VHS to Digital project

[fluffyshy]

There is so much to read on VHS-->digital converting that my head hurts.The tapes I am planning(hope) to capture are S-VHS that are about 5-6yrs old and VHS-C are about 10yrs. I have some spare parts from a custom PC I build 4yrs ago:

• Intel DG31PR
• Intel core2duo E8400 3.0ghz
• 2GB RAM(upgradeable 4GB)
• OS: either Windows XP(32 bit)/7(32/64 bit)

I also have a Panasonic-PV-V4525S VCR and Hauppauge WinTV-HVR-2250. I am planning to store the videos on hard drives to be played back on the computer/streaming. Finding an old 80's/90's VCR and ATI capture card are hard to find, those options are not feasible. Also the TBC I'm looking to get is AV Toolbox AVT-8710 Multi-Standard Time Base Corrector. Would the this specific hardware be able to do job?


Sincerely,
fluffyshy

[sanlyn]

ATI capture cards are indeed difficult to find, although the later digital cards -- 600, 650, etc. -- are decent. But there are so many VHS and S-VHS VCR's circa mid-1990's from Panasonic and others, I don't see how you missed them (I just bought two 1995/1996 Pannies during the past month, and saw several a couple of months ago).

The AVT-8710 won't do that much for the kind of tapes you mention. It's a full-frame tbc. The big problem with tapes is line timing problems, not usually frame timing. A line-level tbc would serve you better. They cost plenty. But you can get by cheaply, as many do, by using a vintage 2002-2005 Toshiba or Panasonic DVD recorder as a line tbc pass-thru device.

Examples of playback problems, with full-frame tbc and two pass-thru line tbc devices here:
https://forum.videohelp.com/threads/331681-s-video-artifacts?p=2141386&viewfull=1#post2141386

Old tapes and copy protection, here:
https://forum.videohelp.com/threads/331681-s-video-artifacts?p=2141384&viewfull=1#post2141384

A whole thread full of really thorough, picky, techy tests, charts, videos, webcam usage, etc:
https://forum.videohelp.com/threads/319420-Who-uses-a-DVD-recorder-as-a-line-TBC-and-wh...591&viewfull=1

[VideoTechMan]

There is so much to read on VHS-->digital converting that my head hurts.The tapes I am planning(hope) to capture are S-VHS that are about 5-6yrs old and VHS-C are about 10yrs. I have some spare parts from a custom PC I build 4yrs ago:

• Intel DG31PR
• Intel core2duo E8400 3.0ghz
• 2GB RAM(upgradeable 4GB)
• OS: either Windows XP(32 bit)/7(32/64 bit)

I also have a Panasonic-PV-V4525S VCR and Hauppauge WinTV-HVR-2250. I am planning to store the videos on hard drives to be played back on the computer/streaming. Finding an old 80's/90's VCR and ATI capture card are hard to find, those options are not feasible. Also the TBC I'm looking to get is AV Toolbox AVT-8710 Multi-Standard Time Base Corrector. Would the this specific hardware be able to do job?


Sincerely,
fluffyshy

Your PC specs are fine. Go with XP 32-bit for the OS since alot of the legacy hardware works great with XP, plus its stable. Alot of the older ATI cards were optimized for XP since quality and capture was more important in that time than it is now.

You can try to find a SVHS VCR with the built-in TBC.....there's one on ebay right now for $250, and features line TBC and DNR which will help to cleanup the tapes: JVC-HR S7800U I trust the seller of this unit because I bought a broadcast deck and another JVC unit from him and had no problems.

An external TBC is useful for doing away with the MV on the commercial tapes. It only stabilizes the signal for a clean capture, it does not clean up the video. And there may be some cases where you may not need the external TBC, just depending on the tape and how well recorded it is.

And its a good idea to get plenty of hard drive space for your videos, depending on what format you plan to record them to/store them in.