EyeTV Hybrid VHS capture has fuzzy signal

[crissrudd4554]

Hello. I posted about this on FanRes and originaltrilogy.com so figured I’d post here as well. Sorry in advance if this is long. Any chance anyone here has used any Elgato products, EyeTV Hybrid to be specific?? The reason I ask is because about 8 or 9 years ago I for about 3 years had a friend copy some of my Universal Monster tapes to DVD. His capture method was EyeTV Hybrid. About 6 years ago I started trying out EyeTV myself. The tuner I have/had was the one pictured below and according to my friend it was the same tuner he had.



However whenever I use this tuner to capture VHS’, regardless of the VCR being used, I do not get the same results as him. I’ve even talked about this with him and even he’s puzzled. I asked him at one point maybe 3 or 4 years ago if I could perhaps try his tuner instead but he informed me it broke. At some point I even purchased the same tuner again on the possible chance perhaps my tuner was broken. No dice. Got the same results. Anyways let me show you what I mean.

This first grab comes from a DVD he burnt.



Here’s from a video I had captured using EyeTV Hybrid (this was the same exact tape my friend captured).



As you can see very fuzzy and grainy. The sound is fine, the video not so much. Why is this? The actual quality that the videos my friend captured, aside from being a bit pixilated, I was very pleased with and have been trying eagerly to replicate but have not. I even tried a few other EyeTVs (Hybrids, 250, HD) and even tried Elgato Video Capture and all gave me varying results but not exactly to the look and quality my friend had. One other EyeTV I tried was this one. This was a 2009 tuner I believe.



Here’s a grab from a DVD I burned using a video recorded with that tuner.



This is basically the same look the 2008 Dazzle (DVC100) I’ve been using lately has been giving me when I try to do my Universal Monster tapes. It has this very washed out and bright look which for me doesn’t look very good. However, quality wise the '09 EyeTV Hybrid is much poorer compared to both DVC100 and the EyeTV my friend captured with. I captured my '92 SW Trilogy recently with DVC100 and they aren’t that low in quality nor have the washed out look. Not perfect perhaps but definitely better than the '09 EyeTV. Also the image above does not have the same geometry as my friends capture (note that his has more image on the sides). Just to back up a bit the first video capturing software I had tested was Honestech VHS to DVD 3.0. The main bugger about this was the ‘overlap’ the exported video gave me (why I had started this thread on FanRes https://forum.fanres.com/thread-724.html) and the Universal tapes had the bright washed out look. Elgato Video Capture, which I tried at one point but ultimately sold, gave me the same effect. My DVD (Honestech capture).




Friends DVD (EyeTV capture).




Note in the last pic there’s a bit more detail in the forehead compared to the Honestech capture due to the lack of brightness??

Anyways I mentioned I tested a few other EyeTVs. One of them was this one.



Here’s a grab from a capture from that tuner.



Pretty close. This actually looks a bit more detailed compared to my friends capture. However the signals slightly off evident by the noticable ‘curves’ of some of the edges (compare the letters in ‘Frankenstein’ in this grab to the grab from my friends capture).

Anyways I ultimately decided to keep toying with this and really only use EyeTV to capture TV programs from my cable box as the issues it was giving me with VHS’ it wasn’t giving me there. Unfortunately most of my EyeTV Hybrids are now faulty to some degree though my original one, the one giving me the fuzzy video, still works fine at the moment.

The past few months my capture methods have been Dazzle DV100 hooked into the 2016 version of Pinnacle Studios and Dazzle v1.0 for the video and my Honestech VIDBOX for audio running through Cyberlink PowerDirector. The former will work mine for other things for now while I’m now having problems with Dazzle v1.0. First I noticed that videos in color captured will have a subtle but noticeable color ‘flicker’ on the upper screen evident by these pics. They’re exactly a frame apart.




Notice the purple ‘glow’ towards the top of the video in the second image?? That’s the ‘flicker’ I’m speaking of. Yes you can maybe see a bit of it in the image above it too but its still noticeably less than the second. Another tape I did that had color footage had the same effect. This flicker is fortunately not visible if the footage is B&W but at the same time most of the video capture devices I’ve tested did not have this effect.

Another problem I’m having with this Dazzle which I just noticed the other night is the video plugin isn’t working on it. I guess either the driver needs updating or the device is getting faulty although I’ve only had it for a few months. The Device Status in the devices properties window reads: Windows cannot start this hardware device because its configuration information (in the registry) is incomplete or damaged. (Code 19). So I have to tinker with that. I may revert back to the Roxio capture device I was using a few months back should nothing work out since it had essentially the same look and quality as v1.0 including the color flicker.

However, I really wanna capture my tapes looking like how they came out when my friend was using EyeTV and for whatever reason I cannot. Just last week I tested WinTV through Cyberlink PowerDirector to see what that gave me. It’s this device.



Note that the device looks much like the EyeTV tuner featured in my first image. And if that weren’t enough it captured at the same fuzzy quality as EyeTV!

So I’m not having any luck with this. Anyone skilled with EyeTV that can tell me why I’m getting that cruddy looking video?? I don’t think its a VCR problem either. I’ve tried the same EyeTV tuner on a 1999 General Electric VCR, a 2003 Panasonic VCR (same model as my friends VCR), and a 2004 Sony VCR. All have the fuzzy effect.

Is there perhaps a different capture device anyone here recommends?? I basically have the programs I need to actually do the capturing so stuff like VirtualDub isn’t gonna help me here I’m afraid. I’m not exactly rich either so I dont exactly wanna spend hundreds of dollars on one of those fancy capture cards which considering my luck probably wont work with my computer though to my credit I don’t know much about them (I’m using an HP laptop circa 2009 with Windows 7 32 bit as well as a circa 2007 Macbook if it means anything). Also keep in my mind all the different devices I’ve used I’ve tested over a span of about 6 years now. Anyways I think I’ve rambled enough. I do hope someone can assist me with this.

[jagabo]

Don't those capture devices have proc amp controls that allow you to adjust the brightness, contrast, saturation, and colors? That should allow you to get good blacks and prevent blown out brights.

Also, use a line time base corrector to straighten out vertical lines/edges. You can pass the signal through a DVD recorder for that.
https://forum.videohelp.com/threads/319420-Who-uses-a-DVD-recorder-as-a-line-TBC-and-w...at-do-you-use?

[crissrudd4554]

At one point I did try messing with the contrast settings with I think it was the '09 EyeTV and it just wasn't fixing it the way I wanted it to. Image was still washed out. Just the same I'm trying to get the results evident in the first screen grab in my initial post. I've tried the same model tuner that my friend had on at least three different VCR's including the same model VCR my friend has and all I keep getting is the scratchy fuzzy video evident in the second screen grab I posted.

Not to mention not every video I capture with the devices that have that bright/washed out look look like that. As I had mentioned I captured my SW Trilogy with a 2008 Dazzle and they looked fine but then I tried my Universal taps and they have that washed out look.

[crissrudd4554]

If it helps here's one of the VCR's I am using. It's also the same model as the one my friend was using. I don't know if it has TBC or not but then again I don't know what TBC is.

[Brad]

That VCR does not have TBC.

One other EyeTV I tried was this one. This was a 2009 tuner I believe.



Here’s a grab from a DVD I burned using a video recorded with that tuner.



This is basically the same look the 2008 Dazzle (DVC100) I’ve been using lately has been giving me when I try to do my Universal Monster tapes. It has this very washed out and bright look which for me doesn’t look very good.

This clipping / blooming / blowout with certain devices is how they react when they detect Macrovision copy protection.

https://forum.videohelp.com/threads/355352-Need-suggestions-for-new-capture-card-to-re...e2#post2241197
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R8FKSrNz-MY

Anyways I mentioned I tested a few other EyeTVs. One of them was this one.



Here’s a grab from a capture from that tuner.



[...] the noticable ‘curves’ of some of the edges (compare the letters in ‘Frankenstein’ in this grab to the grab from my friends capture).

This is probably the model that uses the same hardware as the ATI 600 USB. Your screenshot has the same characteristic bends as that device produces with "good" tapes: https://forum.videohelp.com/threads/376526-VHS-waviness-in-digital-conversion-comparison-screenshots

The real fix for this is TBC as jagabo mentioned, but you'd need to add a device to remove the copy protection if you'd like to use DVD recorder passthrough.


If you wanna keep gambling on capture devices, maybe try tracking down the 950Q model that vhelp has mentioned. See the sub-links in that post, as it's unclear from one post to the next whether he considers it a good option.

[crissrudd4554]

That VCR does not have TBC.


https://forum.videohelp.com/threads/355352-Need-suggestions-for-new-capture-card-to-re...e2#post2241197
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R8FKSrNz-MY

This is probably the model that uses the same hardware as the ATI 600 USB. Your screenshot has the same characteristic bends as that device produces with "good" tapes: https://forum.videohelp.com/threads/376526-VHS-waviness-in-digital-conversion-comparison-screenshots

The real fix for this is TBC as jagabo mentioned, but you'd need to add a device to remove the copy protection if you'd like to use DVD recorder passthrough.


If you wanna keep gambling on capture devices, maybe try tracking down the 950Q model that vhelp has mentioned. See the sub-links in that post, as it's unclear from one post to the next whether he considers it a good option.

Thank you for the response. I will look into that. I was considering this (http://www.hauppauge.com/site/products/data_hvr1955.html) but I'll look into 950q first. Sad thing I've discovered with this whole VHS capturing biz is you don't know what you're actually getting until you try it.

[Brad]

I assume the broken link was supposed to go to the HVR-1955. Not sure if you care, but you'll likely be limited to hardware-compressed MPEG-2 captures. And the fact that this user apparently felt the need to use full-frame TBC for CED capture with it isn't promising for VHS capture.

EDIT: Oh, earlier in the thread he posted a short sample showing CED composite direct to the capture device where the video indeed wiggles heavily.

[crissrudd4554]

Sorry I fixed the link but yes it was HVR-1955. To be honest I'm not very familiar with TBC but at the same time there's a lot with this that I'm only now being introduced to. Should I use HVR-1955, though I'll likely try 950q first if anything, I'll keep those posts you linked in mind. Thank you again.

[crissrudd4554]

That VCR does not have TBC.


https://forum.videohelp.com/threads/355352-Need-suggestions-for-new-capture-card-to-re...e2#post2241197
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R8FKSrNz-MY

This is probably the model that uses the same hardware as the ATI 600 USB. Your screenshot has the same characteristic bends as that device produces with "good" tapes: https://forum.videohelp.com/threads/376526-VHS-waviness-in-digital-conversion-comparison-screenshots

The real fix for this is TBC as jagabo mentioned, but you'd need to add a device to remove the copy protection if you'd like to use DVD recorder passthrough.


If you wanna keep gambling on capture devices, maybe try tracking down the 950Q model that vhelp has mentioned. See the sub-links in that post, as it's unclear from one post to the next whether he considers it a good option.

Perhaps I should start a new thread for this or maybe you could link me somewhere but what you noted in the second paragraph, after using 950q and if it gives me the same effect, what would likely be my best method of using TBC to correct that?? I don't have a DVD Recorder or fancy machine like in this video.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=HEXLlqJQ7Oc

Keep in mind I had never heard of TBC until just two days ago so my limits of knowledge on the matter might be making me think into this too much.

[Brad]

I haven't responded because this post annoyed me:

Keep in mind I had never heard of TBC until just two days ago so my limits of knowledge on the matter might be making me think into this too much.

Post #6 in the thread you linked in your OP, to which you replied on 31 Jan 2016. He later told you that your Panasonic doesn't have TBC. In this thead you posted a photo of it, saying "I don't know if it has TBC or not but then again I don't know what TBC is."

I enjoy helping people, but you've got to hold up your end too. Re-read the threads where you have asked about this in the past, research what line and frame TBCs are, what Macrovision and removers like Grex are, then post back if you want to proceed.

[crissrudd4554]

Sorry if my lack of knowledge on the matter annoys you. I thought that's what sites like this were for. :P

Also to be fair that post was over a year old. How was I to remember he mentioned that??

And if you would check my OP again you'll notice I linked that thread in reference to something else, not the TBC. I hadn't bothered to reread that thread before posting here because that wasn't what I was trying to ask about here. The purpose of this thread was about the fuzzy signal EyeTV was giving me but I figured I'd elaborate more on my other attempts and thats where that thread tied in.

But I think I've gotten all I am gonna get here.

[Brad]

ON TOPIC: The first photo in the OP, intended to demonstrate what your friend's EyeTV looks like. Where'd you get that image from? That should give a clue as to which specific sub-model "silent revision" he had, right?





Stupidly long rebuttal to above post with some forum drama:
I think you read my reply with malice. None was intended.

Sorry if my lack of knowledge on the matter annoys you.

Was this sentence part of the ":P" joke? Your TBC/vid-capture ignorance has nothing to do with what is annoying me. If you'd like, check my post history for my responses to other people that are much less informed than you are. I'd bet you won't find much in the way of rudeness, but you may prove me wrong.

Also to be fair that post was over a year old. How was I to remember he mentioned that??

You linked it. You could have re-read it before hitting the Post button on this new thread. Post #6 wasn't at the bottom of the page, and there weren't many long posts in that thread. I saw the post with perhaps 1 minute of reading devoted to that thread.

And if you would check my OP again you'll notice I linked that thread in reference to something else, not the TBC. I hadn't bothered to reread that thread before posting here because that wasn't what I was trying to ask about here. The purpose of this thread was about the fuzzy signal EyeTV was giving me but I figured I'd elaborate more on my other attempts and thats where that thread tied in.

Understood. But the jittery signal is because of the lack of TBC*. I realize you don't know enough about this topic to know that. You don't know enough in this area to know what you don't know, so re-reading your previous threads is prudent. (And that isn't a dig, just a factual statement. I don't know much about most things. Photography, for example. F-stops? Shutter speeds? White balance? WTF?)

* and because the device's video decoder fails to properly read the unstabilized signal itself, which the other devices you show are doing a better job of.

But I think I've gotten all I am gonna get here.

Don't go. As I said, I enjoy helping. I'd actually love to see you succeed in duplicating your friend's results. And on a personal note, I share your desire to find a capture device that:

1. straightens out lines with relatively-stable retail VHS or camcorder tapes, if not also cable TV recordings etc.
2. captures Macrovision'd content to lossless AVI with no luma clipping, AGC pumping, manufacturer-induced digital corruption, etc.
3. is a USB stick, as small as possible
4. works in Windows versions newer than XP -- and with full proc amp controls (Linux support would be nice too)

If you look back at my linked "VHS waviness" thread, you can see how many devices I have bought over the years that fail at even the 1st of these requirements.

But I'm not going to re-type the explanations that have been given multiple times in the last month alone, in multiple threads here on VideoHelp. It gets old. Can you relate? Are you a regular poster on any internet forums, etc.? As a VH forum regular, I'm coming at this from a whole different perspective than you are. Try to see it from my side. I've tried to see it from yours, and suggested what you can do to expand your knowledge base.

There are topics that I find fun and interesting, and then there are tired old horses that have been beaten to death, beaten some more post-mortem, thrown into a wood chipper, cremated, and spread over the ocean. (If you'll indulge the poetic streaks I apparently get when I'm sleep-deprived... ) The former would be your list of EyeTV oddities, the latter would be re-hashing the basics of TBC, DVD recorder passthrough, MV removal, etc. every week. I also like discussing the actual details of those things once the person I'm talking to understands the basics.

[crissrudd4554]

I apologize. I did overact somewhat. I had a few rough run ins on this site before and thought I was going through it again.

Just to go back to that thread I linked, I had only linked it in reference to the 'overlap' that I was getting for a while. However that wasn't what I was trying to ask about here so I didn't feel it necessary to actually to reread that thread again before making my original post. I just wanted to go a bit more in depth on my various other attempts at video capturing while also addressing my current problem.

This goes to show how my memory slips from time to time. When I initially opened that link in your post I was initially surprised how you found that thread until I reread your post saying that I had linked it in my original post to which I ultimately reread said post and yes I did. So sometimes I can't even remember what was posted only a few days ago let alone a year ago. However it was kinda easy for me to have forgotten I had linked that because it was not necessarily linked with my actual problem.

To answer your ON TOPIC question, it was a screen grab from a DVD he had burned. The best I can elaborate on that was he used the same EyeTV Hybrid model in the first image I shared and the same model VCR in the other pic I shared. This is why this has been very frustrating for me because I have the same EyeTV model and same model VCR and don't get his results.

To my knowledge he did not use a device with TBC to keep everything straight. I had many conversations about my repeated capture attempts and he never mentioned TBC or anything else to me. For the most part he was just as puzzled as I am.

To bring this up a bit I did try 950q recently and here's what I got. Here's a capture from the same VCR in the pic above.



Same tape only this time on the General Electric VCR in my bedroom.



Pretty interesting huh? Someone on another site suggested cleaning the heads so I have doubts that's the problem. I had been capturing lately on the same VCRs with Dazzle and didn't get that look and I do run a head cleaner in the machines pretty regularly at least when I'm about to use them.

But that's about all I have for now. Yes I understand you not wanting to restate information from other threads especially if it has been linked here already. Furthermore I have been scattering other places discussing this.

https://arstechnica.com/civis/viewtopic.php?t=309957

http://www.avsforum.com/forum/106-dvd-recorders-standard-def/1141760-way-around-copyri...-vhs-tape.html

http://www.ecoustics.com/electronics/forum/home-video/649784.html

[jagabo]

Your main problem is the lack of a line TBC. What you describe as "very fuzzy and grainy" below the second image in your first post is neither fuzzy (blurry) nor grainy (random static type noise). The problem is the waviness form the lack of a line TBC. Scan lines shift left and right, and vary in length, because the VHS head deck can't maintain a constant speed. A line TBC fixes that be aligning the sync pulses and stretching or squishing each line to the correct line length.

[Brad]

[EDIT: ^ What jagabo says is also correct, of course.]

In isolation I would say those two screenshots indicate that your Panasonic has less stable timebase than the General Electric. But earlier you said:

I don’t think its a VCR problem either. I’ve tried the same EyeTV tuner on a 1999 General Electric VCR, a 2003 Panasonic VCR (same model as my friends VCR), and a 2004 Sony VCR. All have the fuzzy effect.

So that's gotten me confused.

Cleaning the heads is very unlikely to make a difference, though if you do it properly it can't hurt. Playing an abrasive head cleaner tape is not a good way.

Are you 100% sure your friend had 100% exactly the identical EyeTV Hybrid revision? Unfortunately these manufacturers often completely change the hardware used while the external shell is identical, and they don't bother changing the name. (Like that link I showed for the 950Q, though at least with that one they happened to change the silk screened typesetting slightly.)

Even if you took your friend's actual physical EyeTV and hooked it up to your VCR, you may get worse results given the apparent state of your Panasonic. And that applies even if your friend has the same model of Panasonic, since I'm referring to an issue with the physical unit and not the model design.

Most or all of the screenshots you've posted were blend-deinterlaced, BTW. You should use a playback method on your PC that doesn't deinterlace that way. It's perhaps the worst way to present interlaced material on a progressive display. If you have a modern PC, you should be able to play your MPEG-2 files with hardware-based motion adaptive deinterlacing with 3:2 pulldown detection.

[crissrudd4554]

Most of the screen grabs are from VLC player which shows off interlacing. Even when I 'deinterlace' in VLC it will still have the 'overlapping image' even if technically its not part of the source video. That's why a few examples in my original post, particularly the ones where I was showing off that 'overlap', I actually had a few grabs of the video playing in Windows Media Player since the 'overlap' is not present there.

Here's a Facebook exchange from back in 2012 of me asking my friend about his tuner. For privacy reasons I removed our names.



As far as the Panasonic having as you say 'less stable timebase' well keep in mind I'm fairly new in my learning of TBC so I'm not too sure but based on the little things I pulled up on TBC you may be right. The reason I was suggesting that it may not be a VCR problem was based off my observations of using other capture devices like Dazzle, Roxio, Honestech, etc. which did not give off that problem. Essentially I was ruling out I don't think the VCR is defective or needs cleaning but you basically just confirmed that cleaning out the heads is likely not gonna have an effect anyways so there you go.

[crissrudd4554]

@jagabo Understood. However I'm hesitant to try TBC since much of my research has shown that DVD Recorder machines and such cannot bypass the Macrovision. I've heard that video stabilizers and things like Grex perhaps can help by pass all that but I don't wanna gamble on anything until I'm sure. Is there any devices and such that you guys might recommend??

[Brad]

Most of the screen grabs are from VLC player which shows off interlacing. Even when I 'deinterlace' in VLC it will still have the 'overlapping image' even if technically its not part of the source video.

So then your capture software is hard-coding the blend deinterlace. Bad software does this. I used some ArcSoft trash that forced this when capturing AVI (but not MPEG-2).

I only capture lossless or occasionally x264vfw, so I can't advise as to a good replacement MPEG-2 capture software.

@jagabo Understood. However I'm hesitant to try TBC since much of my research has shown that DVD Recorder machines and such cannot bypass the Macrovision. I've heard that video stabilizers and things like Grex perhaps can help by pass all that but I don't wanna gamble on anything until I'm sure. Is there any devices and such that you guys might recommend??

I think most of us here are too cheap for the Grex, or are like me and want as few steps in the signal path as possible.

If the price is fine with you, IMO just buy one from a seller with a good return policy in case it doesn't work out. Then hit up Craigslist for a used DVD recorder model known to be good for passthrough. The drive can be broken. The unit just needs to be able to pass video from input to output, since you will be sending it on to your computer rather than burning directly with the recorder.

EDIT: Did you completely give up on the Digital8 AV-to-DV passthrough option that was your first post on this forum?

[crissrudd4554]

Only showing these for clarification although I think you all understood what I meant.

Here's my friends DVD on VLC player with Deinterlacing off.


[Attachment 41384 - Click to enlarge]

Same DVD, same player, deinterlacing on.


[Attachment 41385 - Click to enlarge]

Same deal but on Windows Media Player.


[Attachment 41386 - Click to enlarge]

"The unit just needs to be able to pass video from input to output"

Are there any specific models that are good for that?? I don't wanna just grab one and assume the pass through is good especially if the seller does not specify so. Perhaps I sound like an idiot for asking these kinds of questions but I mean that just goes to show how much I know of this.

"Did you completely give up on the Digital8 AV-to-DV passthrough option that was your first post on this forum?"

TBH I forgot about that. However that camera started to get faulty after a few uses so I dont really use it anymore.

[Brad]

Only showing these for clarification although I think you all understood what I meant.

No, I misunderstood. You should set VLC to Yadif 2x instead of Blend mode. It's in the Preferences. (You can also set it through the right-click menu, but it won't save the setting that way.)

Are there any specific models that are good for that?? I don't wanna just grab one and assume the pass through is good especially if the seller does not specify so. Perhaps I sound like an idiot for asking these kinds of questions but I mean that just goes to show how much I know of this.

A certain vintage of Panasonic DVD recorders are considered among the best. Apparently, their newer models got worse after a certain point. DMR-ES10 is the model that is most prized and is claimed to have the most powerful of Panasonic's TBC offerings. I own DMR-ES15 and DMR-ES25; no substantial difference between those two. Some other Panasonic models from the same years as those models (~2003-2006) have been shown to have similar TBC performance. Off the top of my head, I can't think of any other model numbers without HDDs though, and the HDD models still fetch real money on the used market (at least here in Vancouver, and eBay).

Certain Funai-made DVD recorders are IMO more powerful based on my limited testing, but they have a problem I dubbed the Funai Flicker if fed overly-bright tapes. Additional hardware is required to use them with such tapes (an analog proc amp).

Long thread: https://forum.videohelp.com/threads/319420-Who-uses-a-DVD-recorder-as-a-line-TBC-and-what-do-you-use
On the last page of that thread, I added some tests.

In-depth TBC comparison with bad VHS (video samples)

[crissrudd4554]

Thank you for the links and suggestions. I will review them.

[crissrudd4554]

Haven't fetched one yet but I'll likely try the Panasonic ES-15. Another user on another site mentioned having one and said he's been pretty lucky with it.

[crissrudd4554]

A few more questions which, again, may come off as stupid but I have to ask them. So I'm likely gonna go for the Panasonic DMR-ES15. Before I proceed just a few questions. Is the remote required?? Exactly what do I do to use the TBC aspect of the unit?? I assume there's more to it than just hooking it up and turning it on. Am I going in a good route here or is there something else any of you recommend??

[jagabo]

A few more questions which, again, may come off as stupid but I have to ask them. So I'm likely gonna go for the Panasonic DMR-ES15. Before I proceed just a few questions. Is the remote required?? Exactly what do I do to use the TBC aspect of the unit?? I assume there's more to it than just hooking it up and turning it on. Am I going in a good route here or is there something else any of you recommend??

If I remember correctly, once the unit is set up all you have to do is turn it on. But you'll need the remote to get it set up -- setting the input and output levels, turning off the noise filter, etc. I believe the pass-through line TBC is active all the time.

[crissrudd4554]

Thank you.

[crissrudd4554]

So essentially I'll have to set this up basically like I would a DVD player and do it all manually?? Oii this is gonna be tough. Don't really have the room to set it up this way but if it has to be done it has to be done.

[Brad]

So essentially I'll have to set this up basically like I would a DVD player and do it all manually?? Oii this is gonna be tough. Don't really have the room to set it up this way

I don't understand. There are about 3-4 menu settings to set properly with the remote, then you leave them as they are. You can use a universal remote, but it needs to have a "Setup" key. A "Menu" key will just be mapped to the DVD playback "menu return" function and won't bring up the necessary player option setup menu. You also require a "Display" key, but that should be common.

After fixing those settings in place, you can ditch the remote. Should you need to switch line inputs from Rear to Front, the CH Up/Down buttons will cycle through the line inputs after you reach a channel number below CH 2 or above whatever the highest number is. These buttons are underneath a door in the middle of the front panel.

[crissrudd4554]

Are the settings going to be something I may have to mess with whenever I use the unit?? I'm only asking because I'll be using it with multiple VCRs and will likely stow it away somewhere when not in use. I'm only interested in this to use it as a video pass through, nothing else. Not to mention I got a VCR, DVD player, Xfinity box, and Roku box squeezed into the shelf below the TV in the living room so I'm not gonna have much room for this there. I may have room for it in my bedroom but it'll be a tight fit plus I may have to use an extension chord but then again this may conflict with the whole 'using multiple VCR' thing I mentioned. Sorry if I'm asking a lot of questions. It's just this all uncharted territory compared to what I'm use to working with so it's very new to me. I also wanna ask one more thing before committing to this. What are the chances a video stabilizer may correct what I'm getting here?? As you can see the curvy edges are very subtle when you compare them to my friends captures.

[Brad]

Are the settings going to be something I may have to mess with whenever I use the unit??

Both jagabo and I addressed this already. No.

I don't know how long the settings will be retained if you leave a DMR sitting around without power for months, though.

What are the chances a video stabilizer may correct what I'm getting here??

You'll have to give me examples of what you mean specifically by "video stabilizer". Units that don't do line TBC will not correct this.

P.S. Are these Universal movies not on DVD/BD?

[crissrudd4554]

Most of them are but I'm trying to preserve the tapes mostly for my own use although some are for video preservation projects. It's not just the Monster tapes I'm dealing with however. I just picked those to demonstrate some of the issues I was having.