Peel shows on VHS

[billfromnorthwales]

Hello vegetablesman

Did this advice from Stuart help?

Do you need any more advice or step by step guides we will all try to assist.

I think your recodings are encoded on HiFi video, and so still get almost 20-20khz full sound response even in LP mode, so are likely to be the highest quality available, up there with metal cassettes.

It would be great to help you get them digitised, let us know....


--- In peel@yahoogroups.com, "Stuart" <stuartb@...> wrote:
>
> HI
> 
>  
> 
> I assume that when you say they are recorded in stereo that they are
> recorded in hifi mode (i.e. using the flying video heads rather than the
> little linear head used in non-hifi VCR decks).
> 
>  
> 
> Having had a lot of experience with playing back old recordings that way,
> the most critical thing is really to make sure that the tracking is spot on.
> If not there will be all sorts of nasty interference (much like on a badly
> tuned FM station). A good deck should be able to align the heads
> automatically on playback but manual tracking may be required to get it just
> right. As long as the recording deck was in good condition at the time (no
> creasing of the tape by worn pinch rollers for example) and the deck you
> have now is still in good condition, you should have no problem.
> 
>  
> 
> The old mono soundtrack will not sound very good, in fact much worse than an
> audio cassette, but is more robust. I don't think there is a way of altering
> a tracking of a mono soundtrack to improve quality. (without taking the deck
> apart)
> 
>  
> 
> Coming to the Mac I have heard that Audacity can be a problem to get
> working, but this page
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_free_software_for_audio lists a number
> of alternatives.
> 
>  
> 
> Assuming you do get a sound out of your VCR and into Audacity or such on the
> mac, just make sure that there is no clipping on the record levels, and save
> to flac and high bit rate mp3. (I use 220-260kbs vbr)
> 
>  
> 
> Good luck
> 
>  
> 
> Stuart
> 
>  
> 
>   _____  
> 
> From: peel@yahoogroups.com [mailto:peel@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of
> vegetablesman
> Sent: 02 May 2011 20:44
> To: peel@yahoogroups.com
> Subject: [peel] Peel shows on VHS
> 
>  
> 
>   
> 
> Hi,
> 
> I have a number of John Peel Radio 1 shows from the Nineties recorded onto
> VHS video cassettes in LP mode. Almost all are complete programmes taped in
> stereo from a good quality Rotel FM tuner receiving a strong signal. 
> 
> I would be grateful if anyone can provide some tips on getting the best
> quality from these tapes when converting to flac/mp3. I am currently using
> an old iMac PPC running OS 10.5.8 and have had some difficulties using
> audacity in the past.
> 
> Thanks for your help.
>