Capturing old tapes to PC - devices and software

[Writech]

I have been editing videos now for a couple of years with Sony Vegas 8 and have been capturing miniDV tapes from camcorder through firewire to PC using WinDV software, so I know the very basics and beyond of video editing and capturing. But I want to go step further and start to capture all sorts of old video formats to PC (for myself, or for friends).

Also I want to know if my workflow is good enough to get maximum quality out of raw video through the whole editing process? My workflow is as follows:
1) Capture video from MiniDV device through FireWire with WinDV
2) Edit raw video in Vegas
3) Render to .avi using settings as follows:



4) Compress using VirtualDubMod 1.5.10 with XviD Mpeg-4 codec and de-interlace filter.


Which software and settins professionals reccomend, which changes to make?


Now back to capturing video (VHS, S-VHS, VHS-C, MiniDV, Hi8, 8mm, Betamax, V2000 etc)
Firstly, I must have device which can read and play corresponding tape.
Secondly, an analog-digital converter.
Thirdly, a software which guides the whole capturing process.

For miniDV tapes I use a corresponding camcorder as source device. For other tape types could I use also a corresponding camcorder? Are there any quality differences between different camcorders concerning the capturing process? For VHS I just use VCR player? Are there any recommendations in VCR player field? I have heard some good words for Panasonic DMR-E95H. Also I was wondering if there is any combo device, which can play lots of different tapes?

For Analog-Digital converter I have heard that USB A-D converters are used, like:
EzCAP USB Video Capture Device and more proffessional seems ADVC300 etc. I don’t know which device to choose. Price is not very important, but I am willing to pay for quality.


Talking about DVD camcorders, which record directly to DVD, is the only way to edit the video to RIP it from DVD to PC?


In conclusion I want to know which capturing hardware is widely used and which products you reccommend to me, is there any specific format to which I must render the video before burning it to the DVD? Is using de-interlace filter reccommended when I wish to watch captured videos only on PC?

Best wishes,
Robert

[Writech]

Could you at least possibly tell me, from which sortment of video-capture devices to choose from?

[redwudz]

I've been using a Canopus ADVC-100 for some time and it works fairly well. The 300 has some other features you may or may not need. A camcorder with passthrough and DV output will work as well most times. More important for VHS is a good VHS deck, which is getting harder to find. I do use WinDV for most transfers.

If you plan to do this a lot and with varied media for inputs, I would also suggest a TBC (Time Base Corrector) to stabilize the video before converting it to digital. DV is a great format for editing and can be filtered without too much quality loss. I usually use VirtualDub for that as it has lots of filters available. Then you can output it as Xvid or frameserve it to a MPEG encoder if you want a DVD as the final product.

You might check past threads in our Restoration Forum as most of this has been covered there a few times.

And welcome to our forums.

[Writech]

The Canopus ADVC-100 and 110 doesn't have built-in TBC and ADVC-300 has? Am I right?
If I had a separate TBC like AVT-8710 I don't need ADVC-300, then I could buy ADVD-110 or 100 and get better results than with the ADVC-300 alone? Is AVT-8710 a good Time Base Corrector, i've heard it is somehow better than DataVideo TBC-1000?

Also I am eager to know which set in the following list gives me best results:
Source device/TBC/Analog-Digital Converter

1) VHS/S-VHS deck or camcorder, Canopus ADVC-300
2) VHS/S-VHS deck or camcorder, TBC AVT-8710, Canopus ADVC-100/110/300
3) VHS/S-VHS deck or camcorder, TBC AVT-8710, a camcorder with passthrough function

I'll be very grateful for answers.

[lordsmurf]

Read this: Different Types of TBCs?
http://www.digitalfaq.com/forum/showthread.php/alternative-avt-8710-1853.html?p=9889#post9889

Avoiding DV altogether would be preferable, so "none of the above".
4) S-VHS deck or camcorder > TBC AVT-8710 > capture card (for lossless AVI, uncompressed AVI or MPEG-2) or DVD recorder (for MPEG-2)

If you insist on DV, any box will do.
There's NOTHING special about the Canopus boxes, any DV camera works just as well.

[Writech]

Because I want to dedicate myself also on video restoring I looked for hardware which could help me. For the reason I haven't been doing this kind of stuff it came as a big surprise to me that there are so many different devices to choose from and this really confuses me.
Also a question came up when reading many topics. Some say that it's better to record video from VCR or other source through TBC, Proc amp etc. directly to DVD. Some say it's better to capture video to PC's HDD, then edit it, add filters if needed and then burn it to dvd. So which option to use, which is more sure to produce highest quality possible?
Also I found out that it is possible to edit DVD without having it to be in any known video format like .avi or .mpg. Which would give better results, editing in DVD format or in known .avi format?
At the moment I only have Panasonic DVD recorder ES-10 which I could use for passthrough for it's TBC.

1) There is a wide variety of SVCR's to choose from (I read that the ones made by JVC are the best, that's why listed only JVC's). Are there any quality differences between different SVCR's or the only differ by their integrated TBC's and DNS's?
Which one would a proffessinal choose from this list? If there are other brand's SVCR's with same quality/price ratio, then take in account those to:
JVC HR-S9500U
JVC HR-S9800U
JVC HR-S9900U
JVC HR-S9911U
JVC SR-V10
JVC SR-V10E
JVC SR-V10U
JVC SR-W5U
JVC SR-W7U

2) Everyone suggests to get AVT-8710 TBC, also read it's better than DataVideo TBC-1000. BNC DPS-220 and Feral are mainly for proffessional? So is it a wise decision to get AVT-8710

3) Talking about Proc Amps I read that Elite BVP-4 Plus and SignVideo Proc Amp's are preferred. The others that were also used were: Leitch VPA 331N, Leitch VPA 331N, ICM/Laird VC2000, Knox K700, Sony XV-C900, Sima SCC, Laird VC2000 Video Corrector.

4) The Image Detailers I found that were widely used were: DR-1000 Image Enhancer, Vidicraft Detailer III, Vidicraft Detailer II, Sign Video DR-1000

5) I didn't found out what are the Audio-Video Processors used for, but the ones used were: Vidicraft AVP-100 , VDM-200 Vidimate, VDM-300S Vidimate

6) I was suggested not to use Canopus boxes, cause they produce DV formatted avi. Lossless or unformatted avi was said to be better, so which capture cards/devices to use to transfer analog signal to unformatted avi. Are USB capture devices or PCI capture cards preferred? The ones widely in use were: Hauppauge HVR2200, ATI All-In-Wonder cards (don't know which one to choose), Blackmagic Intensity Pro, Dazzle DVC 150

Conclusively I want to get up and running. Want to know which hardware to buy and establish my workflow to start looking for the hardware. Though it will be hard but not impossible for I live in Estonia to get all the hardware I needed.

Looking forward to your patience and helpful answers,
Robert

[victoriabears]

My advice is always, keep it simple to start, for all you know your vhs to dvd project would work with just using a good s vhs vcr, panasonic can sometimes be better than jvc, I have both and different tapes like different machines, a tbc , again I am finding a TBC1000 is sometimes better than the avt 8710, sorry but vhs tapes seem to be really different.

If you find that the simple method does not work ( I find computer capture too time consuming), then look at why then choose the enhancing hardware, I bought and sold more equipment that I didn;t need than I care to admit.