Is there anything better than a Dazzle DVC 103 in 2025?

[Ady25]

Hi all

Apologies if this has already been asked before as I am new to the site. I am wanting to transfer my VHS collection to my PC and currently have a Dazzle DVC 103 which has been sat unused in a drawer for the last 15 years. It seems to do a reasonable job at capturing the videos with no dropped frames and the audio is always in sync etc but I have been left wondering if there is anything that could produce a better picture quality. From what I have read so far, modern equivalents seen to be the Hauppage USB-Live2 and Elgato Video Capture. Are these really significantly better than what I already have?

I did get hold of a Panasonic DMR-EZ48V to use for direct VHS to DVD transfer but it worked for 5 mins and then the DVD recorder failed which I have now learnt is a quite common problem with them.

Is there any option to use anything that could upscale the footage to HD? I have noticed that Hauppage do some HD video capture stuff. I would like the best quality I can but I do have a young family and so need to stick to a sensible budget please.

Thank you

[The_Doman]

I am wanting to transfer my VHS collection to my PC and currently have a Dazzle DVC 103 which has been sat unused in a drawer for the last 15 years. It seems to do a reasonable job at capturing the videos with no dropped frames and the audio is always in sync etc but I have been left wondering if there is anything that could produce a better picture quality. From what I have read so far, modern equivalents seen to be the Hauppage USB-Live2 and Elgato Video Capture. Are these really significantly better than what I already have?

YouTuber ConsumerDV made some informative video's about the Dazzle devices:

ConsumerDV: Which Pinnacle Dazzle?
ConsumerDV: Test - Corel Dazzle DVD Recorder vs. I-O Data GV-USB2 vs. Diamond VC500 vs. Pinnacle Dazzle DVC100

I picked up the (similar?) Dazzle DVC100 a few years ago in a thrift-store, it gave me surprising good results.
Just turn down/off the (artifical) sharpness setting.
Because of that I collected a few more as backup.
I also use a Sony DV-Camcorder (reliable) and Panasonic DVD recorders as stabilizing/S-Video conversion function for capturing.

I did get hold of a Panasonic DMR-EZ48V to use for direct VHS to DVD transfer but it worked for 5 mins and then the DVD recorder failed which I have now learnt is a quite common problem with them.

You could try using the DMR-EZ48V as a pass-trough to possible stabilize the video and also use it to convert the composite VCR video to S-Video.
Using S-Video with (cheaper) capture devices can improve the results significantly.
I have no experience with the DMR-EZ48V or similar models myself but have a look/search:
Google: DMR-EZ48V Passthrough

I've found that the quality of a recording done with my VCR connected to a DVD recorder which outputs S Video is higher quality than if you use composite

Well yes exactly that is what i am also always doing when recording from composite.
You would expect the DVD recorder doing a better job separating/filtering the Y/C signals instead of most (simpler/cheaper?) capture devices.
Also of course combined with the stabilization and optional noise reduction of the recorder it can improve composite recording significantly.
I have several S-VHS/TBC decks too but often prefer capturing with a regular VHS through the Panasonic DVD recorder.

[lollo]

Some comparison of the past between Dazzle and other cards, including Hauppauge USB Live-2 and Elgato that you mentioned among others:

https://www.digitalfaq.com/forum/video-capture/7682-usb-capture-devices.html

https://www.digitalfaq.com/forum/video-capture/12138-dazzle-vs-pinnacle.html

https://www.digitalfaq.com/forum/video-capture/12090-ntsc-capture-card.html

https://forum.videohelp.com/threads/407779-Elgato-vs-Diamond-VC500-vs-Dazzle

In any case, together with the conditions of the tapes, the most important element is the player, which should be a high-end S-VHS VCR with TBC. As lower quality alternative, you can use a good VCR and some specific DVD Recorder to time correct the input signal to the capture card.

[aramkolt]

Some people do swear by the 48V for capturing and it is said to have the same stabilizing effects as a standalone DVD player. What's unique about the 48V is that it will output pre-upscaled/HDMI output and possibly also a digital 480i depending on how it is set up? That being the case, one option you have with that you don't have with virtually any other VCR would be an HDMI capture. True archivists don't tend to like pre-hardware upscaled captures since it isn't reversible, but sounds like you will be upscaling anyway and liked the DVD result you were getting before that broke. Hard to say how good the results will be without actually trying it. The HDMI capture should look just as it does on a TV since that signal is already digital. The same cannot be said with how composite or S-Video displays on a TV as much of the display depends on the TV's internal electronics and may not be representative of what you'll achieve with most capture cards.

[Ady25]

Thanks for the advice everyone, it is much appreciated.

Looking at one of those video links, it looks like I already have the best version of the Dazzle so that is a positive. The VHS player I am currently using is not S-Video but it does have 6 heads, digital autotracking and auto cleaning etc which seem to be positives from what I have read. I was always under the impression that it was only worthwhile using an S-Video connection if the tapes were originally recorded in an S-Video format. Is this correct?

Thanks for the idea about using the Panasonic DMR-EZ48V as a pass through device. The DVD recorder in it seemed to be limited to about 2 hours anyway. It does have HDMI out, could this be somehow used to connect it to a capture device or the input of a HDD recorder etc?

Thanks

[aramkolt]

An S-VHS VCR should have the advantage with any VHS tape as the luma and chroma are stored separately on the tape even if it was a non SVHS machine that recorded it. The idea is if you can keep the signals separate during playback, you'll get less interference between luma and chroma which can affect overall sharpness and rainbowing/dot crawl on certain fine patterns or hard edges.

The EZ48V can be connected to an HDMI capture card directly and you may not need to use it as a passthrough device, you could just use it as the actual player. It is likely that the EZ48V processes in S-Video before it gets converted to HDMI, so that kind of negates the need for a different VCR as well. Best test I suppose would be to just look at the EZ48V's HDMI output on a TV compared to your other VCR's composite using the same source tape and see if any look significantly better. You could also try using it for passthrough with the composite VCR as another test.

Only thing to watch for on HDMI capture cards is whether it supports 480i over HDMI as many do not. If the 48V can be set to 720P output and you don't mind capturing pre-upscaled footage without the interlacing preserved, then the 720P output option via HDMI is likely to work with about any HDMI capture card. Having a progressive output stream is generally going to be easier to work with later, but you are stuck with the deinterlacing/scaling quality that the player has and isn't what most archivists would go for. However, if you are happy with how the HDMI output looks on your TV, you should get those same results capturing HDMI since that signal is already digital and is not as dependent on the capture card used as long as the capture card is decent.

[lollo]

I was always under the impression that it was only worthwhile using an S-Video connection if the tapes were originally recorded in an S-Video format. Is this correct?

No, the signal recorded on tape is Y/C even for VHS. The only difference between VHS and S-VHS is the higher luminance bandwidth for the second.

[Ady25]

Thanks for the clarification. Who is it that makes the 48V? When I put 48V in google it comes back with voltage supplies. I assume this is simular to the HDMI capture stuff that Hauppage do?

I guess there is no software to allow me to plug the HDMI straight into a laptop.

[Ady25]

Out of interest. Is there any real value in buying one of those Scart to S-Video cables and using that to connect my existing VHS to an SD capture device such as a dazzle? I noticed that this dazzle does have an S-Video input connector.

[lollo]

I guess there is no software to allow me to plug the HDMI straight into a laptop.

The HDMI connector on your laptop is an output port only.

Is there any real value in buying one of those Scart to S-Video cables and using that to connect my existing VHS to an SD capture device such as a dazzle?

Only if your VCR outputs a Y/C signal (through a Scart or a dedicated Mini-DIN connector), which is unlikely if is not a high-end S-VHS player.

[Alwyn]

Panasonic DMR-EZ48V as a pass through device. ... It does have HDMI out, could this be somehow used to connect it to a capture device

Absolutely! You can set it to output 576i, great for analogue captures. Quality is great too.

One caveat: depending on what digitiser you use, you may need an HDMI splitter to defeat the HDCP (Hi Def Copy Protection, I think). My Startech USB3HDCAP won't accept the HDMI signal unless it is run through the splitter first. The run-of-the-mill cheaper HDMI digitisers don't have a problem with the HDMI signal.

Re your auto-cleaning VCR, if it's one that has the little foam roller for the heads/drum, beware: one of mine disintegrated into a globued mess all over the head drum; I thought it was badly corroded; my tech Tim managed to get it off OK.