#Help needed
Hi there,
I'm new to video editing and could do with a crash course on the technicalities
of timecode, tape formats etc.
I'm involved in producing video tapes for medical teaching. We have a large
collection of VHS masters which have been used to produce crudely edited VHS
copies for students. However, we have recently invested in a desktop video
editing suite consisting of Fast Electronic's Video Machine, S-VHS and Hi-8
source decks and an S-VHS edit deck, and Hi-8 cameras. We need to edit our
master tapes down to VHS (they need to be played on domestic VCRs) from the
Hi-8 and VHS masters (all new source tapes are now recorded onto Hi-8 but much
of the old VHS material is extremely valuable and we will continue to use it).
Many of the VHS master tapes were made up to 10 years ago on an old domestic
quality VHS camera (I don't know the make/model) and have no timecode on them,
as far as I know. My main question is this: In order to get accurate edits
should I make 1st generation copies of these 'source master' tapes with
timecode added and use these as my 'edit masters', even though this will mean
my edited 'master' tapes will be 2nd generation. Also, should I move up from
VHS to S-VHS when copying, and will this in any way minimise the quality loss
during copying.
I would be extremely grateful for any helpful advice anyone can offer me.
Also, some technical overview of the various timecode standards: VITC, control
track etc would be useful.
Thanks in advance.
– Andy