Peel shows on VHS

[vegetablesman]

Hi,

Thanks for the interest and sorry for the delay in my reply.  The advice did help.  I ended up using an older version of Audacity.  I had a few tracking problems and had to dig out a different VHS recorder than I'd intended for digitising my first show.  

I grabbed a tape at random and have now digitised a complete programme which I believe to be from 25th February 1998 ( I hope this doesn't step on anyone else's toes). I think the sound quality is pretty good but would like other opinions before I digitise any further tapes.

I have the programme in .aiff format and would welcome tips on converting to flac and mp3.  I would also like to know the best place to upload the programme.

Thanks.


--- In peel@yahoogroups.com, "billfromnorthwales" <billfromnorthwales@...> wrote:
>
> 
> 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.
> >
>