JVC9911 or JVC9600?

Which of these S-VHS VCR's is the better for capturing older VHS tapes to PC for editing and putting the end results on DVD? Older family Videos.
Or does anyone know of a better model?

Thanks,
Lonn

Between the two I would opt for the 9600 because of its Dynamic Drum System.
(I don't think that the 9911 has it... )

I would also consider older JVC units, like the 6800, 5800, 4900, etc. These units are before the days of TBC/DNR, but have superior transports and excellent picture quality.

Earlier this week, I converted one of my VHS tapes to DVD. I spent a lot of time comparing the 9600 playback to the 6800 playback. The 6800 clearly provided the more detailed image. The 9600 softens the image a bit too much for me, and I sometimes notice the DNR (Digital Noise Reduction) artifacts.

Now, let me be the first to acknowledge that my JVC HR-S9600U through my TBC-3000 makes fantastic pictures! I use it for capturing whenever it is the best choice.

But, for tapes with good quality recordings, I prefer the capture quality of my HR-S6800U through my TBC-3000.

Originally Posted by davideck

Now, let me be the first to acknowledge that my JVC HR-S9600U through my TBC-3000 makes fantastic pictures! I use it for capturing whenever it is the best choice.

But, for tapes with good quality recordings, I prefer the capture quality of my HR-S6800U through my TBC-3000.

So what you're saying is, with poor quality tapes, you use the 9600, since it softens the picture? btw...9911u does have Dynamic Drum.

I have the 9911u, and for the most part it produces great transfers because of the DNR. I usually leave DNR on AUTO to smooth the video a bit before going to my Canopus ADVC. Then I use CCE Basic and turn on the 2D filter to smooth the video more when compressing to MPEG2. If you are going from VHS to DVD, you will eventually have to smooth the video anyway or it will look all pixelated on TV.

Originally Posted by Wile_E

So what you're saying is, with poor quality tapes, you use the 9600, since it softens the picture?

When choosing between the 9600 with TBC/DNR or the 6800 without;

For good quality recordings that do not contain significant amounts of video noise or timebase errors (typically SP mode), there is little if any noticeable benefit from using the TBC/DNR by capturing with the 9600 through the TBC-3000. But one effect that is noticeable is that the image has less detail than the same capture with the 6800 through the TBC-3000. For me the choice is obvious; I would much rather preserve the detail by capturing with the 6800; I am sacrificing nothing.

The choice is not as obvious when I am capturing noisy recordings that noticeably benefit from the TBC/DNR (typically EP mode). Then its a judgement call between the TBC/DNR benefits of the 9600 or the detail preservation of the 6800.

Then there is the case where the TBC/DNR completely removed substantial timebase step errors on some of my SVHS home videos that were caused by an intermittent transport problem in my camcorder. Without the TBC/DNR, the TBC-3000 turned these step errors into sinusoidal disturbances that made things much worse. My FOR-A TBC reduced the errors somewhat, but even it was no match for the JVC TBC/DNR! For me this choice was also obvious; I would much rather remove the step errors at the expense of picture detail.

Originally Posted by Wile_E

btw...9911u does have Dynamic Drum.

Thanks for setting things straight. I was looking through the online manual and failed to notice any reference to it. Does the 9911 also have Time Scan?

Originally Posted by Wile_E

I usually leave DNR on AUTO to smooth the video a bit before going to my Canopus ADVC. Then I use CCE Basic and turn on the 2D filter to smooth the video more when compressing to MPEG2.

Two stages of smoothing? That seems excessive for VHS...

Originally Posted by Wile_E

If you are going from VHS to DVD, you will eventually have to smooth the video anyway or it will look all pixelated on TV.

I disagree.
As discussed above, I try to preserve as much detail as possible.
My Hauppauge 250 does an excellent job of encoding at the detail level of VHS.