Full 6 Hour VHS Captures?

[filmjax]

I'm curious as to if anyone has been able to capture a full 6 hour VHS tape straight through without any problems?

If so, what's your set up?

[musher70]

WHY?

[kuranuk]

I've done up to 2 hours, and don't see why I couldn't do 6 hours. Just be warned though: I have an ATA100 7200RPM 120GB HD, MSI GeForce4 Ti 4400 for capture, and VirtualDub using Huffyuv.

Are you having a specific problem keeping you from longer captures?

[filmjax]

I'm asking simply out of curiousity. I have the Canopus ADVC-100 and will be backing up all my own VHS recordings that I have. Most are in SLP speed, and I'm simply wondering if I'll be able to let these run while I go to work or sleep, or if it'll be something I constantly have to monitor.

[musher70]

Well, i was just curious why you want to do that is all,
i tried to capture "the stand" which is like 6hrs to burn
on 2 discs, and it got messy, are u making vcds/dvds?
where are you capturing at?i was at 3000kps, i too
have 2 wd1200jbs=120 gigs each, w/ a gainward golden
sample w/ VIVO/128ddr

[filmjax]

I haven't attempted anything yet. I'm just fishing for information before I start messing with settings and codecs and such. If someone has done it before, I'd like to follow their template (if they have one).

[furball6969]

I quite often set the ATI MMc to record for 10-12 hours to record movies while I sleep or work. No problems.

[solarfox]

Well, I can get you half of the way there, at least.

I have not tried to actually put six hours of video onto a single DVD-R, but I have done six-hour captures from SLP tape straight to the hard drive. As long as the tape is still in good condition, with no sync problems or bad spots in the tape to mess up the capture device, there's no real problem. (Other than that I can't actually specify a time limit of 21,600 seconds in ULead Media Studio Pro's capture module; I have to set it to "no time limit", "seamless capture", then make sure I actually remember to come back and stop the capture six hours later. )

I have tried to put 3 hours onto a disc, though. Using MSP6.5's codec with a variable bit-rate ceiling of about 4500, the result is watchable, and reasonably VHS-like in quality, though with a bit of occasional block noise visible in spots (on a 27" TV). Of course, that was at full 720*480 resolution, and since the programme in question was originally taken from standard broadcast TV I probably could've improved that a bit by going to a lower frame size... but still, I don't see any reason to push the envelope any further; after all, if the programme is that long, then it's probably not a bad thing to have to get up to change discs halfway through. Just think of it as the intermission between acts.

[LanceSteel]

I'm asking simply out of curiousity. I have the Canopus ADVC-100 and will be backing up all my own VHS recordings that I have. Most are in SLP speed, and I'm simply wondering if I'll be able to let these run while I go to work or sleep, or if it'll be something I constantly have to monitor.

I take it that you only want to get 6 hours on the HD and then edit it to your liking, correct? You aren't asking about 6 hours on a DVD either, correct? You shouldn't have any problem capturing with the ADVC-100 from a 6 hour tape. An hour of DV video (which is what you'll get if you are using the advc-100) is approx 15GB multiply that by six, 90GB. Then you need to edit it. The limiting factor in a six hour cap is the HD space. I would just setup something like Autoit! to stop the capture after six hours and shutdown the computer. That way you can have it run while you are away.

Long story short: No monitoring is needed and you can do it while you are away from the computer (as long as you have the HD space.)

[MOVIEGEEK]

filmjax,
You should fill out your Computer Details in your profile and tell us what you want to put 6 hours of video on so we can better help you.

[filmjax]

Ok, my computer details are now filled out.

I'll probably just be capturing the 6 hour tapes directly to my 120GB HD and then come back later to edit and burn to DVDs/VCDs.

[MOVIEGEEK]

Well if you have a digital camera that allows analog pass-through then I
would capture in DV(13GB per hour)for best picture.If not then
I would use S-video/composite in on your capturecard and capture at 9000kbps CBR(4GB per hour).

[kenmo]

I've captured 2 to 3 hours without any problems (ATi TV Wonder and VirtualVCR).

[shoplifter]

Yea, yea and double right,

but i remember some post 'bout problems when theire vcr stops at EOF (end of tape), rewinding and the vcr going into standby. This caused some sync-problems and corrupted the whole file. Cant remember exactly.
But in general its no problem.