VHS to dvd, capture card or dvd recorder.

[sigma2x]

Hi
I have a bunch of old "Action GBX" tapes which came free with a gaming magazine.
I would like to put them all on one dvd-9 or a couple dvd-5's
The tapes shouldn't be any longer than 30mins each.

I was thinking of taking one tape to my dads to try his VHS to dvd recorder, either way I will be running the vids through avisynth and then outputting to divx.

Will the resolution of the tapes be ALOT worse than standard dvds? Would i be able to downsize them without losing anything?
Will there be any problems with interlacing from the VHS to the dvd?
Is there anything else I should know before messing about with VHS captures?


Thanks.

[whipdancer]

I converted about 500 VHS tapes (years and years of family video) to DVD over the last few years. I used a DVDR/VHS combo unit. I came to the conclusion it was the easiest method to minimize the amount of my attention it needed.

The video on the DVD's looks virtually identical to the video on the tapes. There appeared to be no loss (to my eyes) of quality. I don't know how well they will compress, simply because there's not that much data in there to begin with - someone else may be able to speak on that subject with more knowledge.

I guess what I'm saying is that it is incredibly easy to use the DVDR/VHS combo to get the source off of the tapes. Once you've put the source onto a DVD (or multiple DVD's), any steps you take after that are easily accomplished (such as converting to Divx).

[Ghitulescu]

While whipdancer is correct in his assertions, the VHS-DVD combos are generally worse in the analog part than a "clean" combination of VHS + DVD-Recorder (S-Video connections if possible, so find an S-VHS gear). However, since the tapes are industrially duplicated it wouldn't make any [big] difference.

If the tapes are really really important, then you can use the 2h modus (1h is overkill, not even the Hollywood uses it). Up to 4h (depending on your DVD recorder) should be ok, do some tests before and use your senses.

I use 3h40min modus for my old tapes, as it provides the maximum bitrate at 1/2D1 (352x576i, PAL), which is enough for VHS.

-=-

PS: Have you checked if the series is present on DVD? It would spare you the time, money and nerves :)

[sigma2x]

Thanks for both replying.

The tapes are pretty low quality to begin with and approx 15mins long, they are just old-ish gameboy advanced video game reviews, previews and news which used to come free with the Action GBX magazine.
I still haven't been able to try the vhs to dvd recorder yet and I have never used one before. Can you put more than one vhs on each dvd?

Thanks!

[Ghitulescu]

I don't know, since the VHS tapes run anywhere from 5 min (E05/E15demos) to 600 min (5h/E300 in LP). A DVDR can hold between 60 min (DVDR, 1h modus) and 960 min (DVDR DL, 8h modus). So it can be yes or no. If your tapes are 15min each then you can fit at least 4 of them onto 1 DVDR in 1h modus, double it for 2h modus.

[sigma2x]

Ok, thanks.
So when I can get to use the vhs/dvd recorder I will put multiple vhs's onto one dvd, then rip and cut the separate episodes and compress to divx.
Thanks :D