Best < $1500 TBC-equipped VCR for digitization of VHS collection?
Dan Harkless
news:<4189894b.0204...@posting.google.com>:
> Howdy. I'm building a new PC whose primary function [...] will be
> uncompressed / non-lossy-compressed capture of analog NTSC video for burning
> to DVD (i.e., 720x480 interlaced, 60 * 1000/1001 fields per second).
>
> Video sources will be TV programs from my Sony SAT-T60 DirecTiVo, my
> VHS video collection, and, sometime in the future, my LD collection
> (so I'll need composite and S-video in, but not component).
>
> My primary concern is quality -- for instance, I'll be buying a
> videophile or pro [S-]VHS deck with TBC so I can squeeze the maximum
> quality out of my VHS tapes and then be confident enough to throw away
> the originals.
On rec.video.desktop the main thread of my query above is being
carried out, but I wanted to post to these groups for a subquery about
the VCR.
My VHS collection consists of home movies, recordings from TV (using a
variety of VCRs, some mono, some Hi-Fi stereo) going back as far as 20
years ago (when we had a local TV store record a commercial for O.P.
Clothing I appeared in), some multigenerational "tape trader" dubs,
prerecorded movies and music video compilations, and a few odds and
ends.
As I mention above, I want to squeeze maximum possible quality out of
these tapes so I can get their content onto DVD-R or DVD+R and then
feel confident enough to throw away the originals. Because many of
these tapes are quite hoary or had low video quality to begin with,
and because the commercial tapes are Macrovision-protected, I'll need
a VCR with a TBC (or an external TBC, I suppose, but I've read that
with the possible exception of the ultra-high-end ones, those damage
picture content more than built-in ones).
*ALL* I care about in selecting this VCR are:
* Playback quality of VHS tapes.
* Ability to go through a few hundred tapes, a few on poor tape
stock, some as old as 20 years, without breaking down, and
hopefully without needing to be manually head-cleaned too often.
* A TBC that allows me to digitize Macrovision-protected material
and low-quality signals without dropping frames, and doesn't
significantly degrade the picture when engaged. Ability to use
the TBC in signal pass-through mode would be a nice bonus but is
not really required (my DVD player is modded).
Except in the case of all else being equal between two models, I don't
care about:
* Playback quality of S-VHS tapes (I don't have any).
* Record quality (or even ability to record).
* Tuner quality, editing ability, timecode support, or other
non-essential features.
I'd like to spend less than $1500. Here are all the
current-production pro and prosumer VCRs I'm familiar with that
potentially meet my requirements:
* JVC prosumer: HR-S9800U (list $699.95), HR-S9900U (list $599.95),
and HM-DH30000[U] (street $1500, but I'd be paying for D-VHS
abilities I may never have a use for).
* JVC pro: SR-V10U (list $400).
* Panasonic pro: AG-1980 (list $1599).
I'm not considering the JVC 7800 and 7900 since they only have a 2MB
frame buffer. I'm not considering the HR-DVS2U since I don't really
need another MiniDV device. While I'm not always adverse to used
equipment, used tape decks as a category give me the willies, so I'm
not considering any "eBay specials".
I would appreciate any help anyone can offer in choosing between the
above-listed models. Also, if there are any that I've missed (e.g.
because the manufacturer doesn't explicitly list "TBC" or "Time Base
Converter" in the specifications on their website), please let me
know. And if for some reason you think I'm making a mistake limiting
myself to decks with TBCs, and I should instead get the most expensive
external TBC I can afford, let me know that too.
Thanks in advance for any guidance!
--
Dan Harkless
use...@harkless.org
GMAN
I personally suggest the AG-1980
John S. Dyson
>
> * JVC prosumer: HR-S9800U (list $699.95), HR-S9900U (list $599.95),
> and HM-DH30000[U] (street $1500, but I'd be paying for D-VHS
> abilities I may never have a use for).
>
9600. This might be because of the 3-4yrs difference in technology. The
comb on the 30000 produces cleaner results also. The biggest minus with
the 30000 (IMO) is that the DVHS mode initially looks pretty good, but in
DVHS NTSC mode there appears to be some unpleasant motion issues (even in HS
mode.)
John
john
wrote:
>
> * Panasonic pro: AG-1980 (list $1599).
>
This is the one to buy. Real price closer to $ 1,000.00
Dan Harkless
> >I'd like to spend less than $1500. Here are all the
> >current-production pro and prosumer VCRs I'm familiar with that
> >potentially meet my requirements:
> >
> > * JVC prosumer: HR-S9800U (list $699.95), HR-S9900U (list $599.95),
> > and HM-DH30000[U] (street $1500, but I'd be paying for D-VHS
> > abilities I may never have a use for).
> >
> > * JVC pro: SR-V10U (list $400).
> >
> > * Panasonic pro: AG-1980 (list $1599).
>
> I personally suggest the AG-1980
Yeah, I guess it's not surprising that the most expensive one on the
list is likely to have the best performance. ;^>
I guess I'll lean towards it, assuming there isn't some other deck
meeting my criteria that I've missed (or that my money isn't better
spent on some non-TBC-equipped deck plus an external TBC).
--
Dan Harkless
use...@harkless.org
John S. Dyson
for a seperate TBC and VCR rather than getting a VCR with the
appropriate TBC built-in. Some of the under $1K TBCs are a little
'rough' with respect to the really good units (e.g. loss of resolution,
even noticeable on SVHS.)
John