Recommended technique for using VHS capture equipment for LaserDisc?

[ehbowen]

I've got a pretty good VHS capturing workflow: Panasonic AG-1980/Mitsubishi HS-HD2000U to DataVideo TBC-3000 to ATI All-In-Wonder. I've also picked up a Pioneer CLD-V2600 LaserDisc player, and I wanted to capture the original Star Wars trilogy (from before Lucas retconned it) to digital video. I'm not entirely satisfied with the first cut, and I wanted to ask and make certain that my techniques and settings were okay. Is the TBC necessary for LaserDisc output? Will I get better results from S-Video or the standard composite output?

At present I'm not able to buy any new equipment, but I'm also not interested in selling any of my VHS workflow. Just want to get the best results from what I've already got.

[dellsam34]

LD does not need a TBC, Depends on how good the comb filter of your LD player, Generally speaking LD is a composite format, S-Video will be output from the composite using a process called comb filtering, Some capture cards have good comb filter but some don't, you will have to do some tests and see for yourself which way is better capturing from S-Video or composite. There is a new process called Doomsday duplicator uses special hardware and more involved than a conventional capture.

[lollo]

The analog signal of a LD is time consistent (no need for a TBC, which would olnly degradate the signal path) and recorded as composite, then when capturing a Y (luma) and C (chroma) "separation" is necessary.

Where to do it, depends on the quality of the comb filter of the different devices. In my case, both the comb filters of my players (Pioneer DVL-909 DVD for instance) and my capture cards (Hauppauge USB-Live 2 for instance) are poor, so I used a JVC S-VHS VCR in passthrough mode.

But the best approach is LD-decode / Doomsday https://www.domesday86.com as dellsam34 properly pointed out.