Dazzle Digital Video Creator 150

[tonytyke]

Has anyone got any experience of the Dazzle Digital Video Creator 150
(as seen here)?

I am thinking about buying one, but want to see some example of output before I do. I can't find any on the web, does anyone have any ideas where I can find some? Has anyone used it and if so can you provide feedback?

My main reason for the purchase would be to backup from VHS, but I also have a Sky+ box. Would anyone know if it is possible to capture from this straight to the PC as well?

Thanks,

Tony

[macleod]

I got into video capture awhile back and started out (assuming) just like you. "Hey, I want to copy VHS/TV". This neato thing says it can capture and then I can do all kindds of things"

A few months after tinkering, my advice would be to take the Ad, thought, whatever, and throw it out the window. You wont be able to capture at a good speed, will have audio/video sync issues and wont be able to get up to CVD or DVD resolution. At best you'll get VCD out of it.

Take the money that you were going to spend on these dazzle pieces of junk and get a true capture card (even an ATI TV wonder card) or, better yet, get a standalone dvd recorder. I'd check ebay and look at the prices. You might be surprised.

Others will say that they have the dazzle and it was great (believe those folks will be few and far between), but that has not been MY experience.

[Garibaldi]

Yes! Finally someone else has heard of the DVC 150. I have owned the DVC 150 for several year, just getting into dvd 6 months ago. The software that comes with the DVC 150 is not good because of encoding issues, but it can all be replaced with free software off this site. There is one main feature of the DVC 150 that is very important and good and I would recommend that you consider carefully. You want to make dvds, right? The DVC 150 captures in mpeg 2 dvd complaint form, so if you play your cards right, you won't have to do any rendering. That means that your vhs backup time includes only:
- Capture time
- demux mpeg time (2-3 min)
- edit out parts you don't want (15-30 min depending on vid length)
- Author your dvd (20 min)
- burn your dvd (15 min)
This direct capture into mpeg 2 d1 eliminates the great amount of time taken for rendering the video, which also opens you up to audio/video sync errors. I'm happy to provide more info, so just ask!

[tonytyke]

Thanks for both of your replies.

With such contrasting views i'm not sure what to think now

Do you, Garibaldi, have a couple of examples (screenshopts or small video files) you could send me? I just want to see what the quality is like first. I don't really want to get a standalone DVD recorder. I'd prefer to get it on the pc, edit it (or not) and then burn it. I've mastered the latter steps, it's just getting the source onto the computer which is prooving difficult.

[Garibaldi]

Do you, Garibaldi, have a couple of examples (screenshopts or small video files) you could send me? I just want to see what the quality is like first. I don't really want to get a standalone DVD recorder. I'd prefer to get it on the pc, edit it (or not) and then burn it. I've mastered the latter steps, it's just getting the source onto the computer which is prooving difficult.

I do have some vids that I could send you. I'm going to be gone for a couple hours here so pm me with your email & I'll try to send you the vids by 9:00.

[Garibaldi]

Let me just clarify something here. As far as buying the DVC 150, only do so if you can't find a cheaper capture device, whether it be internal or external, that will capture DIRECTLY into mpeg 2 dvd. If you can find a cheaper capture device that will capture directly into mpeg 2 and has good reviews, than probably go with that.

[presto]

You wont be able to capture at a good speed, will have audio/video sync issues and wont be able to get up to CVD or DVD resolution. At best you'll get VCD out of it.

That doesn't sound like the Dazzle DVC 150 at all. I get rock solid captures at any settings. It has no trouble with older VHS tapes that my ATI card can't handle. I make lot's of DVD's.

Mcleod, could you clarify your comments? Were you giving a thumbs down to Dazzle based on other versions or do you have experience with the Dazzle DVC 150?

Also I agree that Pinnacle Studio 9 has problems but not problems capturing video. I do simple edits with VideoReDo and author with Tmpgenc DVD Author.

My main reason for the purchase would be to backup from VHS, but I also have a Sky+ box. Would anyone know if it is possible to capture from this straight to the PC as well?

I use it to back up from VHS and the results are great. It has regular vcr type inputs (Red, Yellow, White) as well as S-Video. I don't know what a Sky + Box is but as long as it doesn't do some kind of special encoding I would think you would have no problem.

[Garibaldi]

That doesn't sound like the Dazzle DVC 150 at all. I get rock solid captures at any settings. It has no trouble with older VHS tapes that my ATI card can't handle. I make lot's of DVD's.

I'm even running it without usb 2.0 and its fine. Just substitute other free software for the bundled stuff.

[presto]

I'm even running it without usb 2.0 and its fine. Just substitute other free software for the bundled stuff.

My results with usb 1.0 were not acceptable but that is probably because I was trying to capture those "troublesome" older VHS tapes that gave my ATI card fits. I spent about $20.00 to upgrade to USB 2 and there was no problem.

Tonytyke, That review you link to is outdated. The Dazzle DVD 150 ships with Pinnacle Studio 9 not 8. I don't know what they are talking about as far as other programs not being able to handle the Dazzle's audio because it is "non standard". Also I have zero audio sync problems. A friend of mine did have audio sync issues but he solved them.

[Garibaldi]

My results with usb 1.0 were not acceptable but that is probably because I was trying to capture those "troublesome" older VHS tapes that gave my ATI card fits. I spent about $20.00 to upgrade to USB 2 and there was no problem.

I've had that too with old vhs, grain lines. If you have rolling though, you will want to take a look at the heads on the vcr itself, because that is probably the issue.

[sacajaweeda]

I saw this thread earlier and decided to pull out my old Dazzle and fiddle with it a bit. (I was really bored, what can I say?) Anyways....here's a couple stills from something I captured off the TV tonight using my Dazzle.



&



Note:

Mine is the DVC-100 model, and I am using the MovieStar 5 software that came with it to capture with. This model is USB 1.1 not 2.0 like the newer ones. The PC was a 1.33 Athlon T-Bird, 1GB ram, Windosw XP Pro and I was saving the captured MPEG file on another network PC linked through a router. I did it that way because I only have a 4.3 GB hard drive in that PC, and the MovieStar 5 software only works with Win98 and XP but not Windows 2000 for some strange reason, and my main video PC is running Windows 2000.

Anyways....there ya go.

[Garibaldi]

Mine is the DVC-100 model, and I am using the MovieStar 5 software that came with it to capture with.

I can send you some other apps that should work with the DVXCEL utility so that you don't have to use Moviestar. One thing about Moviestar is that I rendered some clips with it and burned it to dvd, and they were jittery. So don't use Moviestar 5' s encoding engine!

Go Packers!

[sacajaweeda]

No, I only use it for capturing. I would be interested in something that would let me capture with it other than the test utility and MovieStar software though. I don't think they had support for this model in Pinnacle Studio 8, either. If I am remembering correctly, the lowest/oldest unit they support in PS8 was the DVC-150, which is a bummer because it's actually kind of a nice piece of hardware. It just sucks because it's so limited.

[sacajaweeda]

PS -- Man, the Titans sure put the iggy on the Packers last night, eh?

[Garibaldi]

pm me with your email and I'll send you the tools.

PS -- Man, the Titans sure put the iggy on the Packers last night, eh?

Yea, I missed the game but heard that it was terrible.

[macleod]

My experience was on the 50 and the 80 capturing (if I remember correctly) 1.1USB. After those experiences, I swore off external devices and bought a ATI TV wonder card ($20) and was VERY pleased with the results.

I read that people were having to put fans on the capture device to prevent/limit the number of dropped frames, etc.

Maybe/hopefully, the 150+ models worked out those kinks.

I looked at those screen captures, and know that my ATI beat those using IUVCR as the capture device. Using powervcrII and capturing to CVD (with 48mhz audio), I got some really good captures, however, in all fairness with rapid moviement, you would see a ghosting effect.

Since the day that I got my standalone dvd recorder, I have NEVER looked back. My ati card sits in its antistatic bag begging to be let out.

[sacajaweeda]

Ok Garibaldi...sent

[Garibaldi]

Maybe/hopefully, the 150+ models worked out those kinks.

If I recall right, the 80 only captures 320x240? The 105 model is a significant improvement over the other ones.

[sacajaweeda]

Thanks for the files Garibaldi. I might actually start using this Dazzle again. It's been an ornament for over a year just collecting dust since I gave up on it and went with a PCI card.

It doesn't seem to like Windows 2000 though, so I'll have to upgrade I guess. I've been putting that off forever.

[tomk]

Hi there,

after testing several devices like ati-cards and ads I used my dvc150 for more then a year and converted > 50 old vhs tapes.

Tips for fast conversion
Do not install Movie star or pinnacle studio, use USB 2.0

Just capture at dvd resolution with dvxcel without preview (!). If you like, you could even change contrast, brightness, .. during capture.
Then cut commercial/burn dvd with tmpg dvd author, this takes less then 20 minutes/4 hrs tape.
TDA even can convert the dvc150 lpcm audio to mpg audio, not necessary, but it gives you about 20% more space for the video (takes about 15 minutes). The video itsself is NOT rerendered.
Out of sync : whats that ?
Sometimes if the file gets > 4.7 GB I use dvdshrink to cut the dvd down. Because of the good basic quality this is no problem.

I bought a pioneer 5100 dvdrecorder (with hd) some month ago, but for old tapes I still use the dvc150.

[presto]

I have had not problems capturing with Pinnacle Studio 9.

Try the trial version of VideoReDo. You will be amazed at how much quicker you can cut out commercials (or do any cut editing).