Hardware decidion for VHS conver

[azimoert]

Hello, dear users.
I have a lot of old video tapes with family content on them. After few days of reading forums all over the internet, I've come to the conclusion that I don't know anything about all the equipment and programs that people offer. The problem is that everyone has completely different opinions about what is worth and what to use. I already have a VHS player and quite one.
Some tapes are up to 20 years old and I want and I need to restore the video.

The question is what to buy to start converting VHS to digital format.
Do I have to buy ADVC-100/110/300 or is Diamond VC500 is an ok option? (Some tapes are more than 15 years old.)
Do I have to buy TV-Tuner?
What's the best option for recording the video while converting from tape?

I will go google some more info but I hope you guys could help me.

[Brad]

Unless your VCR has built-in TBC, you can expect to see wiggles and waving from side-to-side (horizontal jitter) with typical PC capture devices. This could be corrected with a DVD recorder passthrough; look for the many threads on that topic.

https://forum.videohelp.com/threads/376526-VHS-waviness-in-digital-conversion-comparison-screenshots

Regarding ADVC-300: https://forum.videohelp.com/threads/379847-I-O-Data-GV-USB2-NTSC-Capture-Test#post2455300

[azimoert]

Thank you.

Also! Why not ADVC-500/700. Looks like they are cheaper. Are they not that good or something?

[DB83]

Why stop at the 700 ? There is also an ADVC 1000 which can be acquired for a proverbial 'song' ie very cheap at present.

All these cheap 500/700/1000's will have had a great amount of use. So you really get what you pay for.

But anything above the 300 is not marketed to the consumer/amateur. These are semi-pro/pro products and the assumption exists that the user will know how to use them. In fact the manual for the ADVC 300 talks in a language that will confuse many.

Also do not expect much assistance on here regards the 500 etc. There may be one or two guys who have used them but in all my years on here I have never read a single topic about them (cue the links )

For the same money you could easily invest in a quality usb capture device. But, as already stated, the capture device is only part of the equation.

[azimoert]

Why stop at the 700 ? There is also an ADVC 1000 which can be acquired for a proverbial 'song' ie very cheap at present.

All these cheap 500/700/1000's will have had a great amount of use. So you really get what you pay for.

But anything above the 300 is not marketed to the consumer/amateur. These are semi-pro/pro products and the assumption exists that the user will know how to use them. In fact the manual for the ADVC 300 talks in a language that will confuse many.

Also do not expect much assistance on here regards the 500 etc. There may be one or two guys who have used them but in all my years on here I have never read a single topic about them (cue the links )

For the same money you could easily invest in a quality usb capture device. But, as already stated, the capture device is only part of the equation.

That's the issue. I am a newbie and probably will not get a lot of good results. I have more than 100 VHS to go thru. The thing is that buying hardware and software will be much cheaper than paying some guys for work here in Russia. That is why I want to explore more and hear some advice from professionals.

Also! What is the good capturing device? Is it better to get the TV tuner for PCI slot of maybe something that will use USB like Diamond VC500 is better?

[DB83]

You asked the question in the initial post about a tv tuner. The answer is NO. You do NOT need a tv tuner if you are only capturing VHS.

The good capture devices are Hauppuage usb-live2 or the genuine EzCap116 (not the $10 knock-off easycaps)

I believe there are topics on here about the Diamond VC500. So do read.

There is one issue that may be relevant. You state you are in Russia. Now Russia used a quite specific analogue tv system - a variant of Secam IIRC. Not really sure if standard capture devices can handle that.

BTW most of us on here are not professionals. Just enthusiast amateurs. Some better than others. I do not count myself in the 'better' category.

[Brad]

PCI or USB doesn't matter. And the quality of the capture device matters much less than the quality of the VCR.