ADS Pyro A/V Link

[pbanders]

An additional update - I've encoded about 10 hours of material since I got this thing earlier this week, and unlike many devices I've bought, where the initial glow wears off quickly as you uncover problems, the glow just keeps getting brighter. No A/V synch issues at all, no dropped frames, excellent video quality, no need to touch the unit at all, no need to restart it, etc. Amazing reduction in time spent futzing with capture and transcoding.

I expect the same would be true of any other DV encoder (e.g. ADVC-100, DataView, etc.). DV encoders should be the "best known method" for capture without reservation.

[Roundabout]

I read a little about the REV C unit, this is copied from the ADS forum, although it's not very conclusive about which is which, or whether the REV B model is better to have in the US and the REV C is better for PAL - hell, I don't know what they are doing except confusing everyone with so many different revisions and no information on their website about what's what. I still haven't even hooked mine up yet (until sometime after the first of the year I won't be able to try it). On the Creative Cow site, this guy "John Price" (who seems to be the know-it-all on the ADS units) says it is possible to change the IRE from 7.5 to 0 internally - though he says you have to e-mail him to get the info on how to do it (and he notes that 0 IRE is for Japan only, is this correct? I don't know).
Here's some of the text from the forum posts about REV C, etc.




johnpr98 DV
The Watcher
Posts: 4161
(11/25/03 1:46 pm)
Reply
ezSupporter

Re: ADS AV-Link
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I don't think that A/V-Link rev. B. works with PAL
Where did you buy it?

You said the below without answering my previous query
So I am sure, ADS is the wrong product and/or not tested with european standards.

I strongly suspect that you purchased this rev B in an NTSC country. Rev A & C both work with PAL

ADS would probably have exchanged the unit for you

btw Canopus & Pinnacle stopped supplying PAL support to NTSC video cards a few years back to prevent users buying cheaper UK compatible equipment in the USA, the rev B issue was a hardware problem, as rev B wasn't sold in PAL countries AFAIK you shouldn't have had the problem. (I recall this been reported by CV mag 1989ish).

Regards

John
johnpr98
My Camcorder & Computer specs

rolpri
Registered User
Posts: 3
(11/25/03 5:02 pm)
Reply ADS A/V-Link
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Hi Johnpr,

I suspect, you didn't got my mail answering your questions. Therefore, some infos again:

I bought the Pyro AV from INGRAM in Germany, so not from a NTSC-Country.

The box works well with analog-signals from a PAL-Camera, from a PAL DVD-Player und from a PAL VTR, why should it not work with PAL-signals from antenna or satellite receiver?

The only difference - as I know - is that public broadcast in Germany contains videotext-informations, all the other signal-sources do not.

btw.: The switch on the back of the box is switched to PAL, of course!

Perhaps you have some ideas?

Regards Rolpri

johnpr98 DV
The Watcher
Posts: 4162
(11/25/03 8:29 pm)
Reply
ezSupporter

Re: ADS A/V-Link
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Ok from the horses mouth with a slight & not important edit(Mike Mccoy)


Quote:
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ADS never shipped any Rev. B PYRO A/V Links to any PAL country.
There was an issue capturing PAL video with the Rev. B units(Edit). This was a combination of firmware and a slight hardware change.

The change to Texas Instruments for the 1394 connection chip (called the Physical layer chip) was just in an attempt to keep all of our 1394 products TI and also to ensure the broadest compatibility. All Rev. C units and actually some Rev. B units shipping in the US have TI 1394 connection IC's.
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If you had a revision b it must have been a one off?

I am posting this thread to ADS for their attention.

Regards
johnpr98
My Camcorder & Computer specs

johnpr98 DV
The Watcher
Posts: 4183
(12/4/03 7:25 am)
Reply
ezSupporter

Re: ADS A/V-Link
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
rolpri

Please contact Ireland for a swap to Revision C

Regards
johnpr98



Maybe we should all switch our units for REV C units? What do you guys think of all of this? Or should the REV B be the best one here in the US and the REV C be the one to use in Europe? I don't think the yoyo's at ADS know what they are talking about - they told me the REV B works better in PAL than REV A. I'm lost

Roundabout

[FulciLives]

Well who the hell is John Price? Does he work for ADS?

If not he is mostly likely the one who is all screwed up!

- John "FulciLives" Coleman

[Roundabout]

I have no idea if he works for ADS or not - I don't see anything about him anywhere, he just seems to answer stuff on the Creative Cow and ADS forum...here's his picture from the Creative Cow forum:

[pauln119]

I tried to buy this for $110 at Circuit City a couple of weeks ago locally, but it rang up as $199, so I just skipped it and bought it from Amazon for about $170 - not as good a deal but still cheaper than anything locally. Lucky for me it was a Rev B. and had included UL Video Studio 7.0 SE. So far it works just fine with no audio sync problems. I converted a few old analog tapes to DVD without any problems. I did compare it to a cheapie AverMedia DVD EZmaker PCI analog capture card and captured to dvd mpeg2 and with my amateur eyes, I could't tell the difference in quality. Overall, I'm very pleased with both devices.

[FulciLives]

The CANOPUS ADVC-100 and DataVideo DAC-100 are damn similiar to each other and also very similiar to the ADS PYRO A/V Link.

However it is well known that the Canopus ADVC-100 can capture B/W video whereas the DataVideo DAC-100 cannot.

So can someone with the ADS PYRO A/V Link test some B/W captures. Best thing would be to do it from a pre-record VHS or LD or even DVD of a B/W film rather than from a TV channel which might have a colored LOGO on it (though I don't know if that would really "trick" it into capturing if it couldn't do B/W but who knows?)

Would be nice to know 100% if it can or cannot capture in B/W

I mean I know that sounds a bit "crazy" that you wouldn't be able to capture in B/W but look at the Canopus and DataVideo units. Nearly identical yet one can and one cannot.

- John "FulciLives" Coleman

P.S.
I think John Price is TGPO in disguise. We should have a poll on it!

[Tommyknocker]

Would be nice to know 100% if it can or cannot capture in B/W

This is a commercial VHS DV capture (Lilies of the Field (1963), United Artists)

[FulciLives]

Thanks for that confirmation TommyKnocker

Good to know it CAN capture/convert B/W video.

- John "FulciLives" Coleman

[Tommyknocker]

My pleasure.

[tgpo]

I think John Price is TGPO in disguise. We should have a poll on it!

Maybe it is me in disguise

[tonyk]

For what it's worth -

http://www.dvd-gear.com/video-capture.htm has the ADS Pyro A/V Link for $149 if you can't get it at your local Circuit City (cheapest on-line price I've seen, listed as $249-$100 instant rebate).

Circuit City's website would not match the price mentioned at the beginning of this thread, since the lower price was a special closeout or something.

--Tony K.

[Bondiablo]

However it is well known that the Canopus ADVC-100 can capture B/W video whereas the DataVideo DAC-100 cannot.

Turns out that MIGHT not be entirely accurate. It may only apply to truly B&W sources, hardware that only outputs B&W. Here's the quote from the DataVideo site.

Q: Can the DAC-100 convert Black & White video from a CCTV camera?

A: The DAC-100 is unable to convert a Black & White video signal because it
needs "color burst in the video stream". If you need to convert video
from a Black & White camera, please take a look at our DAC-2 converter
which can convert a black and white signal.

[Roundabout]

For what it's worth -

http://www.dvd-gear.com/video-capture.htm has the ADS Pyro A/V Link for $149 if you can't get it at your local Circuit City (cheapest on-line price I've seen, listed as $249-$100 instant rebate).

Circuit City's website would not match the price mentioned at the beginning of this thread, since the lower price was a special closeout or something.

--Tony K.

I wonder why CC would suddenly decide that this isn't a closeout now? Strange that they have something supposedly that's clearanced and now it's a current model with a new higher price. I remember that the salesman I talked to at ADS wasn't too happy about CC selling this for that price ($110.96), which he claimed was below their cost (the tech said that the salesman was getting on the phone to CC after I had talked to him about the closeout pricing and find out why they were selling it so cheap). I had asked the salesman if this was a current model and why it was being sold out cheaply - he said it is a current model, not discontinued, and it should have been normal list price. Maybe as a result of what I told ADS that CC raised the price back up? If so, sorry about that - I didn't know they were selling it for less than they were supposed to.

[FulciLives]

Maybe they weren't selling well so CC just decided to unload them and then changed their minds?

Or maybe they were making room the newer rev c version or the newer package with the newer verison of VS ... didn't people say the closeouts had VS 6 but new packages had VS 7 or something like that.

Also as to what Bondiablo said ...
The DAC2 is a totally different model than the DataVideo DAC-100 and much more expensive too if I recall.

However it would seem (in theory) that a B/W image on TV/cable/VHS or DVD etc. would not be 100% B/W and still be captured? Is that what you are alluding too?

- John "FulciLives" Coleman

[tonyk]

Unfortunately, I deleted the e-mail from Circuit City - I had sent it to the CC web site's customer service fafter I couldn't find any of the Ads Pyro a/v units in my area, and the price on the web site was $199.99. Naturally I asked if they'd match the $110 price, and the basic answer was "No." The remainder of their answer wasn't too interesting to me...

Of course I'm guessing, but as FulciLives states, it does seem reasonable that Circuit City was getting rid of the older revision "A" units that included VideoStudio 6, and replacing them with the newer revision "B" units which include VideoStudio 7 - i.e. a year-end closeout. Since the product number is the same, maybe some of you just got lucky!

--Tony K.

[Bondiablo]

Also as to what Bondiablo said ...
The DAC2 is a totally different model than the DataVideo DAC-100 and much more expensive too if I recall.

However it would seem (in theory) that a B/W image on TV/cable/VHS or DVD etc. would not be 100% B/W and still be captured? Is that what you are alluding too?

Yes, I know the DAC-2 is a different unit but the Q&A I was quoting was for the DAC-100 and I think that's where the whole can't capture B&W thing came from but it appears they were talking specifically about B&W cameras so I'm wondering if that would apply to video equipment that is capable of outputting color but just happens to be playing B&W footage.

[Bondiablo]

Okay, I asked DataVideo about this and here was their reply. I should probably try and find that ADVC vs DAC thread and post this there as well.

I apologize in advance for probably giving you more information that you want.

It will do fine with a B&W scene in a color movie.
It will do fine with something that has been broadcast.
It will do fine with DVD's.
VHS/SVHS - depends on whether they have color burst (sorry to be a nit picker here).
If they are commercial VHS, chances are they do.
If they are security VHS tapes, chances are they do not.

I guess you can deduce from this reply that we also sell DAC's to security people who want to edit their tapes.

[Roundabout]

Of course I'm guessing, but as FulciLives states, it does seem reasonable that Circuit City was getting rid of the older revision "A" units that included VideoStudio 6, and replacing them with the newer revision "B" units which include VideoStudio 7 - i.e. a year-end closeout. Since the product number is the same, maybe some of you just got lucky!

I think that's a reasonable guess and that's probably exactly what happened. I'm glad now that I went back and got a REV B unit at least, and it had VS7 inside so I don't have to deal with ADS on getting it exchanged. Now if we could only figure out what the deal is with REV C units...

[pbanders]

I just checked mine again - yep, rev. C. Just bought it from buy.com two weeks ago. Came with VS7 SE, nothing in the doc to indicate any differences. Works fine, I'm in the US, it's set to NTSC.

[dstrege8]

I've found all of these posts to be most interesting, as I have recently purchased (2 days ago) the Pyro A/V Link. I was aware of the Rev B, which I did get (with a blue sticker on bottom). However, I only got the Software version 6.0 of video Studio.

I'm going to try the method of calling ADS and see if I can get the newer version of the software. I also had to pay $199 at Circuit City, which really irritates me when I read how much lower others have found it.

Are there any recent comments on either the price, the revision issues, or just the product?

I'm having a problem with capturing from a VHS player into Premiere. It seems to capture fine for about 15 minutes and then Pyro just stops; software locks up; etc. That's all I get.

Anyone know if it is ADS Pyro related or perhaps software? Premiere should be able to handle it. It saw the device immediately and had no problems starting the capture. I have over 150GB free on my UDMA hard drive that I'm capturing to.

Any and all comments would be appreciated.

David

[Roundabout]

For anyone that is looking to buy this unit, I found this is still available today for this price (also as noted by Tonyk on 12/17) so unless you're in a big hurry to get it maybe this is a better deal than CC:



Find it at: http://www.dvd-gear.com/pyro-av-link.htm

There are a couple of forums that you can ask about problems with the A/V Link unit, try all of these:

http://www.creativecow.net/index.php?forumid=22

http://www.dmnforums.com/cgi-bin/disp.fcgi?dire=4&prog=displaywwugindex.fcgi&endday=30...forum=ads-tech

http://pub9.ezboard.com/bpyro1394

[johnpr98]

Who am I

I sometimes wonder

A 3 years out of date summary is here
http://www.creativecow.net/leaders/price_john/price_john.html

Regards All

[Tommyknocker]

Who am I

I sometimes wonder

A 3 years out of date summary is here
http://www.creativecow.net/leaders/price_john/price_john.html

Regards All

Dear John:
Wow, what a salutation . Anyway, welcome to the forum. I already know who you are, as I have frequented your forums already when I bought my Pyro A/V Link. Anyway, I have a couple of questions:

1. My A/V Link works okay in Video Studio 7 Full Version, but when capturing in DV, VS7 shows my driver as "unknown-1". Should I downgrade to VS7 LE to make the driver read the correct unit?

2. VS7 does not display dropped frames like VS6 does. With the likelihood of AV Link droppping frames when a CPU is over taxed, was this a smart move? How are we to know if it is dropping frames if it is no longer displayed?.

[johnpr98]

Hi

I'm not going to make a habit of answering questions here as I spend to much time on the internet as it is

1. VS Full should be fine, reinstalling Direct X may have a better effect, or move the 1394 card to another slot to force a reinstall of MS 1394 device control. My Capture device with the A/V Link is Unknown-MSDV, If it works why repair it?

2. Theres an 'HerCap.ini' fix to show captured & dropped frames in VS7

Search
Windows Explorer
HerCap.ini
Open in Notepad
Copy and Paste this in :

[CAPTURE_SETTING]
ShowFrameNumber = 1

& save
Restart VS 7

IHTH

Regards & a Happy New Year

John

[Roundabout]

Hi johnpr98,

I think a lot of people would like to know if you can tell us what the difference is between all the different revisions of this unit - as you may have noted earlier, this has been a topic of confusion. Do you have any info on when these units were revised, and why? Do all of them work with PAL and NTSC, or only A & C? Does B not work at all with PAL? Why would they make one revision that does and one that doesn't, then sell them everywhere, causing more confusion? ADS isn't very good with technical info on their website (to say the least) so any info you can give would help.

TIA

[johnpr98]

I only know what Mike Mccoy told me via email.

The Divio chip manufacturer upgraded from old chip A to new chip B (Time waits for no man), however unfortunately chip B didn't work in PAL land with analogue capture. It was OK with DV, the newer rev C Divio chip works fine in PAL land.

NTSC users won't have seen the difference as A, B & C all work in NTSC land.

Happy New Year

John

[Roundabout]

John, thanks for your quick reply. If the B unit doesn't work on PAL, why is there a switch for PAL/NTSC on this B unit that I have? What does it do? Also, I travel to Europe/Russia and need to be able to cap PAL as well as NTSC, so what can I do to get the product replaced with a C unit? - I just bought it recently at Circuit City, still in warr. of course. And one other question, please: does this unit ignore Macrovision or not? There doesn't seem to be anything about this issue anywhere on the ADS site.
Thanks again for helping!

P.S. I hope you'll be on this forum often, there are quite a few people here that have the Pyro A/V Link and have questions that you probably know the answers to. I'm sure anyone would appreciate any help/advice you can give us when you can.
Welcome to the forum and Happy New Year to you too!

[johnpr98]

Roundabout

Ask ADS for an exchange with the reasons given re: Europe/Russia, quote this thread link of you wish, I can't give promises on behalf of ADS as I don't work for them.

Macrovision (My take).
ADS doesn't endorse capturing of copyrite material even if the unit is capable of it. (Nor any other manufacturer due to Hollywood & copyrite laws).

The PAL/NTSC issue didn't come to light straight away as NTSC is the home market for most video products, PAL issues aren't uncommon in video editing, i.e. MS 1394 (Microsoft) device control & PAL DV camcorders.

Regards (See you in 2004 )

John

[fleasome]

I bought this a few months ago and have had a bunch of problems with it. I have version B but got VS6 with it and that was it. I'm trying to copy some really old VHS tapes As you would expect, these old tapes are pretty bad, and drop frames like Bill Clinton drops his pants. But I digress. I have basically two questions as I'm just trying to burn some stuff to DVD before it's too late and the tapes have totally stuck together.

1) What can I do to enhance the tape signal to get fewer dropped frames? (Some sort of signal booster, gold cables, cross my fingers, hold my breath)

2) What software works best with this toy to capture and burn? (Video Studio 6 doesn't look like it has very many bells and whistles. I bought Pinnacle Studio 7 on sale but it doesn't recognize this device so I can't capture tape. It appears to be able to capture from it IF I had a digital camera attached but I don't. I really want some good software for $300 ish that will let me do a decent capture and burn to DVD format.)

Thanks in advance.

In all I've been pretty frustrated with this device until I found this forum and realized that it was my tapes fault, and not the device. I took someone's advice above and put in a brand new video tape that was about a month old. To my chagrin I found that hardly any frames dropped and the deal actually works great. Until I put the really old tapes in it. I would recommend this device for analog tapes IF you can somehow get the old tapes boosted a bit better somehow.

[jabloomf1230]

I bought this unit a few weeks ago at CC and I think its definitely worth the money. I've had good luck capturing both S-VHS and Hi-8 analog tapes from my two legacy camcorders. It does drop a few frames now and then in MPEG-2 mode, but I think that's more due to the speed of my CPU and my IDE controller.

I wanted to add a few other things about the revisions and the software. My unit is Rev A and it came with ULead VS 7 and further, the paper manual that came with the unit has the dip switch diagram that corresponds to the Rev B unit. It's a good thing I checked the ADS website and set the dip switches correctly for my setup.

I'm not that worried about what "Rev" the unit is because 1) it works fine and 2) posts on this forum and other forums seem to indicate that the B & C revisions don't improve the performance that much, but rather seem to be related to how well the unit performs in various countries with different video standards, etc.