I have some old VHS tapes with a Panasonic VHS player that I wanted to digitize via the Blackmagic Design UltraStudio 4K Mini into my Avid. What would be the best practices for this? What cables/adapters would I need? Any suggestions to keep the quality as high as possible? Would you suggest a specific VHS player?

Thanks in advance!

If your I/O box and VHS player are both fitted with S-Video go for it.

use component cables if the player has them, or SVHS....every player has one or the other, it seems....quality is very close...stay away from the yellow video spigot...it will not be as clean as component or SVHS.

plan on doing some cleaning up of the edges of the imported video...there are often tape tears etc on the bottom especially

dont expect great quality under any circumstances...

I'm not seeing many VCR's out there with component outs. I do see a few with the DVD/VHS combos that to have it.

Currently borrowed my friend’s homemade VHS digitizing rig:

It records ProRes 422…

to an SD card via a Blackmagic monitor which is HDMI in…

to an RCA to HDMI converter Adapter…

which then connects to the VCR (JVC SVHS Hi-Fi HR-S5300U) via composite out.

I know we might be splitting hairs here, but the goal is capturing the best image quality possible (as good as VHS can possibly get, anyways) so that it can be potentially upscaled and restored via Topaz or any “yet to be created” A.I. option in the near future, ha.

QUESTIONS:

1) There IS an S-Video out of the VCR, which would provide a slightly better image, correct? Is there a way to utilize that with this rig? Or with the Blackmagic Design UltraStudio 4K Mini? Is there any kind of cabling/adapters that I could get for this or should I just stick with the composite out?

2) The capturing options are 720/60 or 1080p/59.94… I know you don’t get any extra quality, but I’m assuming 1080p/59.94 would be the way to go for the raw files so that I don’t have to worry about upscaling it later?

Thanks again!

stay away from the yellow composite output....nothing after that will make much difference but going with SVHS or component will be the best qualtiy possible....

Your rig sounds way too complex....there are decent SVHS digitizing tools out there....

https://www.amazon.com/EASYCEL-Converter-Composite-Upscale-Supports/dp/B07RRL8S12/ref=asc_df_B07RRL8S12?mcid=1311b72bfff639238bc5f6ea03128af3&hvocijid=1185264421043396619-B07RRL8S12-&hvexpln=73&tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=721245378154&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=1185264421043396619&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9033782&hvtargid=pla-2281435180298&psc=1

https://www.amazon.com/External-USB-Video-Capture-Card/dp/B07X48G7YF/ref=sr_1_13_sspa?crid=4DGBJJ9MHKCO&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.hHjGGVsYpRqhLS9BJ5ElsqdoQ_SZUCl7s02vafoJhllMgm8IwmpiMBTDjv40UREWNyYl_fg7oKpCpzHQRz3vGafACReZ2UXsKgqeveaXpDO8uW-T2n3Eja6JqFMDGMhW7CTeeo0WrhGpBL9aRvEqNYZYbcOUpj_FXwaqmclIB1kzFCcZCKIvFRcm5IBE35cxNLj9awK-0Ngjq9Ooikz8jIiFlb5N3SBaJnWHHw56FyWU7DqrkhghKSvdhrkqftozYTeitic9yUNT2a-6Cq8PFkYL7V88piywX7WzyhLXjFI.05xffATh2ncCeu7rPzc8Wj97pi8eTA_h9pjznmKj-gk&dib_tag=se&keywords=svhs+video&qid=1738212612&sprefix=svhs+digitiz%2Caps%2C189&sr=8-13-spons&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9tdGY&psc=1

I heard from a pro photograher with old vhs tapes that Panasonic made a BRay + VHS combo deck that had a 1080p HDMI output, plus component outputs. Did it convert direct to HDMI? Not sure, but component was described as much better / "cleaner"than s-video.  I trust his eye.

something like this, perhaps:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/316169936643?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=-afuayyjt_y&sssrc=4429486&ssuid=RmloRczVSmW&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY

I have done this many times by using the Black Magic Intensity 4k -  took SVHS out of the deck and connectted it too SVHS in for the Intentiy pro -  I think I also had to connect the audio R/L - 4K mini will need SVHS in and audio in - not sure if it is has that?

Crikey, this is a blast from the past!
I seem to remember our preferred set-up being a Sony SVO 1500 and a Time Base Corrector to help stabilise the image.

Mat Linnett:

Crikey, this is a blast from the past!
I seem to remember our preferred set-up being a Sony SVO 1500 and a Time Base Corrector to help stabilise the image.

I know Mat......    blast from the distant past.  I use BMD....

marianna