Good device for capturing VHS?

[lollo]

Probably, but it may also depend on vcr, poor cables, shielding, bad connectors.
Double check the signal path.
If you cannot remove the source of the problem, jagabo avs scripts are excellent at fixing. Trust him

[Soundguy]

Probably, but it may also depend on vcr, poor cables, shielding, bad connectors.
Double check the signal path.
If you cannot remove the source of the problem, jagabo avs scripts are excellent at fixing. Trust him

I did, and found that tapping on the corner of the VCR made it stop while I was tapping, does that help narrow it down?

[lollo]

It is symptomatic of some problem in the vcr or the signal path that may add to what we said, but I cannot help further, sorry. Maybe some hardware expert here can help you finding the root cause.

[Soundguy]

It is symptomatic of some problem in the vcr or the signal path, but I cannot help further, sorry Maybe some hardware expert here can help you finding the root cause.

OK thanks, it seems strange that this wasn't happening with the other device, so yeah I really hope a hardware expert can come through.

[DB83]

Gday !!


I am also no hardware expert. But different to this device is the fact that the usb connector is detachable from the main unit. So you could always try removing that and re-inserting it (or give it a little wiggle )


At present I am equally concerned why your preview (if I read you right) has disappeared from vdub. When you have the time (to repeat what I asked for earlier) can you do those screen-caps of all the set-up pages AND the higher level menus.


Allow me to add one thing. I am no doctor but I have 'lived' with a medical condition - disabiliting but not life threatening - since July 2003. What that has taught me that there IS a tomorrow and not try to do everything today. I saw in the other thread you were posting quite early today and are here again now. Sleep is important (not that due to this underlying condition I rarely get a good night's worth). The problem may still be there tomorrow but a clear head might help.

[Sharc]

Nope, no S-Video, should I return this device?

I love the Hauppauge USB-Live 2, but the device is not adequate for capturing from composite signal (and directly from a VRC without line TBC)

Not easy to find an appropriate device with excellent quality at small price for your case.

I am using a DVD recorder (Pana EH50) as passthrough device with Composite IN and S-Video out -> S-Video IN of the USB-Live2. The EH50 suppresses the luma/chroma crosstalk nicely. I assume it has an internal 3-D comb filter between its Composite IN and the S-Video OUT.

[lollo]

Yes, good hint, because the price of a Panasonic (used in pass-through) is much lower than a nice S-VHS VCR with line TBC and S-Video output. In that chain the USB Live 2 becomes very nice again

[DB83]

Re the TBC, I beg to differ. Yes it improves and I will use an ADVC 300 (many will argue that this does not help) for filtering.


But the sample I posted earlier was 'naked' i.e. NO filtering and AFAIK there were no cross-talk issues although, as I also mentioned, I have had similar problems in the past.

[lollo]

Re the TBC, I beg to differ.

What I experienced on my tapes is that if they are in pristine conditions, the line TBC of my JCV HR-S9500 MS is effective (the vertical lines are much better, jitter "removal") but there is not a large difference if not used.
On commercial tapes or other tapes not mine that I captured, the TBC on is mandatory.

[Sharc]

Re the TBC, I beg to differ. Yes it improves and I will use an ADVC 300 (many will argue that this does not help) for filtering.


But the sample I posted earlier was 'naked' i.e. NO filtering and AFAIK there were no cross-talk issues although, as I also mentioned, I have had similar problems in the past.

The strength (=annoying visibility) of the dotcrawl and rainbow depend on the saturation of the colors (chroma signal amplitude) and on sharp contrast transitions as well, and of course then on the quality of the comb filter. In my experience it will be different between scenes, between tapes, between different cameras using the same brand of tape and same scene .....
It's not unusual to see it eye-catching in saturated blue skies.

[Soundguy]

Gday !!


I am also no hardware expert. But different to this device is the fact that the usb connector is detachable from the main unit. So you could always try removing that and re-inserting it (or give it a little wiggle )


At present I am equally concerned why your preview (if I read you right) has disappeared from vdub. When you have the time (to repeat what I asked for earlier) can you do those screen-caps of all the set-up pages AND the higher level menus.


Allow me to add one thing. I am no doctor but I have 'lived' with a medical condition - disabiliting but not life threatening - since July 2003. What that has taught me that there IS a tomorrow and not try to do everything today. I saw in the other thread you were posting quite early today and are here again now. Sleep is important (not that due to this underlying condition I rarely get a good night's worth). The problem may still be there tomorrow but a clear head might help.

Yeah, this has been causing me a lot of stress. Probably sounds silly to be stressing about a bunch of VHS tapes recorded two decades ago, but I also have medical conditions, I had to "shield" for the majority of 20/21 on government advice, so projects like this are a way of staying focused. When you discover you've made such a pig's ear of it, partly down to trusting info / products that weren't fit for purpose, you feel cheated and deflated. There are a handful of people actually enjoying and following the GTA playthrough on YouTube too, so I feel I've let them down also.

It's not like I'm making any money from this, as there's so much licensed music in the game, and I'm not the type to beg money off my viewers either, don't have a Patreon or anything like that, I just want to, in my own small way, put something up that people might enjoy and do a decent (if not 100% perfect) job at it.

I'm not too concerned with the Vdub issues now, as I found a way of recording in AmaRecTV that suits me. Using the Lagarith codec, deinterlacing the source and switching filter on, gives me a 50 fps file, that would be suitable for upscaling. I also have to get rid of the interlace lines before uploading, YouTube won't remove them, so having a 50 fps deinterlaced file = no lines (see, I am learning). If that's a bad idea then I'd like to know, but it's the best solution I have right now.

Also AmaRecTV is less clunky, a better work flow, as I can just click record and go, and aren't forced to "set capture file" beforehand or do everything via menus, which I find mildly irritating.

Yes I tried replacing cables, wiggling, all that stuff, my scart adapter isn't hard wired, but wiggling it does nothing. Tapping it fast does make the issue go momentarily, tapping the opposite corner of the VCR to the connections actually does a better job of making it go though.

If I can solve that bleeding issue, then I think I'm all done and dusted, I'm off to that thread now to discuss that.

[DB83]

TBH I feel a little guilty now having recc a product that might not have met with your expectations.


Yet in another thread I commented that one can only recc hardware that one uses and, generally, meets with your own approval. Sure, as I have stated, I did have some issues with this but it could well have been down to a specific tape or tapes.


I fully concur that one always wants the best out of a task. Back in the day I was referred to as the 'Mr Kipling' of dvd authoring since my fellow traders found them 'exceedingly good'. If I was to be fully honest they were passable - certainly better than some of the cr*p I received in return - and others were more than happy to view them since there were not so many sources and usually on 2nd or 3rd generation VHS copies. And it back then, just like you, gave me a sense of purpose as I pulled through my inability to earn a daily crust due to the ME/CFS. I have another vocation now far removed from video but it equally gives me the self same satisfaction.


Best of luck with your project.

[Soundguy]

TBH I feel a little guilty now having recc a product that might not have met with your expectations.


Yet in another thread I commented that one can only recc hardware that one uses and, generally, meets with your own approval. Sure, as I have stated, I did have some issues with this but it could well have been down to a specific tape or tapes.


I fully concur that one always wants the best out of a task. Back in the day I was referred to as the 'Mr Kipling' of dvd authoring since my fellow traders found them 'exceedingly good'. If I was to be fully honest they were passable - certainly better than some of the cr*p I received in return - and others were more than happy to view them since there were not so many sources and usually on 2nd or 3rd generation VHS copies. And it back then, just like you, gave me a sense of purpose as I pulled through my inability to earn a daily crust due to the ME/CFS. I have another vocation now far removed from video but it equally gives me the self same satisfaction.


Best of luck with your project.

Thanks, one of my faulty VCRs may have just needed a new plug, so I fixed that, but now I can't find the remote. The VCR seems to be in this perpetual "safe" mode, that won't let me use the controls on the unit itself, highly frustrating, so I'm hunting for the remote now because I think that will unlock the safe mode.

But that may not be the end of it because the signal I'm getting is flickering horizontally (see sample), plus it may still end up giving me the bleeding issues.

[DB83]

That could just be tuning - locked on to the old over-the-air channel which no longer exists.

[Soundguy]

That could just be tuning - locked on to the old over-the-air channel which no longer exists.

I hope so, the VCR is a bit better than the one I was using, so might be up to task, still no S-Video though. I can't believe the remote has vanished, it's one of those cases of finding it constantly when I'm looking for other remotes, but when that's the one I actually need it's not there.

[Soundguy]

That could just be tuning - locked on to the old over-the-air channel which no longer exists.

I hope so, the VCR is a bit better than the one I was using, so might be up to task, still no S-Video though. I can't believe the remote has vanished, it's one of those cases of finding it constantly when I'm looking for other remotes, but when that's the one I actually need it's not there.

Found the remote, but the VCR fault is probably more serious if attached sample is anything to go by. I'm guessing even Avisynth can't save that one

[DB83]

At the very least, dirty video heads.


There could be time-base errors as well.

[Soundguy]

At the very least, dirty video heads.


There could be time-base errors as well.

Yeah, the built in video doctor did suggest cleaning the heads, then proceeded to chew up the only head cleaning tape I own.

[DB83]

Those tapes rarely work on that level of gunge. Would require manual cleaning.


This calls of another topic to discuss head-cleaning issues. But I am also concerned that the attempt at using that tape has also affected head-alignment given the 'chew'


So do not test the vcr on ANY tape of value to you.

[Soundguy]

So do not test the vcr on ANY tape of value to you.

Absolutely not, see my post in other thread as I'm considering buying a better VCR with S-Video, would appreciate some advice, trusted sellers etc.

[DB83]

I have posted my typical 'drivel' in the other topic


But allow me to add my two cents here.


Sometimes throwing good money at 'bad' equipment does not solve anything. Stick with your 'good' vcr and just filter on a tape by tape basis. The avisynth gurus on here are very accommodating - wish I could help more on this but the language is 'foreign' to me.

[Soundguy]

I have posted my typical 'drivel' in the other topic


But allow me to add my two cents here.


Sometimes throwing good money at 'bad' equipment does not solve anything. Stick with your 'good' vcr and just filter on a tape by tape basis. The avisynth gurus on here are very accommodating - wish I could help more on this but the language is 'foreign' to me.

The problem is the filtering makes it look a bit too clean, it's supposed to be an "authentic" VHS playthrough of the game from early 2000s, so I'd like to keep some of the grunge in if I can. If that player I linked in the other thread will do, and it is really a case of "will do" at the moment, just want to get rid of that bleeding, then I'll probably go for it.

I don't want to burden someone with continual requests for new filters either, it's 24 tapes, with constant dynamic lighting and locations, will probably end up being about 180+ separate files.

The sooner I can get back to my usual routine, recording, editing uploading, the better.

[DB83]

My last contribution for today (the pain-killer aka Saint Emilion Grand Cru is now finished - not gonna work but the wine was still nice )


'Authentic' VHS playthrough kinda opens up a whole new can of worms. Would your 'viewers' really notice the artefacts unless they were pointed out to them - they, with the ultimate respect, did not notice the issue that brought us here.


Any filtering, beit by TBC or even S-VIDEO, cleans up the original. The comments here aim to give the cleanest picture NOT the 'authentic' one.


Now if I saw typical time-base errors (which the sample does not have) my opinion would differ.

[Soundguy]

My last contribution for today (the pain-killer aka Saint Emilion Grand Cru is now finished - not gonna work but the wine was still nice )


'Authentic' VHS playthrough kinda opens up a whole new can of worms. Would your 'viewers' really notice the artefacts unless they were pointed out to them - they, with the ultimate respect, did not notice the issue that brought us here.


Any filtering, beit by TBC or even S-VIDEO, cleans up the original. The comments here aim to give the cleanest picture NOT the 'authentic' one.


Now if I saw typical time-base errors (which the sample does not have) my opinion would differ.

I guess what I'm trying to say is I'd like to keep a little VHS graininess in there, the viewers don't notice the framerate stuff, but they can tell if it's VHS or not, some of them at least.

[lollo]

but they can tell if it's VHS or not, some of them at least.

Because they are used to VHS capture defects! Improve your VHS captures, learn AviSynth to restore the videos for whatever if possible, always keeping a "natural" look; and your viewers will be happy to watch a "nice" video coming from VHS.

[DB83]

Well that sample is 'extreme'


Extreme to the point that the uploader may be, as we put it, 'extracting the urine'


The simplest proof that a source is VHS is to retain the head/scanning-noise in the lower 8 or so frames of the capture. The temptation is always to remove it and some, I guess, filters (or dvd-recorder pass-through) do just that. It's there in my sample.


Even so, in my eyes 'authentic' retains all the imperfections from an analogue to digital transfer. including the artefacts that the OP now sees. Would these yt viewers - or the ones that actually comment - truly appreciate the change ?

[Soundguy]

Even so, in my eyes 'authentic' retains all the imperfections from an analogue to digital transfer. including the artefacts that the OP now sees. Would these yt viewers - or the ones that actually comment - truly appreciate the change ?

I'm not sure that they would, else they'd probably be watching an HD capture from a more modern release of the title. It's the same sort of thing as vinyl fans, who like surface noise, pops, clicks all that stuff, because it adds "warmth" and character to them.