Who uses a regular VHS VCR for capturing?

[VideoTechMan]

I would like to know is....who here uses a regular VHS VCR to do your captures to your computer? I know most here has their different setups and hard/software configurations. I have been searching around in different forums here and while I have found info regarding captures using VHS, I really couldnt find a more direct answer I was looking for.

I know that most recommend getting the JVC HR-S9911 for assisting in cleaning up the video before getting it into the computer. My question is....though I do have a SVHS VCR (Sony SLV-R1000) I still have an older Sony VHS VCR that has been sitting idly by for awhile. the SVHS deck is connected to the DV deck, sattelite and to the TV so there arent any connections left on it.

The older Sony VHS deck I have still works well, and plays tapes well. It even has the Edit switch (and very few regular VHS decks has these..paid $400 for it several years ago) I had planned to use this as a seperate capture to deal with massive collection of VHS tapes I have while I use the SVHS for the sattelite and SVHS tapes (and yes I know I can use regular VHS in them too).

Now since I now have the TBC-1000, I can easily connect the VHS deck to it and run the output from it to the DV deck which in turn will do the A/D passthru conversion and into the computer. Will this method be acceptable for captures? Im not worried too much about frame drops since I have a fast system and hard drives, and good software to handle the job, and fortunately most of the VHS tapes I have are in good condition (I take pride in taking care of my things).

I would figure to do this method instead of having to buy another VCR to handle the task, and would also eliminate having to buy the ADVC-100 for the conversions since the DV deck can handle that just fine (for $3000, it had better!) because once all of my VHS tapes have been backed up and archived to DVD, most likely I will no longer have any use for VHS period, though I still will keep my SVHS deck just in case I have to do VHS for my mom since she doesnt care for DVD at all.

So how did your VHS captures from a regular VHS deck fare? Did you get decent quality? I really appreciate any help, Ive been pondering on this all day, since I have pretty much all the equipment I need to get things rolling and hopefully wont have to spend any more money for now.

Thanks guys!

VTM

[thecoalman]

I'm using a JVC SVHS without TBC, about $100 bucks. Nothing special except the S-video. Apparently that's special where I live I had to go to 10 stores before I could find one with s-video "you want one with a S what?????" says the teenage clerk.

[jimmalenko]

I have always used a run-of-the-mill LG 6 head VHS through an ADVC-100 for either tape or TV caps. No worries here.

[wwjd]

I use a JVC S290 and a Canopus ADVC-100. This setup has worked flawlessly. The JVC VCR cost about $100 and has fixed a few of my nearly 20 year old family VHS videos. The ADVC does all of the encoding external to my computer, so I never have dropped frames. The Canopus also locks the audio so no more sync issues. The Canopus also defeats
Macrovison, which has allowed me to make backup copies of my VHS videos.

wwjd

[lordsmurf]

I still use a SHARP VHS when needed.

[B2D327]

I have a Sharp VC-A560 connected to my AIW capture card in order to transfer my VHS tapes to DVD and VCD. I don't think I paid more than $60 for it but it does a nice job for me.

[andkiich]

I'm using a standard Panasonic VHS.

I don't do a lot of VHS ccaptures, and when I do I normally go direct to MPEG2 at 352X480.

[indolikaa]

I moved all mine with a Sony SLV-R5U and a TBC-1000. Solid combination, even with 24 year-old tapes. No special processing, just fed them into the capture device (mostly ATI AIW 9000 Pro, with some DV and Dazzle DVC-II caps) and did my editing.

[BrainStorm69]

Which "older" Sony VHS deck do you have? Some are quite good if they are still in good shape. I suggest this...although you don't want to have to use your R1000 for all your caps, you should disconnect it from your main system long enough to do a few test captures. Then put it back and duplicate the test captures on your older Sony. The compare the two. That's really the only way to satisfy yourself that you aren't shortchanging yourself with the older Sony (assuming your R1000 is as good as it should be).

I have a Sony SLV-585HF that, if it was in top shape (unfortunately it's not), I think would do very well for capturing with (in EDIT mode). As it is, I have to content myself with my Panasonic, JVC, and Mitsubishi S-VHS decks I also have a Toshiba M-784 VHS deck that is very good (it has the best DNR of all my decks I think), but the picture isn't quite as sharp as most of my S-VHS decks (although they have a little more chroma noise).

EDIT: BTW, if you want to get some idea of the difference, you can try looking at the caps I posted in this thread (something like 8 or 9 original caps with different vcrs and a couple more at the end):

https://www.videohelp.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=228269

Some are VHS and some are S-VHS...while it isn't your specific case, it can give you some idea of the difference S-VHS can make.

[ZAPPER]

This ain't the answer that you want to hear, but here it is anyway. Try it out for yourself. I don't mean to be funny or anything, but whatever works best or easiest for you is the only right answer. Everything from here down is just fluff. I have tried a couple differnt set ups with the old cheap VCRs that I have (nothing near as good as what you have) and I am fairly happy with what I got out of the tapes that I had.

I like the ideal that the VCR cleans up anything that comes out of it before the PC captures it, but I kind of liken this to the VCR just putting out a good picture to the TV. What you see is what you get kind of thinking. It would seem that this is the easiest way to capture a tape.

I don't have any external converters or correctors to contend with (I wish I did, I like toys) But I also kind of think that it would be best to get as much of the original tape information into the PC without any outside devices removing anything or distorting it from original. Software can adjust, filter or clean your video after the capture. Granted working with software to do this is a major pain. (at least for me) I don't really have the eye for it, or the time for it, or the brains for it. (PC brains or my brain)

It all goes back to some simple ideas. Consider the source. Your final product will never be better than the source. (except for cleaning up some pops and flickers or such and it sounds like you have good cared for source tapes) Consider the end use. You are going to watch it on a TV from 10' away I assume. Just how perfect does it have to be?

I have given much thought to trying to save every last pixel of my home movies to disc. I thought that wasting a single bit of information was like I was throwing away a peice of unreclaimable time. But it turns out that you have to watch your videos to enjoy them and you will never notice slight compression or the flicker cleaning or even leaving the imperfections in.

Just try a couple differnt set ups. Which ever set up makes your chest puff out with the most pride is the right set up for you.(until some idiot comes along and points out that everything is too red [sorry, I didn't want you to get too cocky])

I say the fewer wires, fewer connections, fewer boxes, less compression, less tweeking, less time, less fuss, less worry the better. Now you go figure out how to do it and tell me how. Lots of luck.

[housepig]

run of the mill VHS here too - mostly Sharp. no problems here.

[Capmaster]

I use a Sony VCR and a TBC.

[VideoTechMan]

Thanks everyone for your input and help. The R1000 SVHS model was a mid-1990's model (about 1995) and from what I read these models came from Japan so the craftmanship is very good...so its good I still have one of the good models left....back in the Double Azimuth days that units had. Why the US can't make high quality products like this I will never know.

Yes, the best way I will know how it will turn out is to do some test caps myself and see the results. I am confident that they will turn out well, have a couple 15-year old tapes waiting to be processed.

@BrainStorm
I dont remember the model of the older VHS Sony deck I have, I will have to look it up when I get home tomorrow, but from when I first bought it it was pretty expensive, but has lasted a long time and still runs quite well. I sometimes wonder if the Sony decks made then were of more robust quality than the ones that are made now.

Of course the R1000 is no longer made but can still find them mostly from used stores and probably ebay as well, and it still commands a premium price too.

VTM

[BSR]

Using an old RCA VMT-385 through my DV cam passthrough. It was a good VCR back in its time.
Did test captures against newer cheaper VCRs(you know , non SVHS) and the older RCA still tracked and looked better.
I wouldn't recommend a new RCA, but that old one still looks better in my eyes.
Eventually I want to get an SVHS, but who knows when.

[iantri]

I would expect that if all you are capturing is VHS (not SVHS) tapes, there would be little different between using a good VHS VCR and an SVHS VCR, no?

I mean, the S-Video connection would reduce dot crawl and chroma noise, but otherwise, is there really much of a difference?

[BrainStorm69]

Slightly sharper picture.

[VideoTechMan]

Which "older" Sony VHS deck do you have? Some are quite good if they are still in good shape.

EDIT: BTW, if you want to get some idea of the difference, you can try looking at the caps I posted in this thread (something like 8 or 9 original caps with different vcrs and a couple more at the end):

https://www.videohelp.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=228269

Some are VHS and some are S-VHS...while it isn't your specific case, it can give you some idea of the difference S-VHS can make.

Brainstorm, the model of the older Sony VCR I have is the SLV-960HF, apparently one of the higher-end VHS models, and has the Edit switch along with having Insert editing features and the like, so I can assume its a good unit.

VTM

[vhelp]

Hi all.

I my JVC S-VHS HR-S3910U for everything. I also have a Sharp and
an Sony.

* I bought the Sharp (two+ years ago) for it's sharness feature button, but
... in the end, I wasn't too satisfied. I got it to replace my Sony at the time.

* I bought my Sony some 10 years ago, I think. Sorry, my memory is not
... what it used to be. All I know is that its pretty old, but the model number
... to this Sony is SLV-685HF. Don't remember what year I got it.

But the JVC above, is what I use for everything now. I only use it's S-Video
connection. I have Antenna Coaxle connections, and conencted to my even
older GE 20" tv set (about 15 years or older) but still kicks a lot of butt, and I
refuse to replace it in my living room. I keep my 13" in my bedroom now.

I am thinking about adding an HTDV or some form of Widescreen LCD or
Plasma tv set, for my computer needs. I don't know. I'm thinking

Chereo all,
-vhelp

[Marvingj]

Like everyone else I have a JVC 7800, 7300 & sony slv5 but my faith Mitisubishi U-51 is still a life saver. I still using it for small projects. By the way still have a couple of beta decks in the closet!

[Madz]

Like everyone else I have a JVC 7800, 7300 & sony slv5 but my faith Mitisubishi U-51 is still a life saver. I still using it for small projects. By the way still have a couple of beta decks in the closet!

I have a Mitz U-56P but the loading carriage is jammed half way up w/ a tape in it! My Sony SLV-555 (think it was the first Sony VHS on the market [after they finally threw in towel on the format war]) still works well, so that's what I use 90% of the time. And there's a GE something-or-other hifi in my bedroom.

Why are them beta decks sitting in the closet? Don't work anymore or just tucked away? I've got such a huge collection of material on beta that I could never give up mine (some of the more rare/irreplaceable tapes have been backed up to VCD or DVD, however). The two oldest are of '84-vintage (the "never-quits" SL-HF300) but still work great.

[SaSi]

I have to admit that I still use my VHS VCR concurrently with the PC when doing importat captures. I don't trust the PC reliability in that (yet). Most of the time I ignore the VHS capture, as the direct PC capture works fine. But not always.

Also, whenever I need to capture something when I am away, it's much more reliable to program the VCR and do it.

Even with a high quality SVHS tape (the VCR is S-VHS) quality is not as good as with direct PC capture, however better that than nothing!

[BrainStorm69]

Brainstorm, the model of the older Sony VCR I have is the SLV-960HF, apparently one of the higher-end VHS models, and has the Edit switch along with having Insert editing features and the like, so I can assume its a good unit.

VTM

Yeah, the SLV-960HF was Sony's next to the top of the line in 1995 or 1996. If it's in good shape, it should do fine if you use the edit setting. It also has sharpness settings in the setup menu; you could play with them and see if it makes any difference. I'm not sure if the sharpness setting functions when using the edit setting.