In the Video area, I have created a new section, entitled “I Ain’t Putting This On YouTube“. Why that name for the area? Simple. If I uploaded these clips to YouTube, I’d get my account deleted for violations. If I put the clips here, I’m just streaming a few clips for a few friends.

I am starting the MAMMOTH task of mastering and archiving all of my thousands of VHS tapes (all types of rare TV stuff, dating back to around 1985). Carson, Arsenio, SNL, MTV, all the good stuff.

In the piles of tapes are other treats as well, including loads of VHS screeners from record labels. This first tape I picked for the remastering process is actually a friends tape that I have had possession of for years now (been waiting for the mastering equipment for a few years now). Oingo Boingo, live from 1986. Rare as hell, clean, and uploaded for your enjoyment!

For those who are curious, here is the process:

JVC HM-DH30000U D-VCR (using s-video out) -> DataVideo TBC-1000 Time Base Corrector (using s-video out) -> an old video mixer (using s-video out) -> Sony DVMC-DA2 Media Converter (using s-video out) -> Final Cut Pro

I do all the video image “tweaking” in the analog stage, before the video gets digitized. From experience, trying to digitally clean up DV25 format video is not a fun process, and lends itself to loads of additional digital artifacts.

Even compressed for the web, and at half-TV resolution, you can’t beat how good the clip looks. More to come…