Converting VHS to digital formats

[FP]

I am going to be converting around 300 VHS (and VHS-C) family films to digital over the next year. I am very interested in the best possible conversion and am experienced with all of the software like VirtualDub, AVISynth etc however I know nothing about the hardware involved.

I have a DV camcorder that I've used in the past for converting analog->digital but I would like to purchase either an SVHS player (ideally with firewire out, TBC, etc) or a ADC unit. Most of the SVHS and higher-end VHS players seem to be discontinued.

Anyone know of good online resources for this type of information? I checked AVS Forum and didn't see much.

 

[Fardringle]

The very easiest way would be to get a VCR/DVD burner combo unit and copy the tapes directly to DVD within the device.

Check this link for an example. I'm not necessarily recommending this particular unit, but I wanted to show an example and this was the first result in Google.

 

[FP]

Originally posted by: Fardringle
The very easiest way would be to get a VCR/DVD burner combo unit and copy the tapes directly to DVD within the device.

Check this link for an example. I'm not necessarily recommending this particular unit, but I wanted to show an example and this was the first result in Google.

The trouble with the VHS/DVD units is they encode to mpeg2 before the burn. I would like to do all of my editing on raw DV so a SVHS unit and analog->digital device would be ideal.

Can anyone recommend a good SVHS player?

 

[FP]

For the benefit of others...

Found exactly what I was looking for.

Just ordered a Canopus ADVC-110 analog-to-digital converter and the JVC SR-MV45US for S-VHS playback. It is a dual deck (S-VHS/DVD) but I won't be doing a direct burn. It has a nice feature where it can take digital data over Firewire and hardware encode it to MPEG for burning! Pretty cool.

 

[heyheybooboo]

Originally posted by: binister
For the benefit of others...

Found exactly what I was looking for.

Just ordered a Canopus ADVC-110 analog-to-digital converter and the JVC SR-MV45US for S-VHS playback. It is a dual deck (S-VHS/DVD) but I won't be doing a direct burn. It has a nice feature where it can take digital data over Firewire and hardware encode it to MPEG for burning! Pretty cool.

Dang. Sorry I missed here ....

The are mini-DV camcorders that will convert analog->digital realtime & pass by firewire (with timecode) to your computer/editing software.

btw - using a phenom 9500 w/Premiere will encode to 1920x1080 400% faster than your 3500+

 

[FP]

Originally posted by: heyheybooboo

Originally posted by: binister
For the benefit of others...

Found exactly what I was looking for.

Just ordered a Canopus ADVC-110 analog-to-digital converter and the JVC SR-MV45US for S-VHS playback. It is a dual deck (S-VHS/DVD) but I won't be doing a direct burn. It has a nice feature where it can take digital data over Firewire and hardware encode it to MPEG for burning! Pretty cool.

Dang. Sorry I missed here ....

The are mini-DV camcorders that will convert analog->digital realtime & pass by firewire (with timecode) to your computer/editing software.

btw - using a phenom 9500 w/Premiere will encode to 1920x1080 400% faster than your 3500+

Yep, I have been using my Canon camcorder for the analog->digital conversion right now but it too cumbersome and I don't think the quality is as high as it could be with my 9 year old VCR.

I am going to be doing some quality comparisons between the two. I am not sure if my Elura 50 has many "cleaning" features the JVC deck does like audio locking and TBCs.

I am actually running a 4800+ X2 right now but can't update my rig profile.

 

[heyheybooboo]

Originally posted by: binister

Originally posted by: heyheybooboo

Originally posted by: binister
For the benefit of others...

Found exactly what I was looking for.

Just ordered a Canopus ADVC-110 analog-to-digital converter and the JVC SR-MV45US for S-VHS playback. It is a dual deck (S-VHS/DVD) but I won't be doing a direct burn. It has a nice feature where it can take digital data over Firewire and hardware encode it to MPEG for burning! Pretty cool.

Dang. Sorry I missed here ....

The are mini-DV camcorders that will convert analog->digital realtime & pass by firewire (with timecode) to your computer/editing software.

btw - using a phenom 9500 w/Premiere will encode to 1920x1080 400% faster than your 3500+

Yep, I have been using my Canon camcorder for the analog->digital conversion right now but it too cumbersome and I don't think the quality is as high as it could be with my 9 year old VCR.

I am going to be doing some quality comparisons between the two. I am not sure if my Elura 50 has many "cleaning" features the JVC deck does like audio locking and TBCs.

I am actually running a 4800+ X2 right now but can't update my rig profile.

Sorry if I didn't make myself very clear. My miniDV functions as a capture/conversion device between the VHS player and the computer. It has an a/v in port which connects to any device (in this case the vhs player) with digital output via firewire to my rig. The conversion is quite acceptable - even on 'ep vhs' tapes - so much so that I've managed to resist the urge to replace it with an HD miniDV (and save myself some money).

I was under the assumption that you were playing the tape in your camcorder directly to capture on the pc. My thinking was that you could purchase a similar product to mine (upgrade to HD miniDV, maybe?) without having to buy the ADVC110 and a new vcr ... Kinda a ""win-win"" ...

At least when you explain the expense to the little woman

 

[FP]

Originally posted by: heyheybooboo

Originally posted by: binister

Originally posted by: heyheybooboo

Originally posted by: binister
For the benefit of others...

Found exactly what I was looking for.

Just ordered a Canopus ADVC-110 analog-to-digital converter and the JVC SR-MV45US for S-VHS playback. It is a dual deck (S-VHS/DVD) but I won't be doing a direct burn. It has a nice feature where it can take digital data over Firewire and hardware encode it to MPEG for burning! Pretty cool.

Dang. Sorry I missed here ....

The are mini-DV camcorders that will convert analog->digital realtime & pass by firewire (with timecode) to your computer/editing software.

btw - using a phenom 9500 w/Premiere will encode to 1920x1080 400% faster than your 3500+

Yep, I have been using my Canon camcorder for the analog->digital conversion right now but it too cumbersome and I don't think the quality is as high as it could be with my 9 year old VCR.

I am going to be doing some quality comparisons between the two. I am not sure if my Elura 50 has many "cleaning" features the JVC deck does like audio locking and TBCs.

I am actually running a 4800+ X2 right now but can't update my rig profile.

Sorry if I didn't make myself very clear. My miniDV functions as a capture/conversion device between the VHS player and the computer. It has an a/v in port which connects to any device (in this case the vhs player) with digital output via firewire to my rig. The conversion is quite acceptable - even on 'ep vhs' tapes - so much so that I've managed to resist the urge to replace it with an HD miniDV (and save myself some money).

I was under the assumption that you were playing the tape in your camcorder directly to capture on the pc. My thinking was that you could purchase a similar product to mine (upgrade to HD miniDV, maybe?) without having to buy the ADVC110 and a new vcr ... Kinda a ""win-win"" ...

At least when you explain the expense to the little woman

Understood. The "miniDV as a capture device" is what I am doing now and the results are indeed acceptable but I want to preserve these tapes (VHS, VHS-C) with the highest possible quality. I will actually be storing the captured AVIs for archival purposes and then will go back and filter/convert the AVIs and burn them to DVD.

I am guessing this will take me the rest of the year