VHS -> Hi8 or VHS -> Canopus ADVC100 ?

[Goonch]

Should I transfer first my VHS to Hi8 or should I purchase a Canopus ADVC100 and capture the VHS directly through it? Which will give me a better quality video ?

I will be connecting to the pc thru my firewire port.

[FL350innh]

Goonch,
Avoid media changes as it will degrade the signal. I'd go direct the Canopus ADVC 100 connected to your computer. FWIW, If you have not purchased the Canopus, I use the DAC 100, it's $100.00 less...

[yg1968]

Do you have a Sony digital 8 camcorder? If you do, most Sony digital camcorders have a passthrough feature that allows you to essentially use the camcorder as a DV capturing device. If your camcorder has a passthrough feature, you have no need for the Canopus.

[Goonch]

Thanks for the replies guys.

@yg1968...this is the roadblock that I have run into. My Sony DV camcorder, DCR-TRV510, which I purchased in 1999 does not have passthrough capability. However, it does have that analog -> digital conversion capability.

[yg1968]

The Canopus ADVC-100 or DAC-100 are also analog to digital conversion devices. The quality will therefore be very similar to the one you would get from your digital camcorder. The only reason to get the DAC or Canopus would be in order to avoid the wear and tear on your camcorder and also to bypass macrovision.

There is very little degradation going from analog to DV. It is one of the better options when capturing video.

[FL350innh]

There is very little degradation going from analog to DV. It is one of the better options when capturing video.

yg1968,
Thanks for correcting me. you are correct, What I meant to say was every time you capture, then recap on a differnt device you will loose integrity. Example, Caturing to a camcorder, then to a Digital converter. The best way with minimal signal loss would be direct to the Digital converter...IMHO.

[yg1968]

I agree but my understanding is that he will connect his VCR to his digital camcorder. He will then transfer the resulting DV (digital 8 camcorders record in DV) by firewire to his computer. As you know, no loss occurs upon the firewire transfer. In other words, there is only one conversion occuring during the whole process. Anyways, I think that we basically agree.

[Goonch]

I agree but my understanding is that he will connect his VCR to his digital camcorder. He will then transfer the resulting DV (digital 8 camcorders record in DV) by firewire to his computer. As you know, no loss occurs upon the firewire transfer. In other words, there is only one conversion occuring during the whole process. Anyways, I think that we basically agree.

Just to claify, I would have to record(capture) the VHS tape onto the Hi8 tape as my DV camcorder does not have passthrough capability. I'm sure that you already know, passthrough capability and analog -> digital conversion are two separate features in DV camcorders.

[yg1968]

Yes that's right. The only think that pass through does is that it allows you not to have to record to a miniDV tape as a first step. Instead, the passthrough feature allows you to send the video directly (through firewire) to the computer. But the end result is the same in terms of quality.

In a nutshell, a digital camcorder without passthrough will involve the following steps:

VCR ---*> to Digital camcorder tape (the signal is converted to DV during this process) and then Digital camcorder ----> computer (transfered through firewire)

If the camcorder has a passthrough feature the steps are the following:

VCR ---> digital camcorder (the signal is converted to DV in this process) ----> computer (transfered through firewire)

So the passthrough feature is useful because:

1) you don't need to use a DV tape;
2) there is no 1 hour limitation caused by the end of the DV tape;
3) Sony digital camcorders' passthrough feature will allow you to deafeat macrovision.

But if you don't need those features, you don't really need a passthrough feature. Analog to digital conversion (and a DV out) is sufficient.

[Goonch]

What is macrovision?

[yg1968]

It's protection that prevents you from copying Hollywood VHS movies. But there's other ways of removing this. For example, a Sima box.