Advice on VHS-> DvD transfers

[Snydeman]

Greetings! I'm looking for some general advice on my situation regarding the backing up of my VHS collection onto DvD.

For starters, I've read a great deal on the forums, but it's very hard to sort the various pieces of info and advice for one's own personal issues...plus the serach feature doesn't always return results that can do me alot of good. So, here goes:

All I'm seeking to really do is backup all the various VHS tapes I've collected over the years: Star Trek tapes from Columbia House, some various home videos, some TV shows I taped, etc. It'd be nice to have the functionality to tape TV shows and then burn them to DvD too. I'm not looking for stellar quality...just consistent quality at least slightly better than the old VCR tapes themselves.

Before finding this great website, I tried to do so by buying an Adaptec Video-Oh CD! PCI product to be able to convert the tapes onto my computer, but I very quickly found the quality to be below what I wanted. I tried every solution I could, but essentially I think it came down to the fact that I bought the lowest (cheapest) option available and suffered for it.

Lately I decided to try a VCR-DvR combo unit, which I find to be very good for what I need...EXCEPT that when I try to copy my old Columbia House ones over (hey, I'm not trying to be illegal...I DID pay alot of money for those suckers) I get picture distortion in the top 5-10% of the picture...sort of like someone is "tugging" the image to the right of the screen. After some research this seems to be Macrovision. While I have no desire, as I said, to break laws, I feel it's within my right to backup tapes I purchased, so I'd like to find a way around that. It'd also be nice to be able to back up the DvDs I've bought, cause we have kids coming soon and, well, anyone with kids knows why...but ultimately I don't want to stretch my luck. Gettng the VHS tapes backed up is priority number 1.

Now I've read up on various ways to do so, but I'm a bit scared to take the next step without knowing if it's a truly worthy step...see, I'm a teacher and I don't exacty have the money to keep trying various options.

So here's what I have now:

1) JVC DR-MV1s VHS/DvD combo for which I could buy a GoDvD gadget at best buy for $120 to possibly defeat Macrovision as well as sharpen up the picture. Seems silly though as I'd essentially be feeding the signal out of the machine and back into it. Not to mention you said on the forums that the combo units tend to have bad VCR decks. I do like the fact that it's a simpler procedure than it was on the cimputer though.

2) A pioneer DVR-S706 external burner for my computer and a good computer that can transfer video in IF I get the right analog-digital converter thingy. However I'd prefer a standalone solution as I rarely have the computer being unused.

3) Several decent DvD players and VCRs around the house. (Well, two each)

At this point, my goal is to make decent backups of all my VHSs with a good balance between quality and cost...I simply can't dump more than 400/500 or so dollars into this project.

Would I be better served getting the GoDvD and a standalone burner to use with my existing VCRs (They are moderate quality VCRs) rather than the JVC unit? Or is the JVC unit a decent enough unit that I should just go with adding the GoDvD to it? Is there some better option I could get for my money that I'm overlooking?

Thanks in advance for the help.

-Scott

[yoda313]

Hello,

The hauppauge wintv pvr 250 pci card for windows removes macrovision by itself and is VERY GOOD (I have one I've used for a few years now and is excellent at recording - though MPEG only).

You can get cheaper standalone macrovision defeaters on ebay - though you might also want to try copying with a different vcr. I've noticed some vcr's output differently - depends on the age I guess.

Kevin

EDIT - welcome to the forum by the way

[FKrueger]

Sima CT2 on ebay for approx $70, but haven't used mine since I hacked my ILO DVDR04, supposed to do anything to anything. If you search the web you can find from "tape to DVD" stablizers for as low as $19

[thecoalman]

Is there some better option I could get for my money that I'm overlooking?

Caanpus ADVC 110 in combination with Datavideo TBC 1000

MV removal and a whole lot more....
https://www.videohelp.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=1115672#1115672
If it doesn't open up on capmasters post, refresh the window.

That's the combo I use I have 0 complaints.

ADVC- https://www.videohelp.com/capturecards.php?CaptureCardRead=132#comments
TBC 1000- http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=productlist&A=details&Q=&sku=185957&is=REG

[volswagn]

I would second the Canopus method...

This is the one I have and I believe you can get them now for around $200.

http://www.canopus.com/US/products/advc-100/pm_advc-100.asp

The ADVC-100 is good because you can disable macrovision protection by holding down the digital/analog button for a few seconds.

The quality of the video is excellent. I had a cap card before and it always introduced a little video noise, even when using the S-Video inputs.

I spent $250 on this little baby (remember, you'll need a FireWire port on your computer as well) and never looked back. With a little experimentation with AviSynth, you can make DVDs that look noticeably better than your VHS tapes. It also helps if you have a VCR with DNR/TBC for steadying those really old tapes. Take a look at the good JVC units. I think mine is a 7900U and the Time-Base Corrector is really excellent, even though it's just a built-in unit. If you already have firewire on your computer (I only buy motherboards now with them built-in), your budget for all this won't break more than $500, possibly less. I'm not sure what the advanced JVC decks are going for these days. I think mine was around $300.

But let me tell you, if you have lots of old VHS that you only want to transfer once in your life, spend the money if you can on this solution and don't look back.

Hope this helps.

Aaron

[cyflyer]

hello Snydeman. I don't do vcr to dvdr myself yet, but is some thing I also plan to do someday to convert my old vhs documentaries that are not available on dvd. There is a point I'm trying to raise here, without stepping on any legal toes.

I plan to convert my vhs tapes that are NOT and NEVER will be available on dvd. Where programs have been released to dvd its simpler to get hold of (buy !) the dvd and backup. See my point ? Don't forget vhs transfer has to be done in REALTIME, ie hours and hours of playback, and the quality of actually dvd-dvdr will be infinately better. (eg star trek is all on dvd). Also, you won't need to bother with anti-macrovision because the tapes of tv programs recorded from TV won't need it. Far better option don't you think ?

Sort out what is available on dvd, and what is not (and likely to never be).

[Snydeman]

First off I want to thank everyone who advised me on possible avenues I could explore. As it turns out, the JVC combo unit has a feature called "Video Stabilizer" that eliminates the issue I was having with my ST:TNG tapes (The only issue with that function is that it causes occasional vertical flickering)...plus I tried plugging in a seperate VHS into the front input and dubbing directly from there, and the picture was flawless. As all of the options mentioned here would cost the same as the combo unit, and as it does home videos so well, I think I'll stick with it. I've got the 5 year plan from Bestbuy, so if it starts to flake out later I'm covered. Time to go back up all my VHS tapes, put em in storage and make room for the incoming kiddies.

Next time I try something like this though, I REALLY have to find a website like this FIRST. Ah, life's lessons learned the hard way.

[dloc]

I've got a question about the operation of the JVC DR-MV1S. The manual seems to suggest that, prior to finalizing a DVD-R disk, you can delete unwanted parts (namely commercials) of a dubbed program. On my machine, the "Editing" and "Delete" options are grayed out. Is there a step in the process not mentioned in the manual, or is the edit option only available in DVD-RW disks?