Best Method to Transfer Analog Video to PC?

[Alienverse]

Hi folks! For some time now I have been interested in getting into filmmaking and I have almost all the equipment except for an editing device. The camcorder I own is analog, it records on Hi-8, and was purchased back in 1998. What I want to do is find out the best method for transferring my analog video onto my PC.

I was at Costco the other day and I saw this device that allowed you to hook up external video sources (analog/digital) to your PC and copy them on to your hard drive. I forget the name of the product but it hooks up to your computer through the USB port and I also know that it costs approximately $90 (CDN). My friend was also telling me about all-in-one video cards that serve as video cards and as capture cards for your PC. My PC has integrated video right now (check my computer details for more information) and I want to add a 256 MB AGP video card. I created this thread to ask if there are any all-in-one capture cards that are not expensive or am I better off getting the extrenal hook-up from Costco. I do plan on purchasing a video card but I just purchased my computer about a week ago and I do not want to start upgrading it right away. Anyways, I am not too familiar with this subject so if anyone could help, that would be great. Thank you!

[G)-(OST]

Look on the Canopus website

[pchan]

Maybe you should consider getting a DV camcorder. All you need is just feed your Hi8 to the new camcorder and record to DV tape. You need a firewire card to transfer to PC. A 100gig hard disk is a bit small to video files.

If you are upgrading your video card, look for those with VIVO from nVidia or ATI.

Getting a new camcorder will be a better choice becuase you need to upgrade your Hi8 to digital sooner or later.

[Sartori]

After years of pissing around with drivers , cables and what have you , I bought a DVD recorder and now I just output my Hi8 straight into it , never had a problem with it and I can record off the TV as well . I do all my editing on the DVD recorder sat on my sofa with a coffee in one hand and the remote in the other (even the wife can do it) . I then use TMPGenc DVD Author to transfer the files from the DVDRW and to then make the finished DVD . Some recorders even come with Firewire as well , to make it a future proof investment , when you upgrade to a DV Camcorder if you wish .

I live in the UK , the price of DVD recorders is starting to drop through the floor at the moment , cheapest around £70 .

[Alienverse]

Well I guess I forgot to mention that I am on a budget here. Canopus' website has some awesome products that will serve my needs well but they do not have any prices on their site. I guess I will have to further research their products. I am not intersted in getting a DV Camcorder for two reasons. One, I am on a budget, the cheapest DV Camcorder's are like $500 (CDN) and I am looking to spend something more like $100. Two, if I wanted to purchase a new camcorder, I would purchase something like an HDD Camcorder rather than a DV Camcorder. Lastly, a DVD Recorder does not sound practical in my case because I want to be able to not only edit frames but insert text as well. I think I will probably get that device I saw at Costco because not only can it upload analog video from a camcorder but it can also upload other external analog/digital video sources onto your PC. You cannot really go wrong there for $90.

[mikiem]

"Well I guess I forgot to mention that I am on a budget here."

Best value = aiw's IMHO.

[Wile_E]

Canopus ADVC-100 or ADVC-110. Around $200-250. They have locked audio unlike most other capture cards.

B&H has the ADVC-110 for $224 which isn't too bad.
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?ci=1&sb=ps&pn=1&sq=desc&InitialSearch=....x=0&image.y=0

[FulciLives]

Canopus ADVC-100 or ADVC-110. Around $200-250. They have locked audio unlike most other capture cards.

B&H has the ADVC-110 for $224 which isn't too bad.
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?ci=1&sb=ps&pn=1&sq=desc&InitialSearch=....x=0&image.y=0

A great suggestion but since you are on a budget you might want to consider the DataVideo DAC-100 which is essentially a clone of the Canopus ADVC-100 but it tends to go for under $200 (use PRICEGRABBER.COM to find the best price).

That thing at COSTCO sounds like a POS and will probably give you more headaches than anything else.

Being new to the world of digital/computer video you MUST realize that MOST capture devices just do NOT work properly. It's amazing how much crap hardware is out there! Definately due your homework on any capture device you intend to purchase.

- John "FulciLives" Coleman

[dphirschler]

I've done very well with a Hauppaugge (bt878 based) pci capture card. I got it off Ebay for like $35. I also got a Pinnacle PCTV Pro (also bt878 based) for $29 at CompUSA about three years ago. Keep your eyes peeled for good prices. Your capture/TV card does not have to have hardware encoding.

And Fulci said it right. It's amazing just how crappy the software that comes with these cards is. I advise you to use the btwincap drivers instead of the driver that comes with it (assuming you get a bt8x8 based card). And use VirtualDub or Virtual VCR for capturing instead of the software that comes with the card.

But you can do it on a budget. People who know me know how cheap I am, yet I make fantastic DVDs with my equipment and software.


Darryl

[harley2ride]

Canopus ADVC-100 or ADVC-110. Around $200-250. They have locked audio unlike most other capture cards.

B&H has the ADVC-110 for $224 which isn't too bad.
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?ci=1&sb=ps&pn=1&sq=desc&InitialSearch=....x=0&image.y=0

A great suggestion but since you are on a budget you might want to consider the DataVideo DAC-100 which is essentially a clone of the Canopus ADVC-100 but it tends to go for under $200 (use PRICEGRABBER.COM to find the best price).

That thing at COSTCO sounds like a POS and will probably give you more headaches than anything else.

Being new to the world of digital/computer video you MUST realize that MOST capture devices just do NOT work properly. It's amazing how much crap hardware is out there! Definately due your homework on any capture device you intend to purchase.

- John "FulciLives" Coleman

Another good one is the ADS PYRO AV/Link which can be had for $90.00 (found with froogle.com), (locks video to audio), and includes adobe premiere 1.5 software.

[FulciLives]

Another good one is the ADS PYRO AV/Link which can be had for $90.00 (found with froogle.com), (locks video to audio), and includes adobe premiere 1.5 software.

Based on what I have read this unit does not seem to be as trouble free as the DataVideo or Canopus units. Also as far as I know it does not account for BLACK LEVEL differences in the source (i.e., 0.0 IRE BLACK vs. 7.5 IRE BLACK).

The price though might be worth trying it out ... I would make sure though that you purchase it from a place that has a decent return policy.

- John "FulciLives" Coleman

[Alienverse]

Wow, I've really received some enlightenment on capture cards today, I didn't know that purchasing a capture card could be so complicated. I thought it was a straight forward 'plug and play' style thing, I guess I was wrong. Well, I'll start doing some research on capture cards and I'll be sure to post here if I have any questions. Thank you all for the help you have given me!

[otpw1]

100 USD will get a DVD recorder with a firewire link. I routinely use mine as a capture device instead of my ATI allinwonder card. The editing is done on the computer then.

[Alienverse]

Hmm, your idea sounds good but a bit unpractical at the same time. It would be kind of a hassle to hook up a DVD Recorder to a PC when the DVD Recorder would be in a stationary location like somewhere on my TV
Stand. Having to disconnect it and connect it everytime would be too much of a hassle. I could pay less money and purchase that device that directly hooks up external video sources to a PC. It would be much more convenient not to mention practical and if I need to record something off of TV, I'll just use my good ol' VCR.

[jagabo]

Hmm, your idea sounds good but a bit unpractical at the same time. It would be kind of a hassle to hook up a DVD Recorder to a PC when the DVD Recorder would be in a stationary location like somewhere on my TV
Stand. Having to disconnect it and connect it everytime would be too much of a hassle.

You don't move the recorder. You record onto DVDs then read the DVD on your computer.

Here's a good description of capture device types and some of their strong and weak points:

https://forum.videohelp.com/viewtopic.php?p=1318634#1318634

[mikiem]

@ Alienverse
"Well, I'll start doing some research on capture cards and I'll be sure to post here if I have any questions"

FWIW, when researching hard or software I usually google including words like problems, crashes etc...

Gives you a good picture, and well, getting into a discussion of the best product is kind'a like the old PC vs MAC thing, or Chevy vs Ford.

Another shopping tip if I might. I like retail outlets because you can return something when you find the marketing folks lied, and they almost always do. If it's something you can live with, cool, but if not, you can go thru L trying to get satisfaction if you bought it from a small shop or online. It's not a *nice* thing to do, but I've also bought retail and returned it, just to buy the same product on-line at 1/2 the price.