VHS->digital capture: Computer or DVDrecorder

[mzemina]

Which (if any) provides better quality when working in digital editing (have Adobe Premiere) with capturing digital from analog VHS tape (previous camcorder (Hi8) copied to VHS)?

Computer video capture or DVDrecorder?

Or is there really any differance between capturing onto a computer with a video capture card (maybe jumping up to Canopus ADVC100 Video Media Converter) or just recording onto DVD with a standalone DVDrecorder (like a Panasonic DMR-E50 [or E55] DVD Recorder/Player)?

I have way too many VHS tapes that I need to put into DVD discs. I will be making a video montage latter but I know I need to start converting them over to DVD.

Mike

[reboot]

You will get the best quality with a TBC such as the Canopus ADVC series. This will require more time, as the captured DV-AVI video will then have to be encoded.
Standalone recorders (most) don't filter the video at all, and (most) cannot defeat macrovision, as well as introducing audio distortion lines at the bottom or top of the video. A lot of this depends on the tracking accuracy of the VCR, number of heads, etc., to begin with.
Quick option is to use a hardware mpeg-2 capture card. They retain the quality of the original (usually), defeat macrovision easily (automatically), and record direct to your hard drive, ready to author and burn.
If you still have the original Hi8 tapes and camera, the cam should have some sort of output. You could go directly from the source to a good capture card then, and get even better quality.

[mzemina]

Originally posted by reboot
If you still have the original Hi8 tapes and camera, the cam should have some sort of output. You could go directly from the source to a good capture card then, and get even better quality.

Sorry took so long to reply. I do still have original Hi8 tapes, but the only capture cards I own are (1) ATI All-in-wonder 7500 and (2) older Hauppage WinTV. I was thinking instead of purchasing yet another (higher quality) capture card - that I would purchase on ebay a DVD recorder for ~$150.00, then once I have finished using it to transfer my old videos from camcorder to DVD I can also use to record TV programs instead of VCR. It would have multiple purposes other than the capture card only has one purpose and would not be used much. BUT, if I won't get as close to the quality from the DVD after I have captured from DVD recorder then I guess it would be better to get a capture card, I've wanted the Canopus cards because of their quality. I've not spoke with anyone that could give me a comparision of the quality that came from a standalone DVD recorder verses a good (what do you recommend) capture card.

Mike

[reboot]

You don't need another card. The ATI (with the new software package) will do nicely. Even the old WinTV card, the right software, and compression codec, will do a GREAT quality job.
If you insist on purchasing another card, get the Hauppauge PVR-250/350/500.
This way, you're capturing directly to DVD compliant mpeg-2. Just author and burn. No converting, encoding, or anything.

You could then get some PVR software such as GB-PVR and use the PC as your "tivo" type dvd recorder, and not have to buy a standalone. (but I digress...)
The PVR card also automatically disables (ignores) macrovision.
Most standalones will not, so copying commercial VHS is impossible.
1. The best quality is a TBC, and a good encoder (see #2)
2. The next best is any capture card, with huffyuv, and a good standalone encoder such as Canopus Procoder.
3. The next best is hardware mpeg-2 card. Very fast. No encoding needed.
I could go on about comparing capture screenshots and such, but the best "bang-for-the-buck" is a PVR-250.
(notice I do NOT say anything about the pvr-150!)
You can set the bitrate, aspect and everything else to suit your particular need. It will easily maintain (and with a bit of tweaking) can actually improve the quality, by filtering out noise, increasing sharpness etc.
It ignores copy protection on tapes completely (99% of the time. There's always one that will screw up!)
These are all things that a set top dvd recorder cannot do.

[setarip]

To mzemina

"and (most) cannot defeat macrovision"

This is not an area of concern for you, since you are not copying commercially produced videos.

Since you DO have the original Hi8 tapes and camera, I'd suggest that you opt for the simplest, most direct methodology, which would be to output to a "tabletop" DVD recorder...

[mzemina]

Thanks - I appreciate the information!

Mike

[setarip]

"Thanks - I appreciate the information!"

My (Our) pleasure ;>}

[Grinch]

Take a close look at the Video Advantage PCI from TurtleBeach. Comes with hardware and software togeather. I use it all the time for end to end video production. It will do what you want plus a lot more.

[reboot]

All retail versions of all cards come with some type of software.
Some have much better 3rd party support than others. Turtle Beach is one of the "others".

[Grinch]

Yea thats a good point. I never had to use the support from the Turtle Beach hardware but the support for the Cyberlink software that came with the hardware lacks quick responce time. They offer email support but if you need direct phone support you must purchase it. I feel you should get full support at least for a short period of time.