Questions about the Panasonic DMR-EX77 for improved HDMI captures

[Joscraft_05]

I have this model from 2007 with a very good price (working) and i was looking to get it for improved captures over HDMI (and a splitter that works and doesn’t mess with the colors) to stop relying on 2 camcorders for PAL DV25 captures and get the best out of my captures already digitized by the ADC chip of the DVD recorder…

How good, bad or meh were these models from 2007 with the HDMI outputs and the 12 bits ADC chips? I have my ES10 but since it needs it's caps urgently replaced i'm considering to get that EX77 and upgrade my captures to HDMI and not needing 2 camcorders in my desk with batteries or connected to the power for captures.

I saw in another older thread that Skiller for example used an EH-575 from 2007 with the 12 bits ADC chip and it’s HDMI output and he said it worked very good for him with good results and have indeed good TBC/Sync capabilities.

I’m aware that these 2007 models can fail as well from caps or a broken HDD by the way, so i'm in a strange situation between wanting to get it or just repair my ES10.

I would need to get that splitter and the HDMI capture card still though, but not an issue, i take my time.

The issue about these 2007 models failing due to bad caps too… That’s the point that makes me question if all of this is even worth it or i just keep my ES10, repair it and get a good analog capture card to improve my captures.

[lollo]

Capturing the HDMI output from a device like the EH-575 will not be any better (in fact, it will be marginally lower in quality) than the standard workflow using one of the recommended capture cards.
On the other hand, if you are already using an ES-10 in pass-through mode, you already have these small defects in your workflow, so using a DVD recorder as a digitizer is a good and valid alternative.

The choice is yours!

[Joscraft_05]

Capturing the HDMI output from a device like the EH-575 will not be any better (in fact, it will be marginally lower in quality) than the standard workflow using one of the recommended capture cards.
On the other hand, if you are already using an ES-10 in pass-through mode, you already have these small defects in your workflow, so using a DVD recorder as a digitizer is a good and valid alternative.

The choice is yours!

I see, considering also that these Panny's from 2007 also fail from bad caps or a bad HDD i think i will not spend the money on it now that i think about it.

By those "small defects" you mean the posterization issues? I always have my ES10 with the AV-In Noise Reduction turned off and the camera with TBC/DNR turned off and EDIT on and i didn't noticed any posterization or other issues so far, looks to me as clean as plugging my analog camera directly to my Digital 8 camcorder for a DV25 capture, except the ES10 having good TBC/Sync capabilities and some differences in the dynamic range (the built-in TBC of the Hi8/D8 cameras making the image a bit more desaturated). If you meant the caps needing a replacement then yeah if i get that 2007 model i will need to replace the caps on it too.

I think considering this well and also considering that i already have an ES10 i may want to stick with my ES10 and replace it's failing caps, for an upgrade of my analog workflow to stop needing 2 camcorders in my desk i may want to look at a good known USB/PCIe capture card too, there's the GV-USB2 but i would prefer to look at more options and how sharp they are and their reliability.

I also have a good SCART to S-video adapter from Philips for the brightness issue since i discovered this issue of the PAL Panasonic's.

And about the quality of the ES10 well, is it very, very good and to be honest i don't buy the claims of LordSmurf about the image quality using these Panasonic DVD recorders, at least in my experience with what i saw already, maybe the posterization issues are real and other people noticed it especially with the AV-In NR turned on? Idk.

[lollo]

The DVD recorder in pass-through mode may have brightness level issues or posterization (search the forum for samples from our knowledgeable user, Brad).

In general, you are introducing an additional device to the capture chain, which means a (marginal) degradation compared to a simpler chain using an S-VHS VCR with Y/C output and a TBC directly connected to the capture card.
However, for bad tapes where the VCR's built-in TBC is not enough, it becomes a mandatory choice. And yes, it is a very good device (do not listen to our friend Lordsmurf).

The GV-USB2 is a good choice; check the forum for samples and comparisons with other reputed cards (such as the Hauppauge USB-Live 2, Pinnacle 710 USB, and ATI 600 USB).

[Joscraft_05]

The DVD recorder in pass-through mode may have brightness level issues or posterization (search the forum for samples from our knowledgeable user, Brad).

In general, you are introducing an additional device to the capture chain, which means a (marginal) degradation compared to a simpler chain using an S-VHS VCR with Y/C output and a TBC directly connected to the capture card.
However, for bad tapes where the VCR's built-in TBC is not enough, it becomes a mandatory choice. And yes, it is a very good device (do not listen to our friend Lordsmurf).

The GV-USB2 is a good choice; check the forum for samples and comparisons with other reputed cards (such as the Hauppauge USB-Live 2, Pinnacle 710 USB, and ATI 600 USB).

Yeah, i will check those other devices thanks.

[Joscraft_05]

The DVD recorder in pass-through mode may have brightness level issues or posterization (search the forum for samples from our knowledgeable user, Brad).

In general, you are introducing an additional device to the capture chain, which means a (marginal) degradation compared to a simpler chain using an S-VHS VCR with Y/C output and a TBC directly connected to the capture card.
However, for bad tapes where the VCR's built-in TBC is not enough, it becomes a mandatory choice. And yes, it is a very good device (do not listen to our friend Lordsmurf).

The GV-USB2 is a good choice; check the forum for samples and comparisons with other reputed cards (such as the Hauppauge USB-Live 2, Pinnacle 710 USB, and ATI 600 USB).

Hey, this is probably not what you would expect me to say here after my last comment but i'm researching a few Sony RDR-HX/HXD and Pioneer DVR-x50/60 dvd recorders and those now have better quality capacitors inside and doesn't break as the 2000's Panasonics do and i'm wondering... If at 576i in the HDMI output the color is set to YUV 4:4:4... A Blackmagic card that doesn't support YUV 4:4:4 over HDMI (only 4:2:2) will output an image downconverted at YUV 4:2:2 from the source that's 4:4:4? Or i would need a card that support YUV 4:4:4? The purpose is just to capture at YUV 4:2:2.

I'm curious if the card will output a black screen because the source is outputting the video over HDMI at YUV 4:4:4 or the card will just display the video but at 4:2:2.