VHS to DVD Help Needed

[hcb0172]

Ok here's the scenario..
I have 11 video tapes, the entire pay per view Woodstock 1994 event. I want to rip them to DVD so I can share them. This is 24 hours a day of taping for 3 days. So I have to shows + the recaps + everything. My brother had a 3 week old dog at the time he was hand feeding, so he was up constantly, and never missed a tape change.

I don't know the original VCR it was taped on at this time, it's 15 years ago. But the tapes haven't been played since. I just looked at them and they look great. I'd like to rip them all.
I have a Sony RDR-GX7, that I have done some VHS to DVD conversion on but I'm just not sure it's the best way. I can do that and then take the DVD into a pc, edit it and get it back out to a DVD with menus, etc.... is that the best way? Is there a better way?
Is it going to be pointless since I don't know the original VHS model I taped on, since lineage is so important to folks? It's basically going to be Generation 1 tape on VHS, direct from pay per view.... and then ripping it however I need to.

Help me start and complete this project.

[xjsb125]

Well, the standard here is anything before 2005 isn't required to have an exact lineage. However, you can list it simply as PPV> VHS (1st gen). Do not copy it to DVD first, then edit it again. You'll be double compressing the video and deteriorating the quality. If your camcorder can transfer via firewire and work as a digital pass through, that would be the best. If you can't do it that way, I would suggest looking into an analog to digital converter. Canopus' ADVC 55, 100, and 110 are all pretty reliable boxes and do a good job copying. Then you can capture it via firewire with whatever program you use to edit, most of the time, such as Sony Vegas or Adobe Premiere. This will capture it as an .avi file, and thus you'll avoid the double mpeg2 compression. Also make sure that you adjust the tracking on your VCR when you are copying, don't settle for the auto tracking. The other thing to remember is that some of the material from Woodstock 94 has been released by some official means, and will have to be omitted if you plan on releasing it here or somewhere else like DIME. If you don't plan on releasing it, and are just copying it for yourself, then that won't matter. Good luck, sounds like an awesome project!

[AAR.oner]

what xjsb125 said^^

1. re: lineages -- we prefer you list as much detailed info as possible, however for something this old it's understandable that you wouldn't remember the VCR make/model...so as xjsb125 mentioned, you could list the source as "PPV > VHS(1)" or "TV Broadcast > unknown VCR > VHS(1)"

2. i personally am not a fan of standalone DVD recorders [for numerous reasons i can go into it later if yer interested in knowing why]...but suffice to say, it's pretty much always preferable to use a professional VHS deck and A/D converter for capturing into a computer & editing/color correction/etc


considering you probly don't have a pro VHS deck, A/D converter, editing software, etc -- i'd recommend finding someone who has the means and knowlege to do the transferring/authoring for you...however, 3 days at 24hrs a day is a LOT of tapes! i know would love to help on this one, but personally couldn't undertake a project like that for quite a while...but a few people could probly split it up & knock it out in a decent amount of time...the key would be to find folks who *really have the gear/knowlege to do this one proper*

but if yer interested in acquiring the gear to do it yerself, let me know and i can help with info on decks, A/D converters, etc

[hcb0172]

I don't have the gear. That's for sure. The RDR-GX7 is the best I have.
If anyone would like to help with this project, please let me know.
Of course, I would like to say I've met AAR.oner, so if you're not a member in good standing here, and he doesn't know you, then I won't send you the tapes. So please no one just offer up "I'll do it for you" and expect I'll send the tapes along... I admit I don't know the histories of lots of people here, but I figure hey, if he can vouch for you, let's get on this project.

I think maybe this project, if some stuff can't be released... I'd like to get the whole thing on DVD for myself at least.. then break it out to share? Not sure, but I sure don't want to lose some stuff because it's released already.
Maybe I need to pay a pro to do this? That may get expensive... hmmmm
Anyone got some spare time?

[hcb0172]

If I get an ADVC 110 or ADVC 300, I can transfer it off... to a pc? or to what?

[mbself]

I think that there were either 47 or 49 acts that performed....not including "special appearances" within those acts. That means that this project will result in at least as many separate DVD's. I know that you can cram the show into far fewer discs, but to do it right......

Also, I would think that the recaps would be of less importance than the actual performances. At least, to most people. I could see a disc of just recaps being very interesting.

I must assume that this was recorded at the slowest SLP or EP setting on the VHS deck to allow 3 days of 24hour recording to fit on just 11 tapes. If it were recorded on a Hi-Fi deck, the audio should still be fantastic because, if memory serves, most satellite broadcasts of that era were lossless broadcasts. The video on the other hand would be of questionable quality. I am not exactly sure how EP measures out in horizontal resolution(may have still been around 240 lines for all I know), but I do know that the picture suffered a great deal more than the sound.

Sounds interesting, wish I could help. I remember, i think, MTV showing the event (or parts of it)a few weeks after it had happened. I had a HiFi VCR by then...... wish I had taped them myself.

[mbself]

And before I get slammed about something i said in the previous post......when I said the audio was uncompressed....I was referring to C-band broadcasts. Come to think of it, i am not so sure that encrypted broadcasts were still lossless, it only matters for the same reason someone mentioned earlier about double compression.....if an mp3 quality audio signal is then re-recorded as an mpeg-2 file doesn't this cause even more signal degradation. I know that the DBS style dishes had been on the scene a few years by then.

[xjsb125]

The Canopus ADVC's should be compatible with PC or Mac. I wouldn't go to a "professional" conversion shop right for this. Who knows what their dedication to preserving quality is. I'm sure some folks on here would enjoy the work, and can do it at less of an expense to you.

[hcb0172]

The video quality isn't horrible. Sure, it's not HD quality, it's not even a pro VCR. But compared to some of the handycam grabs I've gotten, or the 1960's stuff that is not great video quality, this is certainly better.

I guess the question is if it exists in other formats by anyone else. I've looked for years for someone else to rip it, but I've never seen anyone do it. Yes it was likely recorded on SLP...

I played it on my home theater system (RX-V2700 receiver, 60" Sony, 5.1 setup of Paradigm speakers) and it was by far good enough to be enjoyable. It was nice to see Shannon Hoon in all his glory.

So is it good quality? Absolutely. Is it perfect? No, not for 15 years ago. But hey, at least a copy is in existence. :-)

[uninvited94]

Ok here's the scenario..
I have 11 video tapes, the entire pay per view Woodstock 1994 event.

:vino: :wolfkat: :drool

BTW, anybody remembers that one TTD-trader that covered quite the whole festival with his D-3? Forgot who that was...

[DanielG]

BTW, anybody remembers that one TTD-trader that covered quite the whole festival with his D-3? Forgot who that was...
I don't know what a D-3 is (Google wasn't much help), but there was a TTD poster who recorded a large portion of Woodstock 1994.
http://www.thetradersden.org/forums/member.php?u=84654
He uploaded Nine Inch Nails and Porno for Pyros.

Edit: Found out what a D-3 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/D3_(video)) is. I don't think the poster I suggested recorded on that tape....

[hcb0172]

Still looking for help.. Otherwise I'm going to get the gear and just do the best an amateur can do...