-
Best Way to Convert Lots of PAL VHS tapes to MPEG-1s
My objective is to develop the best workflow to convert lots of PAL VHS tapes to MPEG-1 using FCP and IO.
I can think of two approaches.
1) Buy a multi-system VCR with standards converter and input NTSC to FCP, trim digitized tapes, export refs and use Compressor to make MPEGs. Disadvantage is probably the quality of the standards converter. I don’t want to spend a fortune on this as it’s VHS and a one-time job.
2) Buy only VCR that plays PAL. Install AJA’s IoAnalogPAL.mkpg and capture the PAL VCRs output as PAL. Trim digitized tapes, export refs and use Compressor to make MPEGs. Disadvantage is I can’t view input or digitized clips on my broadcast (NTSC-only) monitor.
I am open to suggestions as to the benefits/drawbacks of either approach and for better ways of doing this. Also, if anyone has suggestions as to VCRs/standards converters I’d appreciate that, too.
John
Dual 2.5 G5 4 gigs RAM OS 10.4.3 QT7.0.3
Dual Cinema 23 Radeon 9800
FCP Studio 5
Huge U-320R 1TB Raid 3 firmware ENG15.BIN
ATTO UL4D driver 3.50
AJA IO driver 2.1 firmware v23-28
SonicStudio HD DAW, Yamaha DM1000, Genelec Monitors -
3 Replies
-
capturing as PAL seems the best way to go.
do you need to view the clips on a broadcast monitor?
what are the mpegs for?
if not for broadcast, then you are ok, surely?nick
-
MPEGs are for archive purposes, not broadcast.
John
-
Hi – I’m just starting out on FCP and to get some practice, have been capturing footage from VHS tapes. I daisy-chained the VCR to my Panasonic AG-DV2500 deck, which is firewired to the G5. I haven’t had problems capturing footage, but I have had difficulty exporting it to a size that is usable. I’ve been trying to use Compressor, but once I enter all my presets and try to “submit” it gives me this error message: “Cannot submit to batch – Unable to connect to background process”. I cannot find what this means in the Help Function and cannot figure it out…any ideas?
I know this isn’t what you posted, but your Subject heading looked similar.
Thanks in advance,
James
Reply to this Discussion! Login or Sign Up