VHS to digital conversion

[lukajjz]

Hello, let me explain my situation...

I have dozen of old VHS and I need them convert to some digital form (mp4, avi, ...)

I have a VCR - LG LV4981, AVerMedia TV DVD EZMaker 7 and VirtualDub2

I can see the video in the virtualdub and I know how to capture into avi with it

My problem is the codec or settings, my recording is taking too much storage space. I am not video/audiophile and I don't need the best quality... I want just OK quality for lower storage size, I would prefer like 1GB or 2GB per hour max. From my understanding it depends on the codec, also sometimes I got "not synced" audio and it was like a second faster or slower than the video.

So what codec should I use and is there some like general settings that would work for me best? Or should I use another software instead of Virtualdub, maybe something that is more newbie friendly?

[lordsmurf]

Capture large, re-encode later to 4:2:2 interlaced H.264 master with Hybrid.

But really, we live in an era where a 22tb HDD is under $300. Lossless ~35gb/hour is small.

That low quality VCR and capture card has already severely limited playback quality of the quality that actually exists on the tape.

Quality isn't the same as videophile/audiophile (those people are nuts). The opposite is the 'philes is crap. You want the sensible middle where the quality is, using good equipment, software, and methods.

VirtualDub is newbie friendly. Lesser software will destroy quality, even making unwatchable video. And at that point, why even bother converting?

[Bwaak]

Did not the dongle come with bundled software? You would usually have an option of interlaced MPEG-2 or deinterlaced H.264.

[lukajjz]

Capture large, re-encode later to 4:2:2 interlaced H.264 master with Hybrid.

But really, we live in an era where a 22tb HDD is under $300. Lossless ~35gb/hour is small.

That low quality VCR and capture card has already severely limited playback quality of the quality that actually exists on the tape.

Quality isn't the same as videophile/audiophile (those people are nuts). The opposite is the 'philes is crap. You want the sensible middle where the quality is, using good equipment, software, and methods.

VirtualDub is newbie friendly. Lesser software will destroy quality, even making unwatchable video. And at that point, why even bother converting?

Don't know where you're from but here in EU 22TB HDD is like cheapest 500$ more like 600$ and more are the prices from what I can see. Also even 300$ is like too much for me to pay for this. I know that the HW could be better and everything, but I just wanted to know how to use what I have for the best.

[lukajjz]

Did not the dongle come with bundled software? You would usually have an option of interlaced MPEG-2 or deinterlaced H.264.

Yeah I think it did, but it's now many years old and I got it from my brother, so the software is lost somewhere.

[dellsam34]

You don't need a big hard drive, Just capture lossless as suggested, encode and delete the original capture and so on and so forth, de-interlacing and encoding in real frame rate comes at a significant cost, But if you are okay with that quality, that's your call.

[lukajjz]

All right. But no one haven't answered my question about audio sync, how do I make it sync with the video?

[Alwyn]

If you're having sync issues, try AmarecTV. I have posted instructions for it's use on my website here.

[Forenzik]

I speak from the standpoint of "I just want to get my vhs's into digital files and dont really need a pristine capture". I have the AVerMedia TV DVD EZMaker 7 and it works fine without the bundled software. I capture with AmarecTV using a Lagarith lossless capture codec and there isn't any audio sync issues, even if i dont use a TBC. If you're having audio sync issues still, i'd start looking at maybe your machine lagging or maybe the tape quality is really foul.

If you really dont care about pristine quality and dont want to spend a ton of time going down rabbit holes (yes, many on this site cant wrap their minds around the concept), I would just then take the lossless capture and encode it in handbrake. You could try deinterlacing in vdub first (maybe even trying the smartdeinterlacer), but I never found them to work all that well and at that point you might as well as rely on the player to deal with an interlaced file.

In this method, your lossless capture will probably be around 30 GB/hr and then handbrake encodes it down to like 700 MB/hr.

[lordsmurf]

The reason to use a computer is quality. If you don't want quality, use a DVD recorder from a thrift store. While the quality won't be great whatsoever, it will screw it up less than you will. Computer captures are easily butchered with bad gear, bad software, bad settings, and lack of RTFM.

[Alwyn]

You could try deinterlacing in vdub first (maybe even trying the smartdeinterlacer), but I never found them to work all that well and at that point you might as well as rely on the player to deal with an interlaced file.

I can't agree with that. The inbuilt deinterlacer filter in Dub 2 works fine, especially in Yadif double frame rate mode. Sure, there are better methods eg using QTGMC, but that comes with a lot more user engagement and required knowledge.

RTFM

What FM?

[Forenzik]

Super nice of you to chime in again Alwyn. OP, after capturing I'd say try running a file in Vdub using a deinterlacer filter before you encode in handbrake and one file just straight into handbrake, and then run the files through a few player devices to see what looks good to you.

[lordsmurf]

What FM?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RTFM

We all need to RTFM sometimes.

The inbuilt deinterlacer filter in Dub 2 works fine,

Sometimes passable. Sometimes not whatsoever.
Noting QTGMC sometimes needs tweaks, the automatic settings not always best.

g QTGMC, but that comes with a lot more user engagement and required knowledge.

Hybrid.

[Alwyn]

I was serious. A large part of the drama with this video stuff is because there are not many guides. Now that's fair enough, but to suggest that people RTFM when there is no FM is pushing the friendship.

Re Hybrid, you've said yourself it's not for newbys, and I agree. It's full of traps and gotchas and with no manual, it's just as hard to come to grips with as everything else.

Despite reams and reams of wiki stuff on, for example, AVISynth filters, if it wasn't for the great advice and tips we get here at VH, we lackies would be left floundering.

[lukajjz]

Thank you all. Just using AmarecTV already works better for me.