What DVC are you using for VHS -> DVD?

[sickdimension]

What's good and what's not for backing up VHS to DVD? I don't want anything too expensive, but what do you recommend? Dazzle? This will help me out a lot, thanks!

[lordsmurf]

Matrox RTmac

[SIMPLE_THINGS]

What's good and what's not for backing up VHS to DVD? I don't want anything too expensive, but what do you recommend? Dazzle? This will help me out a lot, thanks!

Canopus rocks!!! 8)

I use a Canopus ADVC-50 (the Pci version of Advc-100) and I'm really happy! Very good quality, audio & video everytime in-sync (also on loooong movies!), and zero problems on 1 year of daily use are the quality...

[AntnyMD]

I use the ADS Instant DVD product for Mac. It costs about US$250, but I think it's worth it, especially for quick VHS -> DVD captures. There have been mixed reviews of the product here in this forum, and I took all of them into consideration when buying the product. I couldn't be happier with a purchase.

It comes with software to edit your MPEGs ... it edits on I frames so theres no loss of sync. It can capture in CVD, SVCD and DVD resolutions, both NTSC and PAL. The maximum bitrate I believe is 6Mbps. I use it with a PowerBook G4 667, originally with 256mb of RAM (bumped up to 1gb for Panther last week). Using the software couldnt be easier, which is great because the documentation that's in the box is crap. Even though it is a USB 1.1 device, since you are capturing into MPEG2 directly, USB1.1 bandwith is more than sufficient. You also save time capturing directly to MPEG2 -- no additional software conversion is needed (unless you capture at the highest bitrate possible, when I do this, I use DVD2OneX to crunch before burning to DVD).

It comes with software to build DVDs, but I find it to be as user unfriendly as MediaPipe. Besides, I prefer DVD Studio Pro 2 for authoring DVDs ... I just gotta learn how to do menus, I'm always screwing them up.

For the amount of material I've captured from digital cable that's just so unpopular (but loved by me!), plus all of the VHS material I've had gathering dust waiting for the right solution, this device has already paid for itself in: time saved, rediscovery of my small but eclectic VHS library, and having neat little gems from television that would never see the light of day on DVD. That, plus I can capture to SVCD resolution, switch over into VirtualPC to mux and author discs with interactivity (namely entrypoints), and really enjoy SVCDs that play!

Sure, software encoders give you more control over settings, quantizer settings (some, not all), and other things ... but this was the best $250 I've spent since I bought this PowerBook.


[Extra :: Last night I went poking around in the PixeDV .app package and found an interesting component that defeats the box's response to Macrovision. When you launch the file Decoder.ROM, Macrovision in video sources is ignored.]

[ps2daddy]

I use VCR to mindv camcorder then firewire to imovie.
You can get minidvd cameras for under $400 now the most inexpensive worth buying I have seen was about $268 after rebates

Here is one for $335 shipped
http://accessories.us.dell.com/sna/ProductDetail.aspx?category_id=578&keyword=&mnf=&pr...=19&iCompatid=

I found this add on
www.techbargains.com

They have lots of inexpensive camera stuff and tons of other deals everyday

[sickdimension]

Is the ADS Instant DVD for the Mac the same as the one for the PC? Is it the exact same product, just download different drivers? or is there 2 different Instant DVDs, one for each system.

[AntnyMD]

There are two versions. The PC version requires the audio to be captured into a audio-only capture card, while the video comes in via USB. This caused synchronization issues. The Mac version has audio and video capture within the unit itself, so your final MPEG capture is an in-sync muxed stream (with no headers).

The other difference between the Mac and PC versions is the Mac version costs more.

[sickdimension]

hey lordsmurf, that Matrox RTmac has some sort of card that installs in the computer. i have an eMac, can i put it in? i have never taken this thing apart, and didnt even realize it can be taken apart.

[inspector77]

I have instant dvd for mac and makes great job with vhs to dvd, i think its the easy way for made dvds from analog source...

regards

[lordsmurf]

hey lordsmurf, that Matrox RTmac has some sort of card that installs in the computer. i have an eMac, can i put it in? i have never taken this thing apart, and didnt even realize it can be taken apart.

My friend has his in a G4 tower.

[pixeljammedia]

Simply stated, no you cannot place a PCI card into the eMac. Check out the eMac's specs in the Apple spec database here: http://www.info.apple.com/support/applespec.html and make sure to choose your specific model. None of the models has a PCI slot, but you'll notice that there is one with an ATI Radeon 7500 card built in. This would be your only possibility, in case that model was running the 7500 out of a PCI slot (not very likely, chances are if it is swappable it is an AGP port) and that the 7500 can even be removed. (also doubtful as these all-in-ones tend to connect internally in their own annoying ways) So sorry, you are out of luck with the RTMac, but be happy in knowing that there have been MANY complaints about the RTMac drivers in OS X and not having the RTMac in your mac is saving you a headache (booting into 9 everytime you want to use it, no Real time effect rendering in FCP 4 etc.) There are many solutions out there, seriously consider the DV Camcorder as DV bridge solution, and get some high quality composite cables instead of buying this card.

-Ryan

[MichaelLAX]

[Extra :: Last night I went poking around in the PixeDV .app package and found an interesting component that defeats the box's response to Macrovision. When you launch the file Decoder.ROM, Macrovision in video sources is ignored.]

I also use the ADS Tech Instant DVD for Mac and highly recommend it.

I also use it to convert those 12" Laserdiscs in my collection to DVDs that are still unreleased on DVD.

I use to use it to convert DirecTiVo content to DVDs, but now I picked up a ReplayTV for that purpose. Since ReplayTV has a built-in Ethernet jack, I use DVArchive to move the MPEG-2 file right into the Mac and use the software included with the ADS package (PixeDV for editing and CaptyDVD for authoring and burning) to create quick DVDs of content from DirecTV. The price of the ADS package is worth the software alone in this instance.

Thanks for the Macrovision tip; I'll check it out, but I have few needs to use the ADS box with Macro'd content.

[sickdimension]

does anyone have one that they want to sell?

[MichaelLAX]

some guy is selling them new on ebay for $175 (Buy It Now for $199). I wish I had paid that little! I was an early purchased and paid close to list price!

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2762885842

[sickdimension]

ya, i saw that, and i will probably get that if i can't get anything cheaper.
i was wondering if any of you guys are selling your used ones for cheaper; maybe you just needed to backup your vhs movies or something, but if you wanna sell it, lemme know.