Vhs-C And Minidv

[SheffieldRich 0]

Hi all,

 

I am going absolutely mad.

 

I'd love to know if anyone can help me.

 

I thought I'd use some of my lockdown time stuck at home to carry out a family project.

 

I dutifully found all Dad's old MiniDV and VHSC tapes. Not having the original camcorders, I went to eBay. So far I have achieved / failed to achieve the following:

• Bought a camcorder for the VHSCs that came without a power adaptor. Bought the same one again because it was cheaper than the adaptor. Then discovered it's Hi8 not VHS-C.
• Bought a VHS-C camcorder 'fully tested'. It arrived, powered up no problem, accepted my tape ( my sister's third birthday) then jammed with the tape in. I've found the manual online and followed all the advice for the error code (in 'safeguard mode'). I cannot get the tape out or make the device work. The manual says 'consult your nearest JVC dealer'.
• Bought a MiniDV camcorder the plays my tapes but makes them look 'garbled'.
• Bought an Elgato capture device, which I've not needed to use yet given none of the camcorders work!

 

Does anyone have any advice or support to offer? I'm gutted at the thought I might have irretrievably ruined my sister's birthday tape.

 

Richard.

[the_bloke 17]

I think you'd have been better off buying something like this:

 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/HQ-VHS-C-Video-Cassette-Adaptor-Black/dp/B000P1KSHO

 

Then capturing the output from a traditional VHS player.

 

Sorry, it's obviously too late now.

[SheffieldRich 0]

Hi both,

 

Thanks so much for your replies.

 

I'm thinking that's my next step, to be honest, for the VHS-C tapes. I can't even find a VHS player though!

 

I don't even know with the DV tapes - I've a cardboard box full of them. Some will be full of rubbish and some with great bits. Which is why I'm keener to do it myself than pay for a service etc. I'm really baffled as to why the JVC mini-dv camcorder does not play them well at all.

 

This forum is great! So amazing that you both replied! Thank-you.

[Waldo 96]

I've been trying to do the exact same thing as you. Have some VHS-c tapes, I want to digitise, I'm almost there...

 

A friend loaned me a VHS player; and I bought on of those VHS-c > VHS adapters (like the one linked above). They're quite good, though I did have one mishap, where the tape got caught inside the VHS player and was a little chewed. I suspect, I may have tried to eject the tape before it fully stopped rewinding, maybe. I'm super careful with it now though.

 

As far as digitising goes; I first tried one of those cheap Chinese digitisers on eBay; it was absolute ****. I then bought an Elgato Game Capture HD (which I've owned previously), but it came without leads. I bought leads (composite to DIN socket input on the Game Capture) but that didn't seem to work, maybe a dodgy cable? I've been sent a replacement cable, not tried it yet.

 

The Game Capture works, I've tested it using HDMI, so hoping with this new cable, I'll be all set.

 

You're welcome to use my adapter when I've done with it.