Are you embarrassed easily? I am, but it’s nothing to worry about, it’s all apart of growing up and watching old VHS videos to remind yourself how far (or not so far) you’ve come. This thing makes it so much easier to do that, also time stamps below or check out the chapters for the relevant parts. 0:00 - Introduction 0:39 - ClearClick Video 2 Digital 2.0, WHAT is it? 0:56 - What's In The Box 1:35 - What YOU Need 2:11 - VCR/VHS SETUP 3:59 - RECORDING VHS TAPES 4:51 - TRANSFER FILES TO COMPUTER 5:27 - FIRMWARE PATCH Note 5:57 - Getting Blown Away 6:35: HI-8 Sony Setup HandyCam Intro 8:22: INDIANA JONES PART THREE AUDITION?
Hi Mark, have a technical question. I haven t use this gadget with the screen that you use for transferring videos , but I have tried a few other similar looking devices without the disk storage and the screen, and the quality of the picture is poor going into the computer. I've tried tweaking the video programs (cause the signal goes out of the device and into the computer to a software program for recording, unlike your gadget) and there are tracking issues that don't seem to get resolved. and the picture is fuzzy. Does the quality of the video deteriorate using this little box that you recommend. Again, I'm transferring old family videos and understood that the quality is not amazing, but the original shows up well on our tv monitor before transfer. and much less quality after I record. Does the video you create look about the same as the original? thanks so much, await your reply!
I just found my wedding video (on VHS) after searching for it on/off for a few years and told my wife that I needed to find a device to transfer it over to the computer. Then you posted this video a couple of days later. Thanks for creating this and going through the processes of how it works. I look forward to spending time going through old tapes and reliving the memories. Thanks again!
My pleasure, it's been a huge asset for me and figured there's loads of people out there like me who feel the same about this stuff. UA-cam loves to tell me how badly this video does compared to my other ones, but I keep telling this...it's the long game, this one is for not just the lens geeks, but anyone who's captured old memories are stuck on old tech.
I can’t thank you enough for posting this video. I recently discovered my copies of vhs home movies when I was a kid had all been ruined. I then decided I had better convert my hi8 tapes of my kids as babies before they became unwatchable too. Over the years I have made several attempts, wasting money on cables I couldn’t get to work. This time I looked up companies to do it for me but that would mean sending the tapes away & I was worried about losing them in the post. Then I found this video. After watching, I found the converter for sale. It cost more than I would normally risk on something I didn’t know would work for me, especially coming from a different country. It might not be compatible. This video made it look so easy though so I took a chance. And I’m so glad I did. Best purchase I ever made. My memories are safe for years to come. Again, thank you so much :)
Some tips for folks. You'll get the best playback results if you use the VCR, or camera, that was used to record the tape. If you have some type of head cleaning device for the VCR use it before making your transfers. For dirty heads you might have to make two or more passes. Before you copy, fast forward the tape to the end and then rewind it. This will put even tension on the tape and sometimes tape that has sat for a long time can get a little sticky and this will help with that. Be aware that how your tape has been stored, and for how long, will affect the quality of playback. Time is the enemy as the magnetic coating on the tape can start to shed. If it was kept out in the garage where it saw extremes of temperature and humidity the tape will shed more of its oxide coating. If it was kept near a magnetic field, like an unshielded speaker, or electric motor, it may in fact have been erased or have severe drop outs. Always store tapes wound to the end, not the beginning of the tape, then rewind to even tape tension. Store tapes in places, like your closet, that don't see much change in humidity or temperature. Store tapes on their edges, not laying flat. If you haven't used the VCR for years turn it on and let it sit for awhile, run all the controls with a non-important tape. Devices to copy VHS tapes to your computer start at less than $15. The only thing you might need is an adapter or two to attach the wires. I had to get a set of RCA male/female adapters. I used Windows built-in Camera app to do the recording and recorded directly to a file on my computer.
Thanks for the advice man, just have one question. I’m about to transfer all my videos and I was wondering if I used my VHS-C Camcorder to hold the tapes and have it plugged it in at the same time along with this having an Algato AV cable capture card connected from the camera built in port to this straight to my computer. If I do this method can I skip not using a VCR machine because my camera has the deck playing the video? Thanks and let me know 👍🏽
@@kas2388 Sorry to take so long answering. I'm not sure about your connection but you can use a camcorder for playback, in fact that's a plus for any tapes made by that camera as tracking and head alignment will be better than using some other device for playback. If by some chance your camcorder doesn't do the job then you might already have a VHS-C to full size VHS adapter, if not you should be able to find some for sale at your local electronics store or online like on eBay. Remember to keep the heads clean because old tapes will shed oxide which will clog heads.
I use a firewire card in my pc to capture 8mm, Hi8 and D8 tapes with my still working Sony D8 camera. The plus of this is that the D8 tapes are not converted to analogue as inbetween format, but are directly converted to a pc digital format. Also the analogue tapes are converted inside the camera to the firewire interface and are also coming out the camera digitized. I find this a very convenient way. Usual glitches or the wellknown stripes at the bottom of the analogue tapes will also be captured perfectly, so I have to edit them out somehow. But for other analogue material this kind of device you've shown may be a very convenient solution . Thanks for this insight.
Holy Smokes! I've been waiting for a simple, straight forward system like this to come along for years! It's pretty amazing if it can eliminate the issues created from interlaced footage too. I think I'll have to get one of these units and try it out for myself. Excellent tutorial and great find Mark!
This one wins hands down, why I had to update my VHS video as that old adapter i was using is no longer OS compatible. Wanted something i didn't have to worry about software ;)
This is a game changer for the average person trying to convert their tapes, especially considering the interlacing is done for you. Most pc programs in the past were not straightforward for the less than tech savvy.. I have a nice upscaler with interlacing options that I normally use with my retro gaming consoles, but I'm still going to check this out in the case that it may be a better solution. Thanks!
I recently sent out some tapes to be digitalized as I no longer have the original camera, was pretty reasonable too, Mark your story telling style and editing is 🔥
Thanks Joe. Ya the media is tricky, I got lucky with this hi-8 still being fully functional. That would have to be an additional purchase if it wasn’t. Let me know how you like that service! Excited to hear about what you find on those!
Hi, you mentioned interlacing and that it does away with that. Very nice, what about file size and compression, I want the best I can get, does this offer that? do I need to input frame rate? What is the size of the file, 720X480 or 640X480?
720x480, compression is h.264 which is fairly efficient. Smaller sizes while retaining quality. Other adapters that have let me set the compression quality didn’t compare to this one. You want the best quality definitely consider using S-video if your camera has it.
Does it say what de-interlacing method it uses? There are many from just throwing away one picture field (provides lowest resolution) to clever algorithms that interpolate when movement occurs.
i prefer to digitize them with a vcr dvd combo recorder. dvds (.vob files) have better quality than mp4 videos and you can deinterlace the videos with handbrake (you can get this software for free)
Hi Mark, thank you so kindly for your valued service. I have been thinking about converting the dozens of family vhs tapes, but dredded the process. You have saved me. Many, many thanks.
If I were to add one more important thing, having learned the hard way myself from years of experience. I highly recommend you fast forward and rewind old tapes a few times to loosen things up before playing. Some tapes may have been exposed to different temperatures, elements or areas of the home that may have caused condensation and drying (even mold) inside during their dormant time. Other advice is starting out with a clean VCR or player and keeping it clean, what may look like bad tracking could be a dirty video head and playing old tapes can dirty them fast with peeling.
I'll keep transferring my ANALOG video tapes with my Trustworthy DVD recorder with hard drive .😁👍🏻 Although for amateurs who don't understand the difference in quality, this unit your showing is a great beginning start !😎
I would prefer to transfer at the highest possible quality, of course, because VHS is so bad to begin with. I don't want to degrade the footage any further with compression artifacts, etc. I used a Canopus years ago, but for VHS transfers I wasn't pleased with the resulting loss in detail (yes, I want to see the tracking stripe as detailed as possible. lol). Everything seemed to get "smoothed over" with the compression process. I'm curious why you say the DVD recorder is a better option. Looking to learn.
You’re going to get generational quality loss regardless unless you’ve got a higher end machine with SDI output. Only the top divisions use that to maintain highest image quality based on the transfer. Transferring any VHS via analog cables will result in a full “generation” loss. There are no digital artifacts with this converter, it’s solid. A lot of ppl have different degrees of what’s acceptable quality wise. Post house will get you the best quality, but it will cost a lot. Third party software also available to uprez as well. Those are for professional broadcast transfers and not regular consumers which this device is targeted at.
I just bought one of these and had serious issues with video levels. Yours looked okay. Composite level was dark and color oversaturated. S-Video levels were too high - video washed out, low contrast and color badly muted. Any ideas? CCCS said nothing about a firmware update. Also the MP4 files the CC produced would not play in my editing software though they played on my TVs and computer.
Dude, I have a box or tapes and was like I’m never going to get through digitizing them all... no longer my mindset. Thanks for this! I also have 2 or 3 hi8 cams for this exact purpose, and fully plan to wear out the heads during this process lol
My dad just called me and asked if he could borrow it. He’s got loads he wants to do too lol. It’s infectious and once you see how easy it is lol. There is always a risk, but if you avoid it all together, you’ll never get a chance to save what you can lol.
We had an old machine that had only the purpose to do VHS/DVD transfers, about 20 yrs ago. That was more indirect, and the machine was about 18" wide, 7" high, and 10" deep. I like your idea better, but we already transfered (IIRC) VHS content to about 40 DVD disks. Took forever.
Looks like a great device! I can't believe how hard it is to find a working VCR nowadays. Something to keep in mind when postponing digitizing your home videos
@@MarkHoltze agreed! Currently trying to borrow any used equipment I can find to back them up asap. But will definitely pay up for the most modern way possible
@@MarkHoltze have you noticed any quality issues/improvement when using the AV cables provided, or if you've upgraded to higher quality, shielded ones?
Currently, I transfer my vhs to DVD recorder, then rip the mpeg2 file from the DVD and convert to mp4 . Of course, I realize this would quicker and easier.... but would the quality be equal, superior or inferior to the vhs-dvd method ?
Do you know if these work with Mini DV camcorders? I've seen where some people say they don't, which seems odd to me since Mini DV has analog A/V outputs.
What do you think is better this or the Elgato Video Capture? I am worried elgato will be too complicated and hope issues like interlacing aren't a thing.
Great video...regarding it 2 questions before i buy: 1. if recording from a VHS recorder...does it make sense to upscale from scart to hdmi and then record with this device? 2. when recording from VHS does it stretch the picture (4:3 -> 16:9) ? Thanks in advance for answering.
Hello Mark , I just found an old Sony hi8 handycam trv60e inside a forgotten wardrobe and I came at your content…I charged the batteries and the camera is fully usable …my question is ..I own an hp laptop and working on premiere ..which adaptor do you think I should buy for transferring the content ?? And my next question is where do you buy old tapes from Sony Mpc 8mm f.e because I think they stopped producing this stuff from 2007 .Thanks in advance 🙏🙏
First of all, great video, great explanations, thank you very much! I have an option in the video capturer I bought to capture through a YPbPr cable and relatively I liked the result. So assuming I have all the options, is it better to capture via s-video, composite, or YPbPr cable? Thank you 🙏🏼
Thank You So Much for this knowledge since many out there do like to convert their VHS into Digital format for their family to enjoy in the future! 🌷🌿🌍💖
Great video! Do you know is buying the “Ultimate” version of this device (which can record in 1080p) would capture better quality on old VCR tapes? Or, would this version of the device suffice because the source (a VCR tape) is not in 1080p quality to begin with?
As far as I can tell unless you have a specialized device you can't capture 1080 because the source signal isn't that high. Horizontal lines of resolution and that will depend on the camera it that captured it. Broadcast facilities have expensive devices that can capture the best signal, but you will have to scale up the video in post production. Technically VHS is - 333×480 pixels luma and 40×480 chroma resolutions
@StringerNews1 Good answer. Great info. However, one thing you said is not quite correct. Yes, many stations had "pro" S-VHS equipment. And for some of the less-funded stations a $5,000 "Broadcast" VHS deck (like the JVC BR lineup) might be all they could afford. Especially if they needed a play deck, a record deck and an edit controller. That alone was about $15,000 in "Broadcast" VHS equipment. Where I worked we even acquired some footage on "Broadcast" S-VHS camcorders. I still remember dreaming about owning my own JVC KY-19 camera with a "Digital S" VHS recording module, and a JVC Pro VHS Edit Desk. "Digital" HAHAHAHA!! I wonder how many people that fooled. Thanks for reminding me of the "good" old days. :)
Ya it’s been awhile and I’ve only come at it as an editor who works with multi format stuff for broadcast so my details are a bit sketch. SVHS, BETA, I mean VHs was never broadcast standard, but in terms of archive use for reflective series sometimes it’s the best you can get ;)
Hi 8 and Video8 tapes should rather be digitized with Digital 8 camcorders. They handle the whole TBC stuff a lot better. This is also important when you digitize VHS tapes that your VCR has Time Base Correction and that you can turn it on or off. It helps to stabilize images but also has an effect on the audio but it also keeps everything sync'd. In most cases you'll need at least 2 digitizing passes of analog video tapes. Just to be sure that you do one with and one without TBC. And sometimes you have drop outs that are not there again another time.
Got one of those Video8 tape players with the firewire output. Don't need any conversion stuff, just a firewire input on the computer which I do have. :D
@@Bonzi_Buddy Yeah those are great as they already digitize the Videosignal to a DV stream for you without any additional hardware. Technically you could even use the Video Inputs of it (if it has some) to pass through analog video and digitize it. :)
I just got a clearclick 3 and it worked great when I transfered a video from my VCR to a USB. But when I played back the video from my USB to the TV the picture was good but the sound was very low. I turned up the TV to 100 on the volume and could hear what was on the video but barely. Do you have any advise on this?
Thank you so much for this very informative and clearly explained and demonstrated how to video! It helped tremendously to see someone else show and explain how to do this.
Also what its recommended is to use high quality cables, since you are dealing with analog signals, and they tend to have interference from the outside, so best quality cables gives you best picture and stable signal for the digital device to record.
What are good cables to use though. Gold is kind of not really durable and the monster cables cables are really grippy and stiff. There not really good on on your ports. If your using a newer device like this maybe it’s not a huge deal but if you’re using a Panasonic 1980 vcr to an es-15 to a pinnacle 710 to a windows 7 computer and trying to get a video that isn’t compressed and doesn’t have a bunch of problems with it then it makes you think about what cables you’ll use.
Sorry if this has been answered already, but can I do what you did with Hi-8 with my VHS-C? I have VHS-C tapes and a JVC camcorder that has inputs. Can I connect the cords from the adapter to my camcorder or does it only work for Hi-8? Wondering if I need to buy a VCR. Thanks!
Say you had an old VHS or 8mm camera that you wanted to use... Could this device record directly from monitoring in camera, bypassing the tape altogether?
Thank you for this information. Is there an "all in one" device that can play each type of tape...such as VHS, VHS-C, 8 and mini dvd's? Our VCR has been gobbling up our older VHS tapes. Thank you!
Enjoyed your video and bought the product. It works very well. Question, what is the simplest or easiest way to split the finished clips into smaller segments? Thank you for the video and good advice!
Great video. Do you know if it’s possible to record directly from the hi8 camera without playback? As in just turning the camera to camera mode as opposed to VTR mode, and then clicking record on the ClearClick?
Thank you very much for this! Just a question - have you used other VHS to DVD/PC softwares like ROXIO or HONESTECH? It works very similarly but connects to a PC to record instead of a handheld device. I’ve used both of these and the quality has been below average to say the least - ROXIO had a weird purple color discoloration and wavy lines while HONESTECH glitched after recording and wouldn’t sync right. It was a major headache - as you can imagine, especially when faced with deadlines and really needing that footage! 😂 In your opinion is ClearClick the best option for the highest quality transfers available and what other settings do you have prior to recording - such as resolution size and NTSC/PAL frame rate. Thanks again! 👍
Thanks for sharing! You mentioned not needing to worry about interlacing, but the clip shared looked like the interlacing wasn't fixed. Was that just a sample to show what interlacing looked like? Thanks!
@@knoptop Ah yes, the old adapter. I used that one when i did my Sony Handycam review and just wanted the viz of it up here for reference. This was not captured with the THIS adapter. Thanks for the time code. :)
So I have a VHS-C tape I want to convert and a Quasar Palmcorder. The camcorder has a 'VCR' mode that allows me to playback the tape through the viewfinder. It also has one of those A/V Output ports you mentioned at the end of the video. My question is, do i need a separate VCR? or can I I get one of those Mini to RCA adapters you linked in the description, and use my camcorder as the VCR? In your video when you did that, you did it with the S-Video cable, which I wont have. I wasnt sure if the process is the same without the S-Video.
Hey great video! Is there a setup to where I can film on my vhs camera but the footage be recorded to an SD in live action while actually filming in real time?
This will probably get lost in the comments, but this device in no way can replace a quality VHS digitisation setup. In fact, I would almost go as far to say you can do far better for not too much extra if you're going DIY. At the cheaper end, you need a decent VCR (JVC or Panasonic), a device to correct errors (look up the Panasonic es10 or es15) and a decent capture card with analog input. This all will probably set you back about $500 USD, but you may do better if you're a bargain hunter. Keep in mind that these setups, while still having subpar picture quality, are still leaps and bounds ahead of this device. In an ACTUAL good setup you need at least 3 major components: 1. A high quality VCR, preferably one with S-Video out as these are the highest quality decks. 2. A TBC or Time Base Corrector. These devices prevent dropped frames, which are notorious with VHS tapes, especially really worn ones. These are absolutely essential. 3. A quality analog capture card. Most of these are only Windows XP compatible, but some do work with Windows 7 as well. The best ones all hate windows 10. Actually good setups will set you back at least $2000-$3000 USD. The device in this video is just a pipe dream. If you've only got a few tapes, just take them to a professional, less fuss and an almost guaranteed quality capture. If you're really set on DIY, go to digitalfaq.com, buy a setup, do your tapes, then sell the setup.
This is great info, but for the market who may be looking at doing this, much too expensive. The term "BEST" in this title really comes down to the balance of cost, simplicity and overall quality of the transfer. Accessibility is number one since most people who want to do this aren't video tech savvy and just want a quick and easy way to capture and share their memories. You clearly know the best technical way to achieve this, I suggest possibly making your own video on it for that market. I work as an editor in film and TV series so my knowledge with this stuff goes pretty deep so I definitely see the value in your post.
@@MarkHoltze I respect your honesty mate. I 100% agree that to do this properly is way too expensive at the moment, and these devices offer a quick and simple way to achieve this goal for the average person. What I may do at some point is invest in one of these devices and maybe do a comparison video to show how the quality compares across captures so consumers can decide what's best for them. I honestly believe that a high quality all-in-one modern solution is possible (possibly using an FPGA), but I don't think those that are able are willing to put in the legwork to make it happen.
@@Brodensson I, for one, would be extremely interested to see your video and breakdown! Devices like the one in Mark's video are way to "cheap" to satisfy me. On the other hand, I have WAY too many VHS tapes to send out to a pro house (I used to work at one a lifetime ago; Should have done it while I was near the equipment). I wouldn't mind buying all the proper pieces and then re-selling them to the next guy (or even buying them from the last guy). When is that video coming!?! 🙂
With these MP4 files, how does one go about making a DVD or bluray disk of the files you create with this device? I have tons of home videos my parents made over the years. It'd be nice to be able to master these old VHS tapes to DVD or bluray. Would you have any advice on how to do that? I'm kind of at a loss. I figured there was a way to just upload the old video to a PC-based capture and do all of the editing on the computer. One more question, most of these old VHS tapes of mine are 120 minutes. How big of an SD card does one need for a tape to fit onto a card? Just wondering so I know how many cards to buy lol! Thank you!
Hi Michael, a DVD burner with software should work, I honestly haven't done this in years and DVD and I believe it's changed since then. I'm sure a quick google search would give you some answers. 15mins takes up about 250 megabytes so 120 mins should be roughly 2 GB. Might vary this is a rough estimate based on my 15min file sizes.
Does it have to be plugged into a wall to use it? Or can you charge it up and use it on the go? I was just wondering if I could record the footage as I shoot it live
Hi Mark, Just came across your videos. A couple questions, I have dozens of VHS-C tapes but no longer have the camcorder or the adapter that the vas-c tapes fit into to play in the VCR. Also don't have a VCR! I would love to be able to do this myself instead of sending them away somewhere which will cost me hundreds of dollars. I was just about to purchase a used camcorder on e-Bay but it doesn't have RCA outputs?? I'm having trouble finding one/ Any ideas?? The one I was about to buy has one audio/video jack to insert in camera and then a 2 prong to plug in your VCR. Also, I think on one of your more recent videos, you didn't use a VCR. So can I go straight from my Camcorder to my MAC? Thanks so much for all the great info!
@@MarkHoltze That's absolutely amazing I mean so many people want to convert their old tapes to digital and no good capture card to be found. Thanks Mark
Well done, Mark! 👍. Cool product - have a ton of VHS tapes of old TV shows (with commercials that should be amusing to see again). My concerns are tape sticking/tearing after 20 plus years of storage, and the time it would take to run them at play speeds. Your thoughts? Can you pause record on the device while playing a tape? Looks like Mark is auditioning to replace the “Brawny Paper Towel” model.😁
Commercials are the best, I get a kick out of those the most lol. Honestly if a tape sticks it sticks (my thoughts on it) it's only going to get worse so that's why I'm spending the time now to capture what's most important. It's either that or they stay in a dark closet for the rest of life as I know it. This stuff has more relevance to me now than it did at the time it was shot, it's like we shot this stuff so we could enjoy it when we're older!
I tried once with a USB adapter and another one that I don't remember right now, but the audio was really low and with bad quality, what about this adapter? Do you got any issues with the audio??
Gold mate , as usual great job love that tv intro was very well done! great reference to 97 i was backpacking through europe and def like trainspotting :)
I just got the ClearClick 2.0 recorder. I’m using it to record old VHS tapes to digital. I’m having an issue though. When I try to record a tape that’s more than 2 hours in length it creates a second file and continues recording. How do I get it to record just 1 file?? Or will I just have to edit the 2 files so they are 1 in a vídeo editor program??
Consumed! The best part is that it doesn't tie up a computer to use! I don't have time to have my work computer down converting old tapes, so this would be great!
Thank you so much for this video. I watched your other two videos where you used the ION adapter 5 years ago. What's the difference between this method and then the adapter you used 5 years ago?
This won’t be rendered obsolete because of operating systems. No software, independent of a computer. Can do it while watching tv. It’s just a more convenient method overall.
Technical question, If you run the same tape a few times and record it, could you get better results when integrating all of the recordings? It is an analog format after all and it never plays the same.
Is it possible to connect the recorder to a power bank to power it and then connect it to your camera you are using. But instead of having the camera turned to vcr to record what is on a tape could you turn the camera to record mode and push record on the recorder and record your footage straight to that without even needing to put a tape in the camera? If that makes sense
So. I have all the types of the tapes (mentioning because the vhs adaptor is only compatible with one of the tapes). But don't have a vhs player, the video recorder or the adaptors. Which ones do you think would be easier and best for me to purchase in order to convert these with the ClearClick? I'm not tech savvy so I have no idea what to get!
Great video! Was wondering if this ClearClick unit distorts the standard video format? I watched another video of someone reviewing the HD model and they mentioned a distortion of the 640x480 video VHS input. I just need to convert a bunch of old VHS tapes, just didn't want them to look distorted...
@@MarkHoltze My demand is pretty simple as I'm going to just be digitizing old VHS tapes... not really going to dig into my Hi8, Digital8 or MiniDV stuff... just want to go way back to the VHS. Is there any other unit I should be looking at or is this one adequate (the Amazon link you provided)? Since VHS is only 640x480, I don't see the need for any high resolution recording / encoding.
Brilliant mate! It's coming into that era where this old stuff is now "OLD" and people want to look back on it. I think it could be a big addition to the value you offer your clients! Best of luck with it my friend!
Will there be ANY noticeable difference between the VHS tape and the transfer? I had some VHS tapes transferred by a professional company and I can see a difference in quality between the original VHS (clearer) and the transfer (less clarity). These are advanced/trained individual owned companies, not some big box company and I asked lots of questions about their equipment before selecting them...I am a designer by background so I don't know if I'm just being too picky, but I feel sad thinking I didn't get the best quality digitization possible. Thank you.
There will always be a generational quality loss because of the analog signal. This is unavoidable. The higher quality cable, the better the signal and image quality retention. It’s what made FireWire so ground breaking as it was transferring 1’s and 0’s and therefore there would be no quality loss. The moment the analog signal passes through cables it will deteriorate. Viewing form the source will always be the best way. Some is worse than others; SVideo for example has a better transfer rate and therefore much less quality loss. Coaxial cable is the standard for analog broadcast cameras. Big heavy cables who’s primary purpose was to ensure less quality loss. Length of cable also impacts the images. It’s a whole thing. I can’t speak to the quality of what you had done, not sure the tech but for broadcast they use some pretty expensive hardware to ensure the best quality despite the possibility of generational loss on the transfer.
Great video! I would love to see a tutorial on how to record digital video from a computer to VHS and back. The back part is clear now, tho... ;) I would like to use a video tape recorder as outboard gear for some authentic analog effects some day.
H.264 so some compression is involved to keep it efficient. I’ve had ones that don’t compress but the quality still sucks and the file sizes are huge. This strikes the perfect balance imho
I'm wondering if you have any opinions on tapes that may need cleaning. I remember when growing up we would use a head cleaner for the VCR, but I don't remember anything for the tapes themselves. I recently acquired some VHS tapes from the 80's and I'm not sure what playback or quality issues they may have. Thank you for this succinct and we'll made video!
This was very helping, I’m trying to get some 📼C tapes to a flash drive an I been looking at this and the Wolverine TransMedia.. most of the stuff I want to switch is tapes so I dunno if I’d need the TransMedia one for 📀 type 🤔 but either way, thank you for the video
I was attempting to record some vhs tapes that i have some time. From the 2 VHS's one had distorted color from time to time while another had FPS issues (records and then the footage stops). Will that product eliminate those issues?
Thanks. I am having problems with old family mix tapes that I recorded NOT recording to the Scan Disc 32GB flash drive which came with my Clear Click 2.0.. It works on tapes that are Brand from a real studio not hit Hollywood movies. IT was working just fine and I don't know what is wrong! I format the flash drive every time I send the renamed video to a 256 GB flash drive that I hoped would be enough space for all of my memories on VHS.. Can you please help me Mark ?
You should contact support it’s very difficult for me to trouble shoot this with the available info and medium of UA-cam chat. They’re very good at responding so that would be my best advice to save you time and me time trying to figure out the route of the problem. They should be able to address that dairy quick
Hey Mark thanks for showing all this. I used to have a Dazzle converter back in the day and it did work really good with then windows vista. I've been looking for a new one and only been reading bad reviews of many brands. I like this that will bypass the computer all together which is something I have not thought of. I didn't see any options to enhance the video and or audio. Is there any? Or what comes out of your vcr is what you get? the old dazzle did have that option and I was able to improve the old videos. Especially the dark ones that I could bright them up a bit and for the audio there was some EQ settings that did make a difference. Please let me know if those are available here on this comment. Thank yo so much once again!
A little throwback video! Love it! I have been helping my mom with digitizing her VHS tapes of my brother and me as well as some of the stuff her and my dad shot. But this device looks like a game changer!! Keep making stuff dude, always love seeing what you are up to.
Ya, I figured I'd update an older topic with a more efficient way of doing it lol. How are you guys liking going through the old stuff. My dad called me and wanted to borrow this one, first time one of my videos inspired him in that way lol.
I did a lot of my childhood stuff but since my parents moved they found a bunch of tapes from before I was born and now they are looking at them. It’s kind of cool to see my parents when they were my age. Also I just bought the recorder lol. I’m going to let my mom use it so I dont have to keep remoting into her computer to fix it haha
I have an old version of something like this from Pinnacle. One problem I always run into is that when capturing long videos (longer than about 10 minutes) the sound goes out of sync with the picture on the captured video. Does this gadget have the same problem ?
Thanks for this, just what I needed! Time to charge up the ol' lead-acid batteries... edit: says it has bad S-VHS performance in one of the reviews. Any insight Mark?
I thought it was fine, the RCA colours are more saturated, but the S-VIDEO was fine, it also really depends on the cable. Some S-Video cables are crap.
I've only tried one other one like this outside of the broadcast standard ones (expensive) And I think it's great, The cable you use to capture being the defining point. I like that it's easy and don't have to fuss with settings, also the de-interlacing by default is nice. There are other options that allow you to select a bunch of different codecs but this device is meant for the casual user who doesn't care about all that stuff (or understand it). It's just plug and play.
Thanks for all this great info! So I have 2 VHS machines, one has an S-VIDEO output. Is it worth me buying an S-VIDEO cable to utilize it for better quality? Btw ALL of my VHS tapes were shot on just a standard camera I believe. Thanks in advance for your help!
I'm not sure you'll get more quality out of your VHS tapes using an S-Video cable. But you'll likely be assured of not losing any quality. I will definitely be using my S-Video machine and cable, regardless of whether tapes are VHS or S-VHS.
Still quality loss, but less so. Higher quality cable will less signal loss. You can’t get more quality out of a transfer with analog cables. Digital cables at least maintains quality, without any “loss”, but that’s into a different era
I have a trove of Mini DV's to save, and my old camcorder is inoperative. I bought a used one on EBay and it is working ok using the Panasonic software and USB directly to my computer. I'm still wondering if I can get higher quality duplications with the device you demonstrated. Thoughts? Great video BTW. I also have a lot of Sony Video 8 tapes to archive. They're not the same as High8 are they? Suggestions?
I had my previous one which served me wel enough but was stopped being supported so upgrading OS rendered it a brick. This is software free, plus loads easier, so for me it was the right evolution.
Thanks. Do you know of an cheaper way to digitize 16mm film? I have big boxes full of 16mm Home movies dating back to 1920's. We found them over the decades stored in storage units and at large estate sales. I've seen almost none of the footage and plan to start searching through them soon. I'd like to share online the best "finds."
What is the name of that little device you’re using and where do you get it I got some old videos that I’ve never seen on my Sony camcorder and I really want to see them
Hi, I have a Sony 3 CMOS HDV DVCAM to convert the recording on the HI8 tape to digital on my computer there is a iLINK 4 Pin cable output on the camera, but there is no iLINK 4 Pin input port on my computer. What are there other options to convert the tapes to digital on the computer?
Hello, great video! Just wanted to ask if this will work with a Sharp Viewcam Hi-Fi monaural 8 camera? It doesn’t have a video S input on it Just a single video/audio input. Will I be able to still record and digitize video with only that?
@@MarkHoltze okay awesome! Thank you so much!! I thought it would be okay but just wanted to get some other views on the matter. Especially cause it’s a little pricey but for how much I’ll be able to get out of it, I think it’ll probably be worth it. Thank you again
I first saw this device on the Potato Jet channel. He found a bunch of old camcorders and he bought this to transfer the tapes. My version does not have S video as an input.
Great video. Can I ask that if one has a 2 in 1 vhs and dvd player, can this device or a similar device be used convert dvd's into a digital format as well? Also, some converters have software which you can use with the converter instead of using a usb or sd card, which one would you say is better? Lastly, for the device you have used, if using the usb option, can you plug it straight into your laptop so the files are on your laptop straight away? Hope you can help. Thanks
Thanks! Yes you can capture DVD’s as well. Similar setup to VHs with rca cables. I like this option better because software eventually stops being supported and you have OS issues over time. You can power it through USB attached to your computer yes :)
@@MarkHoltze Thanks so much for your reply and honest opinion on which is better. I'm glad I came across your video because I have been trying to find a way to digitise my dvd's and vhs tapes but after watching your video, I feel this is a good way to make the move to digital. Keep up the good work.
Question, can i use the video camera it self to play the videos and not a vcr? I dont have a vcr. But the camera i have is working and can play the tapes i have.
Does the type of SD card matter? I have VHS, VHS-C, 8mm and mini DV. I want to record onto an SD card and have the best Audio and Video transfer rate with the least amount of lost data.
Just need to format it to the correct way. Forget off hand which one it is, but it’s in the manual. Use one that you can wipe worst case scenario. That’s what I did because it wasn’t originally formatted correctly for this device.
Thank you Mark so much. I have a lot of VHS-C tapes I wanna digitize...I thought of transferring them to my laptop so that I can put them on DVD. But is that ok ? Or keep them on SD card? And if you do recommend on DVD do I use DVD+ or DVD- ??? I don’t want to store the image/video on laptop cuz it can crash or get virus. Thanks again Mark for this awesome video. I’m excited to finally do this.💕
![Lp. Сердце Вселенной #60 РОЖДЕНИЕ ЛОЛОЛОШКИ [Финал] • Майнкрафт](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/YoR0pAV9FVQ/mqdefault.jpg)
Are you embarrassed easily? I am, but it’s nothing to worry about, it’s all apart of growing up and watching old VHS videos to remind yourself how far (or not so far) you’ve come. This thing makes it so much easier to do that, also time stamps below or check out the chapters for the relevant parts.
0:00 - Introduction
0:39 - ClearClick Video 2 Digital 2.0, WHAT is it?
0:56 - What's In The Box
1:35 - What YOU Need
2:11 - VCR/VHS SETUP
3:59 - RECORDING VHS TAPES
4:51 - TRANSFER FILES TO COMPUTER
5:27 - FIRMWARE PATCH Note
5:57 - Getting Blown Away
6:35: HI-8 Sony Setup HandyCam Intro
8:22: INDIANA JONES PART THREE AUDITION?
Ahhh... Monty Python reference.
What is the name and cost of this device?
Please
Hi Mark, have a technical question. I haven t use this gadget with the screen that you use for transferring videos , but I have tried a few other similar looking devices without the disk storage and the screen, and the quality of the picture is poor going into the computer. I've tried tweaking the video programs (cause the signal goes out of the device and into the computer to a software program for recording, unlike your gadget) and there are tracking issues that don't seem to get resolved. and the picture is fuzzy. Does the quality of the video deteriorate using this little box that you recommend. Again, I'm transferring old family videos and understood that the quality is not amazing, but the original shows up well on our tv monitor before transfer. and much less quality after I record. Does the video you create look about the same as the original? thanks so much, await your reply!
@@kurtb8474 i saw that too
instaBlaster
I just found my wedding video (on VHS) after searching for it on/off for a few years and told my wife that I needed to find a device to transfer it over to the computer. Then you posted this video a couple of days later. Thanks for creating this and going through the processes of how it works. I look forward to spending time going through old tapes and reliving the memories. Thanks again!
My pleasure, it's been a huge asset for me and figured there's loads of people out there like me who feel the same about this stuff. UA-cam loves to tell me how badly this video does compared to my other ones, but I keep telling this...it's the long game, this one is for not just the lens geeks, but anyone who's captured old memories are stuck on old tech.
@@MarkHoltze Im 38 years old
I can’t thank you enough for posting this video. I recently discovered my copies of vhs home movies when I was a kid had all been ruined. I then decided I had better convert my hi8 tapes of my kids as babies before they became unwatchable too. Over the years I have made several attempts, wasting money on cables I couldn’t get to work. This time I looked up companies to do it for me but that would mean sending the tapes away & I was worried about losing them in the post. Then I found this video. After watching, I found the converter for sale. It cost more than I would normally risk on something I didn’t know would work for me, especially coming from a different country. It might not be compatible. This video made it look so easy though so I took a chance. And I’m so glad I did. Best purchase I ever made. My memories are safe for years to come. Again, thank you so much :)
If you send tapes away they may go to Mexico an$ you may not get them back. You are lucky !
@karlreinke9653 ya I wouldn’t recommend ever sending tapes away. Worth it to figure out yourself. It’s not hard…at all :)
Very good video! I would just recommend using a VCR that has Stereo L+R outputs as to preserve the original audio.
Some tips for folks. You'll get the best playback results if you use the VCR, or camera, that was used to record the tape. If you have some type of head cleaning device for the VCR use it before making your transfers. For dirty heads you might have to make two or more passes. Before you copy, fast forward the tape to the end and then rewind it. This will put even tension on the tape and sometimes tape that has sat for a long time can get a little sticky and this will help with that.
Be aware that how your tape has been stored, and for how long, will affect the quality of playback. Time is the enemy as the magnetic coating on the tape can start to shed. If it was kept out in the garage where it saw extremes of temperature and humidity the tape will shed more of its oxide coating. If it was kept near a magnetic field, like an unshielded speaker, or electric motor, it may in fact have been erased or have severe drop outs. Always store tapes wound to the end, not the beginning of the tape, then rewind to even tape tension. Store tapes in places, like your closet, that don't see much change in humidity or temperature. Store tapes on their edges, not laying flat. If you haven't used the VCR for years turn it on and let it sit for awhile, run all the controls with a non-important tape.
Devices to copy VHS tapes to your computer start at less than $15. The only thing you might need is an adapter or two to attach the wires. I had to get a set of RCA male/female adapters. I used Windows built-in Camera app to do the recording and recorded directly to a file on my computer.
Thanks for the additional info Robert!
Thanks for the advice man, just have one question. I’m about to transfer all my videos and I was wondering if I used my VHS-C Camcorder to hold the tapes and have it plugged it in at the same time along with this having an Algato AV cable capture card connected from the camera built in port to this straight to my computer. If I do this method can I skip not using a VCR machine because my camera has the deck playing the video? Thanks and let me know 👍🏽
Some really helpful tips there. Thanks!
@@kas2388 Sorry to take so long answering. I'm not sure about your connection but you can use a camcorder for playback, in fact that's a plus for any tapes made by that camera as tracking and head alignment will be better than using some other device for playback. If by some chance your camcorder doesn't do the job then you might already have a VHS-C to full size VHS adapter, if not you should be able to find some for sale at your local electronics store or online like on eBay.
Remember to keep the heads clean because old tapes will shed oxide which will clog heads.
Folks?Duh!
I use a firewire card in my pc to capture 8mm, Hi8 and D8 tapes with my still working Sony D8 camera.
The plus of this is that the D8 tapes are not converted to analogue as inbetween format, but are directly converted to a pc digital format.
Also the analogue tapes are converted inside the camera to the firewire interface and are also coming out the camera digitized.
I find this a very convenient way. Usual glitches or the wellknown stripes at the bottom of the analogue tapes will also be captured perfectly, so I have to edit them out somehow.
But for other analogue material this kind of device you've shown may be a very convenient solution . Thanks for this insight.
Holy Smokes! I've been waiting for a simple, straight forward system like this to come along for years! It's pretty amazing if it can eliminate the issues created from interlaced footage too. I think I'll have to get one of these units and try it out for myself. Excellent tutorial and great find Mark!
This one wins hands down, why I had to update my VHS video as that old adapter i was using is no longer OS compatible. Wanted something i didn't have to worry about software ;)
THESE LITTLE BOXES HAVE BEEN AROUND IN CHINA FOR YEARS,
AND SO HAVE GAME CAPTURE CARDS WHICH DO THE SAME THING
@@tvtimes3402 SO WHAT
This is a game changer for the average person trying to convert their tapes, especially considering the interlacing is done for you. Most pc programs in the past were not straightforward for the less than tech savvy.. I have a nice upscaler with interlacing options that I normally use with my retro gaming consoles, but I'm still going to check this out in the case that it may be a better solution. Thanks!
The other video I did got so many questions on a similar device you are describing. Fine for us, but most ppl want simple solutions.
I recently sent out some tapes to be digitalized as I no longer have the original camera, was pretty reasonable too, Mark your story telling style and editing is 🔥
Thanks Joe. Ya the media is tricky, I got lucky with this hi-8 still being fully functional. That would have to be an additional purchase if it wasn’t. Let me know how you like that service! Excited to hear about what you find on those!
Hi, you mentioned interlacing and that it does away with that. Very nice, what about file size and compression, I want the best I can get, does this offer that? do I need to input frame rate? What is the size of the file, 720X480 or 640X480?
720x480, compression is h.264 which is fairly efficient. Smaller sizes while retaining quality. Other adapters that have let me set the compression quality didn’t compare to this one. You want the best quality definitely consider using S-video if your camera has it.
Does it say what de-interlacing method it uses? There are many from just throwing away one picture field (provides lowest resolution) to clever algorithms that interpolate when movement occurs.
@@brettogden6104 If I were you, I would use a RetroTink 5x.
It utilizes both video fields.
i prefer to digitize them with a vcr dvd combo recorder. dvds (.vob files) have better quality than mp4 videos and you can deinterlace the videos with handbrake (you can get this software for free)
Hi Mark, thank you so kindly for your valued service. I have been thinking about converting the dozens of family vhs tapes, but dredded the process. You have saved me. Many, many thanks.
If I were to add one more important thing, having learned the hard way myself from years of experience. I highly recommend you fast forward and rewind old tapes a few times to loosen things up before playing. Some tapes may have been exposed to different temperatures, elements or areas of the home that may have caused condensation and drying (even mold) inside during their dormant time. Other advice is starting out with a clean VCR or player and keeping it clean, what may look like bad tracking could be a dirty video head and playing old tapes can dirty them fast with peeling.
Clever, thanks for the additional tip! Old age protocol practices should be implemented for sure. Thank you! ✊
I'll keep transferring my ANALOG video tapes with my Trustworthy DVD recorder with hard drive .😁👍🏻
Although for amateurs who don't understand the difference in quality, this unit your showing is a great beginning start !😎
I would prefer to transfer at the highest possible quality, of course, because VHS is so bad to begin with. I don't want to degrade the footage any further with compression artifacts, etc. I used a Canopus years ago, but for VHS transfers I wasn't pleased with the resulting loss in detail (yes, I want to see the tracking stripe as detailed as possible. lol). Everything seemed to get "smoothed over" with the compression process. I'm curious why you say the DVD recorder is a better option. Looking to learn.
You’re going to get generational quality loss regardless unless you’ve got a higher end machine with SDI output. Only the top divisions use that to maintain highest image quality based on the transfer. Transferring any VHS via analog cables will result in a full “generation” loss. There are no digital artifacts with this converter, it’s solid. A lot of ppl have different degrees of what’s acceptable quality wise. Post house will get you the best quality, but it will cost a lot. Third party software also available to uprez as well. Those are for professional broadcast transfers and not regular consumers which this device is targeted at.
I just bought one of these and had serious issues with video levels. Yours looked okay.
Composite level was dark and color oversaturated.
S-Video levels were too high - video washed out, low contrast and color badly muted.
Any ideas? CCCS said nothing about a firmware update.
Also the MP4 files the CC produced would not play in my editing software though they played on my TVs and computer.
Dude, I have a box or tapes and was like I’m never going to get through digitizing them all... no longer my mindset. Thanks for this! I also have 2 or 3 hi8 cams for this exact purpose, and fully plan to wear out the heads during this process lol
My dad just called me and asked if he could borrow it. He’s got loads he wants to do too lol. It’s infectious and once you see how easy it is lol. There is always a risk, but if you avoid it all together, you’ll never get a chance to save what you can lol.
We had an old machine that had only the purpose to do VHS/DVD transfers, about 20 yrs ago. That was more indirect, and the machine was about 18" wide, 7" high, and 10" deep. I like your idea better, but we already transfered (IIRC) VHS content to about 40 DVD disks. Took forever.
Looks like a great device! I can't believe how hard it is to find a working VCR nowadays. Something to keep in mind when postponing digitizing your home videos
I know, they should start making them again as people want to relive those moments and capture those memories.
@@MarkHoltze agreed! Currently trying to borrow any used equipment I can find to back them up asap. But will definitely pay up for the most modern way possible
@@MarkHoltze have you noticed any quality issues/improvement when using the AV cables provided, or if you've upgraded to higher quality, shielded ones?
This is exactly what i needed I just found my dads JVC that my grandpa brought him before he went to Italy
Currently, I transfer my vhs to DVD recorder, then rip the mpeg2 file from the DVD and convert to mp4 . Of course, I realize this would quicker and easier.... but would the quality be equal, superior or inferior to the vhs-dvd method ?
Yeah, I would love to get to the bottom of this, too. I just sleep better at night knowing I've preserved as much image info as I could.
Love this man, this is a very important device, it might even be historic
Most definitely mate!
Do you know if these work with Mini DV camcorders? I've seen where some people say they don't, which seems odd to me since Mini DV has analog A/V outputs.
What do you think is better this or the Elgato Video Capture? I am worried elgato will be too complicated and hope issues like interlacing aren't a thing.
Great video...regarding it 2 questions before i buy:
1. if recording from a VHS recorder...does it make sense to upscale from scart to hdmi and then record with this device?
2. when recording from VHS does it stretch the picture (4:3 -> 16:9) ?
Thanks in advance for answering.
Hello Mark , I just found an old Sony hi8 handycam trv60e inside a forgotten wardrobe and I came at your content…I charged the batteries and the camera is fully usable …my question is ..I own an hp laptop and working on premiere ..which adaptor do you think I should buy for transferring the content ?? And my next question is where do you buy old tapes from Sony Mpc 8mm f.e because I think they stopped producing this stuff from 2007 .Thanks in advance 🙏🙏
What is the converter you were using in this video called so I can purchase it. I have a old CanonES8400 HI 8 camcorder.
First of all, great video, great explanations, thank you very much! I have an option in the video capturer I bought to capture through a YPbPr cable and relatively I liked the result. So assuming I have all the options, is it better to capture via s-video, composite, or YPbPr cable? Thank you 🙏🏼
You know you’re actually inspiring me to go out and get a hi-8 Camera. This conversion is so easy!! Right of to eBay GOOOOOOO!!!
GOoooooooooo!! See if anyone has one laying around first 😂.
Thank You So Much for this knowledge since many out there do like to convert their VHS into Digital format for their family to enjoy in the future! 🌷🌿🌍💖
Thanks for watching!
Great video! Do you know is buying the “Ultimate” version of this device (which can record in 1080p) would capture better quality on old VCR tapes? Or, would this version of the device suffice because the source (a VCR tape) is not in 1080p quality to begin with?
Also interested.....
UNLESS YOUR VIDS WERE RECORDED IN HI8 ....DONT BOTHER
AND HI8 IS ONLY AROUND 520 STUDIO QUALITY
I HAD HI 8 IN 1992 AND IT BLEW ME AWAY
As far as I can tell unless you have a specialized device you can't capture 1080 because the source signal isn't that high. Horizontal lines of resolution and that will depend on the camera it that captured it. Broadcast facilities have expensive devices that can capture the best signal, but you will have to scale up the video in post production.
Technically VHS is - 333×480 pixels luma and 40×480 chroma resolutions
@StringerNews1 Good answer. Great info. However, one thing you said is not quite correct. Yes, many stations had "pro" S-VHS equipment. And for some of the less-funded stations a $5,000 "Broadcast" VHS deck (like the JVC BR lineup) might be all they could afford. Especially if they needed a play deck, a record deck and an edit controller. That alone was about $15,000 in "Broadcast" VHS equipment. Where I worked we even acquired some footage on "Broadcast" S-VHS camcorders. I still remember dreaming about owning my own JVC KY-19 camera with a "Digital S" VHS recording module, and a JVC Pro VHS Edit Desk. "Digital" HAHAHAHA!! I wonder how many people that fooled. Thanks for reminding me of the "good" old days. :)
Ya it’s been awhile and I’ve only come at it as an editor who works with multi format stuff for broadcast so my details are a bit sketch. SVHS, BETA, I mean VHs was never broadcast standard, but in terms of archive use for reflective series sometimes it’s the best you can get ;)
Hi 8 and Video8 tapes should rather be digitized with Digital 8 camcorders. They handle the whole TBC stuff a lot better. This is also important when you digitize VHS tapes that your VCR has Time Base Correction and that you can turn it on or off. It helps to stabilize images but also has an effect on the audio but it also keeps everything sync'd. In most cases you'll need at least 2 digitizing passes of analog video tapes. Just to be sure that you do one with and one without TBC. And sometimes you have drop outs that are not there again another time.
✊
Got one of those Video8 tape players with the firewire output. Don't need any conversion stuff, just a firewire input on the computer which I do have. :D
@@Bonzi_Buddy Yeah those are great as they already digitize the Videosignal to a DV stream for you without any additional hardware. Technically you could even use the Video Inputs of it (if it has some) to pass through analog video and digitize it. :)
So, do you recommend this better than using the PC Adaptor from your other two tutorial videos on transfering these tapes?
I like it better. Don’t have to worry about support OS
I just got a clearclick 3 and it worked great when I transfered a video from my VCR to a USB. But when I played back the video from my USB to the TV the picture was good but the sound was very low. I turned up the TV to 100 on the volume and could hear what was on the video but barely. Do you have any advise on this?
Thank you so much for this very informative and clearly explained and demonstrated how to video! It helped tremendously to see someone else show and explain how to do this.
Pleasure Leslie.
Also what its recommended is to use high quality cables, since you are dealing with analog signals, and they tend to have interference from the outside, so best quality cables gives you best picture and stable signal for the digital device to record.
✊
What are good cables to use though. Gold is kind of not really durable and the monster cables cables are really grippy and stiff. There not really good on on your ports. If your using a newer device like this maybe it’s not a huge deal but if you’re using a Panasonic 1980 vcr to an es-15 to a pinnacle 710 to a windows 7 computer and trying to get a video that isn’t compressed and doesn’t have a bunch of problems with it then it makes you think about what cables you’ll use.
Do you need a VCR or can you just use the tape in the camera and then capture everything
Sorry if this has been answered already, but can I do what you did with Hi-8 with my VHS-C? I have VHS-C tapes and a JVC camcorder that has inputs. Can I connect the cords from the adapter to my camcorder or does it only work for Hi-8? Wondering if I need to buy a VCR. Thanks!
Say you had an old VHS or 8mm camera that you wanted to use... Could this device record directly from monitoring in camera, bypassing the tape altogether?
Thank you for this information. Is there an "all in one" device that can play each type of tape...such as VHS, VHS-C, 8 and mini dvd's? Our VCR has been gobbling up our older VHS tapes. Thank you!
Enjoyed your video and bought the product. It works very well. Question, what is the simplest or easiest way to split the finished clips into smaller segments? Thank you for the video and good advice!
You can use QuickTime I believe and trim clips that way. Any free editing software would work as well
Great video. Do you know if it’s possible to record directly from the hi8 camera without playback? As in just turning the camera to camera mode as opposed to VTR mode, and then clicking record on the ClearClick?
You can yes. It will record your display content from the camera so if you turn all that off and it will work
Thank you very much for this! Just a question - have you used other VHS to DVD/PC softwares like ROXIO or HONESTECH? It works very similarly but connects to a PC to record instead of a handheld device. I’ve used both of these and the quality has been below average to say the least - ROXIO had a weird purple color discoloration and wavy lines while HONESTECH glitched after recording and wouldn’t sync right. It was a major headache - as you can imagine, especially when faced with deadlines and really needing that footage! 😂 In your opinion is ClearClick the best option for the highest quality transfers available and what other settings do you have prior to recording - such as resolution size and NTSC/PAL frame rate. Thanks again! 👍
Can I make my old tapes transfer and make it best quality ?
Thank you so much for the info
Thanks for sharing! You mentioned not needing to worry about interlacing, but the clip shared looked like the interlacing wasn't fixed. Was that just a sample to show what interlacing looked like? Thanks!
Which clip? Time code? I need to see it to be able to address it accurately. Thanks
@@MarkHoltze 6:02 thanks!
@@knoptop Ah yes, the old adapter. I used that one when i did my Sony Handycam review and just wanted the viz of it up here for reference. This was not captured with the THIS adapter. Thanks for the time code. :)
So I have a VHS-C tape I want to convert and a Quasar Palmcorder. The camcorder has a 'VCR' mode that allows me to playback the tape through the viewfinder. It also has one of those A/V Output ports you mentioned at the end of the video. My question is, do i need a separate VCR? or can I I get one of those Mini to RCA adapters you linked in the description, and use my camcorder as the VCR? In your video when you did that, you did it with the S-Video cable, which I wont have. I wasnt sure if the process is the same without the S-Video.
Hey great video! Is there a setup to where I can film on my vhs camera but the footage be recorded to an SD in live action while actually filming in real time?
This will probably get lost in the comments, but this device in no way can replace a quality VHS digitisation setup. In fact, I would almost go as far to say you can do far better for not too much extra if you're going DIY.
At the cheaper end, you need a decent VCR (JVC or Panasonic), a device to correct errors (look up the Panasonic es10 or es15) and a decent capture card with analog input. This all will probably set you back about $500 USD, but you may do better if you're a bargain hunter. Keep in mind that these setups, while still having subpar picture quality, are still leaps and bounds ahead of this device.
In an ACTUAL good setup you need at least 3 major components:
1. A high quality VCR, preferably one with S-Video out as these are the highest quality decks.
2. A TBC or Time Base Corrector. These devices prevent dropped frames, which are notorious with VHS tapes, especially really worn ones. These are absolutely essential.
3. A quality analog capture card. Most of these are only Windows XP compatible, but some do work with Windows 7 as well. The best ones all hate windows 10.
Actually good setups will set you back at least $2000-$3000 USD. The device in this video is just a pipe dream.
If you've only got a few tapes, just take them to a professional, less fuss and an almost guaranteed quality capture. If you're really set on DIY, go to digitalfaq.com, buy a setup, do your tapes, then sell the setup.
This is great info, but for the market who may be looking at doing this, much too expensive. The term "BEST" in this title really comes down to the balance of cost, simplicity and overall quality of the transfer. Accessibility is number one since most people who want to do this aren't video tech savvy and just want a quick and easy way to capture and share their memories.
You clearly know the best technical way to achieve this, I suggest possibly making your own video on it for that market. I work as an editor in film and TV series so my knowledge with this stuff goes pretty deep so I definitely see the value in your post.
@@MarkHoltze I respect your honesty mate. I 100% agree that to do this properly is way too expensive at the moment, and these devices offer a quick and simple way to achieve this goal for the average person.
What I may do at some point is invest in one of these devices and maybe do a comparison video to show how the quality compares across captures so consumers can decide what's best for them.
I honestly believe that a high quality all-in-one modern solution is possible (possibly using an FPGA), but I don't think those that are able are willing to put in the legwork to make it happen.
It’s a good contribution mate, I love it and appreciate your time posting!
@@Brodensson Make a video please
@@Brodensson I, for one, would be extremely interested to see your video and breakdown! Devices like the one in Mark's video are way to "cheap" to satisfy me. On the other hand, I have WAY too many VHS tapes to send out to a pro house (I used to work at one a lifetime ago; Should have done it while I was near the equipment). I wouldn't mind buying all the proper pieces and then re-selling them to the next guy (or even buying them from the last guy). When is that video coming!?! 🙂
This is great! Does it have a Time Base Corrector so the VHS cuts are not jumpy when its transfered? Thanks
With these MP4 files, how does one go about making a DVD or bluray disk of the files you create with this device? I have tons of home videos my parents made over the years. It'd be nice to be able to master these old VHS tapes to DVD or bluray. Would you have any advice on how to do that?
I'm kind of at a loss. I figured there was a way to just upload the old video to a PC-based capture and do all of the editing on the computer.
One more question, most of these old VHS tapes of mine are 120 minutes. How big of an SD card does one need for a tape to fit onto a card? Just wondering so I know how many cards to buy lol!
Thank you!
Hi Michael, a DVD burner with software should work, I honestly haven't done this in years and DVD and I believe it's changed since then. I'm sure a quick google search would give you some answers. 15mins takes up about 250 megabytes so 120 mins should be roughly 2 GB. Might vary this is a rough estimate based on my 15min file sizes.
Mark Holtze, if your mac has a DVD writer in it, will those mp4's write to the DVD and play like a movie on a DVD player?
Does it have to be plugged into a wall to use it? Or can you charge it up and use it on the go? I was just wondering if I could record the footage as I shoot it live
Plug into the wall unfortunately, I would LOVE plug and GO option.
Hi Mark,
Just came across your videos. A couple questions, I have dozens of VHS-C tapes but no longer have the camcorder or the adapter that the vas-c tapes fit into to play in the VCR. Also don't have a VCR! I would love to be able to do this myself instead of sending them away somewhere which will cost me hundreds of dollars. I was just about to purchase a used camcorder on e-Bay but it doesn't have RCA outputs?? I'm having trouble finding one/ Any ideas?? The one I was about to buy has one audio/video jack to insert in camera and then a 2 prong to plug in your VCR. Also, I think on one of your more recent videos, you didn't use a VCR. So can I go straight from my Camcorder to my MAC?
Thanks so much for all the great info!
Heey Mark, does this device auto convert Interlace to Progressive?
it does yes. No interlacing issues when capturing with this device vs the old one I used where interlacing was an issue.
@@MarkHoltze That's absolutely amazing I mean so many people want to convert their old tapes to digital and no good capture card to be found. Thanks Mark
Well done, Mark! 👍. Cool product - have a ton of VHS tapes of old TV shows (with commercials that should be amusing to see again). My concerns are tape sticking/tearing after 20 plus years of storage, and the time it would take to run them at play speeds. Your thoughts? Can you pause record on the device while playing a tape? Looks like Mark is auditioning to replace the “Brawny Paper Towel” model.😁
Commercials are the best, I get a kick out of those the most lol. Honestly if a tape sticks it sticks (my thoughts on it) it's only going to get worse so that's why I'm spending the time now to capture what's most important. It's either that or they stay in a dark closet for the rest of life as I know it. This stuff has more relevance to me now than it did at the time it was shot, it's like we shot this stuff so we could enjoy it when we're older!
I tried once with a USB adapter and another one that I don't remember right now, but the audio was really low and with bad quality, what about this adapter? Do you got any issues with the audio??
Gold mate , as usual great job love that tv intro was very well done! great reference to 97 i was backpacking through europe and def like trainspotting :)
😂 god I loved that movie. Still do, game changer for me. I’m going to ship your lens back to you next week mate. Thanks again !
@@MarkHoltze No rush mate, when you can fit in is fine.
I just got the ClearClick 2.0 recorder. I’m using it to record old VHS tapes to digital. I’m having an issue though. When I try to record a tape that’s more than 2 hours in length it creates a second file and continues recording. How do I get it to record just 1 file?? Or will I just have to edit the 2 files so they are 1 in a vídeo editor program??
Consumed! The best part is that it doesn't tie up a computer to use! I don't have time to have my work computer down converting old tapes, so this would be great!
Great point mate!!!
Thank you so much for this video. I watched your other two videos where you used the ION adapter 5 years ago. What's the difference between this method and then the adapter you used 5 years ago?
This won’t be rendered obsolete because of operating systems. No software, independent of a computer. Can do it while watching tv. It’s just a more convenient method overall.
@@MarkHoltze okay awesome! Thank you so much for your help and reply. God bless
Technical question, If you run the same tape a few times and record it, could you get better results when integrating all of the recordings?
It is an analog format after all and it never plays the same.
Is it possible to connect the recorder to a power bank to power it and then connect it to your camera you are using. But instead of having the camera turned to vcr to record what is on a tape could you turn the camera to record mode and push record on the recorder and record your footage straight to that without even needing to put a tape in the camera? If that makes sense
So. I have all the types of the tapes (mentioning because the vhs adaptor is only compatible with one of the tapes). But don't have a vhs player, the video recorder or the adaptors. Which ones do you think would be easier and best for me to purchase in order to convert these with the ClearClick? I'm not tech savvy so I have no idea what to get!
Great video! Was wondering if this ClearClick unit distorts the standard video format? I watched another video of someone reviewing the HD model and they mentioned a distortion of the 640x480 video VHS input. I just need to convert a bunch of old VHS tapes, just didn't want them to look distorted...
Keeps it the standard SD format. No distortion. It will happen when it gets scaled up to HD because of the aspect ratio.
@@MarkHoltze My demand is pretty simple as I'm going to just be digitizing old VHS tapes... not really going to dig into my Hi8, Digital8 or MiniDV stuff... just want to go way back to the VHS. Is there any other unit I should be looking at or is this one adequate (the Amazon link you provided)? Since VHS is only 640x480, I don't see the need for any high resolution recording / encoding.
Really cool info thank you
Here in Mexico 🇲🇽 it’s becoming a thing people are asking for that I could get it an make part of my services 🤟🏻🤟🏻
Brilliant mate! It's coming into that era where this old stuff is now "OLD" and people want to look back on it. I think it could be a big addition to the value you offer your clients!
Best of luck with it my friend!
A lil’ pricey.
I’m assuming the basic RCA to usb video converter (attaching a vcr to pc) results in the same quality when saved digitally??
Will there be ANY noticeable difference between the VHS tape and the transfer? I had some VHS tapes transferred by a professional company and I can see a difference in quality between the original VHS (clearer) and the transfer (less clarity). These are advanced/trained individual owned companies, not some big box company and I asked lots of questions about their equipment before selecting them...I am a designer by background so I don't know if I'm just being too picky, but I feel sad thinking I didn't get the best quality digitization possible. Thank you.
There will always be a generational quality loss because of the analog signal. This is unavoidable. The higher quality cable, the better the signal and image quality retention. It’s what made FireWire so ground breaking as it was transferring 1’s and 0’s and therefore there would be no quality loss. The moment the analog signal passes through cables it will deteriorate. Viewing form the source will always be the best way.
Some is worse than others; SVideo for example has a better transfer rate and therefore much less quality loss. Coaxial cable is the standard for analog broadcast cameras. Big heavy cables who’s primary purpose was to ensure less quality loss. Length of cable also impacts the images. It’s a whole thing.
I can’t speak to the quality of what you had done, not sure the tech but for broadcast they use some pretty expensive hardware to ensure the best quality despite the possibility of generational loss on the transfer.
Great video! I would love to see a tutorial on how to record digital video from a computer to VHS and back. The back part is clear now, tho... ;) I would like to use a video tape recorder as outboard gear for some authentic analog effects some day.
Can you tell me if there is any compression involved? I’m looking for a device that does does very little or none at all. Thanks for your time.
H.264 so some compression is involved to keep it efficient. I’ve had ones that don’t compress but the quality still sucks and the file sizes are huge. This strikes the perfect balance imho
@@starshipgraffiti could you recommend a DVD recorder for best sound quality? We have many vhs concerts.
vhs-decode and an associated capture device is also an option at this point, if you care to go completely over the deep edge
I do! Thanks for the recommendation!
I'm wondering if you have any opinions on tapes that may need cleaning. I remember when growing up we would use a head cleaner for the VCR, but I don't remember anything for the tapes themselves. I recently acquired some VHS tapes from the 80's and I'm not sure what playback or quality issues they may have. Thank you for this succinct and we'll made video!
Ya you can get a tape head cleaner which is just a cassette type thing. Pop it in and hit “play” let it run for a few mins
This was very helping, I’m trying to get some 📼C tapes to a flash drive an I been looking at this and the Wolverine TransMedia.. most of the stuff I want to switch is tapes so I dunno if I’d need the TransMedia one for 📀 type 🤔 but either way, thank you for the video
I was attempting to record some vhs tapes that i have some time. From the 2 VHS's one had distorted color from time to time while another had FPS issues (records and then the footage stops). Will that product eliminate those issues?
What video format standards ClearClick supported: - NTSC, PAL or SECAM?
NTSC for sure, I think it supports it all but I only have an NTSC camera with no way to test. Check manufacturer details.
Thanks. I am having problems with old family mix tapes that I recorded NOT recording to the Scan Disc 32GB flash drive which came with my Clear Click 2.0.. It works on tapes that are Brand from a real studio not hit Hollywood movies. IT was working just fine and I don't know what is wrong! I format the flash drive every time I send the renamed video to a 256 GB flash drive that I hoped would be enough space for all of my memories on VHS.. Can you please help me Mark ?
You should contact support it’s very difficult for me to trouble shoot this with the available info and medium of UA-cam chat. They’re very good at responding so that would be my best advice to save you time and me time trying to figure out the route of the problem.
They should be able to address that dairy quick
Hey Mark thanks for showing all this. I used to have a Dazzle converter back in the day and it did work really good with then windows vista. I've been looking for a new one and only been reading bad reviews of many brands. I like this that will bypass the computer all together which is something I have not thought of. I didn't see any options to enhance the video and or audio. Is there any? Or what comes out of your vcr is what you get? the old dazzle did have that option and I was able to improve the old videos. Especially the dark ones that I could bright them up a bit and for the audio there was some EQ settings that did make a difference. Please let me know if those are available here on this comment. Thank yo so much once again!
A little throwback video! Love it!
I have been helping my mom with digitizing her VHS tapes of my brother and me as well as some of the stuff her and my dad shot. But this device looks like a game changer!!
Keep making stuff dude, always love seeing what you are up to.
Ya, I figured I'd update an older topic with a more efficient way of doing it lol. How are you guys liking going through the old stuff. My dad called me and wanted to borrow this one, first time one of my videos inspired him in that way lol.
I did a lot of my childhood stuff but since my parents moved they found a bunch of tapes from before I was born and now they are looking at them. It’s kind of cool to see my parents when they were my age. Also I just bought the recorder lol. I’m going to let my mom use it so I dont have to keep remoting into her computer to fix it haha
What's up dear I have a big problem with this device... the sound is not synchronized!... do you know what can happen? thanks in advance
I have an old version of something like this from Pinnacle. One problem I always run into is that when capturing long videos (longer than about 10 minutes) the sound goes out of sync with the picture on the captured video. Does this gadget have the same problem ?
So does it properly deinterlace into 60fps video?
Yes
Thanks for this, just what I needed! Time to charge up the ol' lead-acid batteries... edit: says it has bad S-VHS performance in one of the reviews. Any insight Mark?
I thought it was fine, the RCA colours are more saturated, but the S-VIDEO was fine, it also really depends on the cable. Some S-Video cables are crap.
How does the quality of the scan compare to other conversion or scanning options? Thanks.
I've only tried one other one like this outside of the broadcast standard ones (expensive) And I think it's great, The cable you use to capture being the defining point. I like that it's easy and don't have to fuss with settings, also the de-interlacing by default is nice. There are other options that allow you to select a bunch of different codecs but this device is meant for the casual user who doesn't care about all that stuff (or understand it). It's just plug and play.
Thanks for all this great info! So I have 2 VHS machines, one has an S-VIDEO output. Is it worth me buying an S-VIDEO cable to utilize it for better quality? Btw ALL of my VHS tapes were shot on just a standard camera I believe. Thanks in advance for your help!
I'm not sure you'll get more quality out of your VHS tapes using an S-Video cable. But you'll likely be assured of not losing any quality. I will definitely be using my S-Video machine and cable, regardless of whether tapes are VHS or S-VHS.
Still quality loss, but less so. Higher quality cable will less signal loss. You can’t get more quality out of a transfer with analog cables. Digital cables at least maintains quality, without any “loss”, but that’s into a different era
I have a trove of Mini DV's to save, and my old camcorder is inoperative. I bought a used one on EBay and it is working ok using the Panasonic software and USB directly to my computer. I'm still wondering if I can get higher quality duplications with the device you demonstrated. Thoughts? Great video BTW. I also have a lot of Sony Video 8 tapes to archive. They're not the same as High8 are they? Suggestions?
Great and clear information. Did you consider other converters like the Elgato and if so why did you choose this one? Thanks!
I had my previous one which served me wel enough but was stopped being supported so upgrading OS rendered it a brick. This is software free, plus loads easier, so for me it was the right evolution.
What is the name of that little thing that you’re using I have oh my cables, I got the thing I don’t throw away cables, please help me
Thanks. Do you know of an cheaper way to digitize 16mm film? I have big boxes full of 16mm Home movies dating back to 1920's. We found them over the decades stored in storage units and at large estate sales. I've seen almost none of the footage and plan to start searching through them soon. I'd like to share online the best "finds."
What is the name of that little device you’re using and where do you get it
I got some old videos that I’ve never seen on my Sony camcorder and I really want to see them
this was very helpful and practical thank you, also makes me wonder how hard it would be to RaspberryPi that solution...
hi, excellent video!! just a question, when you use the minijack in videcamara, you use the svideo mode or av mode in the clearclick video?? thanks
Just go to input options and you can switch inputs :)
Hi, I have a Sony 3 CMOS HDV DVCAM to convert the recording on the HI8 tape to digital on my computer there is a iLINK 4 Pin cable output on the camera, but there is no iLINK 4 Pin input port on my computer. What are there other options to convert the tapes to digital on the computer?
Also, the iLINK output port is the same as the HDV/DV on the camera. Thank you for your assistance.
Hello, great video!
Just wanted to ask if this will work with a Sharp Viewcam Hi-Fi monaural 8 camera?
It doesn’t have a video S input on it
Just a single video/audio input.
Will I be able to still record and digitize video with only that?
Yes, it should work. Mini jack to the rca composite as that’s what you would have needed to view on a tv then anyway.
@@MarkHoltze okay awesome! Thank you so much!! I thought it would be okay but just wanted to get some other views on the matter.
Especially cause it’s a little pricey but for how much I’ll be able to get out of it, I think it’ll probably be worth it.
Thank you again
I first saw this device on the Potato Jet channel. He found a bunch of old camcorders and he bought this to transfer the tapes. My version does not have S video as an input.
SVideo is nice but it’s not critical. The end result is marginally better video signal .
@@MarkHoltze yeah ive had DVD players and CRT TVs with S Video and truly never noticed much of a diffrence.
Thank you for this video !
My pleasure, best of luck mate
Great video.
Can I ask that if one has a 2 in 1 vhs and dvd player, can this device or a similar device be used convert dvd's into a digital format as well?
Also, some converters have software which you can use with the converter instead of using a usb or sd card, which one would you say is better?
Lastly, for the device you have used, if using the usb option, can you plug it straight into your laptop so the files are on your laptop straight away?
Hope you can help. Thanks
Thanks! Yes you can capture DVD’s as well. Similar setup to VHs with rca cables. I like this option better because software eventually stops being supported and you have OS issues over time.
You can power it through USB attached to your computer yes :)
@@MarkHoltze Thanks so much for your reply and honest opinion on which is better. I'm glad I came across your video because I have been trying to find a way to digitise my dvd's and vhs tapes but after watching your video, I feel this is a good way to make the move to digital. Keep up the good work.
Trainspotting was awesome. Had that "Choose Life" poster on my bedroom wall!
So this would work on an Old Tv from like the 2000s?
Yes
How did you edit the NYC in the beginning of this video ? How did you add that ?
Question, can i use the video camera it self to play the videos and not a vcr? I dont have a vcr. But the camera i have is working and can play the tapes i have.
Then you dont need another player
Yes you can absolutely sorry I didn’t see this post. Max thanks for getting to it before me!
Missed this one, thanks Max!
@@MarkHoltze sure, might as well add that using the same player as what the material was recorded with gets you the best results, tried and true :)
I'm wondering what quality you get by using the S video cable :)
Better colour and noticeable better video. Hard to quantify in words, but worth it if you’ve got it
Could I use this device to record live and replace mini DV tapes on my Sony Vx1000 ? Please and thank you
Does the type of SD card matter? I have VHS, VHS-C, 8mm and mini DV. I want to record onto an SD card and have the best Audio and Video transfer rate with the least amount of lost data.
Just need to format it to the correct way. Forget off hand which one it is, but it’s in the manual. Use one that you can wipe worst case scenario. That’s what I did because it wasn’t originally formatted correctly for this device.
Thank you Mark so much. I have a lot of VHS-C tapes I wanna digitize...I thought of transferring them to my laptop so that I can put them on DVD. But is that ok ? Or keep them on SD card? And if you do recommend on DVD do I use DVD+ or DVD- ??? I don’t want to store the image/video on laptop cuz it can crash or get virus. Thanks again Mark for this awesome video. I’m excited to finally do this.💕