none said:

The source of this tape was kind enough to inform us of more details of where it came from ... But back to the topic here's the VHS Tape!

I don't suppose anyone has asked the owner to borrow the tape for playback in a semi-pro VHS machine for better capture? Combo VHS-to-DVD and regular consumer VHS machines are so sub-anyone's-standard.

For example, JVC Super VHS machines have "DigiPure Technology" for processing with:

Digital Wide TBC (Time Base Corrector)
3-Dimensional Digital Circuit with 2 MB Frame Memory to make the following possible:

Precision 3-D Color Circuit for clearer color separation
Digital 3-D YNR/CNR to improve S/N ratio
Digital 3R Picture System to enhance detail

It might even be worth it for someone, in that enviable position, to pick one up from eBay at some nominal cost, if he doesn't already have one. There are a number of good models from which to choose and others have already done the research: http://forum.videohelp.com/threads/310542-Best-VCR-Available-Today