[Johnny Tintor]

Export the premier sequences as mpeg2 dvd @ 6 or 7 mbps, then import the m2v/wav files (as timeline) into encore. You’ll be able to fit much more footage on a BD disc with these settings.

[Johnny Tintor]

For the the highest quality “master file” possible, you should capture your footage in either uncompressed or prores422. DV is already a lossy codec, so when you compress and convert to mpeg2 for dvd burning you will lose even more quality. h264 provides better quality video at smaller file sizes but it is still highly compressed and not ideal for a master file.

[Johnny Tintor]

The flickering line at the bottom of the video is an overscan line. The only way to get rid of it is by cropping it out with editing software.

[Johnny Tintor]

You’ll need to throw a TBC in between your SVHS deck and capture device in order for FCP to properly recognise the video signal. Datavideo’s TBC1000 works well. For capturing, the Canopus ADVC110 and ADVC300 are rock solid and feature “locked audio” so your capture will never be out of sync. The 300 is a bit more pricey because it has a built-in TBC and provides better quality captures. When set to “non-controllable device” both units will allow you to continue capturing even with breaks in the footage.

[Johnny Tintor]

Trip,

It is LEGAL for your client to use songs (that he purchased) in his own project, for his own personal use. It is ILLEGAL for you to use the songs to build the DVD’s that you will eventually charge him for-since the DVD’s are not for YOUR OWN personal use. Even though you are not charging him for “adding them” per se, you are still charging him for the final product-which includes copyrighted music.

Johnny

[Johnny Tintor]

For around $50 you can snag a used Roxio VHS to DVD usb capture device off eBay. The sotware is useless, and the video capture is pretty poor quality but for a quick and inexpensive audio capture it should suit your needs quite well.

Johnny

[Johnny Tintor]

Thanks for the info, Jeff. Alternately, if I have a vhs capture that is only 30 minutes long (DV AVI roughly 6gb), is it a good idea to bump the bitrate way up when transcoding to mpeg2 to get the best dvd quality, or will this just stall the player? Using the 560/30 method produces a very high bitrate. Thanks

[Johnny Tintor]

In that case, the canopus advc 110 is the best bang for the buck. You can find them on eBay for $100-$150. If you can find a cheap external TBC to throw in between the deck and the canopus, your results will be pretty decent.

[Johnny Tintor]

I’d recommend using any of the pro JVC series 22 SVHS decks. The BR-S822DXU provides excellent playback quality and features a built in time base corrector and digital noise reducer. Use the component analog out and run the signal through a Matrox MXO2 Mini Max as it includes Component, Composite, S-Video and HDMI inputs. Capture either uncompressed or directly to H.264 for archival purposes. You can use the free productivity app: Direct H.264 capture. https://www.matrox.com/video/en/products/mxo2_mini_max/productivity_apps/

Remember to use high quality cables and make sure the deck heads are clean.

I’ve experimented with many different setups and this one seems to provide the best results.