VHS > FCP – most sensible workflow for digitizing old family movies!

[Petteri Evilampi]

I have a BM-decklink card and recently I had to digitize some old vhs tapes. I just happened to be a bit lazy so I connected the composite video and audio cables direct to Decklink. Digitized some footage, and OH NO, every time there was bad drop-out or even the shortest brake on CTL on vhs tape the AUDIO ON MY FILE DRIFTED A BIT! And after few minutes audio and video were several frames out of sync!!
Then I connected the TBC (Datavideo DAC-30) in between, and there was no problem. So that´s why You need a TBC with VHS, BETA Beta and U-Matic tapes!

And do not use DV-codec!

[Sean Kapleton]

Wow thanks for all the great responses everyone – i really appreciate all the time you guys took to respond its really awesome of you all!

Another quick question – what if instead of a DV cam I have access to a newer Canon HV30 will this work still ?!

I also do have access to a Panasonic DVCPRO deck (1400 series) as well as a DVCAM deck might these be able to help me with this issue?

thanks again
sean

[Sean Kapleton]

Wow thanks for all the great responses everyone – i really appreciate all the time you guys took to respond its really awesome of you all!

Another quick question – what if instead of a DV cam I have access to a newer Canon HV30 will this work still ?!

I also do have access to a Panasonic DVCPRO deck (1400 series) as well as a DVCAM deck might these be able to help me with this issue?

thanks again
sean

[Michael Gissing]

VHS is SD so it will not help to try to record that signal into an HD machine. The Canon can be switched to record DV but I still do not recommend DV codec when it can be so easily avoided.

[Sean Kapleton]

hey michael

sorry so in the end considering everything i have available to me you would recommend what workflow?

best

sean

[Ken Geary]

This is what I found and CreativeCow may want to put this in their FAQ’s

I have a crate of old VHS-C tapes, kids growing up, etc. I’ve been putting off duibbing them to DVD or another digital format waiting for the perfect low-cost small storage solution. DONT WAIT, some of my tapes are close to 20yrs old and lost a lot of image quality and there’s a lot of video noise on older ones.
I tried to capture into a brand new Decklink Extreme 3D on a HPZ800
and the video would keep cutting off to black frames with audio loss. After extensive search on the web, I found out the Decklink (and maybe a lot of newer capture cards) only responds to CLEAN video. A standard VHS or even most commercial VHS players did not work. Turns out a Panasonic AG-1830 with S-VHS out did the trick because it has a built in TBC.
I am capturing Mjepeg to keep file storage realistic, and from there can edit, export to iPad/Touch/etc and go to DVD as needed.
Long story short, I can cleanly capture now so anyone doing the same needs a similar VHS deck or has to get their hands on a Time Base Corrector to stabilize the signal.
If you have no access to this, dub to a digital video camera, most if not all have an analog input cable, you will have to invest in a bunch of MiniDV tapes but you will at least add many years to protecting your videos.
Hope this helps
Ken