Analog Capture Problems with Canopus ACEDVio Hardware! Loss of Quality

[tug_hill2]

Hello Forum Members,

First let me say that I've been capturing from analog sources(vhs & s-vhs) tapes. I had been using a Pinnacle DV500-Plus for 4 years until the card just stopped working. The card could not be repaired and couldn't buy new as it was no longer made.

Anyways... I bought a Canopus ACEDVio capture device, but sadly... the lack of quality of the capture soon became evident. When capturing from a vhs or s-vhs source with the Pinnacle Card, the capture always equaled the original, now... when I capture using the Canopus card, there is a visible loss of quality - maybe several generations removed.
All the connections are made with s-video inputs/outputs. I also use a SIMA ColorCorector to adjust color/contrast and brightness.

I've checked and replaced all of the video cables on the VHS and SVHS players. Still no improvement..! Could the card be dying ? ? ? ? Could the svhs player be wearing out ? ? ?

Can anyone recommend a better quality capture card ??? I'm willing to spend $400 to $600, or more if needed. I like to capture in uncompressed DV, then editing & rendering using Vegas 5.

I also want to replace the 6 year old Sharp s-vhs tape player with a JVC s-vhs player model hrs5902. Anyone know of a better s-vhs player ? ? ?

Thanks to all who reply...!

Doc_B

[edDV]

Are you using Vegas to capture? Is the Vegas project set to DV 720x480 lower field first interlace (480i)? Is the result any different if WinDV is used to capture and the file imported to Vegas?

Does the card perform better if connected to a cable box (S-Video or composite)?

There is a process of elimination to find the faulty point in the capture process. A portion of the card may be broken. First find out if the card performs well using a stable (not VHS) source.

[tug_hill2]

Hello Forum Members, I forgot to mention that I use Premier 6 to capture. It seed a bit better that capturing using Vegas.

Doc_B

[tug_hill2]

Ed DV wrote: Are you using Vegas to capture? Is the Vegas project set to DV 720x480 lower field first interlace (480i)? Is the result any different if WinDV is used to capture and the file imported to Vegas?

Does the card perform better if connected to a cable box (S-Video or composite)?

There is a process of elimination to find the faulty point in the process. A portion of the card may be broken.
************************************************** ************************

Hello Ed DV, and thanks for the reply. I first used Vegas to capture, but I discovered that I get better captures wuing Adobe Premier 6.0. I've never tried capturing dierctly from the Cable Box. Might be worth doing a test that way...!

My setup has a S-VHS tape plsyer and a Samsung World Wide Video tape player for my PAL videos. When using the World Wide Video Tape player for a PAL capture, the actual capture does EQUAL what I see on the monitor.

So... maybe the Sharp S-VHS player is dying.....!

Thanks again..!

Doc_B

[tug_hill2]

Hello ed DV, Forgot to mention that I've never ever used WINDV...! But I will look into doing so as a test...!

Doc_B

[edDV]

Hello Forum Members, I forgot to mention that I use Premier 6 to capture. It seed a bit better that capturing using Vegas.

Doc_B

Premiere 6 or 6.5?

Premiere 6 used hardware specific DV drivers. If I remember correctly, v6.5 was the first to use DirectShow for DV transfer.

Try WinDV for capture for test purposes. It's 100% DirectShow and will isolate the issues.

[edDV]

Ed DV wrote: Are you using Vegas to capture? Is the Vegas project set to DV 720x480 lower field first interlace (480i)? Is the result any different if WinDV is used to capture and the file imported to Vegas?

Does the card perform better if connected to a cable box (S-Video or composite)?

There is a process of elimination to find the faulty point in the process. A portion of the card may be broken.
************************************************** ************************

Hello Ed DV, and thanks for the reply. I first used Vegas to capture, but I discovered that I get better captures wuing Adobe Premier 6.0. I've never tried capturing dierctly from the Cable Box. Might be worth doing a test that way...!

My setup has a S-VHS tape plsyer and a Samsung World Wide Video tape player for my PAL videos. When using the World Wide Video Tape player for a PAL capture, the actual capture does EQUAL what I see on the monitor.

So... maybe the Sharp S-VHS player is dying.....!

Thanks again..!

Doc_B

There should be no quality difference capturing (transferring) DV format sources with Premiere v6.5 or later vs. Vegas.

I think you might be using Premiere 6 with a Pinnacle DV500 driver that will be non-standard with any other device. You need to be using DirectShow to handle DV transfers with the Canopus line of products.

WinDV will be a good test.

Also, are you capturing to PAL or NTSC project settings?

Also, what kind of IEEE-1394 port are you using? Motherboard or a PCI card?


PS: Standard Premiere 6.0 introduced DirectShow support. The IEEE-1394 interface needs to be OHCI compliant. Many supplied by Pinnacle weren't. If your Premiere was supplied by Pinnacle with special drivers for the DV500+ those may be the source of the problem. As I recall, there were many bug issues with v6.x until v6.5 fixed most of them.

[Fos]

from my point of view , canopus ACEDVio is very similar to advc 50 and 100. I have had both cards (pinnacle dvd 500 and advc 50) and comparing DV files of each card in VLC player (deinterlacing them) i could see easily Macroblocks playing the file captured with pinnacle dvd 500 card.

Also I realized that capturing with Scenelive soft using the pinnacle card , the macroblocks issue was even worse... and don't ask me why ,because i have no idea...

Pinnacle DV500 was the wost card that i had in terms of quality

[tug_hill2]

ed DV Wrote:
Premiere 6 used hardware specific DV drivers. If I remember correctly, v6.5 was the first to use DirectShow for DV transfer.

Try WinDV for capture for test purposes. It's 100% DirectShow and will isolate the issues.
************************************************** ***************************

Hello ed DV, Sorry for the delay as we are having ISP difficulties...

I am using plain old Adobe Premier 6.0. From your reply here, I better update to Premier 6.5 or better ?? What about Premier Pro ? ? ? ?

Thanks..........!

tug_hill2

[tug_hill2]

ed dv wrote:

Hello ed DV, Thanks for the reply...! See my comments below>>>>>>>>>>>

There should be no quality difference capturing (transferring) DV format sources with Premiere v6.5 or later vs. Vegas.

********* Correct, but I prefer the adobe software.

I think you might be using Premiere 6 with a Pinnacle DV500 driver that will be non-standard with any other device. You need to be using DirectShow to handle DV transfers with the Canopus line of products.

*************** You may be CORRECT on this...! Although I do recall removing the DV500 card and Premier software. Along with the Directories that they were in. But..! The driver would be in a systems directory..!

WinDV will be a good test.

********** I'm currently conducting some capture / render tests.

Also, are you capturing to PAL or NTSC project settings?

*********** All of my captures are in NTSC format as the Samsung WORLD vcr converts the output to NTSC.

Also, what kind of IEEE-1394 port are you using? Motherboard or a PCI card?

************* The ACEDVio is a PCI card


PS: Standard Premiere 6.0 introduced DirectShow support. The IEEE-1394 interface needs to be OHCI compliant. Many supplied by Pinnacle weren't. If your Premiere was supplied by Pinnacle with special drivers for the DV500+ those may be the source of the problem. As I recall, there were many bug issues with v6.x until v6.5 fixed most of them.

************** I do recall this in my DV500 days.... and YES, I'm using Premier 6 supplied by Pinnacle, but I don't think that it had special drivers as the DV500 software installed all the drivers. On the other hand........ each time I open the Adobe Premier 6.0 software a splash screen for the DV500 shows up..Hmmmmmmm....!

Thanks again......! Give me a few days to go through all of this info..! And I'll get back to this forum..
Thanks........

tug_hill2

[tug_hill2]

Fos wrote:

from my point of view , canopus ACEDVio is very similar to advc 50 and 100. I have had both cards (pinnacle dvd 500 and advc 50) and comparing DV files of each card in VLC player (deinterlacing them) i could see easily Macroblocks playing the file captured with pinnacle dvd 500 card.

Also I realized that capturing with Scenelive soft using the pinnacle card , the macroblocks issue was even worse... and don't ask me why ,because i have no idea...

************** Scenalyzer is the lowest end of capture software..! ! ! ! Although it did work good with the DV 500 card. It is NOT compatable with the Canopus card.

Pinnacle DV500 was the wost card that i had in terms of quality

********** It worked fine for me.. using a Sima color corrector.

Thanks for your reply...

tug_hill2

[edDV]

ed DV Wrote:
Premiere 6 used hardware specific DV drivers. If I remember correctly, v6.5 was the first to use DirectShow for DV transfer.

Try WinDV for capture for test purposes. It's 100% DirectShow and will isolate the issues.
************************************************** ***************************

Hello ed DV, Sorry for the delay as we are having ISP difficulties...

I am using plain old Adobe Premier 6.0. From your reply here, I better update to Premier 6.5 or better ?? What about Premier Pro ? ? ? ?

Thanks..........!

tug_hill2

Adobe Premiere started DirectX-DirectShow support with the Windows version 6 back around 2001. Problems weren't stabilized until version 6.5 which was the last of the non-Pro releases. I find v6.5 very stable on XP and Pentium 4.

Premiere Pro was a complete rewrite for DirectShow XP only (no more Macs). V2.0 is the current release. Be warned it is a heavy resource hog and you will need a fast machine.

[tug_hill2]

Hello edDV, I've worked some of the issues out. Additionally I installed the test version of Adobe Premier pro2, but I don't like it.. I'm currently searching for Premier 6.5.

I've replaced a few of the connector cables and have switched to s-vhs tapes and I am satisfied with the quality of the captures.

A Few issues reamain...! If I am using Premier 6, or Premier 2 Pro, or Vegas video, I see low quality captures on the preview screen. - BUT... the actual DV files are of GREAT quality..! Depending on the source..! That may have to do with the DV500 software & drivers still installed. I think I'll put up with it until I set up my new computer - just as soon as Windows Vista is available...!

So... Thanks for your help on this..!

tug_hill2