VHS Playback Issues

[kadini]

Hello. I am new to this forum.

I am digitizing my VHS family movies. Have it all set up and recording already, generally going well.

My question is about intermittent poor quality on the playback.

Have a Mitsubishi HSU-446 VCR which was purchase new a long time ago. Since it had been sitting for so long I cleaned the heads and the sound pick up.

It works OK except sometimes the top of the image sort of folds over as shown in attached photo. I tried adjusting the tracking using the channel buttons and that didn't fix it.

The problem is intermittent but happens on all tapes enough to be annoying. The VHS recordings were made in the late 1980s and early 1990s so the tapes are 30+ years old. Have been stored in climate controlled conditions the whole time as far as I know.

If it's tape degradation then I guess there's no hope. But is it possible adjusting the tape roller guides might help?

Any help is appreciated. Thanks.

[aramkolt]

Good news for you is that is totally fixable with a re-capture (assuming you still have the original tapes). Your VCR simply lacks a line TBC which addresses the exact problem that you are seeing which is generally called "flagging." If budget is an issue, passing the signal through a DMR-ES10 or ES15 DVD recorder will likely resolve the problem as you re-capture. You could also invest in a higher end VCR that has a line TBC and probably get even better results, but they can be cost prohibitive depending on your budget.

[Alwyn]

You could also invest in a higher end VCR that has a line TBC and probably get even better results, but they can be cost prohibitive depending on your budget.

IIRC, it has been said on here that "flagging", as per the OP's image, might not be corrected by the TBC in a VCR but probably will be when the video is passed through one of those DVD recorders.

I written a blurb on stabilisation here.

[kadini]

Thank you very much for those replies! I am most appreciative. I actually had some DVD recorders that I eventually gave away to my children. My second son still has the one I gave him and he's going to see what brand model it is when he gets home (and if it still works). So I will run with this information and see where it goes. Money is not really an issue if I need to buy something. Although truthfully was planning to divest my self of all this stuff as i work towards downsizing my collection of junk.

If I may impose on you further. The digitized recordings I'm getting are definitely watchable. I am paying the price for using EP versus SP (I was less affluent back then and wanted to save money on tapes). None the less wondering if there is any AI enhancing software that can truly improve the end product. I downloaded a couple of free trial packages and was not impressed at all.

If it's relevant I bought a cheap Blu-Ray burner and that's where this is all going in the end.

Again any help offered is appreciated.

This forum is AWESOME!

[Alwyn]

and if it still works

Note that the moving function (DVD drive) doesn't have to function, only that the unit turns on and you can passthrough your video. That model may not have any stabilising properties, but you'll know straight away when you try it; the flagging will either disappear completely or be significantly reduced. You can compare the non-DVD stabilised video with the stabilised version.

[kadini]

The DVD recorder my son has is a Panasonic DMR-EA18. Can't find a manual for it online so far. Will try again tomorrow.

[Alwyn]

Here's a manual.

[kadini]

OK Panasonic DMR-EA18 has no TBC. I can actually buy a brand new DMR-ES15 for around $550 or get a refurbished one for $180. There are cheaper used ones out there.

The DMR-ES10 & ES15 have "limited" TBC capability. Is there anything better in comparable price ranges?

That said
1. I buy an ES-15 (probably the $180 one).
2. I play the output from my VCR thru the ES-15 and record it on my PC hard drive using Roxio Easy VHS to DVD software.
3. I edit the files using something (I did this before but can't find it right now) and create a Blu-Ray format, basically titled segments and a menu
4. Using AnyMP4 DVD creator I burn a Blu-Ray disk.

I have already successfully done trial runs of steps 2, 3 & 4 minus the ES-15. I am showing my methodology in case anybody has any suggestions or possible improvements.

I ask again if there is any AI enhancement software worth using? Maybe I should ask that question elsewhere on this forum?

Again very much appreciate the help. I will make a $ contribution to the forum for sure.

[Alwyn]

Definitely do not buy a "new" ES-15 for $550. They haven't been made for probably 20 years and while it may not be "used", there's no need to pay that much. As I mentioned before, the DVD part doesn't need to be working so provided it powers up, it should be OK.

Re your steps, that wouldn't be considered a super-high quality process here on VideoHelp but the alternative is much more complicated. Use the highest-quality settings that are available for the Roxio. If you're happy with the results, that's all that matters.

I ask again if there is any AI enhancement software worth using? Maybe I should ask that question elsewhere on this forum?

There are users of Topaz (AI enhancement) here; perhaps start a new topic (or search for Topaz topics on VH) with that in the title; try the "Editing" forum. Topaz gets a mixed reception here.

[timtape]

There's also a nasty crosshatch pattern all over that still frame.

[Alwyn]

Could be a photo of the screen?

[kadini]

http://www.ebay.com/itm/277414910957?_skw=Mitsubishi+HS-MD3000U+%28S2%29+Medical+VCR+V...AAAeSwEEFo3Jjz

What about this VCR with built in TBC?

In response to comments above about cross hatch that is a photo of the monitor while recording the VCR signal using Roxio.

[Alwyn]

I wouldn't buy a VCR off Ebay. I've read that medical VCRs had/have a hard life, so they aren't recommended unless you can give it a good test run first.

Panasonic DMR-EA18 has no TBC

Just to clarify, none of these DVD recorders will state they have a "proper" TBC, but they have great stabilising characteristics and therefore behave "like" a TBC.

[aramkolt]

The HS-MD3000Us are actually pretty nice VCRs, what's unique about them is that they actually do have hours counters in the menu so you can know exactly "how used" they are and you can toggle multiple levels of chroma and luma noise reduction within the menus. I believe they were used with ultrasound machines primarily and only would record a few seconds or a few minutes per use, so their hours tend not to be very high. I've worked on 3 of them and 2 of the 3 had less than 50 hours of use and the third one I think was more like 300 hours. Their main limitation is that they can only play SP tapes, so the original poster isn't going to be able to use them since he mentions the tapes he has are EP.