Re: VHS Video Capture Advice Please

On 04 Jul 2003, "Spidey" <yesright@nonospamo.4me> tapped on a
keyboard and the electrons formed this:

> I'd like to start a business in my local town offering a VHS
> ---> DVD conversion service. I've got a DVD writer but find the
> area of Video Capture Cards and Editing Software to be very
> confusing.

Unless you need to do a lot of editing, just get a stand-alone DVD
recorder. For making straight dubs from VHS, it's the easiest
method. No computers, no software, no capturing, no codecs - just
patch them together as if it were two VHS machines. Done.

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Larry Jandro

In article <Xns93AE661E1AFC2larryathome@68.6.19.6>, Larry Jandro
<(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

> For making straight dubs from VHS, it's the easiest
> method.

You forget, he's actually expecting people to PAY him to do this. I
seriously doubt anyone's gonna consider a DVD that starts up with the
rudimentary menu most standalone recorders produce to be anything worth
paying more than a couple bucks for. Besides, if the source is VHS, a
DVD isn't gonna look any better. To justify PAYING for such a service,
you gotta be getting something only DVD can offer. A standalone DVD
burner just doesn't offer much.

In article <Xns93AFD0A8BC92Flarryathome@68.6.19.6>, Larry Jandro
<(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

> If it's just a dub of someone's VHS tape, then why not..? Who needs
> a fancy menu..?

Someone who might as well keep watching the VHS copy instead of
actually PAYING the guy and getting nothing but the original footage in
a different format, and compressed to boot.

> And since it comes from VHS, why would a straight dub to a standalone
> DVD burner look any worse than putting it through a computer..?

Partially because there's not nearly as much control over the
compression (practically none, really). However, my point was simply
that I think anyone who pays money to have a DVD made is going to
expect something with at least a passing similarity to a "professional"
DVD -- that's the whole point of the format.

> I don't get that logic.

I'm not surprised.

On 05 Jul 2003, Max Volume <(E-Mail Removed)> tapped on a
keyboard and the electrons formed this:

> Someone who might as well keep watching the VHS copy instead of
> actually PAYING the guy and getting nothing but the original
> footage in a different format, and compressed to boot.

The original poster said that his customers want copies of VHS tapes
on DVD.

> Partially because there's not nearly as much control over the
> compression (practically none, really). However, my point was
> simply that I think anyone who pays money to have a DVD made is
> going to expect something with at least a passing similarity to
> a "professional" DVD -- that's the whole point of the format.

With most stand-alone DVD recorders, you have several levels of
compression quality.

The "point" of the format for his customers, and many other people,
is simply to get their old VHS stuff onto a newer, easier to use
medium.

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On Sun, 06 Jul 2003 08:26:20 GMT, Max Volume <(E-Mail Removed)>
wrote:


>He also said he'd be charging for the service. Pay attention.

He is providing a service, why shouldn't he charge?

>My fundamental problem with this is that the guy seems to just want to
>do this as a moneymaking scheme. It's one thing to want to make money
>off your talents as a graphic designer and general creativity, but
>quite another to set up a business whose sole purpose is to take
>advantage of the fact that DVD-R is a new technology that most people
>haven't got a handle on yet.

There are plenty of businesses with this schema. Making a DVD is
(currently) not that simple, especially for a powerful, complex DVD
menu structure. Do you feel the same way about users PC's? When I go
and fix someone's computer, and charge $X an hour, am I taking
advantage of them just because they can't do the work themselves?
What about plumbing repair?

What is *wrong* with providing a service, and making money off it?

-Dean
--
http://ripperd2.dhs.org

On 06 Jul 2003, Max Volume <(E-Mail Removed)> tapped on a
keyboard and the electrons formed this:

> He also said he'd be charging for the service. Pay attention.

What the hell does that have to do with it..?

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On 06 Jul 2003, Max Volume <(E-Mail Removed)> tapped on a
keyboard and the electrons formed this:

> Even if it is *merely* that, I'm pretty sure paying customers
> are gonna be a little disappointed when they pop in their DVD
> and see a generic menu with a screen full of rectangular
> buttons, of which only a couple are marked with plain text.
> It's a complete waste of the capabilities of the DVD format.

His customers want copies of VHS tapes. Who said they needed
complex menus..?

> My fundamental problem with this is that the guy seems to just
> want to do this as a moneymaking scheme. It's one thing to want
> to make money off your talents as a graphic designer and general
> creativity, but quite another to set up a business whose sole
> purpose is to take advantage of the fact that DVD-R is a new
> technology that most people haven't got a handle on yet. Once
> these standalone recorders you're on about become more common,
> this guy's gonna be out of business while those of us who
> actually CREATE something unique with our DVDs will still have
> customers.

Now WTF is all that..? You have a way of turning a simple subject
about making a DVD dub from VHS into an epic production, then you
start questioning the guys profit motive.

And you go off on me as if I'm the Anti-Christ for suggesting that
he use a DVD recorder.

There's no "production" to discuss. His customers want COPIES, get
it..?

Go back and read the original posters question.

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In article <Xns93B0655DDAB69larryathome@68.6.19.6>, Larry Jandro
<(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

> What the hell does that have to do with it..?

Value for money. It's very simple, but apparently so are you.

On Sun, 06 Jul 2003 23:33:42 GMT, Max Volume <(E-Mail Removed)>
wrote:

>In article <(E-Mail Removed)>, Dean
><(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
>
>> What is *wrong* with providing a service, and making money off it?
>
>Good lord, read the entire ****ing thread. A standalone recorder isn't
>going to give the customer significant value for their money. Give
>them a couple years and they could do the same thing themselves. Spend
>the time creating a unique product (or spend some time LEARNING to do
>that) and you'll EARN your money instead of taking advantage of people.

In order to deem "significant value", you would have to know the
monetary amount... I would assume in the neighborhood of 15$ or so,
for something that easy.

Perhaps they just didn't want more wear on their tape? Or they hate
rewinding?

Perhaps you should quit trolling?

-Dean
(And maybe I should stop feeding you :-/ )
--
http://ripperd2.dhs.org

On 06 Jul 2003, Max Volume <(E-Mail Removed)> tapped on a
keyboard and the electrons formed this:

>
> Good lord, read the entire ****ing thread. A standalone
> recorder isn't going to give the customer significant value for
> their money.

YOU read the ****ing thread, and start at the beginning.

All the guy's customers want is COPIES of VHS tapes on DVD.

They're not looking for "significant value," or anything that be
construed as such. They want simple COPIES..!

Doh...

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