Topic: VHS to DVD conversion questions

[Brian E.]

Actually I think I'll get the 110, since it has locked audio.  It'll be a lot of videos that are pretty long, and I don't want the sync to go off.

[Brian E.]

anyone know a good VCR to use to do this?  is there a cheap simple videophile one to buy?  I have a Sony VCR/DVD combo that is relatively new (2005 or so).

[guitard]

Actually I think I'll get the 110, since it has locked audio. 

Actually, both models have the locked audio feature.  The difference is that the 110 runs on phantom power - which is really nice.  BUT... there have been times when I was getting little glitches in the video when using the 110 and after many, many attempts at work-arounds to fix the problem, ultimately the fix was to go back to my ADVC-100 (which runs on plug-in power.  Somehow or another by pulling juice from the computer through the firewire - the 110 model was causing a glitch.  Or at least - that is the only conclusion I could come up with.

Having said all this...the locked audio feature sounds really great.  But I ended up turning it off years ago and after hundreds and hundreds of hours of capturing video - have never once have I had a problem with video/audio drift.  I think it was a problem years ago with less powerful computers and not fully developed software - but is now a thing of the past.

[Brian E.]

I've been browsing and drooling....

http://desktop.grassvalley.com/products/ADVC300/index.php

This one seems great for color correction and problems with old tapes.  Which is what I'd be dealing with.  Plus it comes with the AC adapter which is $50 extra if you buy the 110.  In the end it's only like $100-150 more, if you include the adapter in the price of the 110.

[guitard]

The 110 runs on phantom power via the firewire and doesn't require an AC adaptor (although you can connect one if you wish).

[Brian E.]

But, like you said, it could screw with your recording and make it stutter, etc, if it's not powered. Also you must have a 6 pin powered fw connection if you want it to work

[Brian E.]

well I went ahead and purchased the ADVC-300

Now, another question.  I have the Sony SVL-D300P DVD/VHS combo player, and it only has composite out, not S-Video.  Now, none of my tapes are recorded in SVHS, so will it make a big difference, enough to warrant the purchase of a JVC or Mits machine around $125?  The ADVC has supposedly great correction built in, so I didn't know if it would matter.

Thanks!

[guitard]

It would be nice if it had S-Video out, but that's not a show stopper by any stretch.  You'll still do just fine with composite out, especially for old VHS tapes.

[Brian E.]

thanks!