Workflow Guide

The Capture Workflow Guide

This guide goes over what workflow or what set up configuration you need to pick per format as in media format i.g VHS, Betamax, LaserDisc etc.

This gives you a single source reference guide to know what device to pick for what applicational use.

Now to be noted here at the start, post-production and the decode side of things, is pretty unified across formats however formats like LaserDisc can have extra information like digital EFM audio streams.

Please read the Acronyms Guide & Hardware Installation Guide to get a grasp of terminology and physical setup install on your format of device.

Single Channel

Formats such as Betamax (NTSC) / Video8 / Hi8 / LaserDisc are true single channel formats everything is on a single FM signal with different carriers.

This means 1 single ADC channel of capture is required for all audio and video signals, but you may also want to capture audio with a reference capture or in-sync to ensure your not dependent on just the output of hifi-decode for tapes for example.

Some Hi8 tapes can have PCM audio, this is only directly extractable with Digital8 (DV25 Stream) FireWire transfers currently.

Single Channel + Baseband

These have a single modulated FM channel which is video, but they only have Linear audio, which is captured from the VCR as baseband or better known as line-level outputs RCA for consumer/prosumer and XLR for broadcast grade decks.

Formats such as older EIAJ, Betamax/VHS (70s to 90s non-hifi camcorders and decks)

Pro formats U-Matic / Betacam and 2" Quad to SMPTE 1" Type A/B/C only had Linear audio tracks for sound and timecode, however later formats like BetaCam SP implemented HiFi FM channels.

This also apply's to direct CVBS or Composite RAW captures.

Multi-Channel

These are formats such as VHS & Beta HiFi which have 2 physically separate paths for Audio HiFi FM and Video FM signals, alongside the potential for 1-2 channels of Linear audio.

This requires multiple channels with the same capture clock source and timing trigger for start and stop to have accurate post synchronisation.

Duel Video Channel

These are formats such as (but not limited to) BetaCam, BetaCam SP, W-VHS these physically record a dedicated channel for Y or Luma and C or Chroma signals, and have 2 dedicated test points so require 2 dedicated ADC channels for just video capture

In the case of BetaCam SP AFM or FM stereo audio tapes, a 3rd ADC is required alongside 2 standard audio grade ADC channels for the baseband linear audio. (such as the PCM1802 on the Clockgen or MISRC)

Capture Device Support

Device	Image	Interface	Impedance	Type of Capture Ability
DomesDayDuplicator (DdD)		USB 3.0	50Ohm	Single Channel - LaserDisc Focused
CX Card		PCIe 1x	75Ohm	Single Channel - Tape Focused
RTLSDR		USB 2.0	50Ohm	Single Channel - HiFi FM Only
MISRC		USB 3.0	50/75Ohm	Duel Channel + Audio (50/75Ohm)
CX Card + Clockgen Mod		PCIe 1x	75Ohm	Multi Channel + Audio & Headswitch

Note

The termination or impedance values are for note of use with ADA4867 amplifiers. The MISRC has selective 50/75Ohm via DIP switches.

System Support

Operating System	DdD Support	CX Card Support	RTLSDR Support	MISRC Support (Hasdoh)
Microsoft Windows	Yes (10/11)	Yes (10/11)	Yes (10/11)	Yes (10/11)
Apple MacOS	Yes	No	Yes	Yes
Apple MacOS ARM	Yes	No	Yes	Yes
Linux	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Linux Arm	?*	Yes*	Yes	?*

Note

*MISRC Requires testing on Linux Arm platforms. *CX Cards are only properly tested on the Pi5 for ARM *DdD application has not been build tested for Linux Arm.

Note

16.02.2025 - CX Cards Clockgen mod is "out of box" ready for the FLAC 1.5.0 multi-threading update.

Capture Type Support:

Media RF Type	DdD Support	CX Card Support	RTLSDR Support	MISRC Support	Hasdoh Support
Video FM RF	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes
HiFi FM RF	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
CVBS RF	No	Yes*	No	Yes	Yes
S-Video RF	No	Yes* (clockgen)	No	Yes	Yes

Note

*CX Cards support CVBS capture with sixdb off and level set to 0, this is ideal for standard capture with an external amplifier also.

Caution

The RTLSDR does not have enough bandwidth for FM video, and is only useful for HiFi RF.

Caution

The DomesDayDuplicator Rev 3, does not have the correct filtering for CVBS.

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