ATI TV Wonder 200 and nVidia GeForce FX 5200

[Comatose_dreams]

OKay. I've spent over a month now trying to get my VHS collection backed up onto DVD. Now...I bought the nVidia card when I started. I was told it could do it. However, all my commercial videos wont copy, there is a white rwectangle that shows up on the screen, covering 75-80% of the captured video. Since then, I've found it seems to be Macrovision. Okay, no big deal. Then I was told by a guy at Best Buy that if I bought the TV Wonder 200, which he did, I could rip thwe videos with no problem. He had nothing else but his VCR. I said okay, spent another $64-65 and took ti home. Uninstalled everything with nVidia, cleaned up every file, reinstalled just the graphics drivers, then the TV Wonder drivers. Now...I don't even see a video. I see a green screen with a sliver of the video ont he top. I've tried using the coax cable, and nothing. I've tried the RCA cables. Nothing. I made sure that I had the correct drivers, and the most up to date ones. I'm lost and getting very unhappy. Any suggestions? I'm about to go to RadioShack and see what I can get there. I am just trying not to spend any more money.
Do I still need one of those stabilizers/decoders that go between thew capture device and the VCR to defeat MV? Like the DVDRed I found nto too long ago?

==EDIT===

I guess...34 views and no help means I need to clarify this a bit.

I am using a Sanyo VHS player Model VWM-900
I am using a ATI TV Wonder 200 to capture
I am using a nVidia GeForce FX 5200 Personal Cinema from eVGA as my primary display adapter
I would be using DivX 6 codec, but can't get to encoding
I would be using a test capture of 320x240
For getting it all into a n avi I would be using either InterVideo's WinDVR, Catalysts Media Center, or VirtualVCR.

The whole big problem comes from the issue of getting a green block, that covers all but 10% of the top. If I unplug the video cable from the ATI box that came witht he capature card and plug it back in, the green box turns into the frame of video playing ovr and over again. I've been to many forums and reading many posts, and it all began with a white box covering most of the screen when I review my captured file (which is why I believe it to be Macrovision) Someone told me alot of the ATI cards can ignore macrovision, but why am I in a worser boat than before? Should I taker this capture card back or keep it? Any help would eb appreciated, even if it is just a few links to other posts or websites...I can read. I just need a good push.

[spydermonkey]

i have the same problem your having...if you figure it out plz let me know... also have problems when i try to just play the tapes...freezes on one screen shot and is jumpy. and get the green screen when trying to record.

[Krispy Kritter]

Just a few thoughts.

Try a different VCR as the source. The problem could be the result of how your VCR is handling the MV.

I've read conflicting information concerning MV and both ATI/nvidia capture abilities. I haven't kept up to date lately, but it seems there was a hack for older versions of MMC to disable MV blocking. I believe newer versions of MMC support MV and you can't disable it.

The solution would be a VCR that doesn't forward or ignores the MV.

I've also read that a few of the "signal processing" boxes can eliminate the MV signal. These are typically used when dubbing from VCR to VCR and are used to clean up the signal. I don't remember their specific name...I'm having one of those brain fart days.

Also, just my 2cents, but you are spending a lot of time, effort, and money to put a low res VCR image onto DVD.

[edsmith77]

In the for what its worth category, ATI obeys the MV encoding. I accomplished the same tasks that you are doing by using the Happauge 250 PVR USB without any problems at all. And the quality of the captures were exceptional. I am most pleased with this product.

Ed

[Comatose_dreams]

Sorry about the late post. Thank you for the suggestions. Edsmith77, I was going to try the Happauge this coming payday. So...we'll see. Krispy Kritter, I am trying to preserve some old videos that have a) never been republished on DVD, or b) are/were so obscure, noone has it on DVD. I've tried looking for some of these things on eBay and the like, but nothing

I'll post again if Happauge makes all my worries go away

[Bjs]

This problem is due to the way the software works with the driver for the device ... as it has picked up the macro signal , you get this white problem .

To fix this you need to run an older version of the drivers that did not contain this new feature ... with later cards , it is becoming harder to do this .

Your simplest way is to invest in a "video stabilizer" , which should prevent the macrovision signal from reaching the system ... also handy for tapes that are in poor condition , as they tend to drop signal on output , which can cause problems for the capture device .

[lordsmurf]

You need a timebase corrector. Playing around with "stabilizers" (see the RESTORATION forum!) and other cards will never solve the problem 100%. What you need is a timebase correcter. The AVT-8710 is $200 at B&H (www.bhphotovideo.com).

That's the real solution to your troubles.