Best way to archive vhs?

hatedbad, 9 months ago

I realize I’m late to this thread, but if you’re serious about archiving a VHS in the best manner possible, you have to go the RF capture route: github.com/oyvindln/vhs-decode

This method effectively captures the “raw” signal stored on the tape, allowing you to convert it after you’ve captured it however you see fit. You don’t have to worry about cheap digitizers/capture cards/etc distorting the signal.

Mcballs1234, 9 months ago

Looks pretty cool, I’m struggling to get the black magic drivers to recognize the card. I might try something like this.

variants, 10 months ago

A photography shop near me does this, might be worth to compare the price of buying your equipment and figuring it all out or just having someone do it for you

Mcballs1234, 10 months ago

But that takes the fun out of it and my grandparents just don’t trust anybody with their one copy of a wedding video

JustZ, 10 months ago

Well, Mcballs, sometimes you’ve got to trust.

chr, 10 months ago

deleted_by_author

Mcballs1234, 10 months ago

I do have an Sony VCR DVD combo with s-video. I was look at the black magic cards on eBay and there are some from 2008 from a Mac and I’m wondering if they will work on Linux.

GreatAlbatross, 10 months ago

Is the DVD a writer? If you’re fortunate enough, that can be the easiest way to dump it down: Pop it on a DVD, and import.

Otherwise, old black magic cards can surprise you under Linux! Though definitely worth looking if anybody on the forums has used the one you’re looking at.

You want to work natively: Get an S-video out into an s-video in that handles the resolution correctly, and makes you a nice native-resolution file.

VHS archiving can be a goddamned rabbit hole, it’s worth deciding what will be good enough". Or if you want to go down the rabbit hole, look up Timebase Correction.

Mcballs1234, 10 months ago

I’m pretty sure its a Sony SLV-D350p which might be able to dump a vhs to DVD.

I’m think about buying a magic card, but I’m going to do some research before I pull the trigger on one.

Vhs archiving is really a huge rabbit hole with so to archive vhs, but its super fun.

RyanUrq1328, 10 months ago

UGREEN 4K HDMI Video Capture Card HDMI to USB 2.0 Game Capture Card HDMI to USB C Audio Capture Adapter Full HD 1080P Capture Video Audio Recording for Editing Video, Games, Streaming, Teaching a.co/d/6jgpWMe

Im currently using OBS and this for a friend. May not be the best way, but it works

DeltaTangoLima, 10 months ago

I’ve used exactly this device and a (believe it or not) BNIB VHS player the MIL had stashed at the back of the closet, to digitize some old family videos. Worked very well, once I figured out how to take due care with the cabling, so as not to introduce pops or crackles into the audio.

Mcballs1234, 10 months ago

Looks pretty interesting, was it a pain to set up?

RyanUrq1328, 10 months ago

Nah, with a vcr get hdmi out, either upscale or a fancy vcr with hdmi, plug it into the capture card. Then just use the capture card as a media source in obs and record.

The big pain is having to be around for the end of ths video (if you dont want to have to trim the video file that is)