3.1 KiB
FLICK: Film Library & Indexing Catalog Kit
Welcome to FLICK, a part of the invite-only archive dedicated to preserving and cataloging obscure works captured on VHS tape, DVD, and Bluray. FLICK serves as a comprehensive list of movies within our catalog, and it also provides a platform for users to submit suggestions and report issues through gitea issues.
Submission Guidelines
To ensure the integrity of our archive, we have set certain standards for submissions. Please follow the format below when submitting movies:
-
Place the movie files in a folder with the name of the movie
<movie-name> (<movie-year>)/. -
Name the movie file
<movie-name> (<movie-year>).<mp4-or-mkv>. -
Include a raw scan of the box art
scanned-cover.<png-or-jpg>. -
Provide a cropped version of the scanned cover showing only the movie's banner
banner.<png-or-jpg>.
Go to examples to get more information
Note:
FLICK solely acts as a catalog and indexing system for the movies within our archive. It does not contain the actual movies themselves. Instead, it provides a centralized hub for movie listings and facilitates communication between community members.
VCRs, DVD players, and Combo Units
A small note, I do not have personal experience with all of these, I am primarily going off of forum posts and older reviews to provide a framework of a buying guide. Please provide your own experience of a vcr you recommend by creating a pull request.
VCRs
Prosumer or professional models:
Brands such as Panasonic and JVC are often recommended, with models like the JVC SR-V10U and Panasonic AG-1980 frequently mentioned for their high performance in digitizing tasks.
Features:
Timebase correctors (TBC):
This feature is crucial for getting the best quality from your tapes. It helps to stabilize the video signal and correct any timing errors that may occur during the playback of the tape.
Image "picture mode" filters:
These filters can drastically improve the quality of VHS tapes. For instance, JVC S-VHS VCRs often include Auto/Norm/Soft/Sharp modes.
Hi-Fi audio:
A Hi-Fi VCR can provide better sound quality than a standard mono or stereo VCR. Look for this feature if audio quality is important to you.
S-VHS compatibility:
S-VHS (Super VHS) is a higher-quality format than standard VHS. A VCR that can play S-VHS tapes will be able to provide better video quality when digitizing tapes.
Number of heads:
4-head VCRs tend to have better video quality than their 2-head counterparts.
Reference:
Testing used VCRs:
It's important to test any used VCR you purchase to ensure it's in good working order. This can involve checking playback filters, adjusting the tape playback tracking, and running the VCR's audio and video cables directly into a TV or monitor to check for any issues. You should also check the S-Video cable and connectors, and clean the video heads if necessary.