Excellent DVD transfer not
only involves using professional equipment, but also knowing
that not every VCR will play every tape perfectly when you record
video to DVD. This page illustrates the process we used
to find the best VCR match for a disagreeable video tape.
A good technician will match your tape with the best
VCR to play that exact tape. In addition, a high-quality
company should have multiple makes and models of VCRs in its
rack – AND know the strengths and weaknesses of each
unit. This range of equipment and skill is one of the key differences
between professional video to DVD transfers and companies
that just do DVD
transfers as a sideline.
VCR
DVD Conversion - our test case
For
the video transfer below, we tried four VCRs before finding
the deck that would play this tape cleanly. Usually, if a tape
doesn't work on one deck, a second one will work fine.
It's very unusual that it takes four! It's also unusual that
this tape manifests different problems on each unit. (But
it is VERY common for one VCR to play a tape better than another.)
The VHS tape below is approximately 18 years old.
Its multiple playback issues illustrate the need
to try different decks during video
transfer.
Convert
Tape to DVD - examples
VCR 1: Jitter
The first VCR we tried was a JVC, one of our prosumer-grade
decks that is regarded as one of the best models ever made.
It exhibits wonderful noise reduction, meaning that the picture
is very clear. Unfortunately, jitter can be a problem with
this deck, even when using its internal time-base corrector – and
it didn't like this tape at all.
VCR 2: Top-screen tearing
On to the next VCR, a relatively new D-VHS unit. D-VHS VCRs
are geared to playing digital VHS tapes, but this model can
yield remarkable results on old tapes with excessive chroma
noise. The jitter is gone, but instead, we have extreme tearing
across the top of the screen. Since the internal TBC didn't
help, we move on.
VCR 3: Flickering
The third VCR exhibited flicker, or chroma flux.
When it appears intensely, it is usually a sign of copy protection,
but that did not apply to this tape. This VCR was a consumer-grade
model that did not have a TBC, which can fix flicker if it
is tied to a corrupted tape signal that is confusing the
gain control. So, no solution yet!
VCR 4: No problems!
We finally hit paydirt with the fourth VCR, a model from
Panasonic's AG line that is well-known among professionals.
This unit was able to stabilize the picture (no jitter) and
its internal TBC eliminated any sign of flicker. There is
a bit of top-screen tearing, but this will be cut off on
most TV sets. We agreed this deck was the right match for
this tape.
When
you record video to DVD . . .
To convert tape
to DVD the right way, take a good look at a video
company. Cheap prices and automated transfer will get you the
jitter of VCR 1, not the quality transfer of VCR 4.
Not every transfer company
will take the time to try multiple decks when copying tapes to
DVD, but Timeless DVD does because we want to transfer
tape to DVD in the best way possible! Unfortunately, many
companies do not even monitor their transfers – everything
is automated. That means the owner of the video tape on this
page would have wound up with a DVD transferred from VCR 1 – jitter
and all!
A VCR DVD conversion from Timeless
DVD is guaranteed!
