1. Getting Started With Video Digitization
Brendan Roney Senior Digitization Technician
Detroit Historical Society

2. The Detroit Video History Archive

3. Media

4. File Formats and Codecs
Technology and practices are still evolving, so there is no present perfect solution.

5. SD Preservation/Master Video Codecs
JPEG2000
Can Be Lossless (Mathematically or Visually)
Intra-Frame
Used by LoC and in Digital Cinema Packages
Closed Source
Good Support, but Varied Implementations
No Real Time Playback
FFV1
Lossless
Intra-Frame
Adopted by the UK’s National Archives
Open Source
Not Supported by Most NLE Programs

6. JPEG2000 Containers MXF Quicktime
Used By LoC and in Digital Cinema Packages
Because the Standard Is Film-Focused it has Poor Support for Interlaced Video.
Theoretically Mathematically Lossless.
NLE Support Is Still In Its Infancy.
Quicktime
Supports Interlaced Video
Hidden as a “Legacy Codec”
Visually Lossless at Maximum Settings
Widely Supported

7. Preservation/Master Audio Codec
Uncompressed
48000 Hz – DVD standard, dictated by capture device
16-bit – Initially dictated by capture device

8. Access/Service Codecs and Container
Concerns
Native Resolution
Support for Interlacing
Widely Used, Including by Potential Licensees
.H264/AAC in a Quicktime Container
Matches Blu-Ray/YouTube Specifications
Quicktime Encoder Options are Straightforward

9. Compression and File Sizes
Uncompressed
1.2 GB/minute
Master (JPEG2000/Uncompressed Audio, QT container)
0.6 GB/minute
Service (H.264/AAC, QT container)
~40 MB/minute

10. The Basics: Capture Device
Blackmagic Intensity Shuttle
Supports Composite, S-Video, and Component
Captures Uncompressed 10-bit YUV 4:2:2
Thunderbolt vs USB 3 ($239 vs $199)
AJA Kona Lhi
Highly Recommended, but…
$1500

11. Blackmagic Intensity Shuttle

12. The Basics: Time Base Corrector
AVT-8710
Smooths the rough edges of analog signals
Potentially unnecessary if you have a studio quality VHS or U-Matic deck with a built-in TBC
$270

13. The Basics: Software Capture Software Editing and Compression Software
Blackmagic Media Express included with Shuttle
Editing and Compression Software
Avid Suite
Color Space Issues with Quicktime’s JPEG2000
Adobe Suite
Pricing Model Initially an Obstacle

14. VHS Equipment: VCR Don’t sweat the number of heads!
Super VHS and S-Video
JVC or Panasonic
Don’t forget the remote!
Settings:
Edit Mode
SP Enhancements
Audio “Enhancements”
EBay!
Our model: JVC HR-S4600U

15. VHS Set-Up

16. Set-Up With Makeshift RF Shielding

17. U-Matic Equipment: U-Matic Deck
Dub Out
Check head hours (if possible)
Some models feature integrated Time Base Correctors
Consult umatic.palsite.com/mode ls.html for features (but note slightly differing model numbers)
Sony VO-9850

18. U-Matic Equipment: The Dub Cable

19. U-Matic Equipment: Transcoder
Turns video output from U-Matic deck’s dub connector into a standard S-Video signal
DIY Alternatives are possible for the brave.
DPS-210

20. U-Matic Equipment: Audio level Interface
For U-Matic decks that only have XLR audio outputs.
Steps the voltage down from the XLR audio outputs to the level of standard RCA jacks.
Simple adapters exist, but they don’t actually work.

21. U-Matic Set-Up

22. U-Matic Set-Up