newbie wants to scan his vhs tapes

[jmonty55]

Hey… new to this whole VHS to computer transfer thing and luckily, I came across this site. What a great resource. I have a bunch of family VHS tapes and miniDv tapes. I want to get them converted to digital. My buddy said he did it and it was easy. He used a product from amazon called elgato video capture. (a usb dongle with software) It looks like there a lot of this kind of product… roxio vhs to dvd, etc. After searching this site someone recommended the Hauppauge USB-Live2.

Here's my equipment:
Mac mini (new M1 version)
Where I work, an ad agency, has Panasonic ap-1980 VCR player that I can use.
My MiniDV camera is a JVC DVL 9800

So, my questions are:
Since the Hauppauge is Widows only, that’s out. So. is one USB product better than another? Are these USB devices a good way to go? This seems pretty simple. Is there something else I’m missing? I want to get good quality and I not adverse to spending more it the solution is superior.

Your suggestions and help are truly appreciated.
JM

[Whatdoiknow]

Could you get access to a DVD recorder, then copy from VHS or mini DV to DVD then copy to your PC?

[Barrythecrab]

For the VHS tapes get a used Windows 7 laptop for short money and go to town with a Hauppauge or Diamond VC-500.
Has anyone looked at that AG-1980 for maintenance or functionality? If the 1980 has issues there is a fellow here, Deter, who is the MASTER of that machine and all it's innards.
Going from a VHS in an AG-1980 to a DVD recorder is a sin worthy of the perpetrator being taken out to the back alley and taught a proper workflow, but what do I know?

[lollo]

is one USB product better than another?

Yes, the recommended devices are Hauppauge USB Live-2, GV I/O USB, ATI 600 USB, Pinnacle 710, few others. The first two work without problems with Windows 10.

Are these USB devices a good way to go? This seems pretty simple.

Yes. Alternative procedures use a A/D conversion with some DVD-R device and a capture of its HDMI output, or a capture through a SDI path (or just a not USB internal card).
IMO the first is not better than the USB approach; on the second I have not experience, it may help in some cases using a capture device with internal TBC which avoid additional A/D conversion compared to using an external frameTBC. User latreche34 can help here.

Is there something else I’m missing?

Consider that every element in the capture is important, but the priority is the VCR (better be S-VHS with lineTBC) and that most of the quality depends on the conditions of the tapes.

[rlsharp]

You could try Lifeflix, they have a free trial.

[nicholasserra]

If you already have the miniDV cam, you can use that as a passthrough, if it supports it. Then just capture via firewire to ScenalyzerLive or WinDV. I tend to recommend that to folks who may not want to go down the rabbit hole of complexity with USB capture cards, as it's way more involved and is harder to troubleshoot.

Otherwise if you want to go USB, the previously mentioned cards are good.

[Skiller]

Unfortunately, the JVC DVL 9800 MiniDV camcorder does not have any analog inputs.