Damsel in distress

[vlakslee]

Okay I would like some help. I need some advice on a capture card. I have an ATI Raedon 9800 Pro graphics card that came with the computer and Creative SB Audigy2 sound card. 2G Ram, 3.2 Pentium processing power and 2 hard drives one at 120G and one with 320G. I have been looking at all kinds of capture cards, Hauppauge, ATI, among a few others and find that most come with TV tuners, which I don't need. I get to where I think I have made up my mind and I read a batch of bad reviews. What I am looking for is simply a PCI card that will capture SVideo in AVI format and that is it. Nothing fancy. I already have a good editing program , conversion program and authoring program; it's the capturing I haven't gotten rock solid yet. I am not interested in hookiing up to my TV or making a "Tivo" out of my computer. Just want to be able to get those pesky VHS tapes into the computer. Too much to ask? I have a Pinnacle Movie Box USB 2 right now but find it to be very buggy about capturing the video. Seems like it will only if it feels like it. I would like to be able to turn my Panasonic AG 1960 on, fire up capturing software and away I go. BTW, I do plan on having a TBC between the SVHS player and the capture card to smooth out the older VHS tapes. So has anyone got some specific cards that will fill the bill?

[MeekloBraca]

Whats a TBC?

And that Pinnacle box is crap. I took one back today. It wasnt so much buggy for me as overly complicated.

[Bodyslide]

TBC--

https://www.videohelp.com/glossary?all#Time%20Base%20Corrector

[pijetro]

I've got an ADS Pyro A/V..
For DV conversion, it's good enough for me..Added with your TBC, and your source should look great..

For a bit more money, you can go the Canopus route..It's been a proven workhorse..

Either way, you simply need a Firewire connection..I don't know how much your ATI card cost you, but too bad you couldn't opt with a simpler, yet functional card, and throw the savings into a dedicated converter..

Good luck!!!

[redwudz]

You might consider a Canopus video card or a standalone unit like the Canopus ADVC-110. You won't find many complaints about them. The external units transfer to the computer via Firewire in DV format. Easy to edit and locked audio sync. Good sync is important, just do a search on this site for sync problems.

And you can use the box with different computers for future use. There are also other similar brands for less cost.

I've had a ADVC-100 for more than 2 years and it has always worked flawlessly. It's outlasted several computers. Works on my Mac, too. I use it principally with old VHS tapes, converting them to DVDs.

EDIT: I see pijetro beat me too it.

[MeekloBraca]

Can you buy a TBC from any old radio shack/futureshop?

I wish i had a canopus 100.

[redwudz]

No. A DataVideo TBC-1000 is about $350US. I'm sure there are cheaper ones, but there are a lot of more expensive models out there.

[julitomg]

I don´t know about the moviebox(either USB or firewire), I haven´t read many good revews about them...but I´m very happy with my Pinnacle Studio Deluxe card, allows me to do just what you want to do. There´s a cheaper model without the breakout box and that captures audio trough the PC´s soundcard(at radioShak I found a small breakout A/V, including S-Video, so with a few dollars more you can make up for the inconvinience of reaching behind your CPU to make conections)

[edDV]

I have

ATI Raedon 9800 Pro graphics card
Creative SB Audigy2 sound card
2G Ram, 3.2 Pentium processing power
2 hard drives one at 120G and one with 320G.

Just want to be able to get those pesky VHS tapes into the computer. I would like to be able to turn my Panasonic AG 1960 on, fire up capturing software and away I go. BTW, I do plan on having a TBC between the SVHS player and the capture card to smooth out the older VHS tapes. So has anyone got some specific cards that will fill the bill?

Several ways to go. All have tradeoffs

1. DVD Recorder - easiest way to go unless heavy editing or filtering required.

2. Basic tuner card with Conexant capture chips - Good for uncompressed capture and editing. Next step is MPeg2 encoding followed by DVD Authoring. This way is best for using extensive "free" geekware but is very time consuming.

3. Capture with hardware MPeg2 encoder, edit MPeg2 then DVD author. This approach has less editing and filtering flexibility but is much faster to end result. Classic hardware solution is the Hauppauge PVR-250 or PVR-350 (Jury is still out on the newer PVR-150).

A blend of 2 and 3 is the ATI All-in Wonder that allows uncompressed or a combination hardware-software MPeg2 capture.

4. DV format capture with Canopus ADVC or similar boxes. Great for combining camcorder or pro material with analog captured material. Allows direct use with higher end editors like Premiere, Final Cut Pro, Vegas, AVID, etc. Disadvantages include high entry cost, steep learning curve and long MPeg2 software encoding times.

5. Pay someone else to do it.

I do some of 2, 3 and 4 now for VHS but am holding off for an ideal standalone DVD Recorder before going for volume transfer of the hundreds of VHS / SVHS tapes in my "wine cellar".

[mattso]

1. DVD Recorder - easiest way to go unless heavy editing or filtering required.

I do some of 2, 3 and 4 now for VHS but am holding off for an ideal standalone DVD Recorder before going for volume transfer of the hundreds of VHS / SVHS tapes in my "wine cellar".

I have a "wine cellar" too (only it stores BEER )... I agree, the time you save rattling off your precious VHS tapes to DVD format is WAY WAY beyond the worth of avisynth/software encoding/etc etc... Thoug this is only relevant if you have 100's of VHS. If you have just one or 2 worthy projects = AVISYNTH by all means. But people use avisynth primarily for VIDEO NOISE REDUCTION and then SHARPENING (for which, mind you, there are plenty variety of good filters, but takes HOURS to encode 1 movie).

I think the investment in hardware that can do this job, ie restoration, well and truly counterbalances the time spent doing it the PC/software way. I like the sound of the "Kalman filter" (noise/grain) & "Laplacian filter" (sharpening) in this M-filter device

Is there anything else like this out there? Perhaps cheaper?

[smearbrick1]

I use the ATI TV Wonder Pro card. It was not very expensive but provided excellent results.

Just ignore the TV tuner function and capture away!

Also, is it me or is having a TBC in between your SVHS and capturing device a bit redundant? Don't all SVHS machines have built in TBCs?

[isogonic]

i have used my hauppauge tvtuner card to capture vhs via ulead studio or pinnacle studio. i do think hauppauge makes just a capture card.

http://www.hauppauge.com/pages/products/data_impactvcb.html

[vlakslee]

Thanks loads for all the great advice.
For the Canopus users does this block copywritten material? That is the other creveat of the unit I upgrade to, that it allow me to capture the commericial VHS tapes I have.
And, yeah, I know about using various hardware solutions around that but would prefer that the capturing device not block it to begin with.
And as far as the Panasonic SVHS unit I have, if it has TBC in it is sure ain't working as several older tapes(in not pristine conditon) I caputred, started out from the get go out of sync.
Thanks again and this is the bestest place on the net I have found for adivce. All the folks using this site are very generous with sharing their knowledge. Sure helps newbies like me.

[davideck]

Also, is it me or is having a TBC in between your SVHS and capturing device a bit redundant? Don't all SVHS machines have built in TBCs?

Very few SVHS VCRs have built in TBCs, and the ones that do still fail to provide uninterrupted sync during dropout / blank tape regions. This causes A/V sync issues with many capture devices, so a Frame Synchronizer / TBC between the VCR and the capture device is often required.

[hiptune]

Also, is it me or is having a TBC in between your SVHS and capturing device a bit redundant? Don't all SVHS machines have built in TBCs?

The picture enhancement feature on good JVC decks among others is billed as a TBC, when in fact it is somehting else. This feature (not found on all SVHS machines) works wonders on good quality VHS tapes, and makes for sometimes a very smooth and sharp picture being captured. But must be used on only good material to begin with or it can quickly ruin an otherwise good (if grainy) picture. Second generation VHS tapes are often ruined by being copied with filters, and result is a really poor picture.

True TBC is like a DataVideo TBC-1000 unit, and makes frames lock in and helps picture in other ways.

If you are going the route # 4 then both the JVC (with picture fixer upper) and a real TBC unit are considered tops for transfers of good video to DVD-R.

I have a good Mitsubishi VCR from 91 or 92. My fourth unit. And when it dies I will spring for the JVC. I think it is the 9700 and above with the great picture. I'm not looking forword to spending more cash on VHS.

[MeekloBraca]

"1. DVD Recorder - easiest way to go unless heavy editing or filtering required. "

Well I want to fit 2.5 hour to 3.5 hour races onto 1 dvd. Will a DVD recorder do this? And at the very least, the same quality as the VHS tape?

[davideck]

The picture enhancement feature on good JVC decks among others is billed as a TBC, when in fact it is somehting else.

Something else...like what?

Are you referring to JVC's TBC/DNR system? It does an excellent job of timebase correction, noticeably improving chroma purity and luminance stability. Its timebase correction capability is much better than the DataVideo units. It also reinserts clean sync and burst, just like any other TBC.

Unfortunately, it does not provide uninterrupted sync at all times. If it did, then a DataVideo TBC would not be necessary.

[qlizard]

If you have a digital camcorder with pass-through ability, you could use it to capture in DV format like you would with the ADVC. No more money spent, and the quality is on par with other DV capture devices.

Also, don't expect a lot with the TBC "smoothing" out the video. It doesn't really do this. If you have sync problems it may correct them, but I find my stand-alone TBC rarely does anything for the picture. Most often noise reduction circuitry in the VCR does more to enhance the picture than anything else.

[hiptune]

[quote="davideck"]

Its timebase correction capability is much better than the DataVideo units. It also reinserts clean sync and burst, just like any other TBC.

Unfortunately, it does not provide uninterrupted sync at all times. If it did, then a DataVideo TBC would not be necessary.

What do you mean it reinserts clean sync, yet it does not provide uninterupted sync at all times?

Better than Datavideo tbc, yet can't replace it?

Don't answer **** face, you just want a fight. I ain't falling for your shit.

[davideck]

What do you mean it reinserts clean sync, yet it does not provide uninterupted sync at all times?

Better than Datavideo tbc, yet can't replace it?

In case you're interested;
https://www.videohelp.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=279530

The DataVideo TBCs are Full Frame TBCs that also provide a continuous Black Burst Sync reference output at all times. If the Video input is lost or discontinuous, then the Black Burst Sync reference timing remains unaffected. This behavior is desireable and eliminates many audio/video skew problems when capturing.

The internal JVC TBC does an excellent job of timebase correction. Unfortunately, it does not provide a continuous Black Burst Sync reference output. If the video off tape is lost or discontinuous, then the Black Burst Sync reference output will also be missing or discontinuous. That is why a DataVideo TBC is often advantageous in addition to using the internal JVC TBC.

I hope this helps...

[hiptune]

or this comment

...well they do fight like brothers...

Good info, davideck, I have no idea on the accuracy, but it sounds right.