My VHS player does not have a s-video output...

[Executioner]

I just got my Hauppauge WinTV capture card, and it comes with a s-video input, audio line in, tv cable connection, and audio line out. I noticed on my 2 VHS players, they don't have a s-video out. They only have the standard RCA type connectors. How do I go about getting the VHS player to output into my capture card since I can't use the s-video cable?

[Gargoyle]

Just use the cable output of your VCR and the cable input of your capture card - but you'll have to set the channel selector of the capture card to the output channel of your VCR (channel 3 or 4).

[ViperXT]

or use a composite to s-video convertor.

[Executioner]

OK thanks. That worked.

In VirtualDub, I used the channel selector to change it to channel #3, but it always defaults to channel #4. Is there any way to make channel #3 the default?

What is a composite to s-video converter? Does it take the RCA output jacks and with the use of this composite s-video converter, allow me to use s-video input on the capture card?

[ViperXT]

The convertor simply upsamples the composite signal to s-video. It would look better than the RF connection you are currently using.

[ViperXT]

The hookup will look like this:

VCR -----composite cable-----convertor-----s-video cable---tv card

[tjdmobile]

And depending if there are any around your area - Radio shack sells the coverter for $20. It is reversable, so it is also an Svideo to Composite converter.

[Executioner]

Alright. Thanks for all the info.

but what is a composite cable, and can I get one at Radio Shack?

[patrickm]

95% of those converters are really poor at going from composite to s-video, they're really meant to go the other way. with an inline adapter, you can go to s-video, but they're usually kinda soft looking.

also, i find it odd that it only has s-video in. are you sure it's not a 8-pin din breakout connector that has a plug to give you both s-video and composite?

i just checked their website and didnt' see any cards with s-video only...

http://www.hauppauge.com/html/products.htm#pci

[Executioner]

patrickm,
It's not a PCI card. It's a USB card, and it has the folloing input/outputs:
TV (tv antenna or cable connection)
Audio Line Out (1/8" mini jack - connects to sound card lineIn jack)
Video In: s-video input with composite adapter (mine did not come with this adapter)
Audio Line In: (audio input 1/8" minijack)

I know I'm going to be limited on the resolution with the USB, but it was very cheap, and I just wanted to check out capturing. I was able to take one of my VHS tapes over to VCD, but the quality was not very good. If I keep the AVI file, it's not that bad, but then I don't have the VCD standard for play back. So I guess if I wanted to go further with this capturing, I probably need to get a good capture card like the Dazzle Hollywood DV-Bridge (http://www.dazzle.com/products/hw_bridge.html)

[patrickm]

(the link had the usb versions farther down)

anyhow, i'd just write to/call hauppage and ask them to send you an adapter. you could test out the s-video <-> composite adapter, it's about $15.

www.partsexpress.com also has some that are about $5 each, and probably of better quality.