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View Full Version : VHS -> MPEG4 workflow? VHS/DVD Recorder combo?

odditory
23rd July 2008, 05:15
Hey guys,

I have a few hundred VHS tapes I'd like to finally throw away but I want to archive many of them. Ultimately I'd like them to end up as H.264 files for playback on a media center computer.

I'm scratching my head about how to go about it, short of just straight video capture to the computer. I wonder if there's a way to leverage the cheap cost of VHS/DVD Recorder or VHS/harddisk recorder units for this purpose. Since VHS/DVD Recorder combos make it easy to "hit record and forget" a 2-hour VHS tape, I have thought of the following workflow:

1) I.e. buying 3-5 VHS/DVD Recorder combo units (i.e. next time they go on sale)

2) Recording VHS -> DVD-RW discs

3) Ripping the MPEG2 from DVD-RW discs on my existing computers that already have 5 DVD-RW drives per computer, and either keeping the MPEG2 files or converting them in a second step to H.264?

This multi-step process makes it much lengthier than I'd like, but bottom line is I'd need to buy several VCR's anyway so having a combo unit might save me from investment in VHS plus video capture cards.

Does anyone know of an easier way, or if a set-top player that combines a VHS with harddisk or USB flash storage (or god forbid PC-linkable VHS combo player) exists to simplify my workflow?

Any info appreciated - thanks guys!
olyteddy
23rd July 2008, 05:26
'Best' is a word that doesn't get used around here, as you are the only one who can possibly know what's 'best'...but if your goal is H.264, why not get a hardware H.264 encoder? They are out there, and not that expensive. Woot! was selling a Pinnacle one that recorded directly to USB flash or (FAT 32) hard drive for ~ $80 US. You'd still need VCRs though.
odditory
23rd July 2008, 07:13
'Best' is a word that doesn't get used around here, as you are the only one who can possibly know what's 'best'...but if your goal is H.264, why not get a hardware H.264 encoder? They are out there, and not that expensive. Woot! was selling a Pinnacle one that recorded directly to USB flash or (FAT 32) hard drive for ~ $80 US. You'd still need VCRs though.

Just bought that Pinnacle off Woot last week. It's so-so. Someone told me about THIS guy (http://www.blackmagic-design.com/products/videorecorder/): looks pretty awesome for $119, especially because it records component.

http://www.blackmagic-design.com/images/products/vr-hero1.jpg

I'm planning on buying multiple quantities of these; now I just need a S-VHS VCR with restorative qualities (ie TBC/NR/Digi-tracking). I've heard good things about certain Panasonics..
2Bdecided
23rd July 2008, 10:34
Capturing component isn't much use for a VHS source. The composite or S-video inputs will be fine.

If the encoding in this device is reasonable, then it sounds like a real time saver. If it isn't, you're probably better off with a good DVD recorder.

Cheers,
David.
GrofLuigi
23rd July 2008, 17:43
Why don't you buy DVD recorder(s) with hard disks and larger storage space on the media server?

Pro: You save time/hassle.

Con: You buy more hard disks.

GL
odditory
23rd July 2008, 17:43
At this point I'm thinking Panasonic AG-1980 VCR (known for its amazing playback quality and restorative abilities, i.e. on older tapes) plus one of these blackmagic recorders (i like the fact blackmagic lets me specify a crop box BEFORE hitting record).
odditory
23rd July 2008, 17:45
Why don't you buy DVD recorder(s) with hard disks and larger storage space on the media server?

Pro: You save time/hassle.

Con: You buy more hard disks.

GL

What do you mean DVD recorders with harddisks? Are there such a thing as combo DVD/HDD recorders that allow you connect the drives and/or files to a windows PC? If so I'd do that, but I haven't yet found a combo set-top device where the harddisk and filesystem weren't proprietary and "locked".