Does this look like a VHS copy protection problem?

[Deaks]

https://youtu.be/SVP9dUGHB1Y

Using a UK vcr to output a commercial NTSC vhs in Pal60 to a Digitnow USB video capture device. The above is a 30sec clip of the results I'm getting.

I used to do this a lot years ago but had an actual US vcr outputting true NTSC into a DVD recorder back then, so I'm struggling a bit with not having that kit anymore. The digitnow device says it supports Pal60 so before I look at getting an alternative device I want to be sure I'm not facing an insurmountable(?) copy protection issue.

FYI: The vhs in question is an obscure TV movie from 2002 that has never been repeated, or released on DVD and it's taken me 5 years or more to track down a copy of the US vhs release.

[dellsam34]

The digitnow device says it supports Pal60.

When did a chinese knock off product maker ever told the truth?

[Brad]

This tape is almost-certainly free of copy protection.

At 0:29 the Vertical Blanking Interval can be seen. The white dashes are Closed Captioning. There is no Macrovision, and AFAIK no other VHS protection scheme was used in the '00s, or even '90s.



I blame the Digitnow.

[Deaks]

This tape is almost-certainly free of copy protection.

Thanks, I have a Hauppauge USB-Live2 coming tomorrow so hopefully I'll get better results.

[oln]

Are you sure the format is set correctly in whatever application you are using? What VCR are you using?

[Deaks]

Both apps that come with the Digitnow auto-detect the video format. I'm using an old uk vcr that outputs ntsc tapes as Pal60.

The Hauppauge is working fine, capturing the film now.

[lollo]

Can you share a sample of the working capture with the USB-Live 2?

[Deaks]

Can you share a sample of the working capture with the USB-Live 2?

Here's the entire movie: https://youtu.be/88P13LtLK8Q

[Brad]

Your USB-Live2 capture suffers badly from lack of line TBC. Non-stop horizontal wiggling and chroma problems (constant hue shifts and flicker).

https://youtu.be/88P13LtLK8Q?t=5473

You could improve upon this greatly by adding a passthrough "recommended model" DVD recorder, if you can pick up one that supports PAL60.

But if you're happy with this result, *shrug*.

[lollo]

Your USB-Live2 capture suffers badly from lack of line TBC. Non-stop horizontal wiggling and chroma problems (constant hue shifts and flicker).

And also Y/C input missing, probably. Better to have the original raw capture to judge, rather than the YouTube link, that's why I asked a sample.

The quality workflow consists in a high-end S-VHS with lineTBC and Y/C output or at least a specific DVD-Recorder in pass-through mode. Especially with the USB-Live 2!

[Deaks]

I do this sort of thing so rarely these days that I'm loath to spend too much just for this one tape. Having said that, if I could find a resonably priced DVD-Recorder here in the UK for the pass-through mode and it would make a significant improvement then I might go for it. I'm not sure what models to look for, though I was reading some posts on another forum that listed a few options. I'd spend £50 maybe, but not £200 like some of the models cost used.

[oln]

For PAL60 you want a newer Pioneer or Sony one. For pioneer models it's the DVR-x3x and higher second number models at least that has the needed functionality, for Sony RDR-HX650, 750, 770, 780 and some other newer ones that share guts with the pioneer models. (The RDR-GX350 sold in europe also has the same guts just no HDD afaik.) If unsure check user manual for NTSC recording ability and/or post model here. These support PAL60, NTSC 4.43 etc which other dvd-recorders don't, and does a decent job at stabilizing. You do need the remote to change it to 525-line (NTSC/PAL60) mode. Some of them seem to be pretty cheap on UK ebay at least.
You don't want the models older than those.

[Deaks]

Ok, I have a Sony RDR-HX650 in the UK on ebay https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/165584359851?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo...mis&media=COPY for next to nothing but no remote, then an after-market remote https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/165501347800?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo...mis&media=COPY so I could get them both for less than UK£30!

[Deaks]

Are the Sony RDR-HX xxx models the same as the RDR-HXD xxx ? My purchase of the one above fell through when the seller couldn't find it and I can only currently find the HXD models.

[Subtitles]

Look for Pioneer DVR-540H on eBay or other sites, you might find a good deal. I used one for years and they are great.