i have found the canopus advc110 w/ good reviews for about $225 and then pinnacle makes something for mac's for about $100 w/ poor reviews. basically, i have 3 vhs tapes that a client asked me to put on dvds for him. i thought about just going to best buy and buying a vhs to dvd recorder but i'd like to have something that allows me to edit the dead space and maybe give him a menu... so i'd like something to work with fcp 7 if possible... any suggestions other than the ones stated above?
moving vhs to dvd (which product to buy)
- Thread starter jrod81
- Start date
Do you have a miniDV deck or camcorder? You can transfer the VHS to digital tape, then capture to FCP and edit, export, convert, and author to DVD.
Keep in mind, though, that VHS tapes in less-than-ideal condition may require being patched through a Time Base Corrector in order to do a stable transfer, no matter what you use.
Keep in mind, though, that VHS tapes in less-than-ideal condition may require being patched through a Time Base Corrector in order to do a stable transfer, no matter what you use.
went to wal-mart, bought a vhs to dvd recorder... i have 4 tapes... 2 of them worked fine and the DVD is done but the other two are giving me fits. when i fast forward i can see the image but when i hit play and it resumes at normal speed it is all static (audio is good but there is no picture). any thoughts?
Remember what I said earlier:
Are the pictures really static (snow), or are they just severely garbled and wobbly? If it's snow, it may be more damage than a TBC can fix. However, chances are that the control track of the tape is damaged, which is pretty common for VHS tapes that have been run a lot. The Time Base Corrector replaces the missing information (which is how the video signal is pieced back together from its recorded parts).
They aren't cheap. Perhaps you can find an nearby rental company that has one. But you connect the VCR's outputs to the TBC's inputs, then one of the TBC's outputs to your recording device.
But with full-on snow, I wonder if there's more damage to the tape. The TBC is still worth a try if you can find one to borrow/rent.
But with full-on snow, I wonder if there's more damage to the tape. The TBC is still worth a try if you can find one to borrow/rent.
Unlikely a TBC will solve the problem you're seeing. Time base errors usually manifest as skew or wobble -- the image as viewed in a single frame has a 'time base' problem that means that each line is a little off in timing, so the image gets wider or narrower from top to bottom -- or both, which causes the wobble look. This is an analog only problem -- digital recordings are immune to time base errors.
When you can see an image on FF but it fails on Play, it is likely the tracking is too far out of spec for the VCR to manage. Older machines had manual tracking knobs and often wider ranges -- later decks adopted an 'auto' tracking that didn't have the same range, IMO.
I occasionally have to use old analog sources in a production. I make a dub to my DV camcorder using the analog inputs, then use the resulting DV tape as the source from then on. Finding a suitable playback deck can be the challenge -- Betamax tapes will play on some Betacam decks, VHS tapes play 'best' on professional duty decks with broad range tracking controls ... until you're faced with LP or SLP recordings, which the pro decks won't work with. I have an ancient JVC S-VHS deck with a manual tracking knob & S-video output that works well with everything I've ever tried.
As for sync issues -- note that it is IMPOSSIBLE to have sync issues to tape. It doesn't matter how long the recording is, the instant of tape playback is always matched to the instant of tape recording -- there is no 'buffer' or lag possible. Sync issues, when you see them, are ALWAYS the fault of software on your computer. That said, make a DV tape dub of your source even if your camcorder/deck is capable of analog to digital pass-through.
Terribly snowy VHS tape playback is usually caused by tracking problems. Tracking problems are worse on narrow head VCRs -- later VCRs had narrower heads, pro decks typically have heads too wide to play SLP recordings. Find an old deck, or work with a pro deck if you're tape is SP. Sometimes the snow is as simple as dirt on the playback heads, maybe deposited by the old tape you're trying to play -- a few cycles of FF and rewind of the tape will spin some of that dirt off (though unfortunately into the deck if that's what you use) and use of a head cleaning tape may help a little.
Cheers,
GB
When you can see an image on FF but it fails on Play, it is likely the tracking is too far out of spec for the VCR to manage. Older machines had manual tracking knobs and often wider ranges -- later decks adopted an 'auto' tracking that didn't have the same range, IMO.
I occasionally have to use old analog sources in a production. I make a dub to my DV camcorder using the analog inputs, then use the resulting DV tape as the source from then on. Finding a suitable playback deck can be the challenge -- Betamax tapes will play on some Betacam decks, VHS tapes play 'best' on professional duty decks with broad range tracking controls ... until you're faced with LP or SLP recordings, which the pro decks won't work with. I have an ancient JVC S-VHS deck with a manual tracking knob & S-video output that works well with everything I've ever tried.
As for sync issues -- note that it is IMPOSSIBLE to have sync issues to tape. It doesn't matter how long the recording is, the instant of tape playback is always matched to the instant of tape recording -- there is no 'buffer' or lag possible. Sync issues, when you see them, are ALWAYS the fault of software on your computer. That said, make a DV tape dub of your source even if your camcorder/deck is capable of analog to digital pass-through.
Terribly snowy VHS tape playback is usually caused by tracking problems. Tracking problems are worse on narrow head VCRs -- later VCRs had narrower heads, pro decks typically have heads too wide to play SLP recordings. Find an old deck, or work with a pro deck if you're tape is SP. Sometimes the snow is as simple as dirt on the playback heads, maybe deposited by the old tape you're trying to play -- a few cycles of FF and rewind of the tape will spin some of that dirt off (though unfortunately into the deck if that's what you use) and use of a head cleaning tape may help a little.
Cheers,
GB
What you are describing could be a head clog. This is very common in older tapes. The binder (glue) that holds the oxide to the plastic tape breaks down over time. You can use a cleaning tape, if you can find one or you can use denatured alcohol with lint free cleaning wipes. Always clean with the tape path. Do not rub the rotating head drum, place the cleaning wipe against the head and rotate the head in clockwise manor.
kennedymax
Well-known member
Sony makes a VHS to DVD recorder for a couple hundred or so. It does about as good a job as you would want for a decent xfer. If you have a vhs problem you should try the TBC route.
Good luck,
Ken
Good luck,
Ken
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