Critique my set-up (VCR/TBC/CAPTURE)

[digitalfreaknyc]

So this is my workflow...

JVC SVHS S9800U
Panasonic EH-75v as a TBC
Capturing with Hauppauge. I have both the 1212 and the gaming edition with HDMI inputs

I have several questions:
1) Is the Panny good enough as a pass-through TBC or should I purchase an external one like the AVT-8710?
2) Is there a VCR that will better handle EP/SLP tapes? This JVC absolutely hates them and the internal one on the Panny looks like this when I try to playback videos so I try not to use it.
3) Also...I capture Betacam SP tapes as well. That machine actually has component outputs. Is there a reliable TBC that has component inputs?

Any other suggestions?

[KarMa]

Your JVC SVHS S9800U has a TBC, don't like it?

[digitalfreaknyc]

Your JVC SVHS S9800U has a TBC, don't like it?

It's clearly not good enough. Or my capture device doesn't like it. Or both.

Whenever the VCR goes to the blue screen in between recordings, the capture device goes apeshit. Out of sync. Mess. And it will lose frames in between as well until it catches up and gets a good signal.

[JVRaines]

You shouldn't need an external TBC with a Betacam player. AVT-8710s are hit-and-miss in terms of quality; they have used inferior chipsets in some production runs. The DataVideo TBC-1000 is pretty solid.

[digitalfreaknyc]

You shouldn't need an external TBC with a Betacam player.

Is there any reason for that? Are they just more reliable, tape-wise?

The DataVideo TBC-1000 is pretty solid.

Unfortunately that doesn't really help since they're not longer available. any other ideas?

[JVRaines]

Which model do you have?

[digitalfreaknyc]

Which model do you have?

Which model Betacam?

[JVRaines]

Yes, which Betacam. My UVW-1200, which is a lower-end player-only, has built-in TBC.
TBC-1000 pops up on eBay from time to time.

[digitalfreaknyc]

Yes, which Betacam. My UVW-1200, which is a lower-end player-only, has built-in TBC.
TBC-1000 pops up on eBay from time to time.

Sony J1

I'm also trying to acquire a U-matic machine. I have a lot of tapes coming my way that need to be digitized.

[JVRaines]

Not sure about the J-1. Check the manual.
For U-matic, I recommend acquiring a deck with the 7-pin Y/C dub output. You also need a transcoder like the DPS-210 to convert Y/C-688 into Y/C-358, a.k.a. s-video. The picture is much sharper than using the composite output.

[digitalfreaknyc]

Not sure about the J-1. Check the manual.
For U-matic, I recommend acquiring a deck with the 7-pin Y/C dub output. You also need a transcoder like the DPS-210 to convert Y/C-688 into Y/C-358, a.k.a. s-video. The picture is much sharper than using the composite output.

Well, regardless, I need to know what to do about the VHS since that's my highest priority. I've been recording great things with the J-1 but I always like to have the most protection possible.

Is the transcoder you're suggesting the only option? That's pretty expensive. And I don't even have a machine to play them on yet. At this point, it's looking like a player will cost me several thousand dollars.

[JVRaines]

Yes, you need some sort of electronics to upconvert the 688 kHz color signal (which is how it's recorded on U-matic tape) to the 3.58 MHz required by NTSC. There's another product called Dub Optimiser. Don't know anything about it.

The EH-75v may not be aggressive enough for your low-speed tapes. I use a DMR-ES15.

[digitalfreaknyc]

Yes, you need some sort of electronics to upconvert the 688 kHz color signal (which is how it's recorded on U-matic tape) to the 3.58 MHz required by NTSC. There's another product called Dub Optimiser. Don't know anything about it.

The EH-75v may not be aggressive enough for your low-speed tapes. I use a DMR-ES15.

OK. Any suggestions on a TBC though? That was really my biggest concern when starting this thread.

Thank you for all of your suggestions!

[Pinto007]

3) Also...I capture Betacam SP tapes as well. That machine actually has component outputs. Is there a reliable TBC that has component inputs?

Buy Magewell Pro Capture HDMI
http://www.magewell.com/pro-capture-hdmi
It has TBC, frame synchroniser, component input - ALL IN ONE There is no better solution for analog capture.

[manono]

1) Is the Panny good enough as a pass-through TBC or should I purchase an external one like the AVT-8710?

Apples to oranges. One has a line synchronizer (maybe) and the other is a full frame synchronizer:

http://www.digitalfaq.com/guides/video/capture-playback-hardware.htm

I have no idea about the Panasonic you have. Like JVRaines, I own a Panasonic DMR-ES15 for working with NTSC tapes. For PAL tapes my Panasonic NV-HS860 has a line synchronizer built in. I own an AVT-8710 but rarely use it.

[digitalfreaknyc]

1) Is the Panny good enough as a pass-through TBC or should I purchase an external one like the AVT-8710?

Apples to oranges. One has a line synchronizer (maybe) and the other is a full frame synchronizer:

http://www.digitalfaq.com/guides/video/capture-playback-hardware.htm

I have no idea about the Panasonic you have. Like JVRaines, I own a Panasonic DMR-ES15 for working with NTSC tapes. For PAL tapes my Panasonic NV-HS860 has a line synchronizer built in. I own an AVT-8710 but rarely use it.

Gotcha. So the bigger question is to get rid of the Panny altogether and get a new capture card like Pinto suggested or get the AVT and see if it works?