Who makes the best USB2 capture card for under $100?

[Haopengyou]

I am hoping to convert about 300 commercially made vhs tapes - movies and documentaries - to dvd using my notebook pc. I have read NUMEROUS posts here that get really technical. I looked in the hardware section and most of the results have been zeroed out and are waiting for a new input of ideas. I will not be doing any kind of home recording at all, even recording off the tv. All I will be converting are tapes that I bought that had movies recorded on them commercially. It would be ideal if the recommendations include a tv tuner but I would be willing to buy that as a separate piece of hardware.

[lordsmurf]

Hauppauge PVR

But your quality will not be as best as possible, these devices only transfer, they don't improve the quality by filtering.

But that is the best USB2 device I can think of right now.

[olyteddy]

I haven't been tempted to even try a different card than my Hauppauge PVR USB2 that I've had for almost 4 years now. I might consider the newer model because of the QAM tuner...

[Haopengyou]

Thanks! Now...for part two...I also noticed that filtering can get reaaaallly technical and expensive also. Once it is transferred....is there a computer program that will improve the quality automatically - with minimal user intervention? What is the lowest price "box" that will do this? Hopefully also with a high degree of automation.

[lordsmurf]

Thanks! Now...for part two...I also noticed that filtering can get reaaaallly technical and expensive also. Once it is transferred....is there a computer program that will improve the quality automatically - with minimal user intervention? What is the lowest price "box" that will do this? Hopefully also with a high degree of automation.

No, no software -- filtering VHS must be done BEFORE it is digitally transferred, with a good VCR, TBC, etc -- a number of errors are permanent once digitized.

Read about better VCRs, TBCs, etc in the restoration sub-forum.

Also a lot of information at www.digitalFAQ.com on this topic, both in sites guides and in its forum.

[Haopengyou]

Thanks! That is enough to chew on for now.....but....as Arnold said...I'lll be back!