Help! Hopeless fail with GV-UBS2, OBS-Studio, AmarecTV

[Desperate Ed]

Hi folks,

I know nothing about video. I bought the I-O DATA GV-USB2 video capture device, looks completely legit, via Ebay, to digitise long forgotten but now rediscovered and fascinating Video8 UK PAL recordings made with a '90s Sony Handycam.

I downloaded the driver using the serial number of the device. Then, being dragged down the wormhole, OBS-Studio, then AmarecTV but nowhere can I find a set of step by step instructions that even matches the setup screens I see for the current software versions, and everywhere I look on the internet I see different opinions. There seem to be as many 'must-do this / that' tips as there are people posting about it.

I must have tried at least 50 times, but whatever I try I'm unable to get either application to recognise the converter. The camcorder does play perfectly to the domestic TV despite only having a two-lead output with yellow and black connectors. I've connected these to the yellow and the white cables on the converter.

Can anybody help me with this, please? Even if it's just suggesting the sort of firm I need to go to in order to set the PITA thing up so it works, you shouldn't have to become an expert at every damned thing in the world before you kick the bucket!

Many thanks, Ed.

[Sharc]

You might find user @Alwyn's tutorials helpful:
https://www.aaproductions.net/amarectv.htm

[Alwyn]

I feel your pain! All is not lost though...

Check out my guide on the GV-USB2 here:

https://www.aaproductions.net/gvusb2.htm

In particular, down the bottom in the "Problems" section, is the procedure for allowing Windows access to your GV (aka "camera" and "microphone").

After that, check that Device Manager shows the GV in "Sound Video and Game Controllers".

Then you'll be off and running.

OBS will give you MP4 files which already compressed so not really suitable for further editing/processing and the occasional glitch; if you're inclined to do further work on your captures, use AmarecTV and a lossless codec such as UTVideo (mentioned in the guide).

[Desperate Ed]

Alwyn, thank you very much for your response, I'm really grateful for the help. On just a quick run through, your guide looks way more coherent than anything I've seen to date!

I hadn't spotted UTVideo - in almost complete ignorance I loaded Lagarith on the basis of an internet trawl - but it'll be great to crack this and I'm looking forward to having another shot at it later today.

Cheers, Ed.

[Alwyn]

Ed, nothing really wrong with Lagarith, there are sporadic posts floating around that it can be a bit dodgy very occasionally. It hasn't been updated for many years, whereas UT has been maintained.

[Desperate Ed]

Thanks Alwyn, using your guide I managed to get the PC to see the GV-USB2, which was great. I wonder whether I'm screwing up basic stuff like locations for the AmarecTV, UTVideo downloads. To open AmTV I double click on what I believe is the main application in the unzipped directory but in setup I'm not seeing expected choices like Composite / S-Video, the UTVideo codec doesn't show up and in any case I'm losing track of what settings I need for UK PAL!

After clearing the AmarecTV stuff out, I just tried downloading OBS-Studio again but again it doesn't see the converter.

I'm conscious that you've probably got more pressing priorities so it's OK if you can't assist further, and if you think I should just send the tapes off to a bureau just say so, though I would like to be able to edit out the rambling home movie crup from the stuff that's worth preserving.

Cheers, Ed.

[VWestlife]

Try using VirtualDub2 or AMCap.

[The_Doman]

To open AmTV I double click on what I believe is the main application in the unzipped directory but in setup I'm not seeing expected choices like Composite / S-Video, the UTVideo codec doesn't show up and in any case I'm losing track of what settings I need for UK PAL!

Start with the basics first to get a picture on your PC/AmarecTV from your camcorder.
When that works you can start with configuring the codecs.
And i still prefer to use Lagarith which just works fine for me.
You can possible also set the camcorder to camera mode to have a continuous video output for testing/diagnosing?
Or if you have another analog (Composite/S-Video) stable video source from a settopbox/DVD or what is possible available?
This makes it easier to test/configure without stressing the tape/camera/player
I always do this when testing/setting up new capture device.
Also, some capture devices need an active video signal to properly initialize.

There is nothing to clear out/uninstall with AmarecTV, it is just a portable zipped package.
Are you sure you used the correct archive/program?

[Attachment 94124 - Click to enlarge]

For PAL Composite you should have AmarecTV configured similar like this:

[Attachment 94123 - Click to enlarge]

Also when you start AmarecTV and get annoying errors:

AmarecTV is a disaster. I open the exe and it throws out error messages in unreadable text.

Probably this?
Just delete the auto_doubler.ini/auto_deint.ini

[Attachment 93637 - Click to enlarge]