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Info & Help Wanted: Monty Python preservation - Help!

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Hey guys, this is Garrett from Deleted Magic.

I’ve got a bit of an off topic request … but I need help. A lot of you Star Wars people are nicely technically skilled, and can make DVDs look all right, from various quality video sources.

This is a little rarer in the Monty Python fan community. So I’d like to ask a bit of help here. I need some rare Python related stuff converted from PAL VHS to DVD, well. By someone who can work in PAL the whole way through, preferably in England then, no NTSC conversion, and make it look pretty when it’s done.

In another life, I’m an advisor to the official Neil Innes website, neilinnes.org. Neil appears in the Python films (singing Brave Sir Robin and How Sweet to Be An Idiot), and is a bit of a music/comedy legend from The Rutles and the Bonzo Dog Band. He also had a small role in my film Gods of Los Angeles, but got cut out. That’s beside the point. Er …

Laurie Stevens helps run the site, and has a million very rare tapes in PAL format, most notably of Eric Idle’s classic and very rarely seen 1975 series Rutland Weekend Television, and Neil’s series The Innes Book of Records. Her PAL VCR is now broken. She needs the best of her videos transferred to DVD … and soon … and since this stuff is so classic, and so rare, and beloved, I’d like to make sure that it gets transferred right.

So, anybody want to help?

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I'd love to, being a long-time Python fan, but I've never worked with PAL. Sorry (for both your situation and my loss. )

<span class=“Italics”>MeBeJedi: Sadly, I believe the prequels are beyond repair.
<span class=“Bold”>JediRandy: They’re certainly beyond any repair you’re capable of making.</span></span>

<span class=“Italics”>MeBeJedi: You aren’t one of us.
<span class=“Bold”>Go-Mer-Tonic: I can’t say I find that very disappointing.</span></span>

<span class=“Italics”>JediRandy: I won’t suck as much as a fan edit.</span>

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ocpmovie,
How many tapes are we talking about and what is the general quality of them?
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If the primary obstacle is getting a replacement multistandard VCR (one that plays tapes no matter what broadcast standard was used) Sears has a Samsung model on their website for $399. It doesn't look like anybody else offers one in their product lines anymore.
Edit:I should really wake up before posting a reply!
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Where were you in '77?

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You know, it would almost be worth buying for archival purposes, except that it doesn't have S-video.

One question, though: why on earth does it have a built-in DTS decoder?

<span class=“Italics”>MeBeJedi: Sadly, I believe the prequels are beyond repair.
<span class=“Bold”>JediRandy: They’re certainly beyond any repair you’re capable of making.</span></span>

<span class=“Italics”>MeBeJedi: You aren’t one of us.
<span class=“Bold”>Go-Mer-Tonic: I can’t say I find that very disappointing.</span></span>

<span class=“Italics”>JediRandy: I won’t suck as much as a fan edit.</span>

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I have a European model JVC pro editing deck (with s-video out and built-in TBC) which is an ideal source for capturing VHS. My capture device is only a simple BT-878 card, but it has given me fairly good results with my laserdisc capture.

I'd be happy to help, the only thing is, I can't commit to starting anything straight away. I want to get my ESB and ROTJ laserdiscs transferred first.

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Thanks Moth3r - let me know!


Babyhum --
ocpmovie,
How many tapes are we talking about and what is the general quality of them?


Your skills would be ideal for this project, babyhum, if you're at all interested!

The number of tapes depends on how many you'd like to do. The UK Arena Rutland Weekend tape is just one tape, and that is the most important ... there's a bunch of Innes Book of Records, some John Cleese Video Arts stuff ... We've got a good enough backlog that we could keep sending tapes until you get sick of it. =) So, from one tape to 3 tapes to 5 tapes to 10 tapes to maybe even 20 tapes, depending on what you're interested in doing. No obligation, cancel at any time. There's enough for several people to work on this project, but I could send you the more important material.

The tapes vary in quality, but are pretty good VHS off-airs, in general ... it's hard to tell as all our previous PAL conversions have ruined the quality that was there. Which is a big reason why this conversion needs to be done ...
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Is your desire to keep PAL format to preserve quality or because the destination of the final product is PAL DVD players?

I actually was reading up today on converting PAL to NTSCFilm and then letting the DVD player convert it to 29.97 fps on playback. Pretty slick stuff.

Dr. M

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To preserve quality, purely. I've never had trouble with playing PAL discs on my NTSC DVD player, so I assume it wouldn't be a real problem.
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I think if the source is in PAL, the final DVD should be in PAL. Most players are multisystem nowadays. The method I would probably use is using a Panasonic DMR-E75 DVD Recorder / VCR Combi. This takes the signal from the VHS and dubs it internally onto DVD-RAM for editing or DVD-R. I've tried a couple of old VHS's on a friend's machine and the results were identical to the VHS. As far as cleaning up are concerned, I prefer not to do it. The only set back for me is that the Panasonic costs about £350.00 and I have other financial priorities at the moment. Are there any rich Python donators reading this?
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That would of course be ideal, if anyone had one, but no need to spend any money, if you have any interest in helping, the equipment you've already got would work perfectly anyway. No need for cleanup either - I can do that myself on the Rutlands, once I get a good transfer on DVD.
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I can get the VHS transferred to DVD. All PAL native. I'm not promising to make a proper DVD with menus and stuff as I really don't have the time right now, but if all you want is a decent quality capture of the original VHS to DVD+R then that I can do using PAL equipment.
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No menus needed! I think a PM to you is in order, sir ...
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OK, I know that OCP is loooong gone - but does anyone want to do this? I think it would be a good idea.

A Goon in a Gaggle of 'em