Help trying to achieve VHS look (authentically)

R

Reelkid

Member
Hi guys, I'm trying to find figure out how exactly to achieve an authentic VHS look. I don't really want to use video editing software to achieve this. I know there's a way to use a VHS recorder and then digitising the VHS back onto a computer but I don't know an actual solid work flow for this. Can anyone help? Thanks
 
You need a video capture card for you computer with the old RCA style video input and output connector then all you need to add is the actual VCR itself. They are not very expensive.
If the card only has more sophisticated inputs and outputs like S-VHS or HDMI then you need to also use a converter box to convert those connections into the type that's on your VCR.
You would play your footage out through the card, record it into the VCR, then play the VCR tape back and record the signal back into the computer through that RCA style input on the capture card.
While there will be many ways to do this, this will work.
 
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Awesome guys thanks so much, this is very helpful. I don't have any RCA components on my PC so that method may not be the best for me. However I'm sure I can maybe burn my short onto a dvd and then play it via a dvd player while having it output (via RCA cables) into the VCR recorder?

Edit:

But oh my word...the JVC KY1900 looks glorious...but I can't...maybe...no I can't...
 
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Last option: but I don't think it will work well: Shoot the footage, play it back on your TV via VHS, shoot the TV with your camera.
 
I can tell you how I did it back in the day. . .I shot on miniDV, then transferred to VHS via deck, then BACK to DV, then back to VHS. The more you go back and forth the crappier it looks, so you have control over how much you crap it up. Desaturate in post for more control. This was the final product (skip to about 2:30 in to see VHS): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QB_2oKLhSng
 
thanks for the info! I don't think i'll go as far as shooting the TV though I'm sure there's some way to digitise the recorded VHS tape. Apparently this product works quite well

Edit: @Josh Bass

That looks awesome holy cow! Though I shoot on a 5d iii so the miniDV to vhs won't really be an option. Though I suppose could just burn my 5D footage to dvd and then record the dvd to VHS?

Also just out of curiosity what camera did you use?
 
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Years ago I used DVD Xpress by ADS Technology for this, was about $100. They later made a version 2 device called DX2. Worked well. I vaguely recall having trouble with a driver, I think I downloaded their Vista driver and used it in XP because the XP driver didn't work. The box digitized to either mp4 or AVI, can't recall which. Got fairly hot, make sure it is well ventilated. This device was able to capture 640 lines resolution (a lot of the inline devices such as what someone else posted earlier at that time only captured 320 lines), don't know which would work better for your needs. Plenty on ebay, but you may need a computer running XP. http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_fro...Xpress.TRS0&_nkw=ADS+tech+DVD+Xpress&_sacat=0
 
I think I may have figured it out! (i think) I can play my finished short on my TV via a USB and capture that with a HD Digital Video Recorder. Then I can plug my VCR into my TV and connect the output cables from the HD DVR into the VCR, put in the blank VHS tape and then record the HD DVR footage. Then just use the HD DVR to re-capture the VHS footage so I can transfer it back to my PC :D?
 
Watch the BTS from Kung Fury. He planned to do it practically too, because post plugins just looked like a cheap trick. Then discovered a Magic Bullet plugin that, he says, looks a lot better than anything else around, and went with that instead.
 
Blackmagic have (or had) a simple, external composite video to USB adapter for capturing old video footage. I remember it being pretty cheap. That'd be your simplest and most direct method. Some photo stores also still offer VHS digitising services for people to transfer their old home movies to digital. Look into that too.
 
Samuel H said:
Watch the BTS from Kung Fury. He planned to do it practically too, because post plugins just looked like a cheap trick. Then discovered a Magic Bullet plugin that, he says, looks a lot better than anything else around, and went with that instead.
Click to expand...

Aw I know I've been doing so much research and I did come across this though I'm very desperate for an authentic feel. I'll try the method used on Kung Fury and hopefully I'll be satisfied and won't see much difference. But If not I'l have to go with the more expensive route.
 
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