best solution for video restoration,

[victor_patv]

Hi,
I have an ADVC-100 and am looking for the best way to restore the video from old vhs tapes and 8mm film. I have a dual 2ghz gwith all the basic software as well as access (as long as no one tells on me) to FCP at school through the summer (the labs are empty).
I was looking at upgrading to ADVC 300, with auto picture correction, and selling the ADVC 100 as well as buying a telecine transfer device off of ebay. If anyone has any other better ideas, software based fixes that i can't screw up, or equipment recommendations I would really appreciate any input.
thanks
patrick
victor_patv@mac.com

 

[LethalWolfe]

Hi,
I have an ADVC-100 and am looking for the best way to restore the video from old vhs tapes and 8mm film. I have a dual 2ghz gwith all the basic software as well as access (as long as no one tells on me) to FCP at school through the summer (the labs are empty).
I was looking at upgrading to ADVC 300, with auto picture correction, and selling the ADVC 100 as well as buying a telecine transfer device off of ebay. If anyone has any other better ideas, software based fixes that i can't screw up, or equipment recommendations I would really appreciate any input.
thanks
patrick
victor_patv@mac.com

Best solution? Pay a pro to do it for you.

I wouldn't buy the ADVC 300 the color correction tools in FCP will be far better and more flexible. I don't know how much a telecine off eBay would go, but it may be cheaper (and easier) to just send the 8mm film to a pro and have them telecine it onto MiniDV for you.


Lethal

 

[pdpfilms]

Isn't a telecine upwards of $5000?

 

[LethalWolfe]

Isn't a telecine upwards of $5000?

It all depends on what kind of film you have, how much film you have, what you are getting it telecined too and how good you want the xfer to be.

In Los Angeles you can get 8mm telecined for like 10 cents/ft (8mm is about 15ft/min) + the cost of tape stock and any extra fees for cleaning/prepping the film. At least that's what the internet tells me (I know just a bit more than jack s**t 'bout film processing).


Lethal

 

[Keebler]

pay a pro

Hi,
I have an ADVC-100 and am looking for the best way to restore the video from old vhs tapes and 8mm film. I have a dual 2ghz gwith all the basic software as well as access (as long as no one tells on me) to FCP at school through the summer (the labs are empty).
I was looking at upgrading to ADVC 300, with auto picture correction, and selling the ADVC 100 as well as buying a telecine transfer device off of ebay. If anyone has any other better ideas, software based fixes that i can't screw up, or equipment recommendations I would really appreciate any input.
thanks
patrick
victor_patv@mac.com

hi victor,
the advc300 is also good for image stabilization (particularly of older vhs tapes which are dying fast). the other users are right about fcp..it's good for controlled colour correction. the 300 will do the trick, but you have to capture parts at a time b/c any of the filters you apply, will not apply to the entire tape (ie. some parts are bad, some are fine - if you applied the same, you'd wreck the good with fcp, you can do sections at a time. you'll need an ntsc monitor to output from your mac to verify the colours as a computer screen is not calibrated the same as a monitor.

as for the telecine...just pay a pro. there are many, many factors to know about film processing - cleaning, types of reel film; different frame rates etc.. etc.. etc.. and the price of telecines and..the biggest one - if you haven't used film before, how do you ensure you don't accidentally destroy someone's film??? a pro will know how to handle and fix any issues. picture someone's reel jamming and unravelling all over the place. doh!
you'll lose a bit of quality going to minidv, but it won't be significant. you can also tell the pros that you are doing this as a service so they cut you a discount, allowing you to add a normal surcharge to keep your prices competitive.
where in God's country are you? i may know of some places to help you with the telecine stuff.

 

[LethalWolfe]

the 300 will do the trick, but you have to capture parts at a time b/c any of the filters you apply, will not apply to the entire tape (ie. some parts are bad, some are fine - if you applied the same, you'd wreck the good with fcp, you can do sections at a time.

It would be easier to capture it all first and then use the blade tool in FCP to break it up into pieces as needed.


Lethal

 

[victor_patv]

thanks for all the replies,

I'm in Collingwood/Ptbo., Ontario, Canada,
From all the responses I figure I'll stick with my ADVC 100, and just attempt to fix all the issues with FCP. Hopefully i'll catch on fast.
Sorry if I misworded anything, its not a service for others, its just doing my family films, but there are a lot of them over 100 vhs and countless film reels, I have a projector and was just looking at getting a transfer box and seeing how that worked, maybe I will pay for some of them to be done, its just as a student I have way more time than money and I like to tinker with these things.
Basically I was just looking for an easy out by trading up to the advc 300 and its auto correction features. Ah well, this is going to take a long time,,,, and when both these types are done, on to the beta!!!
thanks for all the responses
and sorry about the lateness of my reply, just in the middle of exams till the end of the week

 

[domzanghi]

I know there's a telecine place in Connecticuit that transfers 8mm film to video (not many places around anymore!) cheaply ($.10/foot or so). If you have a thousand feet or more of 8mm, you may want to purchase an 8mm projector and set up your video camera to record the screen. If the film is in bad shape, perhaps you can send some of the film off to get prepped & telecined.
call around. If you have alot of film (more than 1500 ft or so) they may be able to give you a decent discount.

 

[Keebler]

do not use a camcorder to film a screen

I know there's a telecine place in Connecticuit that transfers 8mm film to video (not many places around anymore!) cheaply ($.10/foot or so). If you have a thousand feet or more of 8mm, you may want to purchase an 8mm projector and set up your video camera to record the screen. If the film is in bad shape, perhaps you can send some of the film off to get prepped & telecined.
call around. If you have alot of film (more than 1500 ft or so) they may be able to give you a decent discount.

I would highly disagree with this post. i know it was meant to be helpful so i don't meant to trash dom, but this is a bad, bad idea. the results would be terrible, with tons of flickering.

i highly recommend paying a pro place to do it. it will cost you up front, but who cares....these are your family memories. pay for the best quality possible. you won't regret it. if it's a big cost and if there are brothers/sisters/aunts/uncles involved, have them split the cost.

cheers,
Keebler

 

[Flynnstone]

I did some like what a previous poster says.
I didn't use a screen, but a very bright sheet of paper on the wall. I put my miniDV camera on a tripod beside the projector. The projector noise was quite cool
As for the flickering, yes you can get lots flickering! But, if you projector has speed control, you maybe able to "sync" and reduce the flicker.
This is purely low budget, but worked for me.
I used FCE to colour correct some and when the speed was noticeably wrong, I used FCE to massage that as well.

I'm sure a pro would do better.

And ... your mileage may vary If you have lots of "free" time ...