Looking for a good (freeware) video capture software

[technicality1]

[QUOTE=DB83;2466040]Well you are having one bad day after another

As for installing a USB item, experience has taught me that you MUST follow the instructions to the letter. Many make the mistake of plugging the item in and then installing the drivers whereas the instructions dictate that drivers are installed BEFORE the device is plugged in. The device then looks for the drivers to load them accordingly. I am not suggesting that this is the case here but it has happened in the past. And a Win7 installation is invariably a little different to a XP one.[/QU

I uninstalled the VCAP301 driver by inserting the CD into the drive (ensuring the device was unplugged from the USB port). I then clicked on Install and selected "Uninstall driver" from the menu. During the uninstallation I did get a message appear which seem to warn me about proceeding with uninstalling of the driver. I clicked OK and the uninstallation of the driver continued. Once the process was completed, I then removed the CD from the drive. After a reboot I then loaded up the disc again and installed the driver, making sure the device wasn't connected to the USB port on my laptop. After re-booting, I then connected the Climaxdigital USB device (scart to composite) to the USB port and launched Virtualdub.

Next I switched on the VHS recorder, and in VD I selected File, CaptureAVI, then clicked on "Video source". Despite this, no video source was detected. Even when selecting Preview under Video still nothing happens.

I've heard people experience problems with the driver stating that if displays "EMP Device driver" in the device manager, then that's a indication that the driver needs updating. In this case, however, the drivers appear to be OK.

Any idea what could be causing this?.

[usually_quiet]

Thanks for that, but I don't think downloading it from Debut's site will make any difference.

Downloading the free version rather than a demo could make a difference. Demo software often stops working after the trial expires.

I also went to http://www.nchsoftware.com/capture/ and downloaded via the the link in "Get it Free. A free version of Debut video capture software is available for non-commercial use only. If you will be using Debut at home you can download the free version here." When I installed the software, "(Unlicensed) Non-commercial use only" appears at the top of the window. It is not a demo.

[technicality1]

I have uninstalled Debut and downloaded the unregistered, free version. From initial start-up all seemed fine, however, despite the VCR being switched on and the device connected, the video preview window wasn't displaying anything other than horizontal lines. I clicked on Video under Debut options, clicked Capture Device and selected Composite under Input. I also made sure the USB 2861 Device was selected under "Name". I also selected 720X576 25fps YUV under "Format", then clicked OK. After a long pause and nothing happening, I then went back into Debut options settings under Video, and immediately a message appeared saying, "no valid capture device can be found".

[usually_quiet]

I have uninstalled Debut and downloaded the unregistered, free version. From initial start-up all seemed fine, however, despite the VCR being switched on and the device connected, the video preview window wasn't displaying anything other than horizontal lines. I clicked on Video under Debut options, clicked Capture Device and selected Composite under Input. I also made sure the USB 2861 Device was selected under "Name". I also selected 720X576 25fps YUV under "Format", then clicked OK. After a long pause and nothing happening, I then went back into Debut options settings under Video, and immediately a message appeared saying, "no valid capture device can be found".

It looks like part of your problem is that you don't know how to use Debut. [Edit]Sorry I misunderstood what you meant by "Video under Debut options". You meant the Video tab on the Options window. That is exactly where you need to be to set up the device. [End Edit]

I just tested the free version Debut here in NTSC Land with a different USB-stick type capture device. I have an internal TV tuner card installed as well, so I had to both select the USB capture device and set it up. I used the "Options" page from Tools->Options, not "Video Options". "Video Options" doesn't provide the settings needed to configure the capture device.

I don't have a VCR handy, so I used a DTV to analog converter box as the video and audio source. I have a picture. Audio from the capture device is not supported. I have to use the PC's microphone or line-in instead.

[usually_quiet]

I then went back into Debut options settings under Video, and immediately a message appeared saying, "no valid capture device can be found".

I was able to produce the same error message. It appeared after a few unsuccessful attempts to set up Debut to capture audio from my PC's microphone jack, each of which crashed my PC instead. (Yikes! That never happened before with any capture software I've tried with my capture stick.)

Somehow crashing mysteriously changed the video system setting for my capture device from NTSC-M to PAL-B. Once I changed it back to NTSC-M, the "no valid capture device can be found" message disappeared. Changing video system to PAL-I caused the "no valid capture device can be found" message to reappear.

Go to Tools->Options->Video Tab->Device Settings (to the right of the device name). Click on "Change Device Settings". On the Video Decoder tab, set Video to PAL-I and click "OK". See if that fixes your problem. If it does, then you missed something important during setup after all.

[technicality1]

Go to Tools->Options->Video Tab->Device Settings (to the right of the device name). Click on "Change Device Settings". On the Video Decoder tab, set Video to PAL-I and click "OK". See if that fixes your problem. If it does, then you missed something important during setup after all.[/QUOTE]

Thanks for that, but I did exactly that, set Video from PAL-B to PAL-I, and after clicking OK then clicking on the Device icon, it still displays the "No valid capture device could be found" message. So what could be causing the problem?. Maybe the device just isn't compatible with the version of Windows I'm using (which is Windows 7 on my newer laptop), but then again the message appeared on my older Windows XP laptop as well. Up to a few months ago Debut seemed to be working fine, but then it suddenly wouldn't allow me to use the Device capture tab located at the top of the screen. Maybe that's a limited function of the free version.

[DB83]

^^ Once again, despite your resistance, have you attempted a capture with the designated 'free version' rather than the version you previously used ?

Now, if I read your capture device correctly, it uses the same driver as an Ezcap116 so there is no obvious reason why it should not work with Win7 - assuming you did download the correct driver (the support page does show various models)

[DB83]

Well Debut Software is quirky in the extreme.

Having little better to do (not true but need some justification) I installed my Canopus ADVC and hauppauge usb device. Made sure that the ADVC was working via WinDV.

Then installed the free version of Debut. The ADVC showed a picture but when I ran the usb from the VCR I got, yeah you guessed right, "No valid capture device"

However, when selecting 'Webcam' as the input the vcr picture appeared.

So just to be sure I am not losing my marbles I also ran virtualdub and got a picture from the device. Re-ran Debut and under device I got a picture. But if I tried to make any settings everything was greyed out and then I got that self-same error message. Of course this could be a Hauppauge issue. But debut software does not give me much confidence either.

[usually_quiet]

Thanks for that, but I did exactly that, set Video from PAL-B to PAL-I, and after clicking OK then clicking on the Device icon, it still displays the "No valid capture device could be found" message. So what could be causing the problem?. Maybe the device just isn't compatible with the version of Windows I'm using (which is Windows 7 on my newer laptop), but then again the message appeared on my older Windows XP laptop as well. Up to a few months ago Debut seemed to be working fine, but then it suddenly wouldn't allow me to use the Device capture tab located at the top of the screen. Maybe that's a limited function of the free version.

The problem is not related to using Windows 7. I was using Windows 7 64-bit. I had no trouble using the capture tab.

...but I don't think I can help any further regarding device setup in Debut. I have uninstalled Debut, and I won't install it again. My PC has a problem with the software for one reason or another. I turned the PC on the day after I installed it, signed in, and the computer BSODed. The error was "BAD_POOL_HEADER". I rebooted, and the same thing happened again. The BSODs stopped after uninstalling Debut.

[DB83]

^^ Maybe un-related but when I was installing the debut software I was also doing various web-stream captures. When I ran the software first time all the captures terminated.

But having ran it atleast twice since then and still capturing web-streams those captures are continuing. Probably just a coincidence.

But it is still little use for me if, like the OP, my capture device is not supported. That the software thinks the device is a webcam just does not add up.

[pippas]

This may or not be applicable to the OP's system?-- but anyway.... I use an EZCap116 which uses the Empia 2861 chipset. I think the OPs capture device uses the same (or similar) chipset.

I have been capturing using an earlier free version of Debut (v1.94)..... works fine. (Actually better than Virtualdub because it doesn't lose audio sync)

I upgraded to the latest version (3.07) and the dreaded 'cannot find a valid capture device' error comes up....

Rolled back to v1.94... works fine again.....

Just saying...

[usually_quiet]

^^ Maybe un-related but when I was installing the debut software I was also doing various web-stream captures. When I ran the software first time all the captures terminated.

But having ran it atleast twice since then and still capturing web-streams those captures are continuing. Probably just a coincidence.

But it is still little use for me if, like the OP, my capture device is not supported. That the software thinks the device is a webcam just does not add up.

A Canopus ADVC has a FireWire interface, so seeing it as a camera of some kind makes a little sense. ...but I think Debut is simply a badly written piece of software. There are other alternatives, although each will have some quirks.

I have experimented with a lot of different programs for video capture at one time or another: AmaRecTV, Virtualdub, DScaler, MPCHC, VLC, Pot Player, Cyberlink PowerDirector, Arcsoft ShowBiz, GraphStudio and more. GraphStudio was the most versatile, but it is not beginner friendly at all. AmaRecTV was probably the best of the somewhat beginner-friendly, free one that I tried.

[DB83]

This may or not be applicable to the OP's system?-- but anyway.... I use an EZCap116 which uses the Empia 2861 chipset. I think the OPs capture device uses the same (or similar) chipset.

I have been capturing using an earlier free version of Debut (v1.94)..... works fine. (Actually better than Virtualdub because it doesn't lose audio sync)

I upgraded to the latest version (3.07) and the dreaded 'cannot find a valid capture device' error comes up....

Rolled back to v1.94... works fine again.....

Just saying...

That might be the answer even tho it is an older version. I just sourced that version on the www and after unistalling the new one the old version does work with the usb device.

It seems to combine the webcam to the capture device but I can now, not that I want to, make changes to the settings. The program did detect a PAL-B source.

[technicality1]

I have re-tried VDub again, and I have managed to get the device working with the program. What I didn't realise was that I hadn't selected the "Device" icon at the top and selected the name of the capture device. I thought you needed to click on Video and then select "Video source". Once I selected the Device tab the screen displayed the inputted video from the player. I still have an issue with the display which, for some reason, is cropping the video area. Often when I have finished recording the screen area corrects itself. I haven't found any settings which allow you to change the aspect ratio.

[pippas]

The earlier version of Debut doesn't work for you then?....

[technicality1]

Is there a link you could point me to please for the earlier version of Debut?.

[pippas]

Try here: http://filehippo.com/download_debut_video_capture/changelog/57135/

[pippas]

It seems to combine the webcam to the capture device but I can now, not that I want to, make changes to the settings.......

Yes I find I can change the settings in 'Network'...if I select the capture device... bit it seems a bit odd.

Seems to work more 'correctly', as it were, if you select 'Options' and change settings from there...

[DB83]

Having 'played' with that version 1.94 I have even been able there to get that 'no valid...' error message.

It happens if when you try to change to a broadcast system that the VCR does not support but does also occur when I go back to the one I know it does. But unplugging the device and restarting the program solves it.

But I have other issues with this usb device which I obtained for PAL-60 tapes. But that is for another topic.

[DB83]

As for 1.94 the version I downloaded turns out to be a demo. Did not say yesterday but now I am told that some functions of it will not work.

On to Hauppauge's own s/w for the other topic.

[usually_quiet]

I have re-tried VDub again, and I have managed to get the device working with the program. What I didn't realise was that I hadn't selected the "Device" icon at the top and selected the name of the capture device. I thought you needed to click on Video and then select "Video source". Once I selected the Device tab the screen displayed the inputted video from the player. I still have an issue with the display which, for some reason, is cropping the video area. Often when I have finished recording the screen area corrects itself. I haven't found any settings which allow you to change the aspect ratio.

Check the resolution you are using for capture. The resolution capture software selects by default is often not an appropriate choice.

[pippas]

As for 1.94 the version I downloaded turns out to be a demo.....

The 1.94 version I have here is described as a 'basic free version'.

As you say, some features seem to only be available if you upgrade to the 'pro' version, but the demo does not seem to be time limited (I've had it on this machine her for about 2 years) - and it allows me to capture from my EZcap 116 as I wish.

I use Grass valley HQX as a capture codec... good quality intraframe capture (As good as or better than DV) - no dropped frames and reasonable file sizes. I do use an old Panasonicc DVD recorder as a TBC, and use the S video output from that to input to the EZcap.

I also capture audio directly to the line input on my sound card (the AC97 audio circuitry on the EZcap is not that good, IMHO).

Where the Debut capture has proved to be better than Virtualdub is with audio sync. Although Virtualdub allows' in sync' preview, it records with what seems to be a number of different 'offset' times, and I've not been able to adjust any of the settings within Virtualdub to automatically correct that. (That maybe something I've missed of course...)

The quality of the captures seem to be as good as those from my Canopus ADVC50 ( and with no DV artifacts, some folk would say better!)

It seems as if we all have slightly different ways of optimising our individual set ups - understandably - but I've found Debut v1.94 quite useful as capture software..

[TimA-C]

I tried Amertec TV, but when I go to capture the video it says I need a codec, and directs me to a site.

In the 'Recording' tab you need to select 'Other Codec' and click on the 'Update Codec List' button. This should show any compatible codecs you've got installed on your computer (e.g. HuffYUV, Lagarith, UT Video etc.) in the list box. Select your preferred codec (I use Lagarith as it gives lossless with slightly smaller files than HuffYUV or UT Video but is slightly more CPU intensive. I leave the audio as 'Uncompressed' and generally encode to ac3 as my ageing surround sound prefers it over aac or mpeg2.)

I'm using a Hauppauge USB2 Live on 64-bit Windows 10 (64-bit Win 7 before upgrading) and generally either encoding to Mpeg2 via Avisynth and HCEnc (Well, HC Batch GUI) or to interlaced Mkv using Vidcoder or Ripbot264 or XMedia Recode after editing in VirtualDub.

[pippas]

In the 'Recording' tab you need to select 'Other Codec' and click on the 'Update Codec List' button. This should show any compatible codecs you've got installed on your computer ....

I didn't realise that you could use Amarec with other codecs....I've now tried it out using my regular capture codec - Grass Valley HQX. Seems to work pretty well... thanks for the tip...

[TimA-C]

In the 'Recording' tab you need to select 'Other Codec' and click on the 'Update Codec List' button. This should show any compatible codecs you've got installed on your computer ....

I didn't realise that you could use Amarec with other codecs....I've now tried it out using my regular capture codec - Grass Valley HQX. Seems to work pretty well... thanks for the tip...

I fell into the same trap when I first looked at Amarec after seeing it mentioned here. It was only after spending far too much time trying to sort out audio sync problems when capturing with Vdub that I had another look and realised my mistake. Thank you, Pippas, for mentioning Grass-Valley-HQX as I'd never heard of that. Also, thank you for mentioning Debut as I'd never heard of that one either. I had a quick look at the version of Debut that you recommended but then stupidly thought I'd try the latest version - D'Oh! Had to uninstall and roll-back to an earlier restore point to get Amarec working again (defaulted to NTSC rather than PAL, and wouldn't allow a change) so I didn't have much time to play with either Debut or Grass Valley HQX. My only issue with Amarec is that with my setup I can't change the audio recording levels, it looked like I could with Debut, so I will be having another look at it when I have the time.

[pippas]

I've found Grass Valley HQX very useful. (There is more information about it here: http://www.grassvalley.com/products/hqx_codec if you're interested. )

Using my EZcap 116 I found that I could not capture using either uncompressed - or even Lagrith - without some frame drops and of course really big files sizes.
I find that - for 720 x 576 capture anyway - using HQX with 'Online standard' settings allows me to capture without any frame drops, and with files sizes somewhat smaller than DV . These are of course intraframe captures - so easy to edit - and I find the quality very good.
As it's a free download, you could give it a try without any finanacial risk...

Regarding audio. I wasn't very pleased with the audio quality I got from connecting directly to the EZcap audio RCA connectors. That then uses the internal AC97 audio devices to provide audio via the USB link and - in my setup anyway - didn't produce very good audio capture results.
So now I connect directly to my sound card line input, and I can adjust the levels with Amarec by enabling the 'Pin Line Input Mix' from the Audio Device Settings, and adjusting that slider.
Certainly the Amarec software seems to have solved the audio sync problems I have when using Virtualdub, so thanks again for the mention of the option to use alternative codecs...
So far, I think I prefer it to Debut.....

[TimA-C]

I don't get bad sound from the Hauppauge USB Live 2 - even manage to keep quite a lot of the dolby surround info (if there is any) - just don't seem to be able to adjust the level. I'll have another try with your suggestion but I think I've already been down that route. Anyway, thanks for the tip and have a good weekend.

[JVRaines]

My only issue with Amarec is that with my setup I can't change the audio recording levels, it looked like I could with Debut, so I will be having another look at it when I have the time.

Go to Config/Graph 1/Audio Control Panel. Select your device on the Recording tab and choose Properties. There is a slider on the Levels tab.

[TimA-C]

I'll have a look at that, JV, but I'm sure I've tried all this some time ago. Thanks for the tip anyway. I'll let you know if I have any joy.

[TimA-C]

My only issue with Amarec is that with my setup I can't change the audio recording levels, it looked like I could with Debut, so I will be having another look at it when I have the time.

Go to Config/Graph 1/Audio Control Panel. Select your device on the Recording tab and choose Properties. There is a slider on the Levels tab.

Nope! No Joy. It doesn't matter whether I've selected 'Analog Audio In (Hauppauge USB-Live2)' or 'Hauppauge Cx23100 Audio Capture' as my audio capture device. No biggie.