Blackmagic Forum

Hey Guys,

I am really hoping you can please help me...I am currently in the process of digitising a large quantity of SVHS tapes and have encountered some problems with the digitisation process.

I am currently outputting from a Panasonic FS100 SVHS VCR using S-Video and composite. I am capturing via the Intensity Shuttle using thunderbolt and my platform is the iMac (21.5-inch, Late 2012 model, 2.9 GHz Intel Core i5 with 8GB ram)...The playback from the SVHS is smooth when I output to a smartTV, so I know the FS100 is not at fault, but when I try to capture/playback in post (Adobe Premiere Pro CC) the audio signal is weak and the image unstable, the image flickers every couple of seconds and audio is out of sync ever so slightly.. and at the end of the day it's not suitable for export.

In post lab, I have set the capture settings to 29.98 fps, matching the source and yet I continue to encounter the same issue... I had thought that perhaps the reason why I might be encountering this issue could be due to the fact that I do not have a time based corrector in place? Other than that I am at a loss!

Can someone please recommend what I can do ASAP, as I have over 70 SVHS tapes that I need to digitise by end of the month! I would consider upgrading my hardware and or purchasing a time base corrector (through Blackmagic) but I have a tight budget so I really need the most economical solution possible.

Thanks for your help guys!

Emile.

You will indeed need a TBC. I don't do this kind of work so I can't recommend one, but if you search this forum there are many discussions on digitizing old media.

Get yourself a used DVD recorder with tbc-like functionality as passthrough and go.

Ok so I now have in place a TBC (FORA DIGITAL TIME BASE CORRECTOR FA-310P) ...

I am running the SVHS tape through the FS100 outputting with SVIDEO via the FA310p to the BMD Intensity Shuttle...the shuttle then connects to the Mac via USB3.

I presume I use the same procedure I have been following for VHS and 8mm transfers? (CARE: I have had no problems in digitising these formats) or is there something different I should be doing?
I haven't changed anything in post/ capture settings are as normal, see below:



When I play the tape and try to capture, there is no video signal only an audio feed, therefore I have no way of testing to see whether the TBC is doing its job. I did try to capture in BMD Media Express - and encountering the same issue there!

Any ideas or advice would be of a great help guys!

Cheers,

Emile

The For-A TBC is a professional-standard device which was widely used in the video production industry in its day, so To begin with, hook the outputs of the TBC to a TV display and just look at the output signals - video and audio - to see if things are ok. In the absence of scopes or a proper video monitor that shows a "pulse cross" (a setting that enables you visually check the integrity of the timebase-corrected VTR output), have a close look at the vertical components of the picture to see if they're solid or whether they're wavy lines. Another thing you can do is to download Blackmagic's own Ultrascope software (free from the support/downloads page), read the manual and experiment.

The problem you're experiencing is one of incorrect or incompatible settings - the settings chosen in the Desktop Video control panel must match exactly those selection in Media Express's Preferences pane. If you're using a different capture application, use Media Express to begin with and switch once you have the right set-up.

As a Shuttle/Thunderbolt/MacOS user since 2012 (although I've now shelved it in favour of better hardware) I found this to be the problem perhaps 90% of the time. Unfortunately the Shuttle isn't the most reliable capture device but it's OK for the price. Like all Blackmagic capture hardware, it's very fussy temperamental when being asked to capture off-tape video signals and - as has been discussed many times in these forums - everything requires a broadcast TBC for them to do the job. No exceptions. You've obtained a good TBC so you're nearly there.

Thank you for help guys, much obliged!

Alas, I could no longer afford the time I was spending troubleshooting the broadcast gear needed to affect the success of digitiztion via BMD hardware and have now opted for hardware from a Third Party to get the job done.

I think going forward I am going to trust that BMD hardware should only be used for what it's truly intended for HD, 4K and 3D / high end production work and not for analogue digitisation as once assumed and or advertised.

Cheers,

Emile

Emile Pavlovic wrote:I think going forward I am going to trust that BMD hardware should only be used for what it's truly intended for HD, 4K and 3D / high end production work and not for analogue digitisation as once assumed and or advertised.

I'm not exactly sure what you mean by your last statement but, for my business, we're often running three workstations simultaneously whose purpose is the digitising of analogue videotape sources to digital files. Blackmagic hardware is used exclusively for the A-D conversion stage.