Topic: VHS to PC - Now What !! ?

[Datfly]

I am transferring all my VHS tapes to my PC.
JVC > Sony TRV-350 > Firewire > PC

Each 2 hr tape is approx. 25 GB and I have 200+ tapes I
probably want to transfer. Most are bootleg concerts &
the rest are TV concerts that are masters & from trades.

I mainly watch things thru my PC but would also like to
eventually set up my PC to my HDTV so I could view them on there.

My goal is to keep these as single files but also to convert them to a smaller file size
& maintain the best picture quality possible.

I know that the few DVD's I have authored started as 25 GB files but once I rendered them
I think that were cut in half at least?

What are my options? What is the ideal "file" for this?

Thanks,
Datfly


 

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If you do not forsee going to blueray as a playback format, then I think the highest quality to lowest file size ratio is probably with X264. I have an android set top box which will play x264 files in mkv format and I've transfered some stuff that way.

[cleantone]

Might not be the popular method but not being a bluray person I make 4.3gb h.264 mp4's with metadata and chapters.

[Datfly]

I guess it has been many years since I made a DVD!
I just downloaded a trail version of Sony Movie Studio Platinum and
the render options are crazy!

Do I want MPEG2?  .Avi ?

None of the options I found were X264. Is that in another program? A setting?

Thanks,
Datfly

If you do not forsee going to blueray as a playback format, then I think the highest quality to lowest file size ratio is probably with X264. I have an android set top box which will play x264 files in mkv format and I've transfered some stuff that way.

[Datfly]

Might not be the popular method but not being a bluray person I make 4.3gb h.264 mp4's with metadata and chapters.

What program do you use?  I would like to have the options of a single video file that has chapter marks if possible!

datfly

[cleantone]

Well, Maybe I shouldn't have chimed in. I work on Mac. I think you can get Handbrake for PC. Also MPEGstreamclip. Both are adequate for making h.264 mp4's. If I am adding chapters and metadata after the fact I use Subler. Do you already have capture software or are you asking about that too? I should back out as I don't have much PC video experience. Certainly not inexpensive things. I can aim you to Adobe Premiere but it's not cheap.

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yeah, last time I played with video was circa 2002 and earlier versions of Premiere. Since then I went to a mac as well...

anyway, x264 is an mpeg4 variant (similar to h264). You'll need an encoder or plugin specifically for it, but currently the 264 series (either x or h) are your best bets for picture quality to file size ratio.