Opinions needed- Best DVD recorder for converting mediocre VHS tapes

[spodekmodek]

I know most don't allow any picture correction but hoped there were a few that
had less problems with dropped frames. Do i need RAM or DVD-RW capacity to do further work to them?

Thanks!

[Frobozz]

Actually, the Pioneer DVR-640H and its predecessors do have picture adjustments for recording. There may be other brands than do this, or you could get a separate device that adjusts the video picture before it is recorded.

When you refer to doing further work to them are you wanting to do this with the DVD recorder or are you wanting to transfer the videos to a computer?

For me it is ideal to have a DVD recorder with hard drive so I can do trimming of the video before burning it to DVD. It seems that DVD recorders with hard drives are getting scarce so you'll need to start shopping soon.

[Marvingj]

This is the Best Toshiba XS-34......

[lordsmurf]

I know most don't allow any picture correction but hoped there were a few that had less problems with dropped frames. Do i need RAM or DVD-RW capacity to do further work to them? Thanks!

DVD-RAM and DVD-RW not needed. The filtering is live, there is nothing "further" to do.

Toshiba XS35/XS35 series machines have some filters to help you clean video.

For mediocre VHS tapes, nothing will beat the filtering abilities of the JVC DR-M10/DR-M100 machines.

Pioneer machines will only look good at 2 hours or less per DVD. They do not filter chroma noise, only some other adjustments. It is not suggested for VHS.

[davideck]

IMO, the Toshiba outperforms the JVC in overall performance.

The JVC units have the IRE error. The Toshiba XS34/XS35 have an input black level adjustment to avoid it.

The TBC performance of the Toshiba is better than any other DVD Recorder that I have tested. If you are not using an external TBC, then the improvement provided by the Toshiba compared to the JVC and others can be quite noticeable, particularly on mediocre tapes.

Both units have Noise Reduction, but the JVC will not let you turn it off. NR causes additional softening and loss of detail, particularly with higher quality sources. Some don't notice it. YMMV.

More discussion here;
https://forum.videohelp.com/viewtopic.php?t=323110

[samijubal]

Add to that all the JVC problems, which have been severely downplayed here. Go with Toshiba.

[spodekmodek]

Much obliged for your opinions folks.
The goal is to take rather poor quality VHS with "that Extended play" look and burn DVDs that can be played on any modern DVD player and the best machines to avoid synch problems, etc. I'm okay with getting mediocre DVDs but if there were a device that may help me "sharpen" up things a bit before DVD creation that would be great.

Perhaps you can tell me- If I wanted to ultimately make a "best of" from the videtapes, is it advisable to put the tapes(or resultant DVDs) into the computer or just manually keep DVD recording the sections that I want on the final disc.

Sorry for being convoluted but I'm not sure if I'm overlooking something.

Thanks again for your expertise!

[davideck]

If I wanted to ultimately make a "best of" from the videtapes, is it advisable to put the tapes(or resultant DVDs) into the computer or just manually keep DVD recording the sections that I want on the final disc.

A powerful feature of the Toshiba HDD/DVD Recorders is the Playlist editing function. First you capture your tapes to the internal hard drive and create chapters for them. Playlist editing then allows you to assemble various chapters from various tapes into a "best of" Playlist which can be burned to a DVD. Creating a Playlist does not create additional video on the HDD, nor does it delete any. A Playlist is simply an edit decision list, so you can create multiple Playlists which all reference various chapters from the same tapes. You can also create a DVD made up of multiple Playlists. Each Playlist would be a separate title.

[samijubal]

I'm okay with getting mediocre DVDs but if there were a device that may help me "sharpen" up things a bit before DVD creation that would be great.

You probably wouldn't want to sharpen VHS much, if at all. With the poor quality of VHS it's going to be very grainy if you sharpen the picture. VHS looks a little better on DVD to me, not much but a little.

[nixie]

Anyone use a Toshiba XS54/55? Any better for conversion of VHS that the 34/35?

I like the input controls such as white and black level and audio level on the pioneers, but the older models such as the 510 are known to have problems locking onto the tape source. Brief blackouts occur due to a lack of a good TBC.

I've tried using a JVC 7900 S-VHS player with a Pioneer 510. The JVC produces a nice pic with the TBC/noise reduction turned on but the TBC causes vertical jitter on my 510. When the TBC is off, the jitter isn't there but the pic quality doesn't look as good.

[deuce8pro]

I know what davideck is referring to by the loss of detail with a JVC DVD recorder but thats hardly noticeable or a complaint to anyone who has recorded with these machines. The picture quality is excellent and I think filtering is needed on most sources anyway.
For someone like myself who wants the best ouf of my vhs tapes. This is what you should do. Pick up an box box Toshiba dr-4 on ebay for less then a $100. Then look for the JVC drm-100 unit. The Toshiba with the Jvc combined makes the best dvd recorder in my opinion.
Nice clean and colorful picture with proper black levels.

[lordsmurf]

IRE error in 2007 is being blown out of proportion. First you have sources that are off (VHS recordings, tv broadcasts, etc). Then you get all the various tv sets, DVD players and DVD recorders all being off perfect by a slight amount.

IRE error 3-5 years ago was a major issue. Machines were giving video an IRE of 15+, and the luma was all shot to hell. This awful quality is what most folks refer to as an IRE issue, at least a few years ago. They did not argue over slight variances that are lost later anyway (tv, DVD player, etc).

Most folks augment their signal anyway, especially those "dynamic" modes in newer tv sets, or image adjustments on the players.

I've never seen a saturation/black-level/brightness/luma problem on my JVC recordings, and I'm a rather picky individual when it comes to image quality.

With VHS you need to remove chroma noise, smooth grain, and then you can always sharpen and tweak color levels with a detailer and proc amp.

[trhouse]

Depending on system variances to cancel a built-in error is not the best solution. The problem with variances is that there is equal probability that a variance will help or make it worse. Systems that have enough variance to cancel a IRE 7.5 error have an equal probability to make it worse and increase the IRE error to 15. In the end, someone will end up with that IRE15 error system. It is better to record correctly, then even if there is as much as +/-7.5 system variance, no one will end up with a +15 IRE error.

[davideck]

IRE error in 2007 is being blown out of proportion. First you have sources that are off (VHS recordings, tv broadcasts, etc). Then you get all the various tv sets, DVD players and DVD recorders all being off perfect by a slight amount.

IRE error 3-5 years ago was a major issue. Machines were giving video an IRE of 15+, and the luma was all shot to hell. This awful quality is what most folks refer to as an IRE issue, at least a few years ago. They did not argue over slight variances that are lost later anyway (tv, DVD player, etc).

Most folks augment their signal anyway, especially those "dynamic" modes in newer tv sets, or image adjustments on the players.

Two wrongs don't make a right. Proc Amps and Display Devices should be calibrated to their imperfect sources. The JVC has the same IRE Error as other "0 IRE" Recorders. A setup level of 15 IRE is the nominal result. 2007 has nothing to do with it. You don't care if your DVDs have incorrect setup levels?

I've never seen a saturation/black-level/brightness/luma problem on my JVC recordings, and I'm a rather picky individual when it comes to image quality.

If you simply record a test pattern, play it back on a different player, and compare that result to the original, then it is hard to miss the difference in black level brightness. It's even more obvious on a waveform monitor or scope. Whether or not it is objectionable is a matter of personal preference. But NEVER noticing it! Have you never done this type of test?

[samijubal]

He'll never give up on his crappy JVC, no matter how many people argue otherwise or how many problems people have.

[nixie]

Does anyone hear have experience with both the digi-pure of a JVC S-VHS VCR and one of the Toshiba DVD recorders 34/35 or 54/55? I'm trying to get an idea of how the digital filtering of a Toshiba compares with the noise reduction performance of the digi-pure JVC VCRs.

Is the noise reduction performance of the JVC DVD recorders similar to that of the digi-pure in the JVC S-VHS VCRs? Thanks.

[ejai]

I see all my old friends are here again arguing over which machine works better. I could not wait to add my 2 cents. I used the JVC and the Toshiba models and I found the Toshiba a much better machine.

The picture quality on the JVC seems a little too light and and the picture is too soft. The Toshiba was sharper even though it filtered out most of the noise.

I recommend the Toshiba over the JVC, just my opinion.

[samijubal]

I see all my old friends are here again arguing over which machine works better. I could not wait to add my 2 cents. I used the JVC and the Toshiba models and I found the Toshiba a much better machine.

The picture quality on the JVC seems a little too light and and the picture is too soft. The Toshiba was sharper even though it filtered out most of the noise.

I recommend the Toshiba over the JVC, just my opinion.

Amen.

Haven't seen you here in a long time, thought you disappeared.

[obs]

Perhaps you can tell me- If I wanted to ultimately make a "best of" from the videtapes, is it advisable to put the tapes(or resultant DVDs) into the computer or just manually keep DVD recording the sections that I want on the final disc.

If I was doing it, I would record the VHS to recorder, transfer contents to computer, and then edit it using TMPGEnc DVD Author.

It's probably more convenient to record the whole VHS in one shot, instead of recording clips. When editing on the computer, it's easier than having to use the remote control to get to the exact frame you want to make a cut.

[StuR]

It's probably more convenient to record the whole VHS in one shot, instead of recording clips.

Just pointing out that I've been looking at many a DVDR manual recently and if you record onto Harddrive you can compile a playlist of the bits you want and re-arrange them as you want on a DVD-R. Current Toshiba HD have much the best (and most complex) facility, JVC's do to, Pioneer and Panasonic, maybe others. I've noticed Toshiba have a really advanced DVD menu designer so this stops the need for a PC. If you can get away with maybe slightly less acurate in and out point than produced on a PC, seems like it could save time to me.

Also from what I've read Toshiba and Pioneer have interesting looking noise reducing filters, which are evident in the manuals -as there controls for them- put it's had to find information on them to a level that people on here would be interested. I've looked, lots!