[peel] Re: Peel shows on VHS

[Stuart]

Glad you've made some progress!

I would just use Audacity itself to export to mp3 and flac, from the
Audacity project file. 220-260 kbps vbr is a good option to save mp3s
(option comes up when you export). The first time you use Audacity to export
to mp3  you will need to download a LAME mp3 encoder (a dll file) and let
Audacity know where it is (you will get help with this from Audacity first
time you try) this is for boring licensing conditions.

 

There aren't many programmes available from 1998 so you're certainly not
stepping on anyone's toes there!!

 

As far as uploading goes, well a 220-260 kbps mp3 file of 2 hours will
probably come in at around 270Mb. So, you could split the file into two
halfs and upload to Mediafire (their file size limit is 200Mb) alternatively
see if Branko on the Peel Newsgroup has any space left on his Mooo server
and ask for an account.

 

Mediafire is good, as uploads and downloads are fast and less troublesome
than Rapidfire or Megaupload, and there is no limit on the number of files
or total space used.

 

Stuart

 

 

  _____  

From: peel@yahoogroups.com [mailto:peel@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of
vegetablesman
Sent: 18 May 2011 20:56
To: peel@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [peel] Re: Peel shows on VHS

 

  

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 <mailto:peel%40yahoogroups.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 <mailto:peel%40yahoogroups.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%40yahoogroups.com>
[mailto:peel@yahoogroups.com <mailto:peel%40yahoogroups.com> ] On Behalf Of
> > vegetablesman
> > Sent: 02 May 2011 20:44
> > To: peel@yahoogroups.com <mailto:peel%40yahoogroups.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.
> >
>