Gareth Thomas video tapes

[watervole]

Okay, there's obviously several interested parties.

I've been asked if I can convert to DVD (which would also allow copies for several people without further loss of quality).

I can only do this if someone else can do the converting/copying. I don't have the facility myself (I can't remember now who converted Morgan's Boy for me).



I might be able to find a friend who can do PAL to DVD. I don't currently have any friends who can do NTSC to DVD. (Knights of God, missing one episode, is NTSC which is why I've never been able to copy it for anyone)

I know someone who can do NTSC tape to DVD commercially, but it isn't cheap. I don't think the quality of the tapes would justify the cost. (No one was prepared to pay the NTSC cost on Morgan's Boy and that was the one I had at reasonable quality)

Amazon have used copies of How Green Was my Valley for just over 10 pounds (and I do mean the TV series not the film).

A list of what I have? Heavens... Here's an attempt. Baddiel's Syndrome, Children of the Stones, Stocker's Copper (excellent role), Visitor from the Grave, Shades of DArkness (I'm not sure if that is Gareth or Paul - some tapes have a bit of Paul on as well), Duel with an Teallack, Boon, Star Maidens (in German), David Copperfield, Animal Ark, Dogfood Dan, By teh Sword Divided (a couple of episodes, but I think I'm missing at least one with him in it. Nice romance though), Belle and Sebasian, Emlyn's Moon, Chestnut Soldier, Watercress Girl, Country DAnce, Who Pays hte Ferryman, Fight against Slavery, a few bits of London's Burning, Merlin the Magic Begins, Silver, KNights of God in NTSC (minus one episode), the missing episode of KNights of God in PAL, Warburton's bread advert, the witch's daughter, Maigret, Bergerac, Heartbeat, AFter the WAr, Families, a few convention clips, Hamlet (but that's still available commercially, so you can buy a copy), Casualty, Randall and Hopkirk, Sherlock Holmes (Naval Treaty), Shipman, Sutherland's Law. (I can't find Distant Shores, so maybe I loaned that to someone.)

I think that's all, though I may have missed a few. Condition varies from pretty good to abysmal. Stuff I recorded myself is the best. Sutherland's Law is the worst and is almost unwatchable. The whole collection varies from PAL to NTSC and I don't always know which format a particular tape is in.

There's often several programmes on each tape. THere's a great mixture of roles in the list. eg. His part in Emlyn's Moon isn't one of the really big ones, but it's pure Gareth. I've never seen a part that is closer to the man himself.

IF you don't know what a part is, check out http://www.hermit.org/Blakes7/whoswho/other_role/Garethpl.cgi?M=TV (I'm afraid it's not uptodate with the last couple of years, but it has pretty good coverage of TV work until then) There's a bigger page that includes non-TV stuff as well but I didn't want to drown you.

So, can anyone convert to DVD? Assuming those wanting copies are prepared to chip in something for the cost and the effort involved.

Comments

Wouldn't mind Emlyns Moon on VHS

[quarryquest.livejournal.com]

I can read both Pal and NTSC.

What I do need is another copy of Dart (mine had an accident with the vaccuum!).

Re: Wouldn't mind Emlyns Moon on VHS

[watervole.livejournal.com]

Expect a package in the post. I don't know what Gareth stuff you have on audio tape, but here's a collection.

[julesjones]

If you can get them converted to DVD, I'll chip in on the cost.

Note that Children of the Stones is available as a commercial DVD, as is the Sherlock Holmes episode.

[snowgrouse.livejournal.com]

Bugger! If my VCR wasn't dead, I could possibly copy stuff to DVD.

Do you know anyone with a recording standalone DVD player? Really, it's just a matter of hooking those two (VCR and DVD-recorder) together. Commercial tapes might have copy protection thing like Macrovision on them, but usually it works.

My other half has set up his stuff like this, and he's in Bristol, so not too far away, I think I'll ask if he'd want to do the DVDing. I could borrow those tapes, do them at Frank's place, return them to you, and then copy the successful DVDs to everyone else. Sound good?

[watervole.livejournal.com]

That would work.

IF Frank knows a way to handle NTSC, even better. A fair bit of the collection is PAL though.

[snowgrouse.livejournal.com]

He has two or three VCRs, one of them should play NTSC. His DVD recorder has worked really well with all sorts of tapes, and even copy-protected DVDs when he's made his own Doctor Who mixes and stuff... I tried to ring him just now but he's probably still at work. I hope he agrees to it, since it gives me something to do while he's away, and I'd love to do it for all the fans!

I'll let you know as soon as I know!:)

Conversion

[frankymole.livejournal.com]

Snowgrouse is right - I *may* have an NTSC video player - I have three VCRs and one of them is knackered and I'm not sure which one. One of them plays NTSC. I can easily SCART-connect any of them to my DVD recorder. Once recorded, its easy to copy DVDs on my new PC (two drives). I can do PAL, no doubts; I've recorded many of my PAL videos onto DVD this way.

Re: Conversion

[watervole.livejournal.com]

What address should I send the tapes to?

Shall I send the B7 song-vids as well, or just the Gareth stuff?

[raspberryfool.livejournal.com]

If someone pays for the discs, I could convert a few of the PAL tapes for you.

I have access to an NTSC playback VCR, but i have no idea how well it'd work.

Also, i don't drive and i live in the Midlands, so postage costs would need to be covered.

[snowgrouse.livejournal.com]

*Waves* F says ok. Which email addy shall I send his snailmail address to? Blank DVDs are on me.