YouTubers capturing cheaply misguiding people

[VHSvideocapture]

I think it's time we call out these youtubers and shame them and try and warn people not to send tapes to them.

What is this emerald coast digitizing youtuber doing?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-XXM0sfiGLM
This Youtube video is of Sean from emerald coast digitizing, he is using sellotape on a snapped VHS, this will damage the head of the VCR and is bad practice right? I've read that splicing tape should be used

He is using Macs and elcr*po capture cards the only thing he is doing right is, he is passing into a dvd recorder which lord calls a poor mans TBC. This guy needs to be called out

Another guy is got memories Phill he is so arrogant and now we have another young player in the market.

What is this guy life time memories doing?

Another copy cat of Phill got memories and Sean this guy is Life time memories digitizing
Video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZDssijd8zKw&pp=ygUdbGlmZXRpbWUgbWVtb3JpZXMgZGlnaXRpemluZyA%3D

This Youtube video is of Chris from life time memories he is using OBS for capture, no TBC, no dvd recorder passing through the chain, what message is this cheap set up giving the general public?

Experts on videohelp and digital faq talk about capturing from SVHS VCRS mostly, JVC or Panasonic, TBC mostly datavideo or AVT or a TBC ISH set up for the budget conscious
SVHS VCR non_tbc with a datavideo dvk 100 or 200 and a Panasonic es-10 or 15.

None of these Youtube guys come close to any of the recommend equipment in these forums, when people like me see these videos and start thinking why don't we all capture cheaply and save money?

Some people capture using the cheap Chinese HDMI scaler things on Amazon with a cheap HDMI capture card.

Some people also cut out the PC, capture card, TBC altogether and recommend recording to a DVD recorder with an LSI chip lord smurth recommendeds JVC models if doing this but I'm not sure if he still recommends it in 2026?

Is lossless really the best method for VHS capture?

Should a lossy method like DV be accepted?
Should a dvd recorder method be accepted? record on a LSI DVD recorder then rip the DVD in handbrake?

Why did DVD recorders not catch on for recording like VCRS did?
Since most of the professional recommended equipment is not available to buy, how many people are going to bother to find it and pay what people are asking for?

I think people should at least record memories on dvd recorder, at least the memories are not lost rather than wait for ages to find the right equipment.

Even the experts don't agree on equipment
Capture cards one person says hauppage live 2 USB is very good, another expert says it has had production changes, same with the diamond VC 500, people are very happy with io data GV-USB2 but one expert says it's not good.

Someone who is a newbie doesn't get any clear answers and he has to wait not knowing how much money he or she is going to be spending.

[lordsmurf]

A lot of these Youtubers are morons, lazy cheap bastards, that get lazy cheap quality.

It's really that simple.

[Alwyn]

@VHSVideoCapture,are you speaking from experience or are you commenting based on what other people have said?

Have you actually tried capturing with OBS and compared it to a lossless workflow?

Have you actually tried capturing on a DVD recorder and realised what a clunky workflow it is?

Have you captured with the Live 2 and the GV-USB2 to compare them?

Have you got a quote from any of the "experts" for a tape transfer and compared that price to Emarald Coast or Got Memories (if an expert will even do them for you)?

Have you compared a lossless capture with a DV capture?

Do you really have a grasp of the head-spinning rigmarole that is needed to get your own gear, then do your high-quality lossless transfers, then re-sell it, compared to sending your few tapes to Emerald Coast or Got Memories?

Have you thought about how often these family memories will actually be watched, and whether the extra cost for the "high-quality transfer" was actually worth it?

Until you've done all of those things, I wouldn't be criticising Emerald Coast or Got Memories.

FYI,

he is using sellotape on a snapped VHS, this will damage the head of the VCR and is bad practice right?

Have you tried it? The tape goes on the opposite side, away from the heads. If you were going replay the tape over and over, then you could argue you'd use "proper" tape but speaking from personal experience, sticky tape is fine. Watch and digest:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kurE-FuqkbU

[lordsmurf]

Why am I not surprised that Alwyn, the resident VideoHelp contrarian, is here making excuses for these people?

What he's doing is a type of logical fallacy, the "have you tried it" stance. That's anti-science. You don't have to re-disprove facts. I don't need to stick my finger in a power socket to know it's dumb idea. We have plenty of science and previous anecdotes already.

The facts are:
- OBS is not analog videotape capture software
- OBS messes with interlacing
- DV vs. lossless was settled over two decades ago; DV (a 1990s technology) has blocks and color loss, period
- acquiring gear can be easy, or can be hard, depending on how stubborn and/or cheap a person is --- ie, why I sell complete workflows, ready to use, no "rigamarole" needed
- many people, including myself, have tried Live2 and GV-USB2 cards, and found all the failure points; then compared those to other cards, then shared the results with others ---- And no, lollo, I know you're reading this, I'm not disagreeing with you here, I test all cards for all fail points, as do you, but our results do not match.
- tape splicing should be done with proper tape splicing tools and adhesives; not random adhesive/tape, as that will ruin the VCR heads, either instantly or cumulatively

His (bad) opinions are:
- family videos aren't watched, and not worth the effort to do the job with quality
- don't criticize Emerald Coast or Got Memories, who have proudly showcased their shitty methods and shitty results on YouTube for years; ie, don't believe what our eyes see, what our ears hear

The veracity of this site has fallen greatly in the 2020s, because of posts like the above.

[lollo]

Capture cards one person says hauppage live 2 USB is very good, another expert says it has had production changes, same with the diamond VC 500, people are very happy with io data GV-USB2 but one expert says it's not good.

...

You should not rely on what people say, but on the evidences and facts that they bring.

The workflow for a good capture is always the same. A high-end S-VHS VCR with TBC and Y/C output, one of the recommended capture card (Hauppauge USB-Live 2, IOData GV-USB, ATI 600 USB, Pinnacle 710 USB, few others; the first two are available new on the market now).
Additional external TBC may be required for tapes not in good shape; replacing the TBC of the VCR with a specific DVD Recorder in passthrough mode may be needed for tapes not in good shape.
Capture YUV 4:2:2 720x576(480) lossless interlaced with AmarectTV (preferred) or VirtualDub.

The DV approach is solid, because while featuring a slight loss in term of quality, is easier and less prone to user errors.

About YouTube, there are no many useful guides for capturing around, I remember https://www.youtube.com/@videocaptureguide (I do not agree on everythind, but the main concepts are ok) and few others.
In term of results, you can check this thread https://forum.videohelp.com/threads/405502-YouTube-channels-playlists-showcasing-captu...eo#post2654664

And no, lollo, I know you're reading this, I'm not disagreeing with you here, I test all cards for all fail points, as do you, but our results do not match.

It makes sense, but I (nobody) have never seen your results, so I cannot comment further nor help to solve your problems, if any.

[ozymango]

I think it's time we call out these youtubers and shame them and try and warn people not to send tapes to them.

Good luck to you.

“And in what business is there not humbug?

'There’s cheating in all trades but ours,' is the prompt reply from the boot-maker with his brown paper soles, the grocer with his floury sugar and chicoried coffee, the butcher with his mysterious sausages and queer veal, the dry goods man with his 'damaged goods wet at the great fire' and his 'selling at a ruinous loss,' the stock-broker with his brazen assurance that your company is bankrupt and your stock not worth a cent (if he wants to buy it,) the horse jockey with his black arts and spavined brutes, the milkman with his tin aquaria, the land agent with his nice new maps and beautiful descriptions of distant scenery, the newspaper man with his 'immense circulation,' the publisher with his 'Great American Novel,' the city auctioneer with his 'Pictures by the Old Masters'—all and every one protest each his own innocence, and warn you against the deceits of the rest.

My inexperienced friend, take it for granted that they all tell the truth—about each other! and then transact your business to the best of your ability on your own judgment.”

-- P.T. Barnum

P.S. It's too bad all the experienced competent video transfer specialists here on Videohelp are all so busy at the moment with other stuff that they aren't able get together and offer their great expertise -- and at a reasonable profit, being they know their business -- to the madding crowds!

[ozymango]

The veracity of this site has fallen greatly in the 2020s, because of posts like the above.

The veracity of this site has not fallen in the slightest -- people here have been complaining about how everybody else's work is crappy, since the very beginning.

[The 14th Doctor]

Remember fellow user Gary34 saying that Phil charges around 30 bucks a tape, I know there was a clip of used in VWestlife's USB capture card videos where Phil said something along of the lines of "Yeah these people come in dropping 46 tapes and I have to tell them it'll cost $1500"

One of the comments on VWestlife's video that he liked was funnily enough "48 tapes through an Elgato for 1500? I am in the wrong business!!!"

Doing the math (1500 / 46) that'd be around 32 bucks per tape. Using an Elgato with it's built in software compressing the image, blowing on the whites and not even keeping the original frame rate. That is what we'd like to call a rip off.

That's around the same cost my local transfer service use, and they use S-VHS VCRs with TBCs...

The Elgato sucks complete ass, but it's mainly the built in software there transfer services use, especially the Mac version.

I feel like what pisses me off is that these people go through the effort of mold cleaning and tape splicing if needed, they do something that I would never dare to do. My local transfer service does do that stuff at extra cost of course. Heck I'm in the process of having them do a shell swap since one tape has a broken flap. Just so I can digitize the contents of it myself.

And they go through all this effort to save a damaged tape, only to throw it into a cheap VCR hooked up to an Elgato..

[Gary34]

emember fellow user Gary34 saying that Phil charges around 30 bucks a tape

Phil charged 30 to 50 dollars a tape in 2023 depending on the condition of the tape and if there is mold he charges more than that. He says that at 8:30 on this video. https://youtu.be/huEewOKBcK4Phil Also he says some very true things about consumer awareness being really low which is why people go to places like Legacybox. Phil’s methods obviously aren’t great either. Phil charges a minimum of $350. https://forum.videohelp.com/threads/418030-arrogant-digitizing-companies-on-YouTube-in-2025. There are videos of Emerald picking out gear at the local thrift stores https://youtu.be/IydIuPgRAHQ?si=XyhOo82rdH8SnLgC. It’s just junk.

OP is asking questions about different methods. He doesn’t have to go and try different methods before he can ask questions about them. He doesn’t have to try a bunch of different methods for any reason unless he wants to. He might just want do his project and move on. If he wants to compare methods though that’s fine. Not necessary when soo many people have already done it.

[Alwyn]

There are videos of Emerald picking out gear at the local thrift stores https://youtu.be/IydIuPgRAHQ?si=XyhOo82rdH8SnLgC. It’s just junk.

And none of the gear he picked up was related to VHS capturing.

OP is asking questions about different methods.

On the contrary, the post is quite clearly a spray at Emerald Coast and Gotmemories. Read the title of the thread again. The silly part is that his own questions show he doesn't have a clue about the subject. All he's doing is parroting what he has been reading.

And they go through all this effort to save a damaged tape, only to throw it into a cheap VCR hooked up to an Elgato..

How weird.

[Alwyn]

Heck I'm in the process of having them do a shell swap since one tape has a broken flap. Just so I can digitize the contents of it myself.

If you have the skill to open a VCR and keep it clean, you'll easily be able to swap shells yourself. Just watch that YT I linked-to at the bottom of my post #3 above. Just pay careful attention to the tape path around the rollers.

[Gary34]

And none of the gear he picked up was related to VHS capturing.

I didn't say it did. To me it shows his standards though.

The silly part is that is own questions show he doesn't have a clue about the subject. All he's doing is parroting what he has been reading.

You're expected to know more. You've been a member since 2005. To me it looks like he is more asking questions anyways.

Phil and Emerald deserve criticism.

[timtape]

You should not rely on what people say, but on the evidences and facts that they bring.

IMO not bad advice for all of life, not just video digitizing.

[lollo]

IMO not bad advice for all of life, not just video digitizing.

Yes. And rest assured that your fact-based input (especially in the audio domain) is greatly appreciated!

[Gary34]

If you do want to see on your own tapes run through an Elgato and compare it without buying the card then sometimes you can find a public library that will have a digitizing center. They have one in my town. I wouldn't run important tapes through it though because the chances of that VCR being contaminated with mold are pretty high.

[Alwyn]

You're expected to know more. You've been a member since 2005

What I do or don't know has nothing to do with the topic.

To me it looks like he is more asking questions anyways.

You'd better read the first sentence of their first post again:

I think it's time we call out these youtubers and shame them and try and warn people not to send tapes to them.

That's not a question, that's an unequivocal statement.

The fact that they then ask a bunch of newby questions just indicates the ridiculousness of the whole post.

[Gary34]

Have you actually tried capturing with OBS and compared it to a lossless workflow?

Have you actually tried capturing on a DVD recorder and realised what a clunky workflow it is?

Have you captured with the Live 2 and the GV-USB2 to compare them?

Have you got a quote from any of the "experts" for a tape transfer and compared that price to Emarald Coast or Got Memories (if an expert will even do them for you)?

Have you compared a lossless capture with a DV capture?

Do you really have a grasp of the head-spinning rigmarole that is needed to get your own gear, then do your high-quality lossless transfers, then re-sell it, compared to sending your few tapes to Emerald Coast or Got Memories?

Have you thought about how often these family memories will actually be watched, and whether the extra cost for the "high-quality transfer" was actually worth it?

Until you've done all of those things, I wouldn't be criticising Emerald Coast or Got Memories.

You do not have to do all of that to say that capturing DV with an Elgato like Phil does is low quality. Even if he is a newby or he’s repeating something he’s not wrong. Even if someone hasn’t used that card there are videos that pick out its flaws.
https://youtu.be/9NuquTDhjGY
https://youtu.be/G0zs_E1VETk

Plenty of forum information about it. The point of the videos is to discourage people from buying it not say hey until you buy it and try it yourself you can’t say it’s trash.

[Gary34]

I am surprised that Alwyn is checking people credentials before they can say something bad about Phil or Emerald. I guess Alwyn doesn’t that OP is qualified to say they are trash.

[The 14th Doctor]

Yeah feels that way, did my own comparison months ago

Is it 100% fair? No, I should've just done basic QTGMC deinterlacing and leave it at that but I did additional filters. I do not care to go waste 90 bucks on another Elgato to make another comparison.

It sucks how people do not know what they do not know. I started out using an elgato, felt like my tapes were not being archived properly and I bought a prosumer workflow, getting into Avisynth restoration with Hybrid too. That was my night and day difference..

[Alwyn]

I am surprised that Alwyn is checking people credentials before they can say something bad about Phil or Emerald.

I don't know what sort of morals you operate to but I can assure you I would not be sledging Emerald and Got if I didn't know anything about the subject, as. clearly, the OP does (not).

Is it 100% fair? No, I should've just done basic QTGMC deinterlacing and leave it at that but I did additional filters.

Not only is it not fair from a technical POV, the cost needs to be considered as well. Some people just do not have $2000 to outlay on "good" gear, regardless of whether they will be able to "Use it - resell it" and get anything like their money back, with all the attendant hassle of trying to flog stuff on Ebay.

So we have cost hassles, tens, if not hundreds, of hours of learning high-level concepts where there is no consolidated information anywhere but dozens of opinions, and for what? Your right video verses the left. CBA fail.

[Gary34]

I don’t see why he has to have a bunch of experience to make a post in the Newbie/General discussion section about something that is blatantly obvious.

[Alwyn]

The OP has form on this. A similar rant in 2023 on VH here. Judging by the questions they were asking in 2023 and the questions being asked here, they don't appear to have learnt much, but are still happy to sledge Emerald and Got, even accusing Phil of being a moron. Nice.

[The 14th Doctor]

Because they aren't using high end equipment and are offering this as a professional service. It's one thing offering this as a small service for friends and family, such as myself (Though I use high end equipment because I care about end quality). But going large and wide? Yeah no..

I'd be ashamed if I was having them digitize important historical tapes, local or otherwise, ie I was a member from a film museum or government institution. Or I came in contact with a guy who preserved never before seen home movie footage of 9/11

For example, why have these people use cheap Wolverine 8mm scanners when you can, if you are comfortable with doing so, mail out your old film feels to proper labs like Cinepost and Gamma Ray Digital?

Yeah they are expensive, but they do high quality scans. I've used them both, Cinepost is the best and Gamma Ray ain't far behind imo. They are way better than my local transfer service, in which they are way better than LegacyBox and the like.

Seriously, my local transfer service charges around 35 bucks a tape too but they use S-VHS VCRs with TBCs, while I can do a better job then them overall (unless it involves physical repairing a tape since I know jack about that) they are leagues better than people like Phil and Sean (Emerald Coast) delivering compressed Elgato crap

Even a DV encoded AVI file is better than low bit rate compressed mp4 Elgato mush..

It's like most YouTubers gone down the path of Elgatos, upscalers, OBS, etc..

[lollo]

Yeah feels that way, did my own comparison months ago

Is it 100% fair? No, I should've just done basic QTGMC deinterlacing and leave it at that but I did additional filters.

What is unfair is the approach of comparison.

You are using the Elgato software (deinterlacing, real-time compression, color space conversion), and not a lossless approach (AmarecTV/VirtualDub, 4:2:2, Y/C, 720x576(480), interlaced, lossless).

Redo your experiement and you'll be surprized.

[The 14th Doctor]

Yeah feels that way, did my own comparison months ago

Is it 100% fair? No, I should've just done basic QTGMC deinterlacing and leave it at that but I did additional filters.

What is unfair is the approach of comparison.

You are using the Elgato software (deinterlacing, real-time compression, color space conversion), and not a lossless approach (AmarecTV/VirtualDub, 4:2:2, Y/C, 720x576(480), interlaced, lossless).

Redo your experiement and you'll be surprized.

But the thing is, I did a loseless approach, that's the right side. The left was with an Elgato with it's built in software. Granted with the Elgato capture I did no post production work besides resizing, while for the loseless (Pinnacle) capture I did do Avisynth restoration (QTGMC, Degrain, Sharpening and Resizing) in Hybrid

The description lays out specifics. Unless you mean I was unfair in some other aspect besides perhaps doing more Avisynth filtering then I should have? The filters I used there is what I generally use for all my restored captures along with dehaloing and some small color adjustments, derainbowing and dot crawl depends on the source.

I know I intentionally captured composite using the Elgato and with the camcorder's TBC turned off, but that was to mimic how these transfer services digitize tapes in my opinion. Though at the very least, should have probably kept the camcorder's TBC turned on.

I know the comparison was rather quick, dirty and not super fair. But I made that more so as a "please vet what services/people to pick from for tape digitization"

[lollo]

I meant that the problem is in the Elgato software not the card (although is not one of the best). If you use the Elgato card with the right approach, you will be surprized.

I know the comparison was rather quick, dirty and not super fair. But I made that more so as a "please vet what services/people to pick from for tape digitization

Yes, I have understood that. But once more, the problem in services/people approach is more in the capture software rather than the Elgato card. If on top of that, you add an Avisynth restoration (missing in the services/people approach), the results of the comparison is what you properly showed.

[Gary34]

If someone is going to go through the trouble of lossless capture and Avisynth then they might as well get a better card.

[VHSvideocapture]

A lot of these Youtubers are morons, lazy cheap bastards, that get lazy cheap quality.

None are using recommended gear.
None are using a TBC.
They still getting a capture.

It it worth trying to capture with low quality equipment?

[The 14th Doctor]

Not if you're offering this as a professional service and are charging people.

Though I've heard professional feels more like "paid to do work" and not so much "doing high quality work"

[Gary34]

It it worth trying to capture with low quality equipment?

https://youtu.be/J6deUbS0bDo

You can do it but it’ll look like shit.