JVC DR-M10S - Picture Qual Vs. Recording Length?

[EricS]

Just starting to use my DR-M10S - had a question for some of the folks that have done some extensive testing on this unit.

I am using it to convert Digital 8MM and standard 8 MM tapes to DVD. Some of the Digital 8 tapes can be up to about 1:05 and the standard 8MM tapes can be about 2:05.

My question - does recoding quality drop if I use flexible recording to set recording time at 1:05 versus the standard 1 hour setting, or 2:05 versus the standard 2 hour setting.

Also, if there are flexible times that maintain the same quality, what are the breaking times when the resolution changes.

Thanks,

Eric

[lordsmurf]

Just starting to use my DR-M10S - had a question for some of the folks that have done some extensive testing on this unit.

I am using it to convert Digital 8MM and standard 8 MM tapes to DVD. Some of the Digital 8 tapes can be up to about 1:05 and the standard 8MM tapes can be about 2:05.

My question - does recoding quality drop if I use flexible recording to set recording time at 1:05 versus the standard 1 hour setting, or 2:05 versus the standard 2 hour setting.

Also, if there are flexible times that maintain the same quality, what are the breaking times when the resolution changes.

Thanks,

Eric

First question: No. No quality loss by altering within 15 minutes.
Second question: RAM or DVD-RW ?? Different breaks, different res. VR uses VR specs, DVD-RW uses DVD-Video specs (or VR).

[EricS]

Thanks for the info.

I am planning to put everything on DVD-R - not planning to use DVD-RAM at all.

Is there a better reason to use DVD-RW instead of DVD-R? This is for permanent archive purposes. Not planning on re-writing the disks. I have several hundred tapes to do.

I am also assuming that using flexible recording times instead of the pre-defined 1 hour/2 hour, etc., does not affect compatibility for playback on other units. Is this correct?

Thanks,

Eric

[lordsmurf]

FR only changes bit/res, nothing more.
DVD-R is fine for use-once.

[EricS]

Ok, thanks.

Do you know when at what flexible recording times the resolutions change?

[kabanero]

Do you know when at what flexible recording times the resolutions change?

720x480 goes down to 352x480 at FR155 (2:35). But I don't know when 352x480 goes to 352x240.

[tag]

FWIW, I've been getting close to 1:05 on my recordings when my M10S is set to XP mode.

[lordsmurf]

Just thought of something. Big "duh" on me.
Watch the stars on REC MODE.
When stars change, the res changes.

[gshelley61]

I just finished transferring about half a dozen standard 8mm home video tapes for a friend of mine. I used a Sony Digital8 camcorder to play back the old tapes. I experimented with using the firewire DV, S-Video and composite video outputs of the camera. I wound up using the S-Video and analog audio outputs. The firewire DV out did not have a better quality picture than S-Video as far as I could tell, plus the digital audio conversion within the DV stream was too hot and distorted for some reason (with no way to adjust it).

I ran the S-Video from the camera through a Sima SCC Color Correcter to gently enhance and sharpen the picture (can't do that with the DV out, either). Then S-Video out from the SCC to the JVC DVD recorder. The audio I left alone, although I thought about running it through my 9-band EQ. Sometimes I do that with older (non-digital) laserdisc audio tracks to punch them up a bit.

I used DVD-RW's to record, checking the results after finalizing (no menu, 5 min chapters), then copied them to DVD-R on my computer if they looked and sounded OK. I would recommend doing it that way to avoid DVD-R coasters.

Another thing I quickly discovered (and as others like FulciLives have suggested before), you can't go much beyond one hour per DVD-R when archiving hand-held home video camera footage. The images are practically never still or stable - this winds up requiring lots of bit rate to capture the footage without significant compression artifacts (blocking, etc.)

So, one hour per DVD-RW/-R is what I stuck with. My friend was very impressed and said the DVD-R's I made for him look better than the original tapes do on his TV.

[broadway]

FWIW, I've been getting close to 1:05 on my recordings when my M10S is set to XP mode.

I have some VHS tapes that have about 2:05 because some programs lately have been starting just slightly before the hour and/or ending just slightly after the hour. Do you know how much you can get SP mode?
This way I won't have to resort to FR mode.

Thanks.

[gshelley61]

FWIW, I've been getting close to 1:05 on my recordings when my M10S is set to XP mode.

I have some VHS tapes that have about 2:05 because some programs lately have been starting just slightly before the hour and/or ending just slightly after the hour. Do you know how much you can get SP mode?
This way I won't have to resort to FR mode.

Thanks.

The 2 hour SP mode has been maxing out at about 2:09 or so for me.

Don't be afraid of FR mode. It works great. The resolution change to 352x480 does not happen until you set it at 2 hours 35 minutes or longer. At 2:30 and less the PQ is still very good. In fact, you won't be able to tell the difference between 2 hour SP and 2:05 FR.

[tag]

The 2 hour SP mode has been maxing out at about 2:09 or so for me.

That's right about what I got. But, I've only used SP a couple of times because most all of the stuff I'm doing is home video. Invariably, there are a few high motion shots on every tape and the M10S in XP mode handles those considerably better than SP mode.

[gshelley61]

I transferred one older 8mm tape that only had about 1 hour 20 minutes of footage on it. I set the JVC at FR 1 hour 15 minutes - it captured all the footage and it looked fine. Not a very high motion tape, though.

[EricS]

Cool - thanks for the all the input.

Eric

[CEF]

The longest FR recording time for the DR-M10S that retains 352x480 (Half-D1) is: 5 hrs 5 min.

Past 5:05, the resolution becomes 352x240 (SIF)