1 hr (XP) or 2 hr mode for noisy VHS archiving

[qlizard]

I'm archiving all my family camcorder recordings. Some of them are over 20 years old so somewhat rough. I have a JVC DR-M10 video recorder, plus a good SVHS and a separate TBC with proc amp. I have been converting all the tapes on 2 hr mode and have been happy with how its looking. But now I'm in some pretty noisy tapes and am wondering should I be using XP mode to get as much quality as possible. In 20 years I don't want to be kicking myself for not getting every last bit of quality, like I am now for using 6 hour mode on the tapes when I recorded them.

Has anyone done a lot of testing between 1 hr and 2 hr mode when recording noisy sources? Do you see much difference? I'll test a couple but sometimes I don't trust my own eyes.

[FulciLives]

The more noise in the video the more bitrate you need. So chances are that yes XP 1 hour mode will look better than SP 2 hour mode.

Although you could compromise and put 90 minutes per DVD disc and use a recording mode to maximize the bitrate for that 90 minute running time. Thus you get a bitrate that is in between the two ... not too high as to "waste space" but not so "low" as the SP 2 hour mode.

Personally for family camcorder stuff I would only do XP 1 hour mode across the board be it excellent quality to start with or not but that's me.

- John "FulciLives" Coleman

[lordsmurf]

I would just use XP for this.

[energy80s]

Why not use D2 resolution - 352x576 - this is more than enough for standard VHS transfers. Only use higher resolution if you are capturing SVHS. With D2 res at 3-4Mbps you should get about 3 hours per disc.

[qlizard]

Theoretically you are right, but I've done this in the past and it appears less sharp to me. I want to preserve as much detail as possible.

Why not use D2 resolution - 352x576 - this is more than enough for standard VHS transfers. Only use higher resolution if you are capturing SVHS. With D2 res at 3-4Mbps you should get about 3 hours per disc.

[qlizard]

If I do this for my archive tapes, do you think there is a way to later use the material and compress to 2 hours that will compare to recording it in two hour mode to begin with? I'm thinking I might record it both in one hour mode and two hour mode so I'll have both depending on how I want to use it. That will be a pain though and a lot of disks

Personally for family camcorder stuff I would only do XP 1 hour mode across the board be it excellent quality to start with or not but that's me.

[edDV]

Doing it both ways may be a good idea. It gives you a best quality archive and a 2hr. "distribution master" if you intend to make multiple copies now and in the future.
This saves the need to reauthor a 2 hr. version if you need a dub in the future.

As for the archive, best way to think about its use in the future is as a source for upconversion and restoration. As such you want it to use the highest quality capture that the equipment allows and the least amount of compression.

Also, don't toss the tape masters. Better quality captures will be possible in the future. Store them in a cool dry place.

[qlizard]

Doing it both ways may be a good idea. It gives you a best quality archive and a 2hr. "distribution master" if you intend to make multiple copies now and in the future.

Thanks for the advice. I guess I had already planned on doing this, but it helps to get others' opinions.

Also, don't toss the tape masters. Better quality captures will be possible in the future. Store them in a cool dry place.

I would never throw them away, but I'm curious. Do you think that advances in compression quality and technique will outpace the natural degradation of the tape?

[edDV]

I would never throw them away, but I'm curious. Do you think that advances in compression quality and technique will outpace the natural degradation of the tape?

The idea is to slow the "natural degradation of the tape".

As time goes by, VHS restoration will become a narrow specialty and advanced capture will be developed. There is alot of video material that only exists on VHS (also Betamax, U-Matic, 8mm, Hi8 and analog Betacam) and the potential restoration market is huge, say in 10-15 years.

[energy80s]

Theoretically you are right, but I've done this in the past and it appears less sharp to me. I want to preserve as much detail as possible.

All you are capturing is extra noise. This can fool the eye into thinking the picture is sharper, but it isn't. Also analogue noise is very difficult for MPEG encoders to encode efficiently, so you end up with a blockier result and no actual increase in picture quality. Remember that there really isn't very much detail at all in VHS recordings (270 lines at best).