C-VHS to dv

[kr236rk]

Hi,

have a project to transfer vhs footage to dv. want to experiment with C-VHS format, but i need a c-vhs cam which has manual shutter speed options, alongside the standard AE modes. does anyone know of or remember such a camera that i could look for, please?

thanks

Ric

[redwudz]

VHS-C is fairly old technology. I would try EBay to see what might be available used and then check their specifications. What is going to be your method of transfer to DV? Since this is in the DVD Recorder forum, I'm guessing a DVD recorder, which makes the DV part a bit odd. Or are you in the wrong forum? I can move this thread to another forum if you like.

VHS-C isn't really a format. It's just a smaller VHS cassette. You will also need a VHS-C adapter to play them in a regular VHS deck.

I appreciate a urge to go 'retro', but unless you already have VHS-C cassettes, you would really be better off with a DV camera, JMO.

[kr236rk]

Thanks Redwudz

VHS-C is fairly old technology. I would try EBay to see what might be available used and then check their specifications.

tried this, about 3-4 eBayers selling C-VHS cams, none of whom seemed to know what 'shutter speed' was, so drew a blank there; virtually nothing on the internet about these cams either, suggesting they are not collectable or sought-after items

What is going to be your method of transfer to DV?

RCA cable from VCR to dv capture PCI card (Pinnacle) in pc

Since this is in the DVD Recorder forum, I'm guessing a DVD recorder, which makes the DV part a bit odd. Or are you in the wrong forum? I can move this thread to another forum if you like.

also RCA from a Daytek (am looking for a remote control) dvd player to the PCI capture card; i do not possess a dvd recorder as such - the Daytek won't do this; i burn dvd's in the pc after i have capture/edited material - so was a bit unsure which forum to go for?

VHS-C isn't really a format. It's just a smaller VHS cassette. You will also need a VHS-C adapter to play them in a regular VHS deck.

yes, they are still available; but without a manual sh-speed cam i cannot really go any further - the second hand models i have seen may all possess this feature, or not, so i need to research models that definitely do, before i think about a purchase

I appreciate a urge to go 'retro', but unless you already have VHS-C cassettes, you would really be better off with a DV camera, JMO.

have a dv Canon MV830i which gives a range of manual shutter speeds (as opposed to a more modern Sony Handycam i acquired) but the experimental nature of my footage tends to phase pixels on dv file-conversion - the compression appears to be compromised here and there - so i thought i'd experiment with a retro medium which presents visual data differently: preliminary results are promising but my old VHS cam has only moderate zoom (x-eight) which does not help me to crop out unwanted details; the later VHS-C cams tend to have greater zooms, hence my interest

bests

R

[redwudz]

Thanks for the further information and good luck with your project. This would probably be better in our Capturing Forum, moving you.

[kr236rk]

[kr236rk]

Hi to all on 'Capturing' - sorry, missed this forum and have been kindly moved

yes, i know it's easier to get professional/commercial transfers - and they are invariably excellent - but the subject fascinates me and i like that 'home made' look to small format movies [ciné film]

am also fascinated by 'compression', 'codices' and digital editing generally, with the hope that the more learnt the less mystery when digital glitches appear

thanks

R

[2Bdecided]

If what you want to achieve can't be successfully compressed to DV, then you have no hope with DVD, Vimeo, YouTube, etc etc which are all far more compressed. So how on earth will anyone else watch this in the 21st century?

TBH I've never seen anything which DV is really horrible with - maybe the "artefacts" are actually tape faults (drop outs), capturing faults, rendering/decoding faults, or issues with interlacing?

Cheers,
David.

[kr236rk]

If what you want to achieve can't be successfully compressed to DV, then you have no hope with DVD, Vimeo, YouTube, etc etc which are all far more compressed. So how on earth will anyone else watch this in the 21st century?

TBH I've never seen anything which DV is really horrible with - maybe the "artefacts" are actually tape faults (drop outs), capturing faults, rendering/decoding faults, or issues with interlacing?

Cheers,
David.

Hi David,

i re-invented the wheel last week, going from dv cam to vhs back to dv again, and off-loading a beautifully useless brand new Sony Handycam to the Bay in the process (fully AE, no manual control on anything); went back to my old semi-AE Canon cam and at last started getting some sense out of what i'm doing; it does however seem that i may need a slightly faster processor than P4 at times, and am about to experiment with Sorenson Squeeze 5 on another pc; my Pinnacle 9 av/dv is donkeys years out of date now, but i still like editing with it - but it's time for a change, things have moved on since 2002

think the compression issue is increasingly okay - a lot of the problem was also in the source-capture material, which is now beginning to behave itself. these are home-made experimental projects

http://www.vimeo.com/1996923

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-8156162995813111492

[JohnnyMalaria]

How about an old Video8 or Hi8 cam? When using the live output from a Video8 in camera mode, the resolution is very good (much higher than the Video8 tape format).

[kr236rk]

How about an old Video8 or Hi8 cam? When using the live output from a Video8 in camera mode, the resolution is very good (much higher than the Video8 tape format).

Hi

the attraction of C-Video was it's complete compatibility with full size VHS VCR, a format/medium i still have a soft spot for - but Hi8 would give better visuals: the problem with VHS cameras was the zoom, generally below 10x. My Canon dv cam has 20x, which just about sees me through

many thanks

R

[lordsmurf]

Personally, I'd use my JVC S-VHS-C camera. They were pretty pricey back in the day, but may be affordable used now. It had a TBC, and worked really well.

The VHS adapters often would help a VCR eat the tape, more than anything else. I've got a high-end adapter from JVC, and use it in my Panasonic deck when the camera rejects a stubborn tape.

[2Bdecided]

From the examples, I think the OP wants intentionally bad looking video. The artefacts are part of what the OP is aiming for.

Am I right kr236rk?

If not, there are far better ways of getting 8mm film into a PC.

And, of course, if this is "new" footage, shoot HD - not 8mm film > VHS-C > DV > PC!

Cheers,
David.

[kr236rk]

From the examples, I think the OP wants intentionally bad looking video. The artefacts are part of what the OP is aiming for.

Am I right kr236rk?

If not, there are far better ways of getting 8mm film into a PC.

And, of course, if this is "new" footage, shoot HD - not 8mm film > VHS-C > DV > PC!

Cheers,
David.

hmm, interesting question: part of the interest in vhs was its potential to deteriorate over time, but this effect is actually pretty negligiable: if anyone knows how to creatively 'distress' vhs magnetic tape, please let me know

microwaves do relatively nothing apart from melt the cassette casing

the attraction for me re ciné film is the photographic emulsion, which is a subtle medium; dv [and HD] is great but ultra graphic and would not suit my brief, but the semi AE cams are great for transfer ...

or were - the trend today is for complete AE

thank goodness i held onto my Canon mv830i - which has manual control over shutter speeds, if you want it