Vidicraft products before the company was sold to an overseas firm in the late 80's.

http://www.signvideo.com/

[Cyrax9]

gshelley61 -- Thanks for the heads-up! I'm indeed drooling over their stuff right now, but everything hinges on that JVC HR-S9911U being available, I know I'm going to need the 4MB of frame memory and I may have found someone who's able to get one.

Here's my question: Single or Dual-Proc Amp? Forget the price for a moment, would you say to get the single, or get the dual-unit? I know some dual-units are underpowered and don't perform as well as single units but I'm not sure about the signvideo one.

Second, the Detailer looks pretty straightfoward, but have you tried that Y/C "VHS Falloff" filter they're offering? It sounds like it could fix some Y/C issues on a few tapes I have. I'm just wondering before I wind up potentially becoming the "Beta Tester" for that device. I now know where I'm going to shop for my filters though. The Vidicraft VDM200Plus works wonders on my VHS VCRs, I can only imagine what the new SignVideo models would do for an S-VHS VCR. Thanks for the info though.