Advice needed for used MS machine for analog capture.

[johnneumann]

I was an avid Cassie and Kron user back in the day, right up until around 2005, at which point I lost interest in the hobby.

At one point, I wanted to start capturing my 400+ Hi8 videocassettes to digital for later editing, but realized that my Kron had no way of outputting a file, other than to burn it to a DVD - so I donated the unit to a non-profit.

So fast forward two decades later, these 400+ tapes are still sitting here slowly deteriorating and I really want to get on top of digitizing them. I have a 2013 Mac I tried using to capture the tapes, but it's not working out too well.

Now I'm wondering whether there isn't a very inexpensive used MS machine that still works perfectly and has the technology for reliably capturing my tapes and then easily transferring a two-hour MP4 files out via USB (or whatever) so I can load them on my computer or external hard drive for later editing.

Does anyone have any advice for what MS machine, post Kron, would be inexpensive, super reliable in build-quality, longevity, as well as known for receiving analog inputs without frequently breaking up the signal? Even with a TBC, an uninterrupted two-hour capture might be an unrealistic goal, but that's still the ideal I'd like to shoot for.

And, of course, it needs to easily output to my computer or an external hard drive to be used on any computer in the future.

I have no need for such a machine to do anything other than capture Hi8 tapes and export the resulting two-hour files. I might do a few basic edits to the captured files, but it'll never be used for modern day video editing and such.

Also, if anyone knows of a chronological list of MS editors over the last twenty years, it would help me see all the used machines I might be able to choose from.

Thanks in advance for any help.

[johnneumann]

Does anyone know ... did the S-6000 allow for USB-out of uncompressed captured video? As stated, I'm looking for a machine that will allow me to capture analog video from tapes, then easily send the raw uncompressed files out to an external hard drive for use on a different computer / editing system.

I saw a video from 2011 where someone was talking about exporting compressed clips for use on YouTube and such, but I can't find info anywhere on whether I can also send uncompressed video to an external hard drive for further editing on other computers.

Is the S-6000 good for that?

[mhuebmer]

• The last (affordable) digital editing system I knew was the DPS Velocity, >20 years ago...
• Working with Hi8 tapes and using uncompressed storage is like using a Boing 747 for a hand full passengers.
• Any modern editing system can compress the footage with visually no loss of SD picture quality.
• Even with a full frame time-base-corrector, I don't think capturing 2 hours of video will work IN SYNC with its audio. Since the SD tapes had been recorded with 60i NTSC (or 50i PAL) it won't fit to any common audio KHz encoding.
• Picture won't be problem. But if audio is needed too, you will see a drift after ~10 minutes without TBC. If you don't transfer 2h movies but 2h of multiple short movies, recording them separately and/or splitting the async audio and fitting its position manually will be the only option.
• Every Casablanca with the BogartSE video editing software (like the S-6000) can export to hard-drives via USB (maximum 2 TB + Master-Boot-Record + NTFS). A list of all system is here in the international forum.
• But you can also buy BogartSE Windows + Analog->USB converter if your PC is not older than ~10 years. Demo version to test your PC: https://www.macromotion.info/version-en

[johnneumann]

Whoa. Strong reply, mhuebmer. Thank you. The links to the info pages were especially helpful.

You wrote: Every Casablanca with the BogartSE video editing software (like the S-6000) can export to hard-drives via USB. (maximum 2 TB + Master-Boot-Record + NTFS).

I assume that refers to both raw uncompressed footage as well as compressed edited projects?

Please excuse my ignorance asking this question - the data that Bogart sends out to an external hard drive ... that's just a normal MOV or MP4 file that I can easily transfer into my Mac for further editing in Final Cut Pro, correct? I'll probably edit most of my stuff on the MS machine, but on occasion, I want to send some out to be edited into a FInal Cut Pro project.

Or is the file Bogart sends out some proprietary file that can only be used by the same MS machine that saved it?

I have the opportunity to buy an S-6000 or an Karat right now. In addition to someone offering to build me an "ideal capture computer", made specifically to run an older OS for highly regarded older capture software, but he wants a whopping $1500 for that. He tells me it will provide the highest quality analog captures in existence, playback gear notwithstanding.

I had a Kron decades ago, and that was my last experience with capturing analog. Have to decide quickly if I want to get back into the MS capture and editing - or capture on a dedicated capture PC to archive and ultimately transfer into my Mac for future editing.

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By the way, mhuebmer, do you know of a source for online manuals for the s-6000 and the Karat? They have links for them on the MS website, but the links no longer work. It would be great to look through manuals for these two machines before making a decision.

Sorry to burden you with so many questions.

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[mhuebmer]

• All Casablanca-3 systems are equipped with the MediaManager, capable of exporting >1700 different file formats.
• Since the analoge video is always edited MPEG2 or DV compressed within BogartSE, there is no uncompressed export.
• For HD footage H.264 direct MP4 or for SD footage an MPEG-2 TransportStream are the best ways to export for usage on other systems.

Feel free to look for older manuals and information here:

• http://bogart-shop.com/downloads -> Casablanca Manuals English
• https://macrosystem.ch/MS_2001-2010/ -> with any browser translator
• https://macrosystem.ch/MS_2010-2018/ -> with any browser translator

[johnneumann]

Thank you so much, mhuebmer. This has been information I've been looking for for two weeks since these units came up for sale.

VERY much appreciated.