VCR Guide

VCR Guide

This guide goes over your VCR options for building a capture setup.

RF Capture

vhs-decode / ld-decode / cvbs-decode

FM RF capture combined with software decoding has levelled the capture, and processing playing field, this means all image processing is removed from the initial capture chain as the original media signals are captured to file.

This means any VCR with Video FM output via alignment test points normally can be used to get clean captures of VHS and many other tape formats with the entire VBI area intact.

Software processing the analogue signals to video allows for factors such as sharpness and contrast to be entirely software manipulated in post without the information loss of doing it in hardware on a VCR an ideal archive of analogue video.

Conventional Capture

VCRs, models where picture settings can be adjusted manually are preferable.

VCRs using automatic sharpening and noise filters can destroy the teletext signal.

VCRs with a good chance to put out an unaltered teletext signal are for example NV-FS200 or NV-FS88 from Panasonic and possible other VCRs of this model line.

They have a manual picture quality slider that most of the time has to be slit to the far left, letting the picture look blurry, but making teletext deconvolve better.

There are several other models from other brands that work as well. Try by yourself.

The list will be updated when further information is available. Feel free to add them to the list.

A good idea is to train vhs-teletext on the VCRs you use. This way best deconvolve can be achieved. Therefore a capture of 4 or more hours of training signal is recommended. For a How-To see the training section.

Conventional Capture Tested VCR List

• Panasonic NV-FS200

• Panasonic NV-FS88

• Samsung SVR-30D/40D/80D - good for MESECAM capture as it suppresses SECAM color carrier during VBI