That's good to know, thank you.
I actually was looking into UtVideo a few hours ago, it does seem like it was designed to be the best of both HuffYUV and Lagarith, and it's useful that ffmpeg supports encoding to UtVideo when it only allows decoding of Lagarith.Originally I was going to capture to Lagarith too. I'd recommend checking into UtVideo.
How are you finding AmarecTV, and is there a reason you chose it over VirtualDub?
Also I'm curious, if you don't mind me asking, what are you charging your customers per tape to make back on the equipment? Or if not per tape, do you use a different pricing model?
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I used Virtualdub for my first couple hundred captures because it seemed to be "the" app to use. It had occasional audio sync issues and frame drops that only amounted to mild inconveniences but did lead me to try AmaRecTV — boom, no more issues. I'd be content with Virtualdub but this has just proved easier for the same result.
After doing my own personal tapes I posted on Facebook, being completely up-front about my lack of experience but explaining my research/gear/approach, and asking if anyone wanted some VHS transfers done for $15/tape. $15 is half the typical fee in my area and I had 200 tapes to capture in two weeks. Once people started getting their videos, they told friends. I list $40/tape as my "normal" fee but generally do each for $25; everyone likes getting a deal, and that's plenty for the time I spend on it, especially since I can get other work done at the same time.
People get their digital files (a lossless master plus a smaller AVC encode) on a USB drive provided at cost on top of the per-tape fee. Plus $2/DVD if they want those — which I discourage and most don't.
In all honesty this is a side gig, and I treat the content I'm capturing seriously but the business of it pretty informally. It funded the preservation of my own family's videos and the work matters to me (I'm a father and teared up multiple times capturing the videos of that little boy…) so if all my hardware breaks tomorrow and I just come out even, hey worth it. -
+1 for AmaRecTV being a good capture app to have in your arsenal. I agree it somehow has less audio sync trouble. Still, it's quirky. But so is Virtualdub!
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Italo, have you found Virtualdub to be better for any kind of tape in particular? I basically switched to AmaRecTV and never looked back — maybe I should be doing more testing with Vdub.
Totally random but now I'm capturing tapes of a local couple meeting their adopted children for the first time, in Peru. I really love this. -
No, I'm basically in the same boat as you, Tig_. I quickly realized everything "just works" in AmaRecTV, so that's what I've been using for most captures, for now.
Try out different things and see what works well and what features you like. Having more than one option, be it for software or hardware, gives you more flexibility. I like having choices in general, knobs to twiddle, options to tweak...but sometimes I surprise myself and go for the dumbed-down options because usability and simplicity is a factor for me, too.Last edited by ItaloFan; 23rd Dec 2020 at 01:42. Reason: added 2nd paragraph
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Looks like AmaRecTV it is when I'm eventually ready to do this. And I really appreciate the insights about the business side of it, it's good to know that I might able to recoup my costs while making people smile. I've worked on a lot of different projects over the years but I don't think any of them will hold a candle to the potential sentimental value and appreciation (by both myself and others) that capturing VHS will, just because of how legacy it is. Legacy tech = legacy memories, I suppose.
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A ton of documentation, conversation, and filters have developed for Virtualdub over the years — I'm not qualified to steer anyone away from it. Despite using AmaRecTV for all of my captures now, if it ever fails I'll be glad to have spent time with Vdub and have it as an alternative.
I'm about ten minutes from the end of my last tape of that couple who adopted their kids from Peru — and Bolivia, as it turns out. Y'know that Jesus statue in Brazil? Fun fact, there's a bigger one, modeled after it, in Bolivia. Never knew that until now. I love this work. And I love that you're drawing from a variety of opinions and experience on your journey.
At this point I hope some more established users will chime in to rebut what I've said here. We all gain from vigorous discourse. -
Re the links back to vintage posts by PuzZLeR and myself: some clarification and updated context may be of help. Those posts were written circa 2014, which was probably the lowest point, worst-nightmare era for aficionados of the Panasonic AG1980. The intersection of AG1980 decay rates with attrition of techs willing or capable of working on them was about as bad as it got. Already, there were only two or three techs in all of North America known for their decent work on this infuriating VCR, and right around that time two of the three retired or bailed. This was disturbing, because the repairs were not cheap and almost always needed to be redone every few years: if all the specialist techs disappeared, the AG1980 might as well not exist. Hence, the couple years of Chicken Little posts.
Almost all of the advice on the topic of VHS transfer projects here and at DigitalFAQ is long since written in stone and has seldom changed over the past fifteen years. The trend of availability for various discontinued pieces of hardware in good condition generally gets poorer as each year passes, which stinks because many VHS PQ issues need to be fixed inside the VCR before the signal even exits to your capture chain. However, the AG1980 has had a couple of white knights ride in to its rescue the past couple years. Two repair specialists have expanded their interest in taking on service requests for the 1980, and have refined their repair techniques to make the restoration more durable than it was a few years back. The drawback, of course, is money: getting an AG1980 properly rebuilt was never inexpensive but today the rate is higher than its ever been. The good news, is that its at least once again possible (at a price) to lay hands on a fully functional AG1980. If you're in a hurry and can afford the ready-to-roll premium, TGrant photo usually has a pre-reconditioned AG1980 for sale in the $1500 range. If that is beyond your budget, buy a used 1980 from wherever for $300 then ship it out to TGrant or Deter for a $600 overhaul.
Whether the cost is worth it is subjective to the individual person and the emotional/monetary value they place on their own tapes. My personal experience since 2009 has been that the AG1980 lives up to its reputation: it really is unique and irreplaceable. During the period when repairs were unobtainable/unreliable, I managed with a single half-functional 1980 supplemented by a couple Mitsu 2000s I had bought new in the box back in 2006, plus a couple of JVC SVHS with DigiPure. Overall, from my collection of 3000 tapes spanning nearly 40 years, I'd say most play the best (to my eyes) in the 1980. The Mitsubishi DVHS periodically beats the AG1980 in some respects but not in others: many times it is splitting hairs to pick the winner.
The JVCs I tolerate but never truly like: they are beloved by gurus here, but to my eye they rob every scrap of realism from the image in favor of maxxed-out noise reduction. Depending on the tape or your personal visual taste, you might lean more toward the JVC or Panasonic AG1980 rendition, while IMO the Mitsu 2000 splits the difference (with a decided skew toward the JVC interpretation). Where the 1980 really aces the other options is tracking predictability and range: it excels with steadiness of HiFi audio lock and slow-speed EP/SLP tapes. The Mitsu 2000 units are fickle with HiFi lock and widely variable with SLP/EP (perversely, cheaper Mitsus like the HS-U748 lack TBC/DNR but are tracking stars comparable to the AG1980). The many JVC models vary noticeably in their tracking ability (broadly speaking, the older top-line JVCs have a nicer overall picture but more finicky tracking, later JVCs inch closer to the 1980 in tracking performance but their video presentation is a hair less impressive than older models).
Regarding your questions about dropped frames, the computer itself contributes less to this than the encoding device you attach to it. Some have a minimal tendency to drop frames, while others like badly-made EZcap clones or Black Magic HDTV-optimized units will drop frames like the Three Stooges on roller skates. At the very least, most capture devices will require a good dvd recorder used as a pass-thru frame synchronizer, but more often than not the depressing fact is you'll wind up needing a dedicated TBC to eradicate dropped frame issues. At this late stage, the only one you should even consider buying second hand for VHS work is the DataVideo TBC1000. These cost a minimum $600 in working condition, with the average closing price now approaching $1200. While sturdy and for the most part repairable, they had some build quality issues and some parts are no longer replaceable, so make sure you get an ironclad return/refund guarantee from the seller.
A few months ago I unexpectedly acquired a somewhat rare and extremely interesting broadcast-quality Sony SVP-5600 SVHS VCR (actually a player, since it has no record features, the recording version is SVO-5800). These were marketed between 1997-2003, among the very last of the "pro" SVHS iterations. Most "broadcast" VCRs are terrible choices for making digital transfers, due to minor spec incompatibilities with consumer tape playback, decaying electronics and lack of digital-compatible built-in TBC/DNR. But these Sony beasts are a rare exception, built with premium-grade ultra-durable electronic parts (vs competitors from JVC and Panasonic pro lineups, most of which are landfill fodder now). Their advantages are threefold: they track consumer tapes as reliably as the Panasonic AG1980, they track HiFi and minimize HiFi audio tracking noise comparable to the scarce, amazing JVC WVHS units, and include as standard a bespoke VHS-optimized integrated pro TBC that blows external TBCs like the DataVideo into the weeds (transparent, rock steady signal output even with MV-infested Hollywood tapes, no frame drops ever). Disadvantage is they're SP-speed only (no EP/SLP), they're impossible to find, and if the mechanicals break down they're door stops (since zero-nada-no VCR techs will touch broadcast models anymore).Last edited by orsetto; 23rd Dec 2020 at 23:09.
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Every detail orsetto just shared about the Mitsubishi v AG-1980 v JVC meshes with my experiences. Including that even when Mit beats the 1980s, there's some splitting of hairs going on. Actually I think his post ties up a lot of loose ends here. Not sure if I've ever said it before: thanks orsetto for all your contributions here.
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Thanks for the feedback, Tig_!
Although now I'm even more embarrassed by my bad habit of not noticing where an OP lives before rushing to reply.
Apologies, Kaos-Industries, for not initially seeing you are located in UK. The models I was talking about are NTSC, and the repair options USA-based, which may not be of any relevance to you. In PAL countries like UK, availability in general and models in particular were different from North America (i.e., the AG1980 does not have an exact counterpart in Europe: the closest PAL version was NV-FS200). The NV-FS200 had roughly comparable performance to the AG1980, but used different mechanicals and (at least until recently) more-durable electronics. My understanding from friends in UK is that the NV-FS200 has now caught up with the unfortunate repair quagmire that plagues the AG1980. Unlike North America, which never got an update to the AG1980, EU received several evolutionary followup models, the most well-regarded (IIRC) being the NV-HS860.
Re the Mitsu 2000, AFAIK the DVHS format was not marketed extensively outside Japan (primarily) and North America, so the HS-HD2000U may not be an option available to you in UK. Fortunately, JVC did manage to keep most of its DigiPure SVHS models aligned from country to country, so most of the model-specific info you read about here and elsewhere concerning USA/Canada JVCs will apply to UK models (tho there might be slight changes to the model numbers). LordSmurf keeps an excellent, comprehensive, updated list of PAL models suitable for transfer work (and how they relate to better-known NTSC variants) in the VCR Guides at his DigitalFAQ website, check there for accurate EU model numbers.
The DataVideo TBC1000 remains the standalone TBC of choice in both PAL and NTSC markets. In UK you had/have a couple better-known alternative TBCs like CBT-100: these can be problematic, and again the DigitalFAQ guides document these issues.
My sidebar remarks about the Sony SVP-5600 and SVO-5800 are strangely more relevant in EU than North America: these models are rather scarce in USA but seem oddly available in EU (where the PAL model numbers are predictably the same but with a P at the end, i.e. SVP-5600P). Sources like eBay price these Sonys in the stratosphere, way way higher than reasonable, but you might get lucky and stumble across one for a couple hundred euro like I did. While not as desirable as a Panasonic AG1980 etc (no "broadcast" deck is, they all will unpredictably mess up with some home-recorded tapes), these Sony twins have a fantastic built-in full-range TBC that equals and often betters the external DataVideo (as it should, since these VCRs sold new for upwards of 4000 euro). If you can find one for a good low-ish price, one of these Sonys can be an ideal source player for certain classes of tape like commercial Hollywood movies (as the built-in TBC eliminates MV contamination and frame drops more cleanly than any external TBC).Last edited by orsetto; 24th Dec 2020 at 00:52.
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No. Newer OS sometimes change, even fundamentally change, or remove, aspects upon which the card was built. For example, ATI AIW connects to DirectX9 and DirectShow. That's OS, not card drivers. Media Foundation isn't 100% compatible. Other cards are affected as well.
and it's basically become a hobby to make people aware of the dangers of network-connected EOL OSes.
or if this could all be done via virtualisation,
but I find it annoying that thanks to the card manufacturers the only way to do this is by exposing yourself to vulnerable systems,Want my help? Ask here! (not via PM!)
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TBCs have nothing to do with OS.
Magewell (and other HD cards, like Blackmagic) actually need TBC more than ever. The big problem with these HD cards is that frames are dropped, and not reported as dropped. So if you have "no problems", odds are that you have problems that you've not yet noticed. You won't see this until actually watching all of the capture footage. Of course, by then, it's too late. And you'll be far too disgusted to re-capture a mountain of tapes.Want my help? Ask here! (not via PM!)
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AG-1980 NTSC = NV-FS200 PAL
Pricing is different largely due to caps.Want my help? Ask here! (not via PM!)
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Regarding the NV-HS860, is it really comparable to the AG-1980? It seems to be going for quite a bit cheaper than the 1980 so I'm slightly skeptical about how good it is.
As LordSmurf and I noted, the closest PAL equivalent to the AG1980 was the NV-SF200. From that basic fact, things proceed to get a bit more complicated and shaded in UK vs USA.
The NV-SF200 was styled to look very much like the 1980, and engineered with similar TBC/DNR improvements, but because analog PAL is distinctly different from analog NTSC, Panasonic could not simply clone the AG1980 one hundred percent. So the NV-SF200 employs different mechanicals, reputedly offering comparable tracking performance to the 1980 but slightly less reliability in the loader (statistically insignificant: there are plenty of AG1980s with dead loaders as well). In terms of video rendition, the 200 is considered comparable to the 1980 but in some ways slightly better, arguably due to PAL format having some inherent advantages over NTSC to begin with. A handy advantage of the 200 is ability to individually switch the TBC and DNR features in or out of the video path as might be needed with some tapes (the 1980 allows the TBC to be disabled but the DNR is always active). Electronic build quality of the two units is similar, although their reliability profiles diverged in early years before catching up over the past decade. The 1980 had a much higher initial decay rate in its many caps, but eventually the 200s began having similar failures at a rapidly increasing pace, to where they are now both a huge expensive pain to repair.
Panasonic evidently considered the 1980 utterly perfect for the North American market, so never bothered to update it with followup models. It remained their one and only SVHS with TBC/DNR from the day it was introduced until Panasonic exited that business. The situation in Japan and EU was quite different: for whatever reason, Panasonic felt far more compelled to keep iterating new and improved versions, with varying results. On one hand, they very quickly corrected the "vulnerable surface mount caps and transistors prone to failure" design: followups to the NV-FS200 have fewer discrete parts. Usually this is a good thing, but some have argued that despite its failings the NV-FS200 can at least be rebuilt if necessary, while if the more integrated electronics in the later models do blow up they cannot be repaired.
OTOH, these followup models have more controversial video performance. If functioning properly, the 200 is considered fairly well-rounded with few glaring PQ issues. Later versions are more variable, even within the same model year (i.e., the 860 is thought by some to be the pick of sequels to the 200, with the more premium 960 not quite matching it). The 1000 (aka 4700) is a frustratingly "improved" 200: PQ, TBC and tracking are slightly better, but it omits the DNR of the 200, electronics a bit more reliable, but if a power surge fries it no repairs are possible. And so on, thru several more Panasonic offshoots.
One VH member's overview of the x60 series can be found here: https://forum.videohelp.com/threads/327630-Panasonic-NV-HS860-and-others-in-that-range Recently, I've begun to suspect x50 and x60 series might be infused with JVC DNA, quite possibly switching from the Panasonic-exclusive TBC/DNR of the 1980/200/1000 to the JVC Digipure circuit (or copycat variant as used in the Mitsu 2000). The giveaway is the promotion of "3D" noise reduction and some subtle design cues of the casing and faceplate. In North America, Panasonic did sell a few re-branded or slightly modified JVC SR SVHS models toward the end of the AG series, which would have been contemporary to the 860.
Every so often, I run across the Japanese-market NTSC version of the PAL 860 and consider buying it just to verify the type of TBC/DNR it employs, but get spooked by the need for a voltage step-down transformer and kanji-only menus/displays. It would be interesting to know if the 860 (and its Japanese NTSC variant) combines the Panasonic Type Z transport with JVC DigiPure TBC/DNR, or retains an evolution of Panasonic's own 1980/200 TBC/DNR circuit. Either possibility would offer a distinct "third path" alternative to the duopoly of JVC + Panasonic traditional models.Last edited by orsetto; 26th Dec 2020 at 15:06.
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You made a typo.
NV-FS200 -- not SF200.
Trivia: Did you know the NV-FS200NX is an NTSC unit, identical to AG-1980P? I've only ever seen one to date.
Not even TGrant had heard of these before.
I hate the AG-1980 decks. I now have 4 units with bad caps that need repair. All had been repaired in the past decade, some as recently as 2018. It's caused repairs to require more in-depth repairs, with 100% of all caps needing swaps (not just bad caps). The "good" caps will go bad eventually, make no mistake. Those 1980 repairs costs as much as a "new" (new to me) JVC deck.
Panasonics are a necessary evil when you do what I do. For casual users, it's honestly just sadism.Last edited by lordsmurf; 25th Dec 2020 at 00:13.
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Oof. I try so hard to remember its "FS" but my brain wiring seems to think "SF" is correct. Then they switched to "HS" in later models and threw me completely off! Still, I guess easier to keep track of than the JVC PAL model numbers.
Trivia: Did you know the NV-FS200NX is an NTSC unit, identical to AG-1980P? I've only ever seen one to date.
Not even TGrant had heard of these before.
JVC was an oasis of clarity by comparison, always neatly laid out in three model naming categories: "HR" for consumer, "SR" for prosumer, and "BR" for broadcast/post-production.
I hate the AG-1980 decks. I now have 4 units with bad caps that need repair. All had been repaired in the past decade, some as recently as 2018. It's caused repairs to require more in-depth repairs, with 100% of all caps needing swaps (not just bad caps). The "good" caps will go bad eventually, make no mistake. Those 1980 repairs costs as much as a "new" (new to me) JVC deck.
Panasonics are a necessary evil when you do what I do. For casual users, it's honestly just sadism.Last edited by orsetto; 26th Dec 2020 at 12:46.
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PSA for readers: Truthler is a 2020 VH troll shilling for OBS in multiple threads. Ignore.
Continue using VirtualDub for quality VHS transfer.
Just by removing the lid to an AG-1980, I can already see the overcomplicated nature of the machines.Last edited by lordsmurf; 25th Dec 2020 at 19:40. Reason: un-autocorrected
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He is crapping all over the place, He deserves the nickname Truthless.
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And it isn't only the infamous surface-mount caps that are difficult (I make no attempt to deal with those, my crude soldering skills extend no further than replacing the AC cord in a table lamp). Before you can even get to the stupid caps, or access any of the transport areas that typically fail, you need to conquer over a dozen hell-spawned connector clips Panasonic uses to wire the boards to the transport and the daughtercards to the main board. This alone nearly defeated me: I had my first 1980 half apart when my fingernails were so scraped and bloody I had to set the damn thing aside for a couple days (or I would have taken a jackhammer to it and flushed the carcass down the toilet).
Bad enough these flimsy plastic connectors come in three sizes (small, smaller, microscopic), and are fused together tighter than a spot weld: they operate in such a manner that the only practical way to unclasp them is if you have unimpeded access from above to fiddle with them. But what did Panasonic in its infinite sadism do? They designed the 1980 with the main board upside down, so that most of these connectors become an utter paradox: they can't be undone unless you can reach them, but you can't reach most of them because the damned board is mounted upside down. You can't cheat by getting at them from the bottom panel, either, because Panasonic thoughtfully impedes access to all but the last-to-go connector and one drive belt with the bottom cover off: this you discover upon removing 19 screws and cutting your hand on the sharp pot metal bottom cover. Why the thing even has a removable bottom cover is a mystery: there's almost nothing accessible with it off. About all you can do is use your fingers to manually spin the loader drive shaft to (tediously) force a tape out if the loader mechanism fails.
After a great deal of trial and error, while referring to the remarkably unhelpful dual service manuals (main chassis + transport) that fail to mention a couple absolutely necessary steps required to even begin disassembly , you eventually realize all four sub assemblies (power supply, transport, front display and motherboard) to some degree need to be eased out or disconnected simultaneously before you can access the majority of areas that need service or replacement. Only two parts can be popped right out independently with no need to tear apart the entire deck first: the power supply and the video head preamp module. Everything else is gonna be a real bumpy ride (I still haven't figured out how to release the fussy connector clips fastening the TBC and audio cards to the motherboard).
The most infuriating and frustrating aspect is the AG1980 / NV-FS200 / NV-HS1000 internal design makes no sense whatsoever from a mfr standpoint: its unnecessarily complex to mfr, and would have been a huge time sink for warranty repairs. One simple change would make it 10x easier to service: mounting the motherboard on the bottom facing upwards, as in every other consumer and prosumer VCR Panasonic ever sold. Or if they just had to mount it upside down for some inexplicable reason, at least don't size the board so that it overhangs the damned transport mechanism , forcing you disconnect and partially remove it before you can take out the transport (which itself should be more accessible from the bottom cover, without needing to yank the entire assembly out for minor fixes).
Oh, and as a final middle finger to the intrepid service person: of the nine or so cables connecting transport to mother board, Panasonic randomly soldered one to the transport instead of using their usual fiddly plastic clip. If not for this single soldered cable, you could take out the transport independently instead of needing to partially remove the PSU and entire electronics harness to get at and unclip the other end of it. I suppose a pro would just unsolder and resolder that one connection to get around that complication, but I'm personally not too keen on using a soldering iron so close to the head drum.
Great, unique VCRs when working 100%, but deliberately engineered to thwart repair at every turn. Comparable JVCs (and the Mitsu 2000) are easy-breezy by comparison, tho some of their transport adjustments can be way more finicky.Last edited by orsetto; 26th Dec 2020 at 14:27.
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I haven't read the latest responses. Too tired. To the OP, here's a quick compilation of Michael.
https://www.degner.studio/d/20201225/Compilation.mp4
I'm sure this will be dissected by people with agendas. I'm curious to see which OS, card, ~TBC, etc. they'll guess captured this version (I have others ready for comparison, proof will be in the pudding).
But frankly I don't care. What a beautiful little boy. -
Filler, what a great family memory!
Last edited by Alwyn; 27th Dec 2020 at 03:27. Reason: Post now irrelevant and I can't find the "Delete Post" function.
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All video quality considerations aside, those look like some great family memories there.
I'm sure this will be dissected by people with agendas.
I'm curious to see which OS, card, ~TBC, etc. they'll guess captured this version (I have others ready for comparison, proof will be in the pudding).
These are pretty bad:
- motion is really choppy, more than normal, frames were being dropped somewhere (and/or 29.97 deinterlace, which can be rough on bad handheld work).
- contrast is boosted way too high, which has further crushed over- and underexposed scenes, you've lost a lot of image detail
These are obvious, but not deal breakers, tolerable errors, but still distracting at times (goal should be no distractions)
- sharpening halos
- deinterlace? seems rough in some places, like a fast-process Yadif jaggies
- dot crawl
Where those came from in a workflow, between tape and the final encode, I don't know. I'd bet JVC VCR in use here, if not VHS+ES10/15. The frame drops could be lack of frame TBC, or maybe it really is a deinterlace issue. Why it this 23.976? Capture card is harder to tell when source color values are unknown. You can see before/after, but just an after isn't helpful.
I don't notice any timing wiggle, or excessive chroma noise, so some sort of line TBC had to be used here.
At about 20 minutes, I see a Power Ranger zord toy. That means 1990s, and VHS, yes? Or was it a Japanese precursor from 70s/80s? Most of the video more closely looks like what I'd expect to see from a film>VHS conversion (rougher than VHS should be by far, yet this would have been decent for a film>VHS job).
When a tape gets stuck, I get pissed. I have to remove the deck from the rack (PITA), set it on a worktable, flip it (NEVER good to flip VCRs, gravity is NOT your friend!), unscrew covers, then use jeweler screwdrivers to SLOWWWWWLY coax the wheel to release the tape (PITA, PITA, PITA!)
The most infuriating and frustrating aspect is the AG1980 / NV-FS200 / NV-HS1000 internal design makes no sense whatsoever from a mfr standpoint: its unnecessarily complex to mfr, and would have been a huge time sink for warranty repairs. One simple change would make it 10x easier to service: mounting the motherboard on the bottom facing upwards, as in every other consumer and prosumer VCR Panasonic ever sold.
It's unlike any other deck out there.
Even reading your rant (justified rant!) makes me want to pick up one of these decks, and throw it against a brick wall. Because I know EVERYTHING you refer to here.
I don't get frustrated often, but these AG1980 decks are really starting to piss me off now, after almost 15 years of use. Money pits. Each deck, in the end, AND AGAIN NOT WORKING, has each cost at least $1k each. At least one is closer to $2k, and again, NOT WORKING ANYMORE. So 4 decks, about $5k, current status = boat anchors. And people wonder why I refer to AG-1980 as 2nd behind JVCs, and try to baby the units (even though I do myself, and piss all good that did). Deter has new methods to fix these, so fingers crossed, about to go all in on that.
I feel better now. Thanks for commiserating with me.Last edited by lordsmurf; 27th Dec 2020 at 02:56.
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One aspect to always remember is reporting. For example, BM cards dropping, yet not reporting the drops. Some DVD recorders do the same, drop without reporting (because no way to report). You can also screw up VirtualDub settings (sometimes defaults are also bad), and it can cause drops, or overlook drops. All bad stuff.
On one hand, PuzZLeR says claims of ES10 posterization "have been proven unfounded" but I've identified it (and it's not subtle) from my ES10 in blind A/B comparisons. On the other, maybe my ES10 is crap — I've only owned one.
Ut has quality issues -- is it really lossless? far too many noise reports out there -- and resource overhead issues worse than Lagarith. Huffyuv is still most ideal for VHS capture, and using VirtualDub.Want my help? Ask here! (not via PM!)
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Would you need one? I seem to remember you finishing your own transfer project, but perhaps I'm thinking of someone else... if you're still in the thick of it with the rest of us, yikes.
Anyway in Australia you'd be dealing with NV-SF200 PAL variation of 1980: similar repair gremlins. If you're lucky, Aus/NZ might also have received the later EU/UK x50 and x60 Panasonics, which have the good TBC/DNR but not the horrible repair history. Nice to have those PAL options: here in the States and Canada we're stuck with the one 1980 aka 5710 model. No other NTSC Panasonics have TBC/DNR competitive with JVC (the previous AG1970 and older disastrous PV-4990, 4270, etc don't come near the TBC/DNR performance of the 1980, 200, x50 or x60 units).
Despite our complaints, its useful to remember none of these "premium" VCRs was actually engineered to last decades: for all their faults from today's perspective, they were perfectly fine and reliable within their intended 7-year initial lifespan. The problems come in because 20+ years later we still want to use them as workhorse transfer players: most of them are now worn out, and the efficient affordable mfr repairs available in their heyday are unavailable. Our expectations are also skewed by the unusually long lifespan of common consumer-level Panasonic VCRs: everyday $20 VCRs like the Panasonic PV-4500 from 1995 still run like tops, and will probably still be functional at the end of nuclear winter. Sadly for us now, most of our preferred TBC/DNR Pannies and JVCs are doddering fragile artifacts by comparison. Back in the '90s you could get performance OR durability (but not both qualities in the same VCR).Last edited by orsetto; 27th Dec 2020 at 11:15.
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