I want to transfer my homemade VHS tapes to DVD with the best quality
possible (kind of a joke since I'm starting with VHS). The problem is my
VCR ... an old GE (VG4058) with limited output options. It has an RCA
video out, a single RCA audio out (not L. and R.), and a coax "out to TV."

My Dell 8400 doesn't have a capture card, but I could go that route if
necessary. My current technique (described below) degrades the signal.
But if someone can suggest a way to boost it to equal the VHS origal,
I'd like to hear it.

Here's what I've been doing: To convert to digital, I connect the VCR to
my Sony mini-dv camcorder (DCR-TRV33) using an A/V Cable Mini-3 RCA that
came with the camera (the third plug goes unused since the VCR only has
one audio output).

Next, I connect the camcorder to my computer using another cable that
came with the camera -- a USB cable. Then NeroVision Express 3 does the
rest.

I'm not going to do many video transfers, so I want to get the best bang
for the buck. Does coax deliver a better quality picture than RCA? If
so, maybe I should spring for a capture card and by-pass the camcorder
completely. Or, if the USB cable is the weak link, my camcorder also has
a firewire (iLink) out, which I could use to connect to my computer.

This may seem kind of silly since the video quality isn't terribly good
to begin with. But, the video is of my wedding and had been lost for a
few years. For Valentine's Day I'd like to give my wife the DVD with as
a good a quality picture and sound as possible.

Thanks for any suggestions!

On 2/6/2006, Osha Davidson managed to type:
Your DV camcorder might allow direct pass-through without the
intermediate step of using tape.

Do you not have FireWire to transfer from the DV camcorder to the
computer?

The video cable delivers better video than the RF cable (and similarly
for the audio).

You can use a Y-connector to connect the left+right audio input of the
miniDV camcorder to the VCR's mono audio output to record both channels
simultaneously (saves a step in editing).

Use 16-bit audio on the DV camcorder.

HTH
Gino

--
Gene E. Bloch (Gino)
letters617blochg3251
(replace the numbers by "at" and "dotcom")

Thanks, Gene. BTW, I do use the DV camcorder just as a pass-through --
no digital tape involved. I don't have a Firewire cable -- Sony just
includes the USB. Does Firewire give better results?

OK, I'll get a Y-connector and the Firewire and see how that goes.

Thanks for the suggestions.
Osha

PS Audio is set at 16-bit, but thanks for the reminder!

Gene E. Bloch wrote:

Osha Davidson wrote:
Considering that you're willing to spend time and money on the project
and that you're pretty much without any tools to do a decent job, I'd
at least get a quote from a professional shop before going any
further. The project seems to have sentimental, and possibly romantic
value to both your wife and yourself and your monaural VCR is most
certainly a weak link.

On 2/6/2006, Osha Davidson managed to type:
In the old days, ONLY FireWire worked for movies, and USB - if even
present - was for stills only.

Now there are newer camcorders with newer technology, and I am out of
touch. If USB on your camera and with your software gives you good
results with full resolution and frame rates and no dropped frames,
you're home free, but I would be suspicious, myself (but remember, I
*am* out of touch!). Other products, such as Scenalyzer Live and so on,
probably don't do USB - at least not yet.

You're welcome. And it might have reminded someone else too (even me).

G.

<SNIP>



--
Gene E. Bloch (Gino)
letters617blochg3251
(replace the numbers by "at" and "dotcom")

In article <43e7a985$1_4@newsfeed.slurp.net>,
Bill's News <BillsNews@pcmagic.net> wrote:
I'd second that - or find a friend with a good VHS. My JVC has
a built in TBC and NR and will make tapes recorded elsewhere more
stable. It's an S-VHS-ET [S-VHS on good grade normal tape].
The 4MB video buffer is what makes the noise-reduction work and
the TBC makes a rock-solid picture with no weaving - just like
digital.

Bill

--
Bill Vermillion - bv @ wjv . com

Ay, Caramba! Just switching from USB to firewire did wonders. Ditto for
the Y-adapter. And all for under $20. Thanks for the advice; I don't
know how I got along before newsgroups and forums.

Osha

Gene E. Bloch wrote:

Thanks, Bills. I did get a quote -- $65 -- but decided to try it myself.
That way, I can edit out the tedious parts and smooth the jumpy
transitions. I do have a few other VHS tapes to convert, so maybe I'll
look for a better VCR.

You wrote:

What model JVC do you own?

Osha

Bill Vermillion wrote:

In article <CkWFf.85711$0G.77813@dukeread10>, Osha Davidson <osha@loshadavidson.com> wrote:

Oh, yeah. That.

GMAN wrote:

In article <Y24Gf.91885$0G.67501@dukeread10>, Osha Davidson <osha@loshadavidson.com> wrote:

GMAN wrote:
Umm, a man with a mustache and a pointy nose winking?

In article <43E83416.1010008@loshadavidson.com>,
Osha Davidson <osha@loshadavidson.com> wrote:
It's S9800U. It's been replaced by a newer model that I just check
the JVC site on and it's now a 9911U. List is $595.

I paid about $300 for mine.

Now - there were some other models with 2MB RAM for frame-buffer
that were in the 7xxx model name and were discontinued about 3 or 4
years ago. Maybe you can find one of those in good condition.

The 9800 is an amazing beast since it has a 4MB buffer the video
and sound play from the RAM so you can watch at 2X speed with no
picture break and no sound break up. As you go to faster speeds
the picture gets faster and you get good sound - and then it skips
a few seconds of sound to catch up.

When playing in reverse the sound quality goes down - because of
the design of the heads and tracks - but at normal speed the
picture goes backward and the sound plays forward, and then jumps
back.

And it's about the fastest rewinding machine I've ever had.

It's an S-VHS-ET - which give S-VHS quality on regular VHS tapes -
and I used the highest grade VHS tapes and some of the transfers of
old films - such as from TCM - from that machine to DVD really look
as good as the broadcast.

The quality is about 1/2 between something like Super Beta I and
EDBeta [which has the resolution of DVD but with the typical analog
noise - that you can not avoid at all - because that's the way the
physics of magnetic recording goes.

You might want to go to the JVC site just too look at the features.
It's built they way VCRs used to be built years ago - heavy and
rugged.

I see about 5 or 6 S-VHS models at that site and one lonely
standard VHS in their catalog.

Bill

--
Bill Vermillion - bv @ wjv . com

On 2/7/2006, Osha Davidson managed to type:
You guys are more fun than the outdoors, anyway.

G.

--
Gene E. Bloch (Gino)
letters617blochg3251
(replace the numbers by "at" and "dotcom")

In article <43E9244B.4080305@loshadavidson.com>, Osha Davidson <osha@loshadavidson.com> wrote: