[Mitch Sink]

Hi,

Would it be better to capture it as HD (would the Kona do the scaling)?

You could use a Teranex Mini to scale it to HD before it hits the Kona:
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/481051-REG/Teranex_MINI_UDCS_MINI_UDCS_Mini_Standalone_High_Quality.html

The above price is wrong. Current MSRP is $2,995. I can get them for under $2,500.

Best Wishes,

Mitch

[Mitch Sink]

Hi,

As a minimum I would start with an S-Video deck with Y/C output.

They might all be discontinued but the more expensive (about $400) JVC consumer decks had built in Noise Reduction and TBC, called Digipure (I think if its called Digipure it has both DNR and TBC). We compared the playback of a JVC HR-S9911 (consumer SVHS deck – about $400) and we preferred the quality to a Panasonic AG7650 (multi thousand dollar professional deck).

If you can’t find a JVC S-video deck this might do it (double check and make sure it has TBC):

JVC DH30000
https://support.jvc.com/consumer/product.jsp?modelId=MODL026758&pathId=15&page=2&archive=true
# DigiPure Technology for high resolution analog recording and playback
# 1080i, 720P, 480P and 480i
# 2 Sets of AV inputs
# S-Video inputs
# 2 Sets of AV outputs
# 2 S-Video Outputs
# 1 Component Video Output (Y, Pb, Pr)
# 1 x Optical Digital Output
# 2 x I.Link Terminal (IEEE 1394), DV input only for camcorders
# Front Inputs ( AV, S-Video, i.Link)
# Frame Synchronizer for pristine analog-to-digital dubs

Its been discontinued but there are still a couple of companies that list it:

https://www.google.com/search?q=JVC%20DH30000&hl=en&sa=N&tab=fw
# Frame Synchronizer Eliminates Jitter & Noise From The Input Signal To Produce High Quality Dubs
# DigiPure Technology Helps Stabilize The Picture Of Old Tapes & Rental Cassettes
# Precision 3-D Color Circuit Provides Clear Color Separation & Sharpens Image Edges
# Precise Digital 3-D YNR/CNR Improves The S/N Ratio By Approximately 3dB
# Digital R3 Picture System & Digital 3-Dimensional Circuit With 4MB Frame Memory

https://www.electronicexpress.com/product?prod_id=2944&refer=6&cpc=6
Closeout Price: $299.50

If the playback quality is as good as our JVC HR-S9911 you will be very pleased.

Two units available on Ebay. If the S9911 is in good condition I highly recommend it:

https://cgi.ebay.com/JVC-HR-S9911U-SUPER-VHS-ET-VCR-DIGIPURE-TECHNOLOGY-SVHS_W0QQitemZ170214855519QQihZ007QQcategoryZ3318QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

https://cgi.ebay.com/JVC-HR-S9500U-DIGITAL-DIGIPURE-SUPER-VHS-ET-S-VHS-VCR_W0QQitemZ170214313380QQihZ007QQcategoryZ3318QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Best Wishes,

Mitch

[Mitch Sink]

Hi Jeremy,

The email from Rudy was actually this:
Go to: about this mac -> more info -> hardware -> model identifier.
For v3.1 Mac Pro: install Kona in slot 2 and Seritek in slot-4.

For V1.1 or 2.1 Mac Pro: install the Kona in slot-3 and Seritek in slot-4.
Then go to: /system/library/core services; launch the expansion slot
utility. Configure the PCIe slots for 16:1:4:4 (option 2).

I interpreted that as choose the slots based on your model and then run the utility. It looks he meant that slot configuration is only required for v1.1 or v2.1.

Thanks!

Mitch

[Mitch Sink]

Hi,

I would contact Rudy at AJA tech support. For a Kona LSe and Seritek card he recommended the following:

Go to: about this mac -> more info -> hardware -> model identifier.
For v3.1 Mac Pro: install Kona in slot 2 and Seritek in slot-4.

For V1.1 or 2.1 Mac Pro: install the Kona in slot-3 and Seritek in slot-4.

Then go to: /system/library/core services; launch the expansion slot
utility. Configure the PCIe slots for 16:1:4:4 (option 2).

Best Wishes,

Mitch

[Mitch Sink]

Hi,

This is very convenient. What a great idea (grin). Instead of keeping track of all these purchases and adding them up and paying at the end of the year it will all be taken care of at the time of purchase.

Best Wishes,

Mitch

[Mitch Sink]

[Jeff Carpenter] “Time Machine
PROS:
Super easy
Maintains old backups.”

Hi,

“Super Easy” is crucial. If your TM drive is turned on and attached TM does a backup every hour.

If you use CC or SuperDuper are you going to be sure it runs every day?

“Maintains old backups” is also crucial. Most of the times I need a file I am looking for a previous copy of an existing file.

If having a bootable copy is important to you I would partition your backup drive with one partition for a clone and one partition for TM. I’m not sure its that important because if your drive dies you will probably want to restore the most recent version of the OS and the TM backup will almost always be the most recent.

I would also:
1. use more than one backup drive
2. rotate one offsite.

Best Wishes,

Mitch

[Mitch Sink]

[Steve C] “What I’m looking to do is take a spare drive,clone my startup drive and then put the spare one on the shelf, but I don’t want to open the case every-time I want to run a backup and I don’t want to put the drive in an external case, because if my system drive fails I just want to throw it in and get back to working.”

Hi,

These Exteral Cases by Weibetech use a bare drive so you can use it just as conveniently as a bare drive but it will be more protected in the case:
https://www.wiebetech.com/products/RTX100.php

Overview of RTX 100 Series
Each have 1 bay, accept SATA drives, and include RTX TrayFree™ trayless bays – no screws, no trays.

If you are running Leopard think a better idea would be to partition the drive and use one partition for a periodic clone and use the other for Time Machine backups and leave it connected or disconnect it periodically (when doing captures for example).

Best Wishes,

Mitch

[Mitch Sink]

Hi Lee,

Sorry for the late reply (I was not following the thread). I just switched to 1Password which is great for Web Site Passwords. It works for Serial Numbers but it is a little kludgy (store them as secure notes). Still a better solution than scraps of paper etc.:
https://1password.com/

If $20 is OK this looks good (I haven’t tried it):
https://outerlevel.com/licensekeeper/

I think this donationware would work fine also (I might put my Serial Numbers in it and use 1Password for the Web):
https://www.macupdate.com/reviews.php?id=11818

Best Wishes,

Mitch

[Mitch Sink]

[Simon Hustings] “And I’m pretty confident about my settings. I followed the instructions word for word that came with the Nattress plugin. And I’ve researched on Lynda.com the way of converting PAL to NTSC using Compressor.”

Hi Simon,

Would you mind posting the procedure/settings you used in Compressor? If you do that maybe Uli will be kind enough to verify (or not) your settings. If they are correct I would like to see how you did it.

Is the following a good method and does it require progressive input to get good results?:
mentioned in this Apple Forum Thread (btw you can change the audio duration without changing the pitch in Soundtrack):
https://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?messageID=6676526�

I frequently do PAL to NTSCfilm conversions using the “slow pal” method, which requires no temporal interpolation, and very simple spatial scaling if your source is progressive.

The penalty is a drop in speed/audio pitch because your 25fps original will play at 23.98fps. (So your 60 min PAL program runs about 62 min)

https://www.macworld.com/article/49306/2006/02/marchcreate.html

BTW the following comment was part of the same thread:

Question:
Have you tried Nattress Standard Conversion plugin for FCP?

Response:
Graeme is a genius and a fantastic guy, and I like to think we are friends with him. In fact, I believe i wrote the very first (or at least one of the first) reviews ever of his standards conversion plug-in for FCP. But a long time has passed since then… and the truth is that there’s no way it can compete with advanced motion vector stuff as in Compressor 2.x/3.x, Twixtor, AE Time warp and so on.

Since Compressor’s output is overall so good, and it fits so well in my DVD authoring workflow, I’d just need a way to tweak it when you get artifacts in cases like the one I described.

Thanks!

Mitch

[Mitch Sink]

[Tom Matthies] “I’ve had good luck running FirmTek’s enclosures. I have two dual drive setups on my Mac and experienced exactly zero issues to date. One is running a pair of 750Gb drives. The other is running a pair of Hitachi 1Tb drives. They work and have some nice bundle pricing on their website. Worth checking out.
Tom”

Hi,

I really like my Firmtek card and enclosures. I got a better price at OWC on the card and enclosure bundle and no CA Sales Tax.

Best Wishes,

Mitch