OT Canopus/Grass Valley ADVC-300

[Douglas Spotted eagle]

Nothing special to set up at all, Allen. You’ll appreciate how it works. We have one for VHS dubs as well, although I’ve come to prefer the Convergent Design SD Connect, the Canopus is still a very nice box.
Congrats on your retirement!

Douglas Spotted Eagle
VASST
Aerial Camera/Instructor
Certified Sony Vegas Trainer

[Allen Zagel]

Thanks Spot

Fairly easy to set up then? That Convergent Design SD Connect wseems to be a little out of my price range at this point. ha ha

Allen

ASX Media Productions
https://www.asxvideo.com

[Jacob Hobbs]

I own the ADVC-300 and have been using it to convert Hi8 and VHS tapes. The “TBC” in it, is the same as the ADVC-100, which is just a Line-TBC. It is not a full frame TBC.

The 300 comes with a very simple application called “Picture Controller” which allows you to adjust brightness/contrast/auto gain/white peak/colors/volume control(bass/treble) of the incoming signal.

I usually set everything at default, and only adjust the auto gain for properly levels and the audio volume. Trying to use the color adjustments is just too hard, because of no scopes. You first have to capture some test video, and put it into Vegas to look at the levels. Then repeat the process until you got it right. I’d rather do all adjustments in Vegas.

The 300 does offer 2D and 3D noise reduction, but the 3D is a little overrated. There are only two settings(light/hard), and the the hard setting is too harsh and causes motion trails on moving objects.

If I were you, I would probably keep using the ADVC-100 and make all adjustments in software like Vegas. You get only a little more functionality for your money with the ADVC-300.

[Allen Zagel]

Hi Wile_E

I didn’t know the ADVC-100 had a TBC in it. I thought that was the reason for the 300 as well as the enhancement controls. If that’s the case, tne you just saved me $500. I’d better do some more research then.

Thanks
Allen

ASX Media Productions
https://www.asxvideo.com

[Mike Kujbida]

Allen, if it’s video noise you’re worried about, take a look at the package from Neat Video.
I’ve read numerous posts praising it’s abilities to clean up bad video.

[Allen Zagel]

Hi Mike

That Neat Video sure looks good. Up until now all I’ve been somewhat familiar with was the ADVC-300 because everyone says I need a TBC among other filters to clean up noisy VHS tapes.

For example I get a set of VHS tapes from a friend that he recorded some time ago and he wanted the videos on a DVD. I captured them through my ADVC-100 direct into Vegas. Seemed to be a lot of what I call static noise. Well I cut out some of the bad parts but I had a lot of problems trying to encode it and also in DVDA trying to make the DVD. Finally I did but in playing the DVD on a set-top player resulted in the DVD locking up.

I had read that a TBC would clean up some or all of the noise plus possible enhancing an old faded video, which I had believed my ADVC-100 didn’t have until I read the post above.

So now your suggestion gives me another tool to look at. They have a demo plugin for Vegas and it’s free fo9r non commercial use so I’ll have time to play with it. If it works good and I can figure it out ha ha, I’ll purchase it.

Thanks Again
Allen

ASX Media Productions
https://www.asxvideo.com

[Mike Kujbida]

“If it works good and I can figure it out ha ha, I’ll purchase it.”

Allen, Vegas guru Jeffrey Fisher reviewed Neat Video in an article on another site and had this to say about it:

Many scenes were a little noisy for my tastes, so I decided to try the demo of Neat Video. I bought it five minutes later!

[Allen Zagel]

ha ha ha
That’s what I’m thinking also. I got the Vegas demo and DL’d the manual and quick start PDF’s. After looking at some of the samples I might even buy it before I try it 😉

A few of the sample photos of clips showed exactly what I’m encountering all the time. I had a nice digital 8 as well as high-8’s in various projects before and even on the digital 8 I notice the grain which was one of the examples on the Neat site.

Kind of sounds like taking a noise print with Sony’s noise reduction.

Thanks so much for telling me about this software.
Allen

ASX Media Productions
https://www.asxvideo.com

[Ralph Hajik]

Hi Allen,

Congratulations on your retirement!

The price looks good on the Neat Video for a single user.
If you need anymore info and user experience, you might want to try to contact my friend Jeffrey at:
https://www.jeffreypfisher.com/
and hit contact on his site.

Good Luck!

Ralph Hajik
Westmont, IL

[Allen Zagel]

Hi Ralph

I also know JPF from the audio forum. We’ve talked before on audio issues. Yea, great guy.

Hey I’m retired now so let’s get together for coffee sometime.

Allen

ASX Media Productions
https://www.asxvideo.com