What is the current thinking about VHS capture methods ?

[Gamma_Man]

Years ago I used to look here and at DigitalFAQ and the workflows suggested were full frame timebase corrector going into perhaps an ATI 600 USB or other quality USB like Hauppauge or the Japanese IO DATA USB. The odd person was using Kona cards. Best deinterlacer was reckoned to be QTGMC. I never personally used these, I just read about them.

I am way out of date. Is this still the general consensus or are there now AI type workflows which are reckoned to be better ? Example, I think DaVinci Resolve does some sort of AI deinterlacing, and I think there are supposed to be various AI softwares.

Also, if there isn't much editing needed, is there a good quality capture for something like Mpeg 2. I saw references to vintage cards like Hauppauge PVR-250/350 on PCI. Has all that been surpased by something else ?

I do have a TBC and separate NTSC and PAL VCRs but I really did nothing with them and am not sure which direction I should now take the capture chain.. Any thoughts much appreciated.

[lollo]

Nothing has changed, in both hardware and software.

Capturing in MPEG2 is nonsense.

Remember that the most important elements for a good capture are the conditions of the tapes and the player.

[Gamma_Man]

Nothing has changed, in both hardware and software.

Capturing in MPEG2 is nonsense.

Remember that the most important elements for a good capture are the conditions of the tapes and the player.

Many thanks. I remember you Lollo as the guy that did those great UFO tape tests with your own independent thinking different to lordsmurf (I respect you both). But there were some concerns about dropped frames and which software was reporting properly.

Currently I only have a battered old copy of Sony Movie Studio DVD which is closer to my intelligence level. Is there any decent codec I could pull into that ? The whole Virtualdub world confuses me. I also want to use QTGMC but can't seem to find a staightforward way of using it (eg a simple interface).. I think you were using AmarecTV with Logarith ? Do you ever deinterlace and upscale your material ?

[lollo]

Many thanks. I remember you Lollo as the guy that did those great UFO tape tests with your own independant thinking different to lordsmurf (I respect you both).

We disagree on many aspects, not on the basics.

But there were some concerns about dropped frames and which software was reporting properly.

Go with AmarecTV (preferred with modern OSs and modern cards with integrated audio/video capture, and because it provides a detailed reporting of dropped and missing frames) or VirtualDub.

Currently I only have a battered old copy of Sony Movie Studio DVD which is closer to my intelligence level. Is there any decent codec I could pull into that ? The whole Virtualdub world confuses me. I also want to use QTGMC but can't seem to find a staightforward way of using it (eg a simple interface).. I think you were using AmarecTV with Logarith ? Do you ever deinterlace and upscale your material ?

My workflow is capturing with AmarecTV + HuffYUV YUV 4:2:2 and processing with AviSynth (QTGMC deinterlace when needed, denoise, sharpening, etc.).
I am not a big fan of upscale, but when needed (for instance to get a better YouTube treatment), I still use AviSynth (nnedi3_rpow2) at the end of above processing.

If AviSynth scripts intimidates you, give to Hybrid a chance! (however, not for beginners either)

[Barrythecrab]

I’m all in on Hybrid, and can’t code a padlock combo.
I use it for just a few excellent things, QTGMC, crop, sharpening, add grain, sometimes video noise reduction, and recently found remove chroma bleeding.
If my chroma is offset I’ll use VirtualDub, but I can probably do it in Hybrid if I looked at it.

[Gamma_Man]

Great replies, thank you so much.

So the suggested workflow would be:-
VCR (with line tbc) > proper TBC > USB capture card > PC using AmarecTV 3.10 + Logarith 1.3.27 (then afterwards think about Hybrid with QTGMC) ?

Please do I use the AmarecTV and Logarith marked as portable versions ? Is this all considered 64 bit or are you guys using 32 bit ? Do I go for 4:2:2 or 4:2:0 capture?

(I just got a used Dell with 20 cores/40 threads and OS Win 7 64bit SP1 and am getting it operational, as it had no drives)

[lollo]

If the condition of the tapes allows it, you can remove the external TBC. I am in 32 bit for capturing. Always go for 720x576 YUV 4:2:2 interlaced lossless with HuffYUV or similar.

[Alwyn]

Capturing with a 64 bit system is no issue. 32 bit is for dinosaurs.

I'm using Amarec with no issues on 64bit Win11.

[Gamma_Man]

@Alwyn, are you using HuffYUV ?
@lollo I just saw more of your channel. Amazing.

I forgot to ask about sound. Do I just use the audio leads of the USB capture stick or is there some sort of extra PCI(E) card involved ?

[lollo]

Capturing with a 64 bit system is no issue. 32 bit is for dinosaurs.

For dinosaurs and AmarecTV / HuffYUV lovers (my system is 64 bit)

I forgot to ask about sound. Do I just use the audio leads of the USB capture stick or is there some sort of extra PCI(E) card involved ?

Audio is integrated in USB capture stick.

[Alwyn]

are you using HuffYUV ?

I use MagicYUV (paid) or UT video. I always have YUV/RGB issues with HUFF, which I (with the input of members here) have never been able to resolve.

Do I just use the audio leads of the USB capture stick

Yes.

[dellsam34]

Capturing with a 64 bit system is no issue. 32 bit is for dinosaurs.

Nothing wrong with using a Dinosaur system for a Pelycosaur VHS.

[Alwyn]

Nothing wrong with using a Dinosaur system for a Pelycosaur VHS.

Perhaps for capturing. You'd be a mug not to use a 64 bit system to post-process, edit and export.

[lollo]

Perhaps for capturing

That’s what we were talking about

[Alwyn]

That’s what we were talking about

You may be but the OP isn't:

Is this still the general consensus or are there now AI type workflows which are reckoned to be better ? Example, I think DaVinci Resolve does some sort of AI deinterlacing, and I think there are supposed to be various AI softwares.

Try that on a 32bit system, if the program evens runs on 32bit. PP and Magix are 64bit only.

[davexnet]

Here's a clip I kept around, it went towards a DVD I created for my daughter back in 2009.
The setup was the Avermedia m780 using the HW mpeg-2 encoder, fed by a Time Warner Analog cable box,
and if I remember correctly, using a composite cable.

I only did it two or three times, but I found this method useful if the intention was to create a DVD.
It's compliant; trim as necessary and it's ready to go.

This card was interesting, it also had the capability to provide uncompressed 4:2:2

[lollo]

You may be but the OP isn't:

No. The OP asked about 32bit when talking about capturing (AmarecTV and Lagarith)

Please do I use the AmarecTV and Logarith marked as portable versions ? Is this all considered 64 bit or are you guys using 32 bit ?

All the rest is your speculation

[Alwyn]

Oh, give it a rest, Lollo. The OP devoted a whole paragraph to AI. That's plainly what I was addressing.

Capturing on a 64 bit system is a doddle (AmarecTV). Why one would want to use a 32 bit computer to capture, only to edit on a 64 bit system, beats me.

[lollo]

Oh, give it a rest, Lollo. The OP devoted a whole paragraph to AI. That's plainly what I was addressing.

Which is unrelated to 32bit / 64bit discussion.

Capturing on a 64 bit system is a doddle (AmarecTV). Why one would want to use a 32 bit computer to capture, only to edit on a 64 bit system, beats me.

Because, as I wrote, I want to use HuffYUV, which is 32bit, and AmarecTV, which is 32bit.

BTW, there is no need to use 2 different computers, as I wrote my system is 64bit where I use 32bit programs for capturing.
I understand you may not be familiar with hardware and software architecture, but is just as easy as that.

[Alwyn]

Ntsdwtawa.

[lollo]

Ntsdwtawa.

???

is it 32bit or 64bit?