I have found this forum a couple of days ago and I am fascinated by the preservation projects here. I am sorry for not having read the complete thread.
But I was wondering whether you know that there are episode of the first season (at least episodes 2 to 13) around coming directly from a tv station (PAL)? So no lousy VHS transfer with its disadvantages! The picture quality is crystal clear and comparable to DVD quality. I have attached a screenshot from my version of Episode 1x11 The Three Lessons:
