We're aware that some users are experiencing technical issues which the team are working to resolve. See the Community Noticeboard for more info. Thank you for your patience.
📨 Have you signed up to the Forum's new Email Digest yet? Get a selection of trending threads sent straight to your inbox daily, weekly or monthly!

A question on converting old VHS to digital?

Options
2»

Comments

  • sillygoose
    sillygoose Posts: 4,795 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture
    Macrovision is quite simple, a TV is designed to track a signal level very quickly to keep a steady picture as birds fly over, wind blows the aerial etc.

    Any recording device, VCR, DVD is designed to track a slowly drifting signal level.

    Both adjust to the baseline level of the signal after the sync pulse before the actual video signal starts, basically the dark border area.

    Macrovision exploits this by putting a short huge pulse in the border area on alternative frames. A TV sees it, adjusts to the level and then adjusts back to normal after the pulse but before the picture quickly so not affected.

    The recording devices see it and add it in their slow averaged adjustment so basically the starting brightness level for the picture is played havoc with.

    I have a device (It was a Vellerman construct yourself electronics kit) that just clamps down during the border any pulses and therefore strips out macrovision

    Such devices used to be common, often sold as 'video stabilisers' as they didn't want to appear as blatant defeat devices but everyone knew what they were for really.

    Amazingly they still sell the same kit,
    http://www.velleman.co.uk/contents/en-uk/p287.html
  • SouthUKMan
    SouthUKMan Posts: 383 Forumite
    edited 2 May 2017 at 11:19PM
    If you want to copy VHS videos with Macrovision protection then the simplest way is to use a video capture card plugged into a PC. I have experimented with this in the past (admittedly 6 or 7 years ago at least) and I never experienced the Macrovision degradation that you see when copying to another analogue format. Once you've got a digital version on your computer you can then of course save it in a format / archive quality of your choice - avi, mp4, etc.

    Just be prepared for the fact that the video quality is likely going to look very poor compared to today's 1080p / 4K formats. Back in the day, VHS at best produced about 240 lines of horizontal resolution and the detail was often very soft looking. I also recall seeing some extremely poor quality pre-recorded VHS tapes that actually looked worse than material recorded off the TV!

    What I'm trying to say here is don't expect miracles with the video quality. It's easy to forget just how dire VHS could look - and that was back when a 24" screen was the norm... not like today's monsters that will really show up the lack of clarity from VHS. If the videos are truly rare / hard to find / unique - then maybe you will be able to forgive the very likely poor quality.
  • SouthUKMan
    SouthUKMan Posts: 383 Forumite
    Ps. Just found this article. Quite interesting in a geeky way, but it backs up what I mentioned about just using a video capture card. Says 90% of them will ignore the Macrovision protection :)

    http://www.infocellar.com/DVD/macrovision.htm
  • sillygoose
    sillygoose Posts: 4,795 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture
    SouthUKMan wrote: »
    Ps. Just found this article. Quite interesting in a geeky way, but it backs up what I mentioned about just using a video capture card. Says 90% of them will ignore the Macrovision protection :)

    http://www.infocellar.com/DVD/macrovision.htm

    Quite possible, the circuit the Macrovision upsets is the AGC (automatic gain control) and with a video capture device there probably isn't one! the signal being simply analogue to digital sampled, the gain adjustment being virtual in software afterwards.

    I needed a signal cleaner as I was using a DVD Recorder. You can get a video capture dongle very cheaply so might be worth the op having a go.
  • AndyPix wrote: »
    I bet my bottom dollar we could find every single one downloadable online

    Bet you £10 you can't find the Sunderland Season Review 1990/91 in acceptable quality.

    I can't even find it to buy.
  • DavidP24 wrote: »
    Exactly, also likely to be better quality.

    I extend the above challenge to yourself.
    £10 to charity if you find it
  • forgotmyname
    forgotmyname Posts: 32,915 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper
    Seeing as I HATE football and know nothing about it.. Would that be the video with the pitch invasion?

    Seems you owe £10 to charity.
    Censorship Reigns Supreme in Troll City...

  • robatwork
    robatwork Posts: 7,266 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    Bet you £10 you can't find the Sunderland Season Review 1990/91 in acceptable quality.

    I can't even find it to buy.

    https://www.tbpsportsmemorabilia.co.uk/index.php?page=shop.product_details&flypage=flypage.tpl&product_id=2184&category_id=5425&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=36

    There you go. OK so it's the Newcastle season review 1990/91, but that's surely close enough?

    PS In my next regional posting I will be calling Alan Shearer a Mackem to balance things out.
This discussion has been closed.
Meet your Ambassadors

🚀 Getting Started

Hi new member!

Our Getting Started Guide will help you get the most out of the Forum

Categories

  • All Categories
  • 350.8K Banking & Borrowing
  • 253.1K Reduce Debt & Boost Income
  • 453.5K Spending & Discounts
  • 243.8K Work, Benefits & Business
  • 598.7K Mortgages, Homes & Bills
  • 176.8K Life & Family
  • 257.1K Travel & Transport
  • 1.5M Hobbies & Leisure
  • 16.1K Discuss & Feedback
  • 37.6K Read-Only Boards

Is this how you want to be seen?

We see you are using a default avatar. It takes only a few seconds to pick a picture.