Hauppauge WinTV 2Go capture card was Kworld DVD Maker USB 2.0

[Vampire74]

I have a Kworld DVD Maker USB 2.0. I am trying to capture old home movies on VHS. I have the device connected to my VCR with composite cables. Anytime I try to capture video it is extemely poor quality & not exactly what it should look like. When I play it on a regular TV it looks fine. There is also distortion on the very top of the video. I have tried different settings but it doesn't help.

Changed to Hauppauge WinTV 2Go capture card instead.

[redwudz]

Not sure about the quality problems, but the 'distortion' is common on VHS captures. It's caused by head switching 'noise' from the VCR. Usually it's covered up by the overscan on a regular TV, so you don't see it.

You might check one of your captures with Gspot 2.70 and take a look at the bitrate used by the capture device, along with the framesize. There may some adjustments possible there. This is assuming your VHS is a good quality video to start with.

Someone more familiar with the device may have some better ideas.

And welcome to our forums.

EDIT: Good point about 'Mac-land', RickA, I didn't notice that, though the software may work in a similar fashion.

[RickA]

Greets and welcome,

I used (still do at times) one of those before and it worked really well. Obviously, try to use Svideo connection if you can. Capture the vhs in 352x480, that is close to its digital equivalent. Any higher then that and it is overkill for the source - diminishing returns and all.

Oh, just noticed you are in Mac-land... odds are you may be using different software - can't help you there, sorry. I was going to tell you about my workflow and the software I used with your device. Not sure if that would be any help to you on a Mac. I only used the drivers, not the capture software that came with it. You did not say, so I was assuming you are planning to transfer the vhs to dvds.

The distortion you speak of can be common with some vcr tapes. Most of the time it is hidden by the overscan factor of the tv and not seen like it would be on a computer monitor. Sometimes a TBC will help on that. More so if it is a first generation tape problem and not copied onto a second gen tape that way. Then it is recorded into the image (instead of the original pic just being pulled to the side) so you have to live with it or crop.

Cheers,
Rick

[Vampire74]

Greets and welcome,

I used (still do at times) one of those before and it worked really well. Obviously, try to use Svideo connection if you can. Capture the vhs in 352x480, that is close to its digital equivalent. Any higher then that and it is overkill for the source - diminishing returns and all.

Oh, just noticed you are in Mac-land... odds are you may be using different software - can't help you there, sorry. I was going to tell you about my workflow and the software I used with your device. Not sure if that would be any help to you on a Mac. I only used the drivers, not the capture software that came with it. You did not say, so I was assuming you are planning to transfer the vhs to dvds.

The distortion you speak of can be common with some vcr tapes. Most of the time it is hidden by the overscan factor of the tv and not seen like it would be on a computer monitor. Sometimes a TBC will help on that. More so if it is a first generation tape problem and not copied onto a second gen tape that way. Then it is recorded into the image (instead of the original pic just being pulled to the side) so you have to live with it or crop.

Cheers,
Rick

Thanks for the advice. Well the Kworld device only works on PC so I am using that to transfer my old tapes. I will be using my Mac to actually create the DVD. I have both a PC & a Mac.
Do you have any advice on which format audio I should use?
I did one tape. The format was video: mpeg-2 640x480 4000kbps 29.97fps audio: mp2 44100Hz 224kbps
Quicktime didn't like that video format either.

[RickA]

@Vampire74, I sent you a PM better detailing my workflow process and the programs I use. Did not wish to clutter up the forums. Hope it helps.



@Redwudz, I just happen to notice that after typing a bunch and then edited it out because it might not have applied to Mac. Did not realize Kword device was PC only at the time. Have read a lot of good advice from you (and others) on here over the many months I have been perusing this site. I thank you for that.

Cheers,
Rick