video card stops working intermittently, trying to figure out why

[eso]

I'm totally new not only here but to video with computers and I'm not sure where to ask a question like this so I'll just shoot. I have a tv tuner and 2 sets of analog rca jacks for inputs for hooking up vcrs and etc. So, once in a while nothing will work. My tv won't work and my inputs don't give signal from my devices hooked up via rca. I've been installing and uninstalling Premiere and I think that might have something to do with it. I get the card working again by turning the computer off, unplugging, and turning it back on. Then it's fine. But I want to avoid this and I'm not exactly sure what I might be doing to cause it. Like I said, I'm suspicious of premiere because I tried to have premiere on my computer but eventually I gave up and uninstalled it for the last time because it doesn't like my computer at all, at least when it's trying to capture. I've also been installing and uninstalling other video programs just to see what I like, but for the most part the card stays stable until a video related program freezes and then anytime you try to use it afterwards it won't give me any signal again.

Got another unrelated question. I tried to do a search on this forum but it still didn't answer it. I have virtualdub and when I go to capture mode I can't get to the menu items for video->format and video->display as they are greyed out. I am not on 'direct stream copy' mode. So of course I can't get it to where I can choose a compression type except for uncompressed. I figured maybe I should load in a video file but that didn't work.

[Krispy Kritter]

If the tuner card just randomly stops working on its own, look in control panel / system properties / hardware / device manager and see if the card is properly recognized (no yellow ! ).

If the issue is only happening during/after a failed capture, then I suspect the failed app is not releasing the driver. Simply rebooting should correct the issue.

[thecoalman]

Generally using the application that came with your card is the best choice for capture. Check the manufactures site for the "Latest and Greatest" drivers and software. Once you have the file captured you can import it into premiere or other applications for editing.