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Decent VCR for archiving VHS?
I’m looking for a VCR I can use to backup and archive certain VHS tapes. Not all movies, shows, and commercials have made it to DVD. Some studios are defunct or have shown no interest in making restorations of scenes edited out at some point in history (Woody Guthrie’s Hard Travelin’ VHS
sells for upwards of $100 when it lists). I sold my old VCR because it only had stereo downmixed to mono. I’m now looking for a VCR that can output to separate left and right audio channels. I realize it’s an analog format and will probably only have RCA connections for audio at best. According to this thread,
https://www.avforums.com/threads/for-vhs-playback-which-is-better-normal-vcr-or-s-vhs-vcr.86880/
S-VHS players have the advantage of S-Video output and some (but not all) have Time Base Correction (TBC) which stabilizes the picture from frame to frame. Some players have digital tracking, but that may or may not be an unrelated technology.I need some way of passing the signal from the future VCR to longer-term digital storage. At the very least, I should be able to view it on a PC. I’d rather get one that has less of a chance of destroying tapes. eBay and Craigslist are going to be my primary sites for searching. If someone sees a VCR that will work for the task at hand, post the name of the model or models and I can take it from there.
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5 Replies
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There indeed VHS players with xlr audio outputs and Digital TBCs but they are being snapped up at hansom prices. Most are in a pretty bad state after 20 years or so of service.
Having the skills and spare parts to service them is a difficult thing.I’d find a reliable provider of VHS capture and use them.
Pat Horridge
Broadcast & Post Consultant, Trainer, Avid Certified Instructor
Free online Tutorials at VET digital media academy online https://vimeo.com/channels/752951
pat@vet.co.uk -
Hi Joel –
you are simply out of your mind if you intend to continue to archive onto a VHS format. But of course, if you are looking for a playback VCR to offload old tapes –Sony SVO-5800
Bob Zelin
Bob Zelin
Rescue 1, Inc.
bobzelin@icloud.com -
The JVC HR-S#### VCRs have TBC and digital noise reduction. Helps to clean up the chroma noise found on all color under composite video formats. And the TBC somewhat helps the playback but won’t cure picture stability on warped or damaged tape.
I’m moving forward with analog VHS -> hard drive Pro Res 422 capture (via Decklink Studio PCI card) to hdd and then archive to tape-based LTO-7. Not sure why you would want to to backward and degrade another generation by making a dub to analog VHS again. Last time I check, VHS is discontinued back in 2016.
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I’d reconsider progress.
Jpeg2K or FFV1 are more the norm.
Avoiding QuickTime is smart.Pat Horridge
Broadcast & Post Consultant, Trainer, Avid Certified Instructor
Free online Tutorials at VET digital media academy online https://vimeo.com/channels/752951
pat@vet.co.uk -
That should read ProRes of course.
Pat Horridge
Broadcast & Post Consultant, Trainer, Avid Certified Instructor
Free online Tutorials at VET digital media academy online https://vimeo.com/channels/752951
pat@vet.co.uk
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