VHS to DVD dubbing, Toshiba RD-XV47KB

[kimbo-]

I'm trying to archive my tapes using LP mode to get all 4 hours onto each DVD-R, and the result so far is a horribly pixelated mess. I didn't think LP recording would be this bad, so is it because the compression algorithms simply can't handle the analogue noise on VHS? If so, will switching on the "Noise Reduction" recording option improve the results or create new problems?

Any advice on transferring VHS material (broadcast and pre-recorded) would be appreciated.

[Overlord69]

If your using single layer DVD-R's the most you can expect with a reasonable recording quality is 2 hours.

[Gavtech]

4 hours of ANY material would be a horrible pixellated mess.

It is a common misconception that because the standard quality of a DVD recorded at, say SP, exceeds the specification for VHS quality, that it is therefore OK to record at at lower quality.

It is not.

Recording at a lower quality will increase the digital shortcomings of the system which are totally unlike and have nothing to do with the analogue limitations of VHS. You would introduce more digital distortion which did not exist on the original material... mostly in the form of unwanted digital artefacts on moving scenes, and general re-encoding 'mess'.

VHS sourced material should be regarded as exactly any other source when it comes to making decisions about quality levels and issues.
You cannot make it better ... but you can make it worse... and that rule applies to ALL material ...even at XP.

My recommendation would be to stick to SP. Certainly no lower.

Look to split your tapes into 2 hours per disk if possible.

Transferring VHS to Disc has to be carefully perspectivised.
It is a labour intensive and time consuming activity.
When high quality discs cost just 20 to 30 pence each it is not worth compromising the procedure by trying to cram too much onto a disk.
Your time has to be worth more than 15p an hour.

[Fox McCloud]

Do DVD recorder VCR combos have DL recording capability ?....cos youd get 8gig so double the fun ?

[bobber]

Originally Posted by Fox McCloud

Do DVD recorder VCR combos have DL recording capability ?....cos youd get 8gig so double the fun ?

My uncle has a Funai DVD combo and you can get 8 hrs on a DVD although the quality is very poor!

[MuksC]

@ Bobber, Fox McLoud asked about 8 hours on a DL disc (dual layer) not a single layer disc. all dvd recorders give you the option to record 8 hours worth (EP) on a disc (and on some you can switch EP to 6 hours, slightly improving the quality but nothing to shout about, LP and SP will still be better).

@ Fox McCloud, yes most (if not all) dvd recorders will record to DL discs, because it's as if there are 2 discs joined together, it will write to the first layer, then the 2nd layer when the first layer's capacity has been used up.

but that still means 4 hours per layer (same as 4 hours on a single layer disc) so the quality will still be poor, the only difference being you have 2 lots of poor quality 4-hour footage on a one disc instead of spread over 2.

ad Gav says, stick to 2 hours per disc (4 hours if using a dual layer disc).

to still get 4 hours on 1 disc, you could use DL discs and use SP mode so you get 2 hours per layer, meaning 4 hours in total.

[kimbo-]

Thanks guys.

As an experiment I dug out the VHS machine that the original recordings were done on, to improve tracking, and hooked it up to a better DVD recorder (Sony 460). I transferred a 4-hour tape to the HDD in HQ (SP) then burned it to a DVD-R in LP. The result was a significant improvement, though whether this was due to the two-stage conversion or just better equipment I cannot say for sure.

Anyway, you have made me realise that I cannot tolerate a drop in quality just for convenience so I'm off to buy a load of dual-layer discs.