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  1. Member
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    Hello,

    I purchased a Hauppauge ImpactVCB-e and installed PCI Express on my Dell XPS 8300 to capture from Panasonic NV-HD675B VCR.

    VCR has 2 SCARTS and audio out only on the machine

    Capture card has 1 S-VIDEO and COMPOSITE yellow along with audio 3.5 jack


    So I have a Belkin SCART adaptor, with a good quality S-VIDEO cable connected from the VCR to the Hauppauge S-VIDEO slot.

    Sadly, despite drivers reinstalled (which show fine in Device Manager) 4 different (and brand new) S-VIDEO cables of varying price and a different adaptor, the S-VIDEO always outputs black and white via capture software (tried Hauppage Capture and VirtualDub2)

    It does however play in full colour via SCART to SCART on the TV (connected with a SCART to S-VIDEO cable plugged in to the adaptor in the back of the VCR).

    Why is the PC and capture card not picking up colour?

    There picture is slighty lined and noisy during playback, fairly clear, but always black and white.

    Help appreciated.
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  2. Use an adapter like this
    Image
    [Attachment 64598 - Click to enlarge]

    and connect it to the VCR Scart output.
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    Originally Posted by ProWo View Post
    Use an adapter like this
    Image
    [Attachment 64598 - Click to enlarge]

    and connect it to the VCR Scart output.
    Hello, I am using one - this (the Belkin SCART adaptor) is what I'm using in the back of the VCR:

    Image
    [Attachment 64599 - Click to enlarge]
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  4. Member DB83's Avatar
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    1. Switch capture software input source settings to composite (with appropiate rca cables from vcr to device). Colour now ?

    2. Any VCR that supports s-video should have a bespoke s-video connector and would be marketed as S-VHS. S-Video is not AFAIK relayed over Scart
    Last edited by DB83; 1st May 2022 at 13:52. Reason: clarity
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    1/ Switch capture software input source settings to composite (with appropiate rca cables from vcr to device). Colour now ?

    Yes. Composite is in full colour. Audio fine via the 3.5 jack connected to red /white AUDIO OUT on VCR.



    2/ Any VCR that supports s-video should have a bespoke s-video connector and would be marketed as S-VHS. S-Video is not AFAIK relayed over Scart

    There's no bespoke S-VIDEO on the Panasonic VCR - however, with 2 SCART adaptors each side (as above) - one in VCR and one in the TV - running an S-VIDEO CABLE from both works in full colour also.
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  6. Member DB83's Avatar
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    Ok. But I guess that the tv is just reading the RGB from the scart(s) and the s-video cable is practically doing nothing
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    NV-HD675 is not S-VHS!!!
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  8. That VCR won't have S-Video out, only composite, so you would have to the composite output on the adapter. Only svhs decks do (and some vhs/dvd-recorder combos though those give the digitized output). One of the wires for scart is shared between s-video and composite, so scart adapter on both ends with a s-video will still work-ish.
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  9. The non-"B" model does not show S-Video connector, which fits the type of the machine: it is not an SVHS VCR.

    It is interesting that whatever the Belkin converter does is picked up by a TV but not by a capture card. In any case, there is no reason to do it, because the VCR does not output S-Video at the first place.
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    Thanks, mine is the B model. I had a faint feeling it does play S-VHS? Not fully sure.

    Forgive me, first time capturing from VHS to PC.

    So unless there's a bespoke S-VIDEO in/out port on the VCR, no chance at all of colour into an S-VIDEO PC capture input port?
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  11. Originally Posted by lagger View Post
    Thanks, mine is the B model. I had a faint feeling it does play S-VHS? Not fully sure.
    Nowhere in the user manual it says that it is an SVHS VCR or that it can play SVHS. Back in the day they used a special abbreviation for this functionality: SQPB, although my 2007 machine does not have this moniker yet has a fine-print in the operating manual that it can play SVHS with VHS quality. SQPB or not, if it is not a "proper" SVHS machine, all you get is composite. Even worse, my machine is dual VHS/DVD, it has S-Video output, but it is for DVD only.

    The user manual for your machine does not mention S-Video. It does mention RGB, but says that RGB signals "are looped through only from an external source unit, i.e. they are not from tape playback".

    Originally Posted by lagger View Post

    So unless there's a bespoke S-VIDEO in/out port on the VCR, no chance at all of colour into an S-VIDEO PC capture input port?
    Non-SVHS machines have composite output only. As oln recognized above, what happens in your successful setup, is that composite is being carried over SVideo cable. This picture shows how it would work. But your Hauppauge card has composite input, so not everything is lost

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    Thanks, I appreciate everyone replying to this! And the detailed diagram @ConsumerDV.

    I feel it might be a task to track down an SVHS with s-video VCR output, and also wonder if the VHS digitalisation will really be worth the effort compared to that achieved via PCI composite capture.
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  13. Capturing Memories dellsam34's Avatar
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    Yes, there is a minor improvement for VHS tapes played back on S-VHS machines in a form of slightly sharper images, less chroma noise and other artifacts, slightly vivid colors.
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  14. Originally Posted by ConsumerDV View Post
    Originally Posted by lagger View Post
    Thanks, mine is the B model. I had a faint feeling it does play S-VHS? Not fully sure.
    Nowhere in the user manual it says that it is an SVHS VCR or that it can play SVHS.
    The B model does not no. There multi-system HD675 does seem to have that feature but that's not the one you have (though one really wants a proper SVHS deck for SVHS recordings anyhow to get the full quality.)

    Panasonic models can be a bit confusing in this manner as they tended to use the same name/number for both the standard European variants and the oceania/non-japan asia/middle east/international multi-system variants that were often from the next generation and often differed a bit in features (besides just the addition of native NTSC playback). So, you have to look at the letter prefix to be sure what version it is.

    As far as I know, the single B prefix was used for the UK (and possibly Ireland) models, which had the tuner and other stuff setup for the standards used there and often lacked MESECAM which the central Europe (EC, EG etc) variants had. Otherwise they're normally the same as the variant sold in the rest of Europe.

    Also for some reason, most Panasonic models sold in US/Canada are very different to the ones sold elsewhere, including many having unique mechanisms.
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  15. Member Skiller's Avatar
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    European S-VHS decks can output S-Video over Scart if selected by a switch or in the menu. This would be in addition to an S-Video Mini-DIN socket.
    However, regular VHS decks – including the few ones with S-VHS playback ability – do not output S-Video at all.

    If there is no S-Video Mini-DIN connector to be found anywhere, you can be (Edit: almost) sure there is no S-Video over Scart option as well.
    Last edited by Skiller; 2nd May 2022 at 16:27.
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  16. Originally Posted by Skiller View Post
    If there is no S-Video Mini-DIN connector to be found anywhere, you can be sure there is no S-Video over Scart option as well.
    Interesting. So, European models always would have SVideo socket in addition to SCART? Was it a requirement by whoever was controlling SVideo standard (JVC?). What was the point of having a single connector then (SCART), I guess this is a rhetorical question.
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  17. Not always, several of the cheaper 2000s late model SVHS decks only had SCART (with selectable s-video/composite out) and no separate s-video connector (example). There won't be s-video over scart unless it's a SVHS deck though (or in some cases on dvd-recorder/vcr combo decks where everything is sent via the internal digitizer, connected via composite internally.)

    I'm working on a short video going over SCART on vcrs and what it means/doesn't mean since it can be a bit confusing.
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    I may be able to get hold of a JVC HR-S6855 here in the UK.

    It has S-VIDEO on the front Click image for larger version

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    This on the rear:

    Any advice on this one?
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  19. Member DB83's Avatar
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    The front s-video will be for input.

    You could always do what we have to do and RTFM


    Here is the relevant page:


    https://www.manualslib.com/manual/84251/Jvc-Hr-S6855ek.html?page=9#manual
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    Originally Posted by DB83 View Post
    The front s-video will be for input.

    You could always do what we have to do and RTFM


    Here is the relevant page:


    https://www.manualslib.com/manual/84251/Jvc-Hr-S6855ek.html?page=9#manual

    I was assuming based on the conversation above - and the fact this is SVHS - that the SCART may output colour via my Belkin in/out scart adaptor and S-VIDEO cable TO S-VIDEO?
    (Ref: https://www.manualslib.com/manual/84251/Jvc-Hr-S6855ek.html?page=50#manual)
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  21. Yep, looks like it should work. Man, they wanted to simplify it, but only made it more complicated. Select this if your device support this, or select that if your device supports that. At least with dedicated cables you can just yank out a cable to make sure it is not being used.
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  22. Member DB83's Avatar
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    Here is the other relevant page:

    https://www.manualslib.com/manual/84251/Jvc-Hr-S6855ek.html?page=50#manual


    One would expect that an adapter that has a s-video socket can output s-video if the vcr sends Y/C as it appears here
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  23. Member Skiller's Avatar
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    Originally Posted by oln View Post
    Not always, several of the cheaper 2000s late model SVHS decks only had SCART (with selectable s-video/composite out) and no separate s-video connector (example).
    I stand corrected. An example of a unit that is an actual S-VHS machine (plays and records S-VHS), does not have the Mini-DIN connector, yet it does S-Video over Scart if enabled in the menu.
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    Originally Posted by Skiller View Post
    Originally Posted by oln View Post
    Not always, several of the cheaper 2000s late model SVHS decks only had SCART (with selectable s-video/composite out) and no separate s-video connector (example).
    I stand corrected. An example of a unit that is an actual S-VHS machine (plays and records S-VHS), does not have the Mini-DIN connector, yet it does S-Video over Scart if enabled in the menu.
    I was thinking something was wrong with the s-vhs cable I just bought but then came across this discussion. I'm just starting to try to archive some old vhs tapes. I got a Hauppage USB-Live 2 and it has settings for PAL, NTSC and Pal 60. I plugged in the svhs cable but it only put out black and white no matter what setting I used. I then tried composite video and it came out color in Pal. I have these two decks I picked up. Panasonic nv-hv61 Akai vs-j718. It's connected via Scart. There's no svhs port but the scart adapter I got has one.Like I said, at first I thought the cable was bad. Unfortunately I don't have anything with a dedicated svhs port to test it on. Should I just assume these 2 vhs decks, with their scart connections, won't put color out on svhs. I do find it confusing that they put out any video at all at all but they do, but it's just b+w. Cheers.
    Last edited by hpcampr; 5th Aug 2023 at 17:20.
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  25. I'm having a similar black and white issue with my HVR-1250 card. The card only has an S-video input, and a composite adapter needs to be used to feed it a composite signal. Using the Video4Linux (v4l2) library, I'm able to capture color S-video feeds on the card, but composite feeds using the adapter are in black and white with a sharp-but-funny-looking filter. Using the WinTV7 software the came with the card, I get the same black and white feed on the "S-video" channel, but a color feed on the "Composite" channel.

    I suspect the issue in Linux is that the firmware (cx23885) for card doesn't support all its features, as I've looked through all the v4l-utils options, but nothing has turned up. I'm going to try and capture a composite feed with the various VirtualDub versions later today to see if they support some Window's DirectShow (dshow) drivers that are fully featured.

    I'd suggest trying to use the ImpactVCB-e card with earlier Hauppauge software to see if you have different "S-video" and "Composite" channels that you can tune into. OBS might be a good tool for checking too, as it supports the dshow options labeled as "capture pin" or "crossbar", which alter the card's video inputs. You can also play with the ImpactVCB-e drivers, and see if new options appear in VirtualDub and the Hauppauge Capture softwares.

    Update:

    I was tooling around in VirtualDub2 and found under the Video drop down menu there was a Video Input menu with multiple S-video and composite input options, and one of the composite inputs gave me a color capture. The ImpactVCB-e and HVR-1250 use a similar CX2388x chip, so poking around with the DirectShow input options may be fruitful.

    I also looked for a 3D comb filter toggle option in VirtualDub/Device Manager, but I didn't see anything in the driver options. If anyone knows if this is an option for CX2388x chips, please let me know.
    Last edited by mazeltovless; 10th Aug 2023 at 12:33. Reason: Update and typos
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    This Hauppauge lets me capture in PAL60 but I'm more focused on why the s-vhs put's out anything at all out. I only have the one cable which is new but cheap and I wonder if I should get another or if there's no chance the s-vhs will put out color.
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    Apologies in advance as this has absolutely nothing to do with your post. I noticed you said you were using a Hauppauge capture device along with the Hauppauge Capture software. I have the HD PVR 2 Gaming Edition Plus…how do you like Hauppauge? I’m having issues with mine. Not sure if it’s my PC or the capture device. I’m trying to troubleshoot today.

    Originally Posted by lagger View Post
    Hello,

    I purchased a Hauppauge ImpactVCB-e and installed PCI Express on my Dell XPS 8300 to capture from Panasonic NV-HD675B VCR.

    VCR has 2 SCARTS and audio out only on the machine

    Capture card has 1 S-VIDEO and COMPOSITE yellow along with audio 3.5 jack


    So I have a Belkin SCART adaptor, with a good quality S-VIDEO cable connected from the VCR to the Hauppauge S-VIDEO slot.

    Sadly, despite drivers reinstalled (which show fine in Device Manager) 4 different (and brand new) S-VIDEO cables of varying price and a different adaptor, the S-VIDEO always outputs black and white via capture software (tried Hauppage Capture and VirtualDub2)

    It does however play in full colour via SCART to SCART on the TV (connected with a SCART to S-VIDEO cable plugged in to the adaptor in the back of the VCR).

    Why is the PC and capture card not picking up colour?

    There picture is slighty lined and noisy during playback, fairly clear, but always black and white.

    Help appreciated.
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    Originally Posted by Muusicman
    Apologies in advance as this has absolutely nothing to do with your post.
    I don't want to sound narkey, but please don't hijack threads. Topics on this are hard enough to follow with thread drift without deliberately doing it. I'm sure the OP would respond to a PM since you want personal feedback. Or start another topic on your card for us all to see in the contents and respond to.
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