Hi all, I sent this to a few of the folks involved in the discussion earlier this week, but I figured it might be helpful to others the list wrestling with a similar issue
I am professional archivist who runs a digitization business that – among other things – converts home videos and telecines home movies. For tape to digital conversion, IMovie and other video editing software is not required– at least with Macs. Quicktime 7 allows you to record from whatever you device you link to the computer. You just record it, adjust the in and out points and save the .MOV file to whatever name you want it without processing it through an editing program such as Imovie. Canopus is $199. If you want to experiment, you can also get a USB capture device called iGrabber for less than $20 off a site such as Meritline. The key word is "experiment" here. Use it to see how easily you can do this and whether it's worth your department's time. Because Canopus and other higher-end devices will get you better library-quality results. But if you just want to get your feet wet and see if your library is capable of doing this without making a huge commitment, this is a good compromise. If you need something other MOV files, use VisualHub to convert it – best conversion program there is. Use it in conjunction with MacTheRipper to speed up the process. Although VH has been discontinued, you can find it on the net pretty easily. Hope this helps. Rob Hoffman Priceless Photo Preservation 734-219-3916 http://www.PricelessPhotoPreservation.com On Thu, Jul 26, 2012 at 7:50 PM, <[email protected]> wrote: > ---------------------------- Original Message ---------------------------- > Subject: Re: Your videolib post this week > From: [email protected] > Date: Thu, July 26, 2012 4:43 pm > To: "Foster, Jennifer" <[email protected]> > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- > > Hi Jennifer > > I have not tried any of the products I mentioned earlier. > > Here's what we do we use a Digital Rapids encoder: that's a fairly > high-end dual-core processor with a DR board installed. DR provides the > software that will ingest and encode to a multitude of codecs (H.264 > included). We have a higher-end JVC DVD/VHS combo that feeds into the DR > rig. I will say, that the DR boards are not cheap. > > You can go a cheaper route, also. Buy a Canopus, or similar > analog/digital converter (about 200 or 300 bucks) which will take the > output of your VHS and convert it to digital (the wire goes RCA from vcr > to converter; firewire from converter to computer). You can use whichever > editing/ingestion software you choose to import and edit the files and > output them to your codec of choice: Premiere (a bit of overkill for this > kind of work); iMovie (for Mac); Sorenson's suite of tools (which I sort > of like)...etc. It sounds like rocket science, but it really isn't. > > Gary > > > > From: Foster, Jennifer >> Sent: Thursday, July 26, 2012 3:45 PM >> To: '[email protected]' >> Subject: Your videolib post this week >> >> >> Gary: Have you used any of these items in the links you sent in your >> email below? Have you actually done this? I want to convert VHS to >> digital, but NOT to DVD. I can use any number of off-the-shelf apps to >> convert/encode/transcode digital files to streaming files, but things like >> Adobe Premiere Elements and Microsoft Expression Encoder and even Movie >> Maker (it appears) expect you to already have a digital file. >> >> >> >> I need to get from a VHS tape to a digital file. I have the hardware >> (capture card, cables, VHS players), but need the software. The one in the >> list of reviews you sent that looks like it might be the one for me is the >> Diamond Multimedia VC500. Have you used it or any others? >> >> >> >> We are trying to get off an outrageously expensive and outdated >> proprietary system that only encodes to WMV files using Windows Media >> Encoder, which is no longer supported by Microsoft. This system was in >> place when I got here, and is now about 10 years old. To convert it to a >> more current system, the integrator wants us to buy new servers, new OS >> licenses, and new proprietary software to output to H.264. We are already >> paying an arm and a leg for support from them, and are ready to move away. >> Hence my question. >> >> >> >> And yes, we are very cognizant of rights. Thanks for any help you can >> give. >> >> >> Jennifer Foster >> Media Librarian >> Victoria College/University of Houston-Victoria Library >> 361.570.4195 >> http://vcuhvlibrary.uhv.edu >> >> >> >> P.S. Glad you're hanging on and hope you are or will be enjoying figuring >> out whatever your next adventure may be. >> >> >> >> >> >> Message: 2 >> >> Date: Wed, 25 Jul 2012 15:58:16 -0700 >> >> From: [email protected]<mailto:[email protected]> >> >> Subject: Re: [Videolib] streaming files from DVD onto a computer >> >> To: "Michelle Ehenpreis" <[email protected]<mailto:[email protected]>>, >> >> [email protected]<mailto:[email protected]> >> >> Message-ID: >> >> >> <[email protected]<mailto:[email protected]>> >> >> Content-Type: text/plain;charset=utf-8 >> >> >> >> Hi >> >> >> >> If it's streaming your interested in, you can't simply rip a DVD to >> computer... The file formats for standard DVDs are different than the >> file formats used to stream video, generally. (By the way...I hope you're >> paying attention to copyright) >> >> >> >> There are a number of ways to convert a video to streamable files. There >> are a number of hardware/softwar products that will convert vhs output >> into QuickTime, mpeg4, or other streamable formats. Some examples: >> >> >> >> http://vhs-to-dvd-review.toptenreviews.com/easycap-video-capture-review.html >> >> >> >> http://macs.about.com/od/applications/fr/vhstodvd.htma >> >> >> >> You can also buy a digital-analog converter (such as those made by >> >> Canopus) and ingest vhs to your computer >> >> (http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/312315-REG/Grass_Valley_602005_ADVC55_Compact_Analog_.html/) >> >> You can use whatever editing software you use (iMovie, Premiere, whatev) >> to import and convert this into whichever file format you want. >> >> >> >> >> >> The files you create via the above means need to be mounted on and >> delivered via a server. >> >> >> >> Gary Handman (who is still hanging on) >> >> >> >> > > > > > VIDEOLIB is intended to encourage the broad and lively discussion of issues > relating to the selection, evaluation, acquisition,bibliographic control, > preservation, and use of current and evolving video formats in libraries and > related institutions. It is hoped that the list will serve as an effective > working tool for video librarians, as well as a channel of communication > between libraries,educational institutions, and video producers and > distributors. VIDEOLIB is intended to encourage the broad and lively discussion of issues relating to the selection, evaluation, acquisition,bibliographic control, preservation, and use of current and evolving video formats in libraries and related institutions. It is hoped that the list will serve as an effective working tool for video librarians, as well as a channel of communication between libraries,educational institutions, and video producers and distributors.
