VHS Playback Issues

[kadini]

Hello. I am new to this forum.

I am digitizing my VHS family movies. Have it all set up and recording already, generally going well.

My question is about intermittent poor quality on the playback.

Have a Mitsubishi HSU-446 VCR which was purchase new a long time ago. Since it had been sitting for so long I cleaned the heads and the sound pick up.

It works OK except sometimes the top of the image sort of folds over as shown in attached photo. I tried adjusting the tracking using the channel buttons and that didn't fix it.

The problem is intermittent but happens on all tapes enough to be annoying. The VHS recordings were made in the late 1980s and early 1990s so the tapes are 30+ years old. Have been stored in climate controlled conditions the whole time as far as I know.

If it's tape degradation then I guess there's no hope. But is it possible adjusting the tape roller guides might help?

Any help is appreciated. Thanks.

[aramkolt]

Good news for you is that is totally fixable with a re-capture (assuming you still have the original tapes). Your VCR simply lacks a line TBC which addresses the exact problem that you are seeing which is generally called "flagging." If budget is an issue, passing the signal through a DMR-ES10 or ES15 DVD recorder will likely resolve the problem as you re-capture. You could also invest in a higher end VCR that has a line TBC and probably get even better results, but they can be cost prohibitive depending on your budget.

[Alwyn]

You could also invest in a higher end VCR that has a line TBC and probably get even better results, but they can be cost prohibitive depending on your budget.

IIRC, it has been said on here that "flagging", as per the OP's image, might not be corrected by the TBC in a VCR but probably will be when the video is passed through one of those DVD recorders.

I written a blurb on stabilisation here.

[kadini]

Thank you very much for those replies! I am most appreciative. I actually had some DVD recorders that I eventually gave away to my children. My second son still has the one I gave him and he's going to see what brand model it is when he gets home (and if it still works). So I will run with this information and see where it goes. Money is not really an issue if I need to buy something. Although truthfully was planning to divest my self of all this stuff as i work towards downsizing my collection of junk.

If I may impose on you further. The digitized recordings I'm getting are definitely watchable. I am paying the price for using EP versus SP (I was less affluent back then and wanted to save money on tapes). None the less wondering if there is any AI enhancing software that can truly improve the end product. I downloaded a couple of free trial packages and was not impressed at all.

If it's relevant I bought a cheap Blu-Ray burner and that's where this is all going in the end.

Again any help offered is appreciated.

This forum is AWESOME!

[Alwyn]

and if it still works

Note that the moving function (DVD drive) doesn't have to function, only that the unit turns on and you can passthrough your video. That model may not have any stabilising properties, but you'll know straight away when you try it; the flagging will either disappear completely or be significantly reduced. You can compare the non-DVD stabilised video with the stabilised version.

[kadini]

The DVD recorder my son has is a Panasonic DMR-EA18. Can't find a manual for it online so far. Will try again tomorrow.

[Alwyn]

Here's a manual.