Review: Canopus/Grass Valley ADVC110 analog to digital converter with micro-TBC to capture VHS and other analog videotapes
How many other similar devices include settings for PAL, SECAM, Japanese NTSC and NTSC with 7.5 IRE setup (pedestal), as well as a built-in micro-TBC?
Here is my review on the unique Canopus/Grass Valley ADVC110 analog to digital converter with a built-in micro-TBC to capture old analog tapes to digital. This device is rather rare, since it has DIP switches for selecting PAL, SECAM, Japanese NTSC or NTSC with 7.5 IRE setup (pedestal) depending upon the source material each time, as well as a micro-TBC. For those unfamiliar, TBC stands for Time Base Corrector, which is an absolute must when capturing old VHS tapes, especially those shot with consumer camcorders. The TBC is also helpful for capturing other types of analog tapes, including U-Matic and any type of analog 8mm, Betamax or U-Matic. Ahead, I’ll distinguish between a traditional TBC and a micro-TBC and also explain the benefits of having this function built-into the A-to-D (analog-to-digital) device, rather than using a traditional standalone Time Base Corrector. I’ll also go over why it makes sense (for this type of material) to capture using the particular intermediate códec it uses, which is the same one used by Panasonic’s broadcast-quality DVCPRO and Sony’s broadcast DVCAM. Of course, I am talking about broadcast-quality digital formats used in the SD (standard definition) age, before HD (high definition). The goal of the ADVC110 is to capture from analog tapes which were recorded either in PAL, SECAM, Japanese NTSC (including many consumer camcorders sold in the Americas) with zero IRE standard black level (without pedestal) and US-NTSC with 7.5 IRE setup.
