Upgrading to VHS over HDMI Transfer from Composite

[Allegedly]

Hi I have been backing up VHS tapes as .avi files using Virtualdub for a while now, I recently got an Elgato hd60s for video game streaming but see this as a potential means to get higher quality VHS recording, as I have a Panasonic DMR-EZ48V from the late 2000’s that has an HDMI out that, to my surprise, works when playing a VHS. I had issues with it showing up with my capture from HDCP but I got an HDMI splitter (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B082CXZP71) to remedy this and now the picture shows up in the Elgato capture software as well as Virtualdub 2.

I used to follow this
https://youtu.be/sn_TDa9zY1c
tutorial almost exactly on Windows 10 using a cheap USB device that captures through composite to a Funai WV20V6 SV2000 using settings followed by the guy in the tutorial which are in the attachments I've uploaded.

I am just curious about a few things
1. Any specific free or cheap programs you’d recommend I use to capture VHS through HDMI? I’m no expert but am slowly learning this whole VHS transfer thing… I like Virtualdub, but if it’s going to have issues with what I’m trying to do I’m fine jumping to something new.
2. If the HDMI output on my Panasonic DMR-EZ48V is going to give me an objectively better signal than the composite, or if there’s weird trickery going on. I was under the impression that HDMI-out for VCRs were rare so I am just skeptical.
3. The VHS video signal I get over HDMI seems to fit almost the full screen properly, so I’m thinking the video is stretched, what can I do about this?
4. In VB2 I can’t really change the Output Size from the Video> Capture Pin to the 720x480 that I’m used to doing, I just see 1920x1080 and 800x600, would the later let me have an un stretched view? In the same window what should I do about frame rate? In Video>Capture Filter I can’t check the “VCR Input” box anymore either.

Thank you!

[dellsam34]

Most members here or at digitalfaq do not recommend HDMI capture of low quality sources such as VHS, HDMI capture if not done right harms the signal further due to wrong de-interlacing settings, upscaling and so on.

[Allegedly]

Is it unrealistic to expect better quality capture out of my Panasonic DMR-EZ48V? I'm willing to dive into guides and troubleshoot, I just want to know if it's completely pointless to try this, or if it's just a pain to set up? I'm okay with dealing with some headaches to end up with the best quality I can with my equipment.

[Cornucopia]

It is unreasonable to expect better than SD resolution out of an SD source (just because it has something like HDMI). If your deck is upscaling, that is bad and wasteful (of bitrate).
It is unreasonable to expect good deinterlaced output direct from an interlaced source (just because HDMI). You may decide to ultimately deinterlace, but if you do, it should be done later, in software (e.g. AVISynth using QTGMC).

If that deck is capable of, and the cap device can be set to, capturing SD Interlaced, using a component transfer channel such as HDMI, that MIGHT be a better option than merely capping via s-video or composite. Though who knows how good the electronics are in the deck, so you'll have to try a few experiments to compare (keeping everything else equal). I doubt it is worth it.


Scott

[FLP437]

See a previous thread exactly about the same subject.

https://forum.videohelp.com/threads/397877-Capturing-HDMI-output-from-a-Panasonic-DMR-EZ47V.

See the indications that have been posted there and consult the included guide.

[Allegedly]

Thank you! I appreciate all the responses, I'm trying to get better at doing this and even trying to get started on it as an extra source of revenue to do this as a service for friends and family so I want to take it seriously.

At this point is S-Video with RCA audio is going to be best bet, without a ton of additional upgrades? I am using the DVC 100 and I know people aren't huge fans of the usb capture devices, I'd like to work my way toward a setup like that German one in the link above, but I also am being economical and working with what I have.

Please let me know if there are any better/reliable guides than the Youtube one I've linked, as that's mostly what I've gone off of. It's worked for me, but I end up with HUGE raw files ~50GB. I know I can convert and compress these, but I don't like the idea of losing any quality if I don't need to. Is that unreasonable? Is there a codec you like better than the UTvideo one I use?

Appreciate you guys!

[oln]

If the Capture device supports it, it looks like it should be possible to get 480i HDMI out from it. From what people have wrote here and on dfaq in the past the way the older panasonic combo VHS/DVD recorders work is that the "DVD-priority" outputs (+ component and HDMI obviosly) you get video that has gone through the internal digitizer and thus a stable signal, while the DVD/Video common out gives the direct signal as you would get from a standard VCR. I don't know for sure about this model, but it's likely it works in a similar manner. Also no idea if the internal video decoder is as good at correct wiggle and instability as the standalone DVD-recorders. So, if you have a decent capture card, there probably won't be a whole lot of difference between HDMI and S-Video out.

[lordsmurf]

A quality SD card has always been better than an HD card.

HD cards do SD quite poorly.

It's like buying a car to haul a load of cement. Wrong tool for the task. You'll just make a mess.

The DVC100 is what I reluctantly consider "minimally acceptable". It still has issues, but it's better than many other options, the Easycaps (Easycrap) and Elgato (Elcrapo), the generic "grabbers, and the like. Quality will take a hit with Dazzle cards, but mostly with the exposure values (uncorrectable in proc amp or later software correction).

Lots of component decks have internals that are not component chain-of-custody, force deinterlace, etc. These units were not meant to output VHS for capturing, but instead output a "good enough" (not really good at all) signal to that new whizbang HDTV set.