D scaler with VHS Tapes

[faithfoo]

1) I am deciding whether I should purchase PAL or NTSC VHS tapes given that VCR players can play either of the 2.

2) Does D scaler works best with PAL or NTSC to yield best resolution when inputting the VHS source into HTPC for playback via projector ?
( DVI out of ATI Radeon card)


3) what resolution do we tweak the D scaler to ?? ( 1920 * 1080 ? )

4) I believe the best way to play back VHS tapes via the HTPC would be to output Composite video of the VCR player to the composite input of a TV Tuner card

a) It will not make any difference to output such VHS tapes from the s video output of the VCR player or input it to the S video input of the TV Tuner card . ( Since such NTSC or PAL tapes are non SVHS > )


b) if you have a recommendation for the TV tuner card that works well with D scaler as well . I am thinking about flyvideo 3000

[lemon]

1) If you want to purchase commercial titles, give VHS away and buy DVDs... If it's for your own footage, is it PAL or NTSC?

2) PAL is 720x576, NTSC is 720x480...

3) What is the native resolution for the projector? you shoul use that.

4) Better use the SVHS output/input

a) It will make difference, as all analogic transmissions have some kind of loss, and S cables have less loss than composite ones (as chroma and luma signals travel in phisically separate cables).

b) Can't make a recommendation, I do have only one capture card :-)

[faithfoo]

the producer only has VHS tapes ,

1)
Since PAL is 720x576, does it mean it has more pixels and hence more resolution than NTSC ?
I guess quality would be the same when applied with D scaler

2) The native resolution for the projector is 960 * 540 .can i confirm even if I set it to 1920 * 1080 , the reso will not be any better

3) Can you help me understand this .....since this is basic VHS tape( & Not SVHS tape) , why would I get better output from S video output then into S video input of capture card

[lemon]

1) Pal and NTSC use aprox the same bandwith, but PAL has higher definition with lower framerate. PAL is 720x576 with 25fps, while NTSC is 720x480 with 30 fps (yes, it's not 30, but 29.9something). As films shot in film are always 24 fps, the higher framerate of NTSC gives nothing (only problems) while PAL has always better resolution and definition.

Quality will always be better for PAL after Dscaler, because quality of the original is better.

2) That means that the projector has 960x540 pixels. If you give it a bigger image, it will have to donwscale it to 960x540. A scaling (in fact any transformation) always implies some loss.

3) Basically, less interferences.
the analogic image signal has a luma and a chroma components. When using a composite cable, both components travel mixed in the same cable, and the capture card must separate them to process them. When using an S cable, they travel in fact on two different wires. They will not interfere one with the other, and the separation will be done in the VCR instead of the grabbing card, that is much more sensible to the electric interferences of other components of the computer.
Normally quality will be practically the same, but using an S cable you can be sure that quality will never be lower than using a composite one, and sometimes it can be a bit higher.

[faithfoo]

Thanks very much for your answers. I will get the PAL tapes

Looks like I have to get SVHS VCR recorder since this is the only VHS recorder with S video output

1) does it matter if the SVHS recorder's head is old and head is dirty (will it affect the capture quality into the S video input of the TV card ?
a) any recommendations for a sVHS player brand or model ( 6 heads, 4 heads etc )

2) I also need to know for cable TV, which way will enable better capture quality into the TV card


a) Rf cable from Cable source directly into Rf input of TV card

b) Rf cable into VHS recorder , then composite output from VHS recorder into composite input of TV card

c) RF cable into VHS recorder , then svideo output from VHS recorder into S video input of TV card
( I Am sure c) is better than b)

[lemon]

If you have an VHS recorder, I think there's no need to get a SVHS one, if the source is VHS, you will probably notice no quality change (although it will never be worse).

1) Of course!
a) Sorry, I can not recommend you any. but if you look in the forum, there are people taking about a very good one with an integrated TBC, I think it's a JVC, but you should search...

2) of course c. C is at least as good as B, and both are better than a. That is because the RF receiver will be outside the computer, there are much interferences inside it!

[SeeMoreDigital]

I have recorded/used S-VHS for years. I really think that with the cost of the recorders being so low, S-VHS is a must have item.

The resolution is far higher than VHS, the colours are captured and reproduced more faithfully and the players are generally of better build quality!

And for those people who moan at the cost of the blank tapes. Why not do what I do. Buy ordinary VHS blank tapes and drill an S-VHS 'ident' hole in the bottom left hand corner of the tape!