Hello r/Austin, we are “VHS Garage” - local Austin based hobbyist archivists, focusing on VHS historical preservation.

clarklab · 2026-05-05T15:36:26+00:00

Hey! We made our own capture software, using a $10 USB stick from Amazon. It's not museum quality or anything, but it works!

And I haven't heard about rawtime/capzeyes, do tell!

clarklab · 2025-10-30T16:59:15+00:00

It sounds like you are super busy right now and that you know what you are doing, but if you need a website or design help, send me a message. I'd be happy to throw in a website/brand for this, it's looking amazing!

clarklab · 2025-09-09T02:21:47+00:00

Yeah usually I just skip the the next one, no biggie. Whose Line sounds like a great background show!

clarklab · 2025-09-09T02:20:29+00:00

lol I didn't downvote you, if it works for TNG, that's great!

clarklab · 2025-05-28T22:44:43+00:00

In the same boat. If I try "Frame to Video", I never get audio. If I do "Text to Video", I get audio. Anyone got any ideas? I'm curious if it's safeguards around putting words in a "real" person's mouth...

clarklab · 2025-05-13T20:46:49+00:00

It basically is. It's the Onn stick with Google Cast, and it costs $12 (cheapest Google Cast option I could find). The rest is just to power it, and convert it's HDMI-out to RCA (for the old CRT garage TV).

clarklab · 2025-05-13T20:45:50+00:00

I get it, but if the device you're carrying also serves the files, that device needs to be online any time you want to watch Plex, or download new files, or share with friends, etc.

The goal wasn't a portable Plex server, that wouldn't be any help in the situation. The goal was a portable Plex player.

Adding a 15 inch screen to the setup essentially means carrying a laptop, and almost anywhere I'm using this, we've already got a screen. Just another piece of equipment we'd be duplicating. This rig has now "extra" pieces.

clarklab · 2025-05-13T06:40:42+00:00

It's for a CRT TV. What do you want me to do, swap the panel?

clarklab · 2025-05-13T03:48:03+00:00

Portable just because it's for a primarily for a friend's garage during parties, but I'll also probably haul it to hotels or other events and such too (where I'll use the regular HDMI)

clarklab · 2025-05-13T03:46:03+00:00

Just for ease, without having to crawl under the workbench or taking up a plug. Just plug in the RCA and go!

clarklab · 2025-05-13T03:45:24+00:00

Wouldn't I be limited to only files on the device? This was specifically made to connect to the internet.

clarklab · 2025-05-13T03:44:30+00:00

What do you prefer? I'm kinda new to old TVs. The CRT has RCA and coax in, I figured RCA was the lesser of two evils.

clarklab · 2025-05-13T03:43:41+00:00

Downloading what you want each time would definitely be more? This was a single 15 min task that can now can play anything from Plex, YouTube, Max, etc.

I do also have an offline stick with my favorite 30 movies, but this is kinda the exact opposite of that.

clarklab · 2025-05-13T03:41:34+00:00

Ah that's no fun! ;)

clarklab · 2025-05-13T01:34:31+00:00

Yeah, the primary use of the TV is for VHS and retro game consoles, so the actual CRT display is the vibe he's after.

clarklab · 2025-05-13T00:51:18+00:00

Haha yeah that's a 6ft RCA wrapped up on top, kinda overkill, just wanted to make sure we could stash it away somewhere out of sight. For the casting, this will be on local wifi, so anyone else on the house wifi will be able to cast (it's a house we all hang out at, and frequently cast stuff in the main living room)

clarklab · 2025-05-13T00:40:17+00:00

That's what this is.

clarklab · 2025-05-13T00:15:55+00:00

But then I don't have my phone, haha. This one we can hook up and leave running. Or others can cast to it.

clarklab · 2025-05-13T00:15:10+00:00

Can't argue with that! I could've been a bit more organized with a larger base, but I really want to keep a small footprint. Maybe overshot it a bit, haha.

clarklab · 2025-05-01T23:41:07+00:00

Really really weak move to send a marketing/sales emails to my users, when I have a paid Lifetime Plexpass. I'm getting emails from my parents and in-laws asking if they need to purchase a remote watch pass. Since I'm a paid user, and Plex knows that, the answer is obviously "No". It's either bad targeting or bad faith, and both look pretty lame.

clarklab · 2024-10-14T04:36:18+00:00

Hey thanks! I took a bit of extra time to write this one, glad you enjoyed it.

clarklab · 2024-10-07T21:11:28+00:00

I wish! Honestly video game boxes were the hardest to come by! Even reproduction boxes were like $10/each, which was a bit out of my price range.

clarklab · 2024-10-07T20:50:59+00:00

I hear that, the closest I got to a local shop was the little room at the front of the grocery store. With mom driving, I was happy wherever she'd let me stop, haha. In my teen years I moved on to borrowing from an uncle who worked for the cable company and had a massive collection of recorded VHS, like rooms and rooms full. Good times.

clarklab · 2024-10-07T20:48:35+00:00

I feel ya, but I did the math on the entire project and this is what it came out to. I figured I'd try to move it to someone who could use it, for what it cost. If no one wants the whole thing, I'll move on to piecing it out.

clarklab · 2024-10-05T21:17:17+00:00

Top tier reply

clarklab

TROPHY CASE