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Hello all! Let me start by saying I am totally new to capturing video. I recently purchased a Sabrent USB-AVCPT device and it came with Ulead Software. I connected my VCR to the device and I am getting video and audio but the video is very shaky and double imaged. I've tried all the suggestions to fix the problem from Sabrent's website and can't get the video to correct. I also downloaded Virtual Dub this morning and I get the same results but haven't had all that much time to play around with that software. Is this a driver issue possibly? Curious if anyone else has used this capture device.
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Methinks this unit falls in to the category of 'easycap clone'
Ulead Software would itself be quite old and most do not work beyond XP.
You must also be careful how you install the drivers - follow the instructions to the letter - usually CD in first BEFORE you plug in the unit.
Claims to work with Win8 but only with other software. Not Ulead. -
Interesting. Well I have to say that when I popped the cd in it spun like car tire making a lot of noise. That always bothers me when that happens but anyway......I clicked on "install drivers" and nothing. I had to browse the cd and install that way. I've installed every version of the driver and I get the same results so I'm not even sure I am installing them correctly. I have uninstalled and re-installed to no avail.
And yes I would say the unit does fall under the easycap clone category. It's got the three composite rca plugs (red, white and yellow) and S-video that are connected into a housing with a usb connector. The Ulead software seems to work although it did crash on me a few times. I'm hoping I might be able to get things done using the Virtual Dub software.
Do the easycap units seem to have a lot of problems? -
The problem with the easycaps is getting correct drivers for Win7 etc.
Usually this is the procedure.
1. load drivers from CD but only the one for your OS
2. Plug the unit in. Windows will then report new hardware and install them
3. Check System Hardware to see if device is recognised or any issues reported.
Like I said, it is well known that Ulead, which as not been manufactured since 2005 or earlier, will not work after XP. I read you need to install other software available from Sabrent to capture successfully.
But your issues may not even be related to drivers/software. It could be the VCR itself. -
Well I've looked at a few videos on youtube and discovered that Ulead will run. There is some working around the driver issue that I might try. I thought it was the VCR as well but I have tried two. I cleaned the heads on both. I do have one more that is a DVD combo unit and I might try that. I've used three different tapes, two of which are from the early to mid 80's and I get color at first but quickly goes black and white. The other tape is a collector tape from Sinister Cinema and that seems to play the best but still there is double imagery.
I will also try some other software as well. Having up to date software can never hurt! Any suggestions on software?
Thanks for the info it is very appreciated! -
I have the genuine EzCAP,bought from a retailer many years ago and has never given any problems.The pirate built copies are substandard and are normally distinguished by the different way of producing the name.The genuine one has upper case,except for the consonant z,the fraudulent ones have variations and one even had Ez as easy.The original company was ForwardVideo and the website SZFORWARDVIDEO.COM.The copiers caused enormous damage to the original and after so many years caution is needed.Arcsoft provided the software.
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So I took a look at those yt videos.
Yes. The shell ulead program, which is dated 2004, does work. That is to say it starts up and you can play around with the settings. But if a program crashes when it attempts to actually do something it is designed for then IT DOES NOT WORK. Not in my book.
I also did not see the yt vid actually do any capturing. Just a blank screen. Not convinced.
Other users also appear to have the distorted capture issues so it is the unit and not drivers. But I also looked at Sabrent's own video about installing drivers. Even they have issues with that.
If you want to discount the software, download a trial version of Corel's Video Studio. This is the current successor to that antiquated Ulead software. If you still have these issues then the device really is a POS. -
You definitely have a driver problem and installing every drivers in the book for the same device is never a good answer. Doesn't help you're running Win 8, there is no mention of that capture device being compatible with it. Worse, the word is that the drivers on the CD are wrong. Though it's possible to install Win 7 drivers in Win 8, there may be issues to workaround. Anyway, if you wish to give it a try this is from a Newegg reviewer of the same device. He gives a good description on how to install the driver and how to get the software to work.
This other review is not as detailed, but provides links to more drivers.
Here's the actual links:
32bit
http://www.sabrent.com/drivers/USB-AVCPT-New.zip
64bit
http://www.sabrent.com/drivers/USB-AVCPTSetup_For_Win7.zip
http://sabrent.com/drivers2/USB-AVCPT-64bit-Vista-Win7.zip
Don't know about this one
http://sabrent.com/drivers2/USB-AVCPT-USB-EPM-286x.zip
Unzip all the drivers into separate folders, then create a new empty folder and move all four folders to it and point Windows to that folder to update the driver. -
Make sure the software is set to NTSC, not PAL. Be sure you're not playing a commercial VHS tape with Macrovision. Use a tape you recorded yourself (camcorder of TV recording).
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Lots of advice and instructions.......instructions are iffy because what it tells me to update isn't listed in my device manager. I have to assume it's because I am using windows 8.1.
I have deleted the drivers. I can't install new ones because the instructions dont really help me with windows 8....or I'm completely overlooking it. If I plug the device in, it installs the drivers on its own. Maybe I can update the drivers from the downloaded files? -
So I run the install program from the first set of instructions posted but it didn't let me install to the desktop....christ what a pain. Im gonna reboot.
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OK I am just done with this. Can anyone suggest a proven capture device and software? Nothing works with this Sabrent B.S. All these work arounds that just make me curse up a storm.
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If you can't see it in device manager it might have to be plugged in for it to show. Anyway, you can always install the drivers the right way by running the setup file before plugging the device in. You should probably start by deleting the device like you did before and removing the driver from Windows (it says it's for Win 7, but it should work for 8 too).
If you prefer to look for something else, Hauppage has quality products and they have good Win 8 support even for older hardware (you will have to download latest drivers from their site). -
Yeah I have noticed that the drivers will not show up unless the device is plugged in. I have no errors on those drivers however according to device manager. Now I did find out that with windows 8 you can disable the digital signature on drivers and I found a video on that. I am going to give that a shot. A fellow VHS collector told me that's what he had to do to get it running and it sounds like he was using Windows 7. Thanks for everyone's input on this thread! I will also check out Hauppage as well.
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Well I have tried the disabling of the driver signature and still nothing works. Here is a screen shot of a video capture using Virtual Dub just let you guys know what I am seeing.
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https://www.flickr.com/photos/29691696@N02/16432356307/
Okay well here is a link to the screenshot. What do you guys think? Capture device problem, driver, software? -
The link reports 'Adult Content - have to be signed in to view'
Even so, a single still does not tell the story. Do a small capture of, say, 30 secs, with movement and upload the video here as an attachment. -
Yeah didn't think of that DB83. So here is the test run I did. I probably should have noted all the settings.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IfsTfLbD9TI
So that is totally raw with nothing done to it. It looks to me that if I do get capturing to work there is more work to do to clean up the avi file. -
Also, and remember I am a total noob to this, someone asked me if I had the DV Video Encoder Filter (Codec) downloaded. How do I go about finding out if I have this installed? Also where do you download this from? Microsoft?
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I don't think this is a driver issue. The device simply isn't able to sync properly to the video. Try a different tape. A different VHS deck. A device with cleaner output -- like a DVD player (playing a non encrypted DVD) or cable/satellite box.
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I've used three different tapes and 2 different VCRs. I guess I can try my VHS/DVD combo unit and see what that does. I also need to make sure Im not having any memory issues.
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Have you tried tapes that you know have no Macrovision?
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A little tip - not relevant here but it you wanted assistance to clean up a proper capture - you might not have done anything to the capture but yt will have.
Agreed to above. There are sync issues and I doubt if even a tbc or signal enhancer can fix those. They should not be duplicated over several VCRs so the finger firmly points to the capture device. -
I am going to say yes only because the tape this capture was taken from is from Sinister Cinema who I believe did NOT use any type of macrovision in their recordings. I will try some home videos that I want to transfer and just see what they look like. Im starting to really believe it is the capture device itself.Originally Posted by jagabo
So youtube does something with an uploaded video during the upload/processing process? That I didn't know.Last edited by Coffindan; 25th Feb 2015 at 13:35. Reason: corrected Sinister Cinema NOT using macro vision
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I see that a true Ezcap device and software seems to get a lot of good reviews. If I have to buy another device I might have to go this route. Again, you guys have been great with all the advice! I appreciate it!
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I suspect that's the case but you want to rule out the other possibilities.Originally Posted by Coffindan
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Okay I hooked up my Philips VCR/DVD combo unit. The VCR side gives me the same result although a little better quality with a tape that I recorded off of TV. I switch over to DVD mode and pop in my store bought 7th Voyage of Sinbad DVD and it is picture perfect! Now I really don't know what to do. Is it a codec issue maybe?
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These tapes with 'recorded off the tv' would not be LP or even ELP by any chance ?
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I have tested six tapes altogether. Tape 1. House of the Yellow Carpet - 1985 Lightning Video release. Tape 2. Blood Castle - 1986 Wizard Video release. Tape 3. Horror Castle - Late 90's release from Sinister Cinema Tape 4 - U2 Live - Columbia Video release not sure of the year. Tape 5. SP mode recorded airing of Murders in the Rue Morgue from Turner Classic Movies. Tape 6. A collection of home movies stuff from the late 80's recorded in LP mode by an RCA Video Camera. All of the VHS give me the same result but the quality varies and I have to assume because of the tape itself BUT the result is still the same as the video clip I posted from the Horror Castle tape.
What gets me is that the capture of the Horror Castle looks better after the capture than it does when Im watching the tape play through the capture software. Now a couple of the tapes look really bad so I just don't know what to think other than it could very well be the device itself couldn't it? I paid $20 for it new and if I get it refunded I can just put the $20 toward a device that has Windows 8 capabilities.Last edited by Coffindan; 25th Feb 2015 at 20:37.
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One other test you can try since you have two VCRs: play a tape on one, record on the other. If the source tape is Macrovision protected you will get a very garbled recording on the new tape.
Of course, recordings you made yourself won't have Macrovision and you've tried capturing a few of those. So it looks like the capture device is intolerant of minor time base errors (all VHS has them). I would give up on the device and move on.
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