Capture VHS, SVHS & DVD

[Jaums Sutton]

I'm looking to upgrade to HD and Vegas is looking good! Will be buying a new computer.

Question: We do mostly documentaries and have a lot of archival footage in VHS, SVHS & DVD. How can these be captured? Will need a capture card? Looking for a simple, cheap, reliable solution -- isn't everyone?

Any suggestions?

Thanks!

Jaums

[Mike Kujbida]

Originally Posted by Jaums Sutton

I'm looking to upgrade to HD and Vegas is looking good! Will be buying a new computer.

Question: We do mostly documentaries and have a lot of archival footage in VHS, SVHS & DVD. How can these be captured?

The first thing to buy is a good SVHS deck which, seeing as how it's a dead format, is easier said than done. B&H does show a few though so they are stilll available.

Next, get a Canopus box.
There's the ADVC-55 (analog in to firewire out), 110 (bi-drectional) and 300 (bi-directional + digital noise reduction and image stabilization ), depending on your needs and budget.

DVDs can be captured by using the File - Import - DVD Camcorder disc option built into Vegas. This works on (non copy-protected) full-size discs as well as the miniDVDs.

Will need a capture card? Looking for a simple, cheap, reliable solution -- isn't everyone?

As long as your computer has a firewire card, that's all you need.

[John C. Chu]

Also check to see if your current miniDV camcorder has analog to DV pass through built in.

[Mike Kujbida]

Originally Posted by John C. Chu

Also check to see if your current miniDV camcorder has analog to DV pass through built in.

Even if it does, the digital noise reduction and image stabilization features of the ADVC-300 make it a much better choice, especially considering the tape formats Jaums's is working with.

[Jaums Sutton]

The ADVCs look good, but was hoping not to have to spend that much. How about this----> http://www.adstech.com/products/USBA...d=USBAV-191-EF

Is this a case of "it will work but the quality of the video may be poor?" $36.99 at Micro Center.

[Mike Kujbida]

Originally Posted by Jaums Sutton

The ADVCs look good, but was hoping not to have to spend that much. How about this----> http://www.adstech.com/products/USBA...d=USBAV-191-EF

Is this a case of "it will work but the quality of the video may be poor?" $36.99 at Micro Center.

You get what you pay for.
For $200, the
PYRO A /V Link is a much better product than the Video Xpress you're considering.
However, it still doesn't have the features of the ADVC 300 to help you clean up old tapes like you're talking about using.

[Ian Stark]

FWIW I use a DAC-200 (low to mid range A -> D converter) and then follow up with a de-noising filter (Neat Video, although I do this in After Effects on a client's PC rather than in Vegas because it isn't my copy of Neat!! Neat is available on both platforms though and I really must buy my own copy soon!).

I personally prefer this because it gives greater control over what I'm de-noising and is much easier to experiment with, in conjunction with other filters (levels, b&c, cc, etc).

To be fair, I've only ever done this a couple of times so I'm not widely experienced with VHS or SVHS capture.

DVD is, of course, already digital so capture should be a simple (famous last words) matter of ripping the content of the DVD.