Best practices for capturing Betacam and Digital Betacam

[Dinsdale87]

Hi all

Recently got a lead on some potential footage that's of interest to me on Digital Betacam format.

As I'd been toying with getting a deck in general and learning the format, I got myself a wonderful, low hours Sony J-30SDI.

I've got one PAL Betacam SP tape as a test. I don't yet have any Digital Betacam tapes, but I wanted to ask some basic questions which I will list below so I am ready if/when I do.

My current workflow is J-30 SDI > Magewell AIO 4K (via SDI) and capturing using VirtualDub in lossless HuffYUV.

Now, I only use HuffYUV because that's the same setup as when I capture other analog formats such as VHS/Hi8. The workflow to VHS is: JVC VCR > Pioneer DVD Recorder > Magewell Pro Capture HDMI. This works well, I get no dropped frames and my PVR always shows a nice clean signal.

So here are my initial questions for Betacam.

1. Should I use VirtualDub? Will it capture all audio channels? (My current tape only seems to have CH1&CH2 which just seems to be left and right stereo audio - but will it capture CH3&4 if they were to exist?)
2. Could I ditch the DVD recorder altogether and get an analog to SDI converter? Will this give me the stable frame signal? I have seen people use a Blackmagic device.
3. When it comes to capturing Digital Betacam, I want to actually rip the contents of the tape as a 1:1 copy. Will VirtualDub also do this? Is there not a specialist software that will rip the contents in the proper digital format like Scenalyser does for DV (I can control my DV deck with the FireWire port). I have read something to do with the FFV1 codec?

Sorry if these are stupid questions, or lead to further questions but ultimately I just want to be confident I am capturing tapes as per best practice.

Thanks

[Brad]

It isn't possible to do a true 1:1 data transfer of DigiBeta the way you can with DV. The compressed data from the tape is never transferred outside of the deck, only a decompressed signal for output over SDI.

[Dinsdale87]

Thanks for clearing that up. I thought it was possible.

What is best practice for transferring that out of the deck? How can I ensure all time codes and audio tracks are extracted? Is it literally a case of using VietualDub?