DV Camcorder OR Canopus ADVC100

[thebignewbie]

I'm going to convert my home VHS videos to DVD.

I have a JVC GR-DV500 camcorder (Its the cheap one)(not the 5000U) and it has A/V and S-video ports inputs. I don't think it has a pass-through function, so I would need to record to DV and then download through the firewire.

A lot of people recommend the Canopus ADVC100 for analog to digital conversion.


Question #1 Would using the Canopus be any better than my camcorder?


Question #2 Is there any other capture cards that are recommended
(better that using the camcorder) and is under $250?


Thanks for any and all input!!

[LNielsen76]

Try your camcorder first and if you don't like the quality then try an ATI card/Canopus ADVC-100.

The least expensive (though time consuming having to capture twice) is to use your DV Camcorder.

If it is worth your money to save time in having to capture only once then buy an ATI/Hauppage/Canopus PCI/Video Card.

You can also go with the ADVC-100 but might get better results with the ADVC-300 since it is also suggested to get a TBC. Buying the TBC and ADVC-100 individually is about $500 and buying the ALL-Inclusive ADVC-300 is only $350.

Your choice.

[troyvcd1]

If your camcorder has s video inputs and can output through firewire to your computer then it probably has pass through function.

[thebignewbie]

You are right it does have a pass through function if you take the tape out.
But is that just as good as the Canopus or is it "better in some way?

[redwudz]

Camera or ADVC-100 output will most likely be the same. The ADVC has the addition of Macrovision removal if you need it. I would try the camera first and see if it will do what you need.

[upshot]

it's really hard to know what the difference is between: advc-100, hr-dvs3u, and the DV cam pass through... I'm hard pressed to find a difference but I suppose it's just a matter of the quality of the chips utilized in each??

[Zetti]

Why going through a DV step from VHS to DVD ?

Why not just buy a regular analog capture card like millons available ?

Zetti

[thebignewbie]

Zetti,

https://www.videohelp.com/dvanalog#dv

"My personal experience was that the DV Cam's analog-to-digital conversion ranged from being somewhat better to much better than the three capture cards that I tried."

This link seems to think that DV cam analog-to-digital is the way to go.

But I'm very new to this and you may be right but as of now I have not found out Why.

What makes an analog capture card (I assume a PCI card is what you are referring to ) that much better?

Thank You

[Zetti]

Well, I have 3 capture devices :

ATI AIW 9000PRO AGP card

CANOPUS ADVC-100

PINNACLE PCTV Deluxe

100% of what I do is to convert VHS to DVD, I am a music lover and have lots of old VHS tapes;
VHS tapes are poor sources, it's worthyless to spend lots of money on ultra high quality devices if you won't be be able to enhance it any further - VHS is *JUST* 240 lines;

I have made many tests and 99% of the times I only do real-time MPEG2 captures using the AiW card with Ulead Video Studio 7 sw (I really *hate* ATI's MMC sw); it's not worthy to capture AVI first (using a CODEC that could affect the quality...) and then do a 2-pass VBR, theorically it's better but keep in mind that depending on the AVI codec you use, you'd lose quality;
It's OK to capture direct to MPEG2 if you don't plan to do any further "heavy" editing on the files, you can cut comercials and join useful parts, that's not "heavy" editing; make sure to set the editing sw to do not re-encode the files if you do things like just joining parts;

I can get better results with real time capture through Ulead + ATI card than even capturing analog uncompressed (!!) and TMPGEnc, have made tests already - but note : my sources are VHS.

So, why do I have a Canopus ADVC-100 ? For "special projects", things that need heavy editing, things that need to be captured as AVI first - I've had bad results using whatever AVI analog codecs, if I have to do AVI, I go to the DV way;

So, in my opinion, if you plan just to transfer you VHS tapes to DVD, an analog PCI or AGP card would be OK;

It's definitely worthy to spend $ 100 or so in Ulead Video Studio, other than that you'd end up in Vegas or PP, but that's another story....

Zetti