user671: A project I am part of would ideally require to incorporate extract of several hour longs video interviews from the 1980s. They are on VHS video tape, Stereo SECAM (French system). I have (good) master tapes and one or two copies of each tape for easy viewing. I wonder what kind of process I can use to convert them to a convenient digital format for importing and later editing while preserving the most of the original's quality. 
I have also a working tape recorder/viewer for this format and a good monitor for its video output (SONY).
How can I obtain the best results?  Should I first go through PAL conversion, so I can use more conventional equipment?
Should I subcontract the converting part to a specialized company?
(Note: I do not have sufficient reputation yet to tag properly this question, please feel free to do it )

user1126: The ADVC-300 can take SECAM input: http://www.grassvalley.com/products/advc300
This will convert to DV format, which is quite sufficient for VHS quality.

user159: Personally, I would use a Video Capture Card that supports SECAM (such as the Hauppauge model 01087: WinTV-PVR-150 low profile with PAL/SECAM tuner) and simply record it on my PC/Mac/Linux box.  [I've actually done this from NTSC VHS tapes to MPEG-2 using a PVR-150 capture card on a Ubuntu Linux box.]

671: <p>A project I am part of would ideally require to incorporate extract of several hour longs video interviews from the 1980s. They are on VHS video tape, Stereo SECAM (French system). I have (good) master tapes and one or two copies of each tape for easy viewing. I wonder what kind of process I can use to convert them to a convenient digital format for importing and later editing while preserving the most of the original's quality. </p>

<p>I have also a working tape recorder/viewer for this format and a good monitor for its video output (SONY).</p>

<p>How can I obtain the best results?  Should I first go through PAL conversion, so I can use more conventional equipment?</p>

<p>Should I subcontract the converting part to a specialized company?</p>

<p>(Note: I do not have sufficient reputation yet to tag properly this question, please feel free to do it )</p>
 1126: <p>The ADVC-300 can take SECAM input: <a href="http://www.grassvalley.com/products/advc300" rel="nofollow">http://www.grassvalley.com/products/advc300</a></p>

<p>This will convert to DV format, which is quite sufficient for VHS quality.</p>
 159: <p>Personally, I would use a Video Capture Card that supports SECAM (such as the Hauppauge model 01087: WinTV-PVR-150 low profile with PAL/SECAM tuner) and simply record it on my PC/Mac/Linux box.  [I've actually done this from NTSC VHS tapes to MPEG-2 using a PVR-150 capture card on a Ubuntu Linux box.]</p>
