@zeromus That JVC super VHS may have the LSI logic chip that the transcriptions enthusiast rave about…. And it also may include a good time based corrector….. that they also say is essential to a top quality MPEG coming out.
But that iodata capture was not mentioned in any of the forums I visited last night….interesting! Thanks!
I realize this is somewhat off topic, but I think it does relate to video AI 7.1 as the major new feature of it is starlight mini…… and the major use of starlight mini will be working on old VHS, and VHSC media.
The main forum I visited and several videos I reviewed claimed the “gold standard” for transcription was:
JVC or Panasonic super VHS with LSI Logic Chip….. only a few models have that LSI logic chip
$1000 old model Time Based Corrector (if you can find one)
If you can’t find the old model time base corrector than a good substitute is a pass-through of a Panasonic or JVC DVD recorder that includes a Time Based Corrector… only a few models have this.
To….finally….a Windows XP computer with an old ATI all-in-wonder video card…. Which only works on XP machines. Running the open source OBS software.
And all video connections in S-Video cables….not RCA
They claim it is the best raw data for a video enthusiast to work with and if you can find a transcription service that uses something like this, you cannot go wrong.
I followed this guide from PC world which did the job for me, I had to get slightly different USB capture kit, but everything else was spot on, no XP or other voodoo required.
Thanks!
Yes….there appears to be a big gap between what works, is totally affordable and easy…..
To what is considered “The Gold Standard”….by “experts.”
I guess that is true in everything.
And many times, with my untrained eyes….I can’t tell the difference between what the experts are calling “tremendous output”…. And what I think is “pretty darn good, decent quality.”
I think if I’m going to attempt this, I am not going to spend a lot of money….. but I also think that my research has been informative because if I have a service transcribe my remaining VHS videotapes….. I am darn sure going to question them on how they come up with the final product they will give me.
Ultimately with VHS in particular, the only true way to get the “best” out of it is some way to directly scan the physical tape inside the cassette itself. What we’re doing here is of course just recording the output to a display, like we did the good old days viewing our fav cable TV shows we recorded. So we’ll get all the artifacts that come with it.
The tapes I’m working with at the moment are betamax, so I had no option but to send away to get them digitised. Despite being kept fully sealed in their containers, in a room with optimal conditions, a couple of them have degraded badly within 30 years. One in particular has half the picture in colour, and the other B&W, then loses all sound after half-way through.
So if anyone else has VHS/Betamax tapes somewhere, I’d say don’t dawdle much longer to digitise them!
the best hardware could be expensive again today because it is so old&rare. There exists also professional digitalization services for VHS, could be an option.
I have not looked for one, so I don’t know if they still sell them, but my Dad bought a combo machine that you put a blank DVD in and the VHS tape, then it digitizes it directly to the DVD. Knowing him, he did not spend much on that machine. I’m sure it’s not the best quality, but it does good enough. I would expect that most people looking to use TVAI to improve such videos will have similar quality.
If you aim for the best possible capture quality, direct RF capture and software decoding will undoubtedly give the best results. However, this is not for everyone, as it requires a certain level of technical knowledge and can be expensive.
This has taken a fascinating (for me!) turn, as I go back to the very early 2000s working on capturing VHS tapes and copying DVDs.
My earliest experiences were with Pinnacle Studio 8 and 9 - what a nightmare! - and videos that were transferred from my Sony Digital-8 camcorder, which could both read and send the video in DV-AVI format via Firewire directly to the hard drive. It also had two very desirable features: 1) it had rudimentary built-in TBC, and, 2) RCA input jacks that accepted composite video and stereo audio from a connected VCR and a ‘passthrough’ capability that sent this signal through the TBC and to the computer via Firewire - same as if it were from the actual Digital-8 tape in the transport.
I also had the aforementioned ATI All-In-Wonder capture card and a WInfast Tuner/PVR device or two that I played around with. And, of course, at that time it all connected to an XP Professional computer, which is literally still running on my bar countertop downstairs as I’m typing this!
I also still have another highly-prized Canopus AVC-100 that was very popular at the time, although I didn’t use it because I had the Sony Digital-8 camcorder that worked so well for transfers. There was a more expensive Canopus model - the 300 - with more features, but the 100 was good. And earlier models were able to defeat copyright protection of the day for those who wanted to copy commercial tapes. (I rarely bought anything - I have a couple thousand VHS tapes that I recorder, myself off the air or cable.)
Then I had a cool Panasonic VHS/Hard Drive recorder that also produced DVDs from the hard drive recordings. It use the TV Guide Online listings that produced a cable-TV like program guide for off-the-air recordings. Entering a code would automatically program the unit to record without having to use the manual settings. Very cool stuff!
In more recent years, I’ve fooled a little with Easy VHS to DVD usb devices and a nice Roxio HD game capture card which I didn’t use for games, but was able to connect to my Xfinity cable box via component video and record my DVR programs, ala Tivo.
So much fun… But the primary use for Video AI is restoring a TV program series from my boyhood hero, who became a long-distance friend and associate in my adult years. He had his Betacam SP master tapes “archived” on a PBS station’s DVD recorder around 2002, and that’s what we’re using as source material for two - so far - compilation DVDs. It was a tedious process for the first one in 2011, then the next in 2020, in which an earlier version of Video Enhance AI played a role along with some avisynth scripts and other older tools of the trade.
Have I mentioned that I like playing with toys? 
It’s not much different. Though focus fix does a half resolution downscale. 480p is not half of 1080p, close but not one half.
In every test I did with focus fix it decreased the amount of detail and sharpness in the final output. The theory behind focus fix is that along the way a non-AI upscale was done, and that the AI models work best with input video at the original resolution. Results depend on what processing has been done before you got the video.
I believe all downscalers except DPID toss useful detail and I try to avoid them. DPID I’m not really sure is working, but I still use it. I’m waiting for someone really smart to do an indepth analysis of the algorithm and the effect of the lamba parameters. I seem to be gaining faith that lower lambdas are better, like lambda = 0.4 (this stuff is like religion to me…).
I have a few videos that may have had a non-AI upscale done, but none responded well to focus fix. Several sharpened up nicely with Artemis Strong Halo. The rest are in limbo until I can afford a 5070Ti (will try SLM and SeedVR2 then).
I think this is the crux as I see it…..
The “old” way was to have a transcription…the absolute best you could get for what you wanted to spend.
And it was the only game in town so to speak.
But with things like Topaz AI and all the new AI stuff.
Perhaps….just perhaps that most conversions…cheap or expensive are quite good enough as the AI software will fix the video regardless.
I am sure that is not quite the case……yet…..
But I foresee a day coming soon…with all these AI improvements……yes, that day is coming soon.
Whoa….I visited that Git Hub and watched a suggested video…
Results looked superb buuuuuut…….
Waaaay beyond my capabilities…..or patience level.
Interesting though….thanks!
I keep checking this thread, hoping I’ll see a good update and it will be like Christmas morning.
it seems like the Panasonic VHS-DVD Recorder would be the easy way, but I can’t say how good the results are, you can get the “DMR-EX99V” used on ebay or elswhere
I tried to record videos on a Panasonic VHS-DVD player. The final video quality is 2 times worse than when using Sony Digital-8 camcorder. The mpeg2 codec (compared to the DV codec) makes VHS recordings of even lower quality. For record to PC I use programm from http://www.scenalyzer.com/ - simple and free.
I will not name any business….they seem responsive and do what they do as best as they can for a decent price. Local business.
I asked to look at their “professional video transcription equipment” that they use in the business….in fact…did most of my tapes so far. Quality is….just OK for the most part.
They said sure.
Now that I know what I am looking for…..I was…..well….shocked.
Their “professional equipment” was nothing more than some old VCRs running to….outdated capture cards. No Time Based Corrector and not even the most recommended suite of old VCRs. No S-video…all RCA composite.
VCRs were off brand….cheap.
They proudly told me it had cost several thousand to get their setups and I don’t doubt it as they can do virtually any media.
Their “magic upscaling” was nothing more than Topaz AI.
Moral of the story. All these transcription services use all different kinds of equipment. Consumer beware.
The discerning question I would ask….that seems to separate the really good equipment suites from a an average setup is: How do you handle Time Based Correcting?
The good suites will account for that ….somehow…with either a hard to find, expensive, old stand alone TBC….or use another method like a pass thru to a DVD recorder that has it (a few old DVD recorders have that feature) or a newer upscaler/capture like a high end RetroTink.
If they can answer that question….they probably have other good equipment and you will “probably” get a good transcription.
I’m glad you posted this. I have one I purchased 14 years ago and used only once to transfer old VHS tapes to HTPC using HDMI. Essentially it’s sealed in the box with all the original packaging, and probably worth $500 or more on eBay. I had no idea they were selling at prices like this. I think I paid less than $250 when originally purchased. I’ve got some serious thinking to do.
Last time there was this huge gap between releases we got starlight mini. So I hope these guys are cooking and the next update won’t just be a “we fixed 2 bugs” update.
Without communication I just jump to the logical conclusion that they are either:
I hope it’s the former not the latter of the two!
