Post by MortoQueiba on Jul 22, 2016 3:12:23 GMT
Since a lot of Lost Media is found through old tapes, I figured we should have a guide on transfering the contents of tapes to a video file for those that are completely foreign to the concept. Warning! This is only meant to be a rough guide, and you should always do as much research as possible before starting a project such as this. Make sure you fully understand what you are doing before making any frivolous purchases. I do this as a hobby, and I do not claim to be an expert in any area of this.
Part 1: Preparation
Depending on the method you use to transfer your tape(s), you will require varying equipment. However, there are some tools that are necessary any which way you go about it. The first one is, of course, the VCR that will be used to play your tape. I see a lot of questions about what kind of VCR to use, but in reality just about any one that functions will do the job fine. It's when the user wants to get a better rip that the actual VCR comes into play. As stated before, I am no expert but the general consensus and I seem to agree that a JVC is the way to go. I grew up with a JVC VCR that still functions and is still used to this day (it's over 30 years old!), so I can attest to their reliability. Another important factor is the remote. If you can, get the remote. Not all VCRs can navigate the options menus without it, and it will be needed to change some settings when you get to work. Or get a universal remote. If you don't want to risk picking up an older model, a new one should do just fine. I do not recommend a VCR/DVD combo set. These are usually made with inferior parts and most likely will not withstand excessive use. Most guides will tell you to seek out a Stereo VCR (red and white composite outputs). I find this pointless as the stereo or Hi-Fi tracks on tapes do not age well. Trying to rip stereo sound from a tape has always been a fruitless endeavor. Most of the time, one or both channels will flicker on and off. This can be really annoying. Instead, pick up a mono-to-stereo cable like this one. This cable will play the mono track on both channels, simulating a stereo effect. It will sound a little muffled, but trust me: it's the better option.
If you already own a VCR or have just recently acquired one, you will need to change some settings before we begin. First is to prevent anything from showing up on your rip other than the contents of the tape. See if your VCR has a 'Superimpose' option and turn it off. Sometimes a VCR will display text on-screen such a contrast/volume bar or 'AUTO CORRECTING' or such other garbage. If you see an option to turn such a thing off, please do so. If you can't, then turn off anything that would make such text appear such as 'automatic picture' or 'color correction'. If you can turn the text off, then you can leave these options on if you wish. Please note that this means that you should not change the volume on the VCR at all during the ripping process or else your recording will show that volume bar. If you are using a mono-to-stereo cable as I have suggested, you may want to set your VCR to force Mono sound if possible. You should now prep your tape for playing. Regardless of how long ago the tape was last played, it is always a good idea to quickly and fully rewind and fast-forward the tape a few times beforehand. If the picture still seems a bit grainy or distorted, you can try a WET video head cleaner. A dry cleaner won't cut it most of the time. You can also try using a Digital Video Stabilizer such as this, but you can only really do so much to clean up an aged tape.
There are essentially two methods (that I know of) for ripping VHS tapes to your computer: a DVD Recorder, and a capture device/card. A DVD Recorder is the more user-friendly option, but I prefer using a USB capture device. It will record the signal directly without the extra purchase of blank DVDs. I have never owned or know of how a capture card functions, so that will not be covered in this guide (would anyone like to lend a hand?).
Part 2a: Ripping Using a DVD RECORDER (not player, recorder!)
Let's make one thing clear: this method will most likely not work on commercial VHS tapes (especially Disney tapes) due to copy protection. This method should work fine on home-recorded tapes, though. If you have just purchased your DVD Recorder or are simply new to such a device, you should know whether or not your recorder supports DVD-R or DVD+R or both. Either one will work, but you don't want to buy a type that your recorder will not burn to. Most DVD drives on modern computers support both, so there shouldn't be any worries there. Depending on how long the tape runs, you may need more than one blank DVD. A single blank DVD can hold approximately 2 hours, so prepare accordingly. Now, connect your VCR to your DVD recorder, and your DVD recorder to your television. Play the tape and record it as it plays. If you don't want to watch or listen to the recording as it plays, it should be safe to switch your television's input to another source such as a cable box while the ripping proceeds. You could also just mute the television if you desire. As long as you are muting the TELEVISION and not the DVD recorder, your recording should be safe. Changing the volume of the DVD recorder should not impact the recording, as your recorder is most likely copying the signal of your VCR straight to disc. What you see and hear on your television is a modified version of that signal, not being written to disc. Once the tape ends, you can stop the recording, be sure to FINALIZE your disc if your recorder does not do so automatically. This will allow the disc to be played in any other player, which is necessary for extracting the DVD to your computer. You can use DVD Shrink for this.
Part 2b: Ripping Using a USB Capture Device.
This is my preferred method of ripping tapes. I use a Hauppauge USB-Live 2 with ArcSoft Showbiz. For those that are unfamiliar with USB capture devices, they are essentially a USB device that allows you to plug in any VCR/DVD Player/Game Console/Cable Box that uses a composite cable output (Red/White/Yellow) and stream the audio and video of that device to your computer screen (this means you could also capture those Super Smash Bros. Brawl replays you have sitting on your Wii). These are the better choice for ripping VHS tapes as the signal is ripped straight to an .MPG on the computer, rather than from a VCR to a DVD Recorder, then ripped to a .VOB, and most likely converted to another video format. However, during the ripping process, I suggest not using the computer for anything else. Too much activity can cause a slowdown, which will affect your end result. There is no clear-cut way to describe how to rip using a USB capture device, as the program you use will determine everything you must do.
Protection:
So what do I mean by 'protection'? Many commercially available VHS tapes are protected. Some television programs were broadcast with protection. If you try to rip either of these there's a chance that the picture will become extremely distorted, or the device you choose will outright refuse to rip the tape. That is because the device you are using knows that the tape and/or signal is protected, and is refusing to rip it. This protection is embedded within the signal recorded onto the ribbon. There are many urban legends about removing this protection with two VCRs, but they're simply not true. Blank tapes do not have this protection, so home movies and most television recordings should be fine. SHOULD BE. However, tapes age poorly. The signal within them degrades, and sometimes the device you use may mistake aged tape for protection and refuse to rip a certain section of your tape anyway.
Tape Quality:
Another important thing to understand is the condition of your tape. One thing that I would like to make clear right off the bat is that the condition of the VHS cassette bears absolutely NO guarantee about the quality of the ribbon inside. Thankfully, placing the ribbon inside a new shell is extremely easy. A sealed and pristine copy of Stephen King's the Tommyknockers may still turn out to be horribly static and distorted, while a battered up copy of Godzilla King of Monsters may simply be a bit fuzzy (both true stories). What really matters about a VHS tape's quality is the ribbon inside of the casing. The only real ways to damage the inner ribbon are extreme heat (cold or hot), water or other liquids, tears, and KEEPING THE TAPE PARTIALLY WOUND. Oh, how I loathe partially wound tapes. Once the player reaches that section, you're going to a see a wave effect run vertically across the screen for at least a few seconds. It's not pretty and very immersion-breaking.
Addendum: How superimposing works on layers of devices:
The following is a pair of diagrams of typical tape-ripping setups. Though the information that follows isn't exactly necessary for the ripping process, I feel that explaining a bit about how they work can clear some misconceptions and assist in achieving cleaner tape rips.
What I'd like to explain is how superimposing works when connecting one device to another. Basically, why is it okay to change the volume on the DVD recorder/TV, but not the VCR? Basically, it's because (most of the time) the signal that a device outputs is different from the signal that it recieves. Notice that in the diagram above, when a VCR reads the signal from a tape, it modifies the signal by superimposing things such as the ever-annoying 'PLAY' text and sending this newly-modified signal as its output. This text and any graphics are now MERGED with the original signal, like hardcoded subtitles on a video file. A DVD recorder/capture device then recieves this signal as it is. But here is where the problems end. In my experience, DVD recorders then use THIS signal to burn onto a disc. But, the user still needs to see what's going on, so the device will take the input signal and superimpose its own volume bars and text and output this new signal to your television, one completely seperate from the one being burned to disc. Notice how when you press record on a DVD recorder, a record icon usually appears on the television screen, but not on your actual recording. Capture devices have no reason to superimpose anything onto the signal, so they're safe too. This brings me to my main point: what you see on your television screen/monitor is NOT reflective of what your recording will look like when it is finished! That's why it's perfectly safe to turn off your television, mute it, or even change its input to something else like a cable box or game console in the meantime. Whatever's on your television is completely irrelevant during the ripping process. This includes LCD televisions that stretch the picture. Your recording will still be in glorious 4:3.
If you're interested, you can read my guide on replacing the outer shell of a VHS tape.
You could also check out this more in-depth guide on anarchivism.org for more details.
I hope I was able to give a bit of insight into the wild world of tape ripping and preservation. If you have any advice or corrections to add, please do so!
Part 1: Preparation
Depending on the method you use to transfer your tape(s), you will require varying equipment. However, there are some tools that are necessary any which way you go about it. The first one is, of course, the VCR that will be used to play your tape. I see a lot of questions about what kind of VCR to use, but in reality just about any one that functions will do the job fine. It's when the user wants to get a better rip that the actual VCR comes into play. As stated before, I am no expert but the general consensus and I seem to agree that a JVC is the way to go. I grew up with a JVC VCR that still functions and is still used to this day (it's over 30 years old!), so I can attest to their reliability. Another important factor is the remote. If you can, get the remote. Not all VCRs can navigate the options menus without it, and it will be needed to change some settings when you get to work. Or get a universal remote. If you don't want to risk picking up an older model, a new one should do just fine. I do not recommend a VCR/DVD combo set. These are usually made with inferior parts and most likely will not withstand excessive use. Most guides will tell you to seek out a Stereo VCR (red and white composite outputs). I find this pointless as the stereo or Hi-Fi tracks on tapes do not age well. Trying to rip stereo sound from a tape has always been a fruitless endeavor. Most of the time, one or both channels will flicker on and off. This can be really annoying. Instead, pick up a mono-to-stereo cable like this one. This cable will play the mono track on both channels, simulating a stereo effect. It will sound a little muffled, but trust me: it's the better option.
If you already own a VCR or have just recently acquired one, you will need to change some settings before we begin. First is to prevent anything from showing up on your rip other than the contents of the tape. See if your VCR has a 'Superimpose' option and turn it off. Sometimes a VCR will display text on-screen such a contrast/volume bar or 'AUTO CORRECTING' or such other garbage. If you see an option to turn such a thing off, please do so. If you can't, then turn off anything that would make such text appear such as 'automatic picture' or 'color correction'. If you can turn the text off, then you can leave these options on if you wish. Please note that this means that you should not change the volume on the VCR at all during the ripping process or else your recording will show that volume bar. If you are using a mono-to-stereo cable as I have suggested, you may want to set your VCR to force Mono sound if possible. You should now prep your tape for playing. Regardless of how long ago the tape was last played, it is always a good idea to quickly and fully rewind and fast-forward the tape a few times beforehand. If the picture still seems a bit grainy or distorted, you can try a WET video head cleaner. A dry cleaner won't cut it most of the time. You can also try using a Digital Video Stabilizer such as this, but you can only really do so much to clean up an aged tape.
There are essentially two methods (that I know of) for ripping VHS tapes to your computer: a DVD Recorder, and a capture device/card. A DVD Recorder is the more user-friendly option, but I prefer using a USB capture device. It will record the signal directly without the extra purchase of blank DVDs. I have never owned or know of how a capture card functions, so that will not be covered in this guide (would anyone like to lend a hand?).
Part 2a: Ripping Using a DVD RECORDER (not player, recorder!)
Let's make one thing clear: this method will most likely not work on commercial VHS tapes (especially Disney tapes) due to copy protection. This method should work fine on home-recorded tapes, though. If you have just purchased your DVD Recorder or are simply new to such a device, you should know whether or not your recorder supports DVD-R or DVD+R or both. Either one will work, but you don't want to buy a type that your recorder will not burn to. Most DVD drives on modern computers support both, so there shouldn't be any worries there. Depending on how long the tape runs, you may need more than one blank DVD. A single blank DVD can hold approximately 2 hours, so prepare accordingly. Now, connect your VCR to your DVD recorder, and your DVD recorder to your television. Play the tape and record it as it plays. If you don't want to watch or listen to the recording as it plays, it should be safe to switch your television's input to another source such as a cable box while the ripping proceeds. You could also just mute the television if you desire. As long as you are muting the TELEVISION and not the DVD recorder, your recording should be safe. Changing the volume of the DVD recorder should not impact the recording, as your recorder is most likely copying the signal of your VCR straight to disc. What you see and hear on your television is a modified version of that signal, not being written to disc. Once the tape ends, you can stop the recording, be sure to FINALIZE your disc if your recorder does not do so automatically. This will allow the disc to be played in any other player, which is necessary for extracting the DVD to your computer. You can use DVD Shrink for this.
Part 2b: Ripping Using a USB Capture Device.
This is my preferred method of ripping tapes. I use a Hauppauge USB-Live 2 with ArcSoft Showbiz. For those that are unfamiliar with USB capture devices, they are essentially a USB device that allows you to plug in any VCR/DVD Player/Game Console/Cable Box that uses a composite cable output (Red/White/Yellow) and stream the audio and video of that device to your computer screen (this means you could also capture those Super Smash Bros. Brawl replays you have sitting on your Wii). These are the better choice for ripping VHS tapes as the signal is ripped straight to an .MPG on the computer, rather than from a VCR to a DVD Recorder, then ripped to a .VOB, and most likely converted to another video format. However, during the ripping process, I suggest not using the computer for anything else. Too much activity can cause a slowdown, which will affect your end result. There is no clear-cut way to describe how to rip using a USB capture device, as the program you use will determine everything you must do.
Protection:
So what do I mean by 'protection'? Many commercially available VHS tapes are protected. Some television programs were broadcast with protection. If you try to rip either of these there's a chance that the picture will become extremely distorted, or the device you choose will outright refuse to rip the tape. That is because the device you are using knows that the tape and/or signal is protected, and is refusing to rip it. This protection is embedded within the signal recorded onto the ribbon. There are many urban legends about removing this protection with two VCRs, but they're simply not true. Blank tapes do not have this protection, so home movies and most television recordings should be fine. SHOULD BE. However, tapes age poorly. The signal within them degrades, and sometimes the device you use may mistake aged tape for protection and refuse to rip a certain section of your tape anyway.
Tape Quality:
Another important thing to understand is the condition of your tape. One thing that I would like to make clear right off the bat is that the condition of the VHS cassette bears absolutely NO guarantee about the quality of the ribbon inside. Thankfully, placing the ribbon inside a new shell is extremely easy. A sealed and pristine copy of Stephen King's the Tommyknockers may still turn out to be horribly static and distorted, while a battered up copy of Godzilla King of Monsters may simply be a bit fuzzy (both true stories). What really matters about a VHS tape's quality is the ribbon inside of the casing. The only real ways to damage the inner ribbon are extreme heat (cold or hot), water or other liquids, tears, and KEEPING THE TAPE PARTIALLY WOUND. Oh, how I loathe partially wound tapes. Once the player reaches that section, you're going to a see a wave effect run vertically across the screen for at least a few seconds. It's not pretty and very immersion-breaking.
Addendum: How superimposing works on layers of devices:
The following is a pair of diagrams of typical tape-ripping setups. Though the information that follows isn't exactly necessary for the ripping process, I feel that explaining a bit about how they work can clear some misconceptions and assist in achieving cleaner tape rips.
What I'd like to explain is how superimposing works when connecting one device to another. Basically, why is it okay to change the volume on the DVD recorder/TV, but not the VCR? Basically, it's because (most of the time) the signal that a device outputs is different from the signal that it recieves. Notice that in the diagram above, when a VCR reads the signal from a tape, it modifies the signal by superimposing things such as the ever-annoying 'PLAY' text and sending this newly-modified signal as its output. This text and any graphics are now MERGED with the original signal, like hardcoded subtitles on a video file. A DVD recorder/capture device then recieves this signal as it is. But here is where the problems end. In my experience, DVD recorders then use THIS signal to burn onto a disc. But, the user still needs to see what's going on, so the device will take the input signal and superimpose its own volume bars and text and output this new signal to your television, one completely seperate from the one being burned to disc. Notice how when you press record on a DVD recorder, a record icon usually appears on the television screen, but not on your actual recording. Capture devices have no reason to superimpose anything onto the signal, so they're safe too. This brings me to my main point: what you see on your television screen/monitor is NOT reflective of what your recording will look like when it is finished! That's why it's perfectly safe to turn off your television, mute it, or even change its input to something else like a cable box or game console in the meantime. Whatever's on your television is completely irrelevant during the ripping process. This includes LCD televisions that stretch the picture. Your recording will still be in glorious 4:3.
If you're interested, you can read my guide on replacing the outer shell of a VHS tape.
You could also check out this more in-depth guide on anarchivism.org for more details.
I hope I was able to give a bit of insight into the wild world of tape ripping and preservation. If you have any advice or corrections to add, please do so!
