VideoHelp Forum
+ Reply to Thread
Results 1 to 10 of 10
Thread
  1. Up until now I have always converted my old VHS tapes to DV using my trusty old Canopus ADVC50, connected to the composite output of my VCR.
    Being in PAL land, it seems to work pretty well - unless the tapes are really bad!

    By chance I happened to have the S-video output from my old Panasonic DMR E55 DVD recorder connected to the Canopus converter, for a real time transfer of a difficult DVD. Rather than reconnect everything afterwards, I then connected my VCR scart output to the DMR E55, and left the S-video output connected to the Canopus converter.
    What a difference!.. I was really surprised at just how the capture of some tapes was improved. I realise there might be some improvement by using the S-video input to the ADVC50 - although if the Scart input to the DVD recorder was already composite, that might not be true?...

    I remember reading here that the Panasonic ES10 (and similar models from that range) had some form of simple line TBC, but I didn't realise my DMR E55 did as well..

    A quick Google brought up this thread from many years ago. But - as is often the case with these kinds of issues - the replies there quickly became a bit confusing, with no definitve answer.
    It could be that no one really knows what Panasonic used in that machine, but I have to say that the results sometimes present a dramatic improvement over the 'direct' connection!

    I know it's an old machine (and an old thread!) but I wondered if there had been any more specific answers since, as to what Panasonic actually did fit to that machine?....
    Quote Quote  
  2. Member
    Join Date
    Aug 2006
    Location
    United States
    Search Comp PM
    trhouse's post contained a quote from Panasonic's engineering department explaining this: "The DMR series recorders utilize a frame synchronizer where incoming non-synchronous video is and referenced against an internal reference signal. While a TBC performs the same function, it also regenerates horizontal and vertical sync as well as the color burst reference signal."

    An answer from Panasonic's engineering department should be considered definitive, in my opinion. Your DMR series DVD recorder includes a frame sychronizer, which is not the same thing as a line TBC, but performs some of the same corrective functions.
    Quote Quote  
  3. Originally Posted by usually_quiet View Post
    An answer from Panasonic's engineering department should be considered definitive, in my opinion.
    Thanks for that. I was a bit confused by the last sentence from Panasonic: " Since these are designed for the consumer market, no technical specifications of this caliber are available" ....which sort of contradicts their first explanation of what the function does do, as part of the 'specification'!

    So we can safely discount the 3 posters who insisted that it is simply a 'line TBC' and the original poster who seemed convinced it is more likely a 'full frame TBC'.

    Whatever it is, it seems to work pretty well on some of the problems found with old VHS tapes!
    Quote Quote  
  4. You can easily test for a full frame TBC: unplug the source. A full frame TBC will continue to output the last field or frame it received or switch to a blank screen with no disturbance in the output signal.
    Quote Quote  
  5. Member
    Join Date
    Aug 2006
    Location
    United States
    Search Comp PM
    Originally Posted by pippas View Post
    Originally Posted by usually_quiet View Post
    An answer from Panasonic's engineering department should be considered definitive, in my opinion.
    Thanks for that. I was a bit confused by the last sentence from Panasonic: " Since these are designed for the consumer market, no technical specifications of this caliber are available" ....which sort of contradicts their first explanation of what the function does do, as part of the 'specification'!

    So we can safely discount the 3 posters who insisted that it is simply a 'line TBC' and the original poster who seemed convinced it is more likely a 'full frame TBC'.

    Whatever it is, it seems to work pretty well on some of the problems found with old VHS tapes!
    Then you are confused for no good reason. They are saying they don't include this type information (the DVD recorder has a built-in frame synchronizer) in the tech specs provided to consumers for consumer products. It doesn't mean the engineering department doesn't know what's there. Of all people they would have to know!
    Last edited by usually_quiet; 29th Nov 2014 at 10:55.
    Quote Quote  
  6. Originally Posted by jagabo View Post
    You can easily test for a full frame TBC: unplug the source. A full frame TBC will continue to output the last field or frame it received or switch to a blank screen with no disturbance in the output signal.
    Well, removing the input does default to a blank screen with no disturbance -- but then so does removing the S-video input connection to the ADVC50, so it's probably not a valid test with this particular set up!
    It certainly doesn't retain the last frame/ field, so it's a reasonably safe bet that it's not a full frame TBC. I think it would have been surprising if it had been....
    Quote Quote  
  7. Originally Posted by usually_quiet View Post
    Then you are confused for no good reason. They are saying they don't include this type information (the DVD recorder has a built-in frame synchronizer) in the tech specs provided to consumers for consumer products. It doesn't mean the engineering department doesn't know what's there. Of all people they would have to know!
    Thank you for clearing that up for me.
    Quote Quote  
  8. Formerly 'vaporeon800' Brad's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2001
    Location
    Vancouver, Canada
    Search PM
    The Japanese specs page, for this and other models, does say "external input TBC". Their version isn't 100% identical, since it wouldn't support PAL, but I doubt that negates this feature's inclusion.
    Quote Quote  
  9. Originally Posted by vaporeon800 View Post
    The Japanese specs page, for this and other models, does say "external input TBC". Their version isn't 100% identical, since it wouldn't support PAL, but I doubt that negates this feature's inclusion.

    Thanks for that link..
    Looks like it's back to square one then!... it might be a frame synchronizer - but might still be a line TBC -- or maybe both?..
    Seems like the confusion generated by the original thread probably wasn't that misplaced then...

    Whatever it is, it seems to work quite well!
    Quote Quote  
  10. Member
    Join Date
    Aug 2006
    Location
    United States
    Search Comp PM
    Yes, maybe both. The line between frame synchronizers and TBCs is somewhat blurred. According to a couple of sources I found using Google, there are some TBCs that have built-in frame synchronizers and there are frame synchronizers with built-in TBCs.
    Quote Quote  
Visit our sponsor! Try DVDFab and backup Blu-rays!