Back to tapes backup after 12 years - some questions..

[jan3sobieski]

Hi all.

Life happened and I had to pause backing up my old tapes. What I used before:

-Datavideo DAC-200
-TVone task 1T-TBC Timebase corrector
-JVC HR-S4500U vcr

I thought the results were good but I'm wondering if there's anything better out there after 12 years (in reasonable price range) that I could be using (other than buying a professional vcr with built in TBC). I've been hearing about these usb converters, like the I-O Data GVUSB2.

Would the hauppage Canopus ADVC-110 be better than the DAC-200?

Also, I have a Mitsubishi HS-U70 and an HSU67. They both don't work correctly but if it's a minor repair I was wondering if it's worth doing so?

[lordsmurf]

DAC-200 and ADVC-110 are identical quality -- and neither are great. Both capture mere DV, and is literally 1990s technology that required minimum specs of a Pentium II, with Pentium III suggested. It's not "legacy" gear, but just plain damned old obsolete technology that was displaced 20 years ago by better lossless quality. These items still sell only due to buyer ignorance.

1T-TBC can be an excellent TBC -- but also one based on flawed chipsets that actually induce timing errors (dropped frames). The "JVC menu test" is often helpful to betray it as good or bad.

The JVC 9400 deck is also very old, a non-TBC deck that pre-dates suggested VCRs (starting with the 9500). The 9400 really isn't any better than the low-end 2900 from the early 00s. It's only a % better (s-video) than a "good" consumer VHS VCR.

The gear listed here will give you:
- wiggly video, no line timing correctino (no line TBC)
- somewhat unstable, from the old VCR
- this exact frame TBC model will mostly just bake in errors from the low-quality VCR, and may (or may not) prevent dropped frames based on chipset
- lose 50% color data from the DV, and add image blocks

It'll convert video, just not very well.

You can do better.

At minimum, slight quality boost (overall, some degrade, more improved), you need ES10/15 as line TBC, and a capture card that gives lossless quality. AT minimum. You can do vastly better with new VCRs, verifying frame TBC, best non-cheap ($100+) capture card.

[jan3sobieski]

Thanks for the quick reply!

If I understand correctly, the ES-15 would replace the TBC I have now as a passthrough? Or would I use both? Just got one off ebay so I should get that soon. From there it would go to the DAC if i wanted to capture audio/video but you're saying capture card would be better not to mention more modern. Is that correct?

Let's say I have a budget of $200-$250.. What would you get for best bang for the buck if I have the ES-15 already, which capture card for example, or maybe anything else?

I really appreciate the help

[lordsmurf]

Thanks for the quick reply!

If I understand correctly, the ES-15 would replace the TBC I have now as a passthrough? Or would I use both? Just got one off ebay so I should get that soon. From there it would go to the DAC if i wanted to capture audio/video but you're saying capture card would be better not to mention more modern. Is that correct?

Let's say I have a budget of $200-$250.. What would you get for best bang for the buck if I have the ES-15 already, which capture card for example, or maybe anything else?

I really appreciate the help

No, ES15 only contains a strong+crippled line TBC, it does not replace frame TBC. Line comes first, frame second, in the workflow.

Yes, more "modern" (2000s-2010s) quality capture card (not Easycap/random junk) outperforn blocky color-crippled 1990s tech ADVC boxes. And USB, so more convenient anyway.