VHS to Computer

[Bazz339]

I would like to copy 3 off 3 hour VHS tapes to digital, original quality is poor. I have an interface, what would be the best format to store them as? 

I want a reasonable compromise between file size and quality. 

I would like to be able to copy them to DVD such that they will replay in a DVD player if neccessary but that is not absolutely essential. 

I have done some clips as MP4 and again as MPG (2 I think) I have various other file type options. 

Video and the various formats are not my area of expertise what would people suggest please, It has to be simple. 

 

[david.elsbury]

MP4.

[Robin D]

I agree MP4 but note that it is a  compressed format. Suggest you capture it to .Avi if you have the option. If you need to edit doing so will be easier. Then burn it to MP4.

Capturing in HD is pointless if coming from VHS. However, make sure the heads are clean, and keep interconnections to the interface as short as possible to reduce the noise on the analogue as much as possible. 

There are loads of video capture and editing tools out there. I use Nero for speed and simplicity, but Sony Vegas for more complex stuff. 

[richardash1981]

To answer the original question, the only video compression codec which a video DVD player will play is MPEG2, and that only with a specific structure, format, etc. (as produced by video DVD authoring software). It's like an Audio CD - tightly specified format to play on a very simple player.

"MP4" (MPEG 4, or increasingly h264) is currently the de fecto standard for computer based video - it also underpins HD broadcasting and Blu-Ray (but can also be used for standard definition content), and most video on the internet. MPEG4 based codecs give significantly better picture quality for the same bitrate, or significantly lower bitrate for the same picture quality, at the expense of being slower (more processing power) to encode and decode than MPEG2.

Some more recent DVD players are capable of reading a data DVD with files in it (because they have a more complex processor in them), and a good few will play at least some MP4 files - but this is not standardised, so no guarantees.

[Dave m]

What is your capture device?
I haven’t done vhs to dvd in years but a decent A>D is important.

if you can lay your hands on a vhs/ dvd combo it’s easy

[Bazz339]

Thank you for taking the trouble to reply. 
Quality is not a major issue one tape was made at about 45 degrees to the stage, the others from the back of the room. Audio from the camera mic. The tapes are 19 - 25 years old and of a village revue show. The participants are starting to pop their clogs, 3 gone this year. I just want to keep the shows for aas long as possible. 

I have a Pinnacle Dazzle interface. L&R Audio & Composite Video on phono sockets. The Pinnnacle software is not friendly and records to I think VOB. I have NCH Debut software which is kinder and gives me various otions for file type to download to including MP4, MPG (which I think is 2), MOV, AVI and host of what I take to be phone formats. 

The clips I want for the upcoming funeral I have tried in various formats, none of which I can get to DVD easily so iit is going to be MP4 replayed via computer.  The chap who died was a very talented  comedy chronicler or village life who gave us some memorable sketches not least for the mechanics of achieving them in a village hall. The need to edit is not great, the ability to copy various clips would be good, and then add fade in and outs. 

Could someone give me an indication as to file size using MP4 and AVI for a 3 hour video (Total), I may of course record the show in a 2 or thre sections. 

Many thanks for the help with a fairly basic request. Video is not my field and there are so many different formats these days. 

 

[tonytech]

I'm not an expert by any means, but I use a Dazzle interface with AVS4you. 

I cant open their site from work, but I think I paid £50ish 7 or 8 years ago.

The software seems simple to use, records, edits and converts between formats.

As well as video the package has programs for editing and converting audio/images/documents.

 

[sandall]

In the past I've used Roxio & Nero (one bundled with a Dell laptop, the other with an interface), but in recent years I just copy to a DVD recorder via scart.

[themadhippy]

Quote

The clips I want for the upcoming funeral I have tried in various formats, none of which I can get to DVD

Have you tried applying the Handbrake

[Bazz339]

Rightly or wrongly I opted to copy the various clips (Having roughly catalogued the tapes) to digital in the MP4 format. These I was able to edit using NCH Video Pad Editor. Subsequently I remembered Microsoft Movie Maker, now superceded in Windows 10 by Video Editor within the Paint program this actually did what I wanted very simply which was to string the clips together with a simple caption in between. 

[eamon]

Hi

I am not sure if the following pi software would work for you...?

This is a video looping software that auto starts on load up and plays files from an attached USB.

I am not sure if you can start/stop with a big button but I predominately use this a media player for installations. It plays automatically once it boots up and does not stop.

 

It is a fairly easy install on top of the main raspbian OS.

 

I have not updated my couple of SD cards as it is bulletproof for simple playback of looping video files so there may be more options in the current version.

You can hot swap usb sticks without any issue if you need to play a different file. You can put stuff in a looping order but you just need to append the files in question with a number for the system to recognise the sequence.

 

https://learn.adafruit.com/raspberry-pi-video-looper

 

My 10cents

 

Eamon

 

 

 

[david.elsbury]

3 hours ago, eamon said:

Hi

I am not sure if the following pi software would work for you...?

This is a video looping software that auto starts on load up and plays files from an attached USB.

<snip>

My 10cents

 

Eamon

 

 

 

I think you’ve posted in the wrong topic? Also, I’m pretty sure OP was specifically not wanting a RPi solution; but something that worked off the shelf ☺️

[eamon]

Hi

You are correct re my posting in the wrong subject.

Albeit the OP is looking for a more bespoke solution, he had mentioned the raspberry pi's earlier in the thread.

Upon further reading, he wants GO/STOP options and the software I linked to is a auto loop program for pi based on the raspbian os.

Nonetheless, thank you for pointing this out.

@Mods, can you move the original post into the topic started by Imagineer Tom?

 

Many thanks

Eamon