Looking for a good vhs cap software

[checker]

Hello, in case similar thread already have been created, the point with the thread is to get an idea of devices that are popular in modern time because of stability and good quality. I did quite recently bought an external Pinacle device, but looking at the reviews I saw that there are better softwares than Pinacle Studio 14 which is also included in the package. Should be free and support MPEG-2 conversions.
Another, smaller question; is it really necessary to clean every seperate vhs heads, instead of just cleaning of the vcr heads?

[hech54]

Have you even tried the Pinacle software?

[checker]

Yea, it was all right. I just want to make sure if there are any obiously better softwares available. But maybe studio 14 isn't that bad after all?

[hech54]

Just capture MPEG2. There are plenty of free MPEG2 cutters around for simple edits with no quality loss.

[checker]

Ok will do, btw, is there any guide for MPEG2 cutters out there?

[hech54]

Check YouTube for a Pinacle guide. Once you pick your editing software(if you need one) there are plenty of guides here. Remember.....DVD is MPEG2 and can be nothing else. Don't get fooled into saving space by using some crappy video codec. MPEG2 is what you need for a DVD.

[checker]

The standard formats I'm pretty familiar with, though it's a different story with the new ones like h264 etc. but I guess I have to read on about them here Thanks for pointing out the direction to MPEG2 cutters. Once the capture's been done, Mpg2cut2 seems promising as edit tool

[checker]

I decided to delay the project for the reason that the svideo jack didn't render any color. Only when composite video was used color was visible. Because there's a quite big quality increase between the two I've tried with another svideo cable but with no success. It seems like a pretty common problem but I couldn't find any solution when searching the webs. Nothing wrong with the cables means it's probably something to do with the Pinnacle hardware. And there's no option within the software what I can see to change the fps value nor switch between PAL and NTSC.

[hech54]

Many USB devices only capture "what the software was installed as"....meaning that somewhere during the install you were asked which you wanted....PAL or NTSC.....from then on you are locked into your chosen format.

I got lucky with my Hauppauge USB device and the accompanying WinTV7 software. I no longer need to re-install the software to switch between PAL and NTSC. It's still a tiny bit of a pain in the ass but what once took half of an hour now takes a few minutes.

Are you using the S-Video cable direct from an S-Video socket to another S-Video socket.....or via an adapter of some sort?

[checker]

Many USB devices only capture "what the software was installed as"....meaning that somewhere during the install you were asked which you wanted....PAL or NTSC.....from then on you are locked into your chosen format.

I got lucky with my Hauppauge USB device and the accompanying WinTV7 software. I no longer need to re-install the software to switch between PAL and NTSC. It's still a tiny bit of a pain in the ass but what once took half of an hour now takes a few minutes.

Are you using the S-Video cable direct from an S-Video socket to another S-Video socket.....or via an adapter of some sort?

Sorry for late answer, the cable has a scart end that splits up into 2 RCA and 1 s-video cable intended to sit in the the Pinnacle jacks. Are you leaning towards the use of a separate s-video cable while using the scart cable for the audio or even replacing the scart cable with a 2-way forged Audio cable? Didn't think of the install settings, I will look further into that someday. Only been hearing good things about Hauppauge I might as well get one myself if the trouble remains

[hech54]

the cable has a scart end that splits up into 2 RCA and 1 s-video cable intended to sit in the the Pinnacle jacks. Are you leaning towards the use of a separate s-video cable while using the scart cable for the audio or even replacing the scart cable with a 2-way forged Audio cable? Didn't think of the install settings, I will look further into that someday. Only been hearing good things about Hauppauge I might as well get one myself if the trouble remains

Unless your VCR has a devoted S-Video connection....the odds of a SCART connection(on the VCR) outputting what is required for S-Video is 50/50. USUALLY unless the VCR is actually marked as S-VHS and has a dedicated S-Video connection....you are not going to get S-VHS or S-Video out of the SCART connection.
I have little doubt that the SCART cable you have is designed to carry S-Video/S-VHS signal since it has an S-Video cable/plug coming out of it.....it's the fact that your VCR SCART connection is not wired to output S-Video. So if you plan to keep on using that VCR....buying another capture device will not solve the problem.

[hech54]

Just think of this as the female SCART connection on the back of your VCR. Your SCART connection pins #s 13 and 15 have no connection to anything inside the VCR. If that is the case then you will never get an S-Video signal from that SCART connection.