Capturing VHS Tapes Help at DVinfo.net

Riker Rock · September 11th, 2011, 12:40 PM

Ok, here is my setup.
Dug out my old DVDO HD+ unit, VHS player and plugged that into my BlackMagic Intensity Pro card.
(VHS into DVDO then hdmi into the blackmagic)
Now I've captured some tapes at 720p .avi files and the files are huge. Something like 6gb per min. I've tried the 720p mjpeg but it seems choppy. I've tried it at 480p and its obviously a lot smaller file size but the aspect ratio seems slightly off compared to the 720p. I've dl the trial of Cineform and done some conversion and it does make the file smaller but what would be the best way of doing this (what settings in cineform should I use High, filmscan one or two)? Is this overkill.Also since these files are huge, I've had to split the files when capturing to my raptor drive.
Please any advise would be great. I don't mind buying some software to convert etc.
Also, I do not plan on putting these on playable Blu rays. I Play everything via a media streamer or HTPC.
One final thing, Cineform does not show the blackmagic as a capture device. IS this normal or something wrong? I've reinstall both cineform and the blackmagic.
Thanks
Don

Jordan Nash · September 11th, 2011, 01:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Riker Rock

Ok, here is my setup.
Dug out my old DVDO HD+ unit, VHS player and plugged that into my BlackMagic Intensity Pro card.
(VHS into DVDO then hdmi into the blackmagic)
Now I've captured some tapes at 720p .avi files and the files are huge. Something like 6gb per min. I've tried the 720p mjpeg but it seems choppy. I've tried it at 480p and its obviously a lot smaller file size but the aspect ratio seems slightly off compared to the 720p. I've dl the trial of Cineform and done some conversion and it does make the file smaller but what would be the best way of doing this (what settings in cineform should I use High, filmscan one or two)? Is this overkill.Also since these files are huge, I've had to split the files when capturing to my raptor drive.
Please any advise would be great. I don't mind buying some software to convert etc.
Also, I do not plan on putting these on playable Blu rays. I Play everything via a media streamer or HTPC.
One final thing, Cineform does not show the blackmagic as a capture device. IS this normal or something wrong? I've reinstall both cineform and the blackmagic.
Thanks
Don

Why are you capturing VHS at 720P? VHS is a lossy format at 480i. You will not somehow magically gain resolution by capturing in HD.

Jeff Pulera · September 12th, 2011, 12:27 PM

Why not connect VHS deck direct to Intensity Pro and capture the proper native 480i format? You may also be adding additional loss/conversions by going through the other deck and converting to HDMI first.

As for aspects not matching - HD is always 16:9 widescreen, while your old VHS tapes will be 4:3

Jeff Pulera
Safe Harbor Computers

Riker Rock · September 16th, 2011, 08:11 AM

Only reason for the dvdo unit is because it has a full frame time base corrector built in and stablizes the video tapes. I tried without it as u suggested and some videos have issues flickering etc.
Thanks
Any other suggestions??

Michael Johnston · September 18th, 2011, 07:26 PM

I have a Grass Valley ADVC55 Analog to FireWire converter that I use to capture VHS tapes and to livestream SD video from cameras that lack a FireWire connection. Works great.

Bob Hart · September 22nd, 2011, 04:54 AM

I captured a VHS tape already copied from another via Premiere Pro CS5 via firewire from a JVC HR-DVS1 set to dub from VHS > DV and it did okay. It needed a bit of later work for video noise and the usual VHS old-age dropouts we routinely lived with back in the day.

DARANGULAFILM's Channel - YouTube

I did pull it into a cineform preset project for the correction tools.

September 11th, 2011, 12:40 PM	#1
Riker Rock Tourist Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Los Angeles CA Posts: 3	Capturing VHS Tapes Help Ok, here is my setup. Dug out my old DVDO HD+ unit, VHS player and plugged that into my BlackMagic Intensity Pro card. (VHS into DVDO then hdmi into the blackmagic) Now I've captured some tapes at 720p .avi files and the files are huge. Something like 6gb per min. I've tried the 720p mjpeg but it seems choppy. I've tried it at 480p and its obviously a lot smaller file size but the aspect ratio seems slightly off compared to the 720p. I've dl the trial of Cineform and done some conversion and it does make the file smaller but what would be the best way of doing this (what settings in cineform should I use High, filmscan one or two)? Is this overkill.Also since these files are huge, I've had to split the files when capturing to my raptor drive. Please any advise would be great. I don't mind buying some software to convert etc. Also, I do not plan on putting these on playable Blu rays. I Play everything via a media streamer or HTPC. One final thing, Cineform does not show the blackmagic as a capture device. IS this normal or something wrong? I've reinstall both cineform and the blackmagic. Thanks Don

September 12th, 2011, 12:27 PM	#3
Jeff Pulera Major Player Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Milwaukee WI Posts: 691	Re: Capturing VHS Tapes Help Why not connect VHS deck direct to Intensity Pro and capture the proper native 480i format? You may also be adding additional loss/conversions by going through the other deck and converting to HDMI first. As for aspects not matching - HD is always 16:9 widescreen, while your old VHS tapes will be 4:3 Jeff Pulera Safe Harbor Computers

September 16th, 2011, 08:11 AM	#4
Riker Rock Tourist Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Los Angeles CA Posts: 3	Re: Capturing VHS Tapes Help Only reason for the dvdo unit is because it has a full frame time base corrector built in and stablizes the video tapes. I tried without it as u suggested and some videos have issues flickering etc. Thanks Any other suggestions??

September 18th, 2011, 07:26 PM	#5
Michael Johnston Regular Crew Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Dallas, TX Posts: 130	Re: Capturing VHS Tapes Help I have a Grass Valley ADVC55 Analog to FireWire converter that I use to capture VHS tapes and to livestream SD video from cameras that lack a FireWire connection. Works great.

September 22nd, 2011, 04:54 AM	#6
Bob Hart Inner Circle Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: PERTH. W.A. AUSTRALIA. Posts: 4,476	Re: Capturing VHS Tapes Help I captured a VHS tape already copied from another via Premiere Pro CS5 via firewire from a JVC HR-DVS1 set to dub from VHS > DV and it did okay. It needed a bit of later work for video noise and the usual VHS old-age dropouts we routinely lived with back in the day. DARANGULAFILM's Channel - YouTube I did pull it into a cineform preset project for the correction tools.