Capturing from TV...

[AirGuitar]

I looking for a way of capturing old home movies onto my PC so i can convert them to SVCD (or maybe even DVD sometime in the future when the DVDR drives come down in price).

Ive got a Sony DV Cam and by what i can see it can record from the TV, but i cant get any picture though on it, ive tried it on 2 TV's (using a SCART cable) but i just get nothing.
If anyone has any way of getting this to work i'd be really greatfull.

Also, if this doesent work, i was thinking og getting a video capture card just to capture from my TV, what would be the best card for this? I want something at a relitivally low price with good quality.

Answers would be greatfully Appritiated.

Thanks

Andy

[ironwood321]

Why don't you read your manual? You shoudl know how to operate your camera and at least have the proper cables and instructions. If your camera not functioning return it or have it repaired. Or buy a simpler to use one.

[AirGuitar]

I have read the manual but sony's documentation is not the best.

[ironwood321]

If the manuals useless and does not tell you what you want. I.e how to use it and how to use the imputs / ouputs. I would personally give the camera back and buy a different model ie JVC which comes with a superb manual.

[AirGuitar]

Ive had the camera for nearly a year now so thats out of the question.

[dmwierz]

AirGuitar,

Since ironwood was NO help whatsoever, let me try.

Which Sony do you have? My Canon ZR30MC DV camcorder has an analog input/ouput that allows me to output to an analog device (like another analog Camcorder or a VCR) and I can also input from another analog device, again like another camcorder or VCR. This works pretty well for transfering video from my old Sony analog camcorder and also from my VCR. I can record onto DV on the Canon then output from DV to my DV capture program (in my case, Pinnacle Studio Version 7) on my PC for editing.


With regards to analog capture cards, I have experience with both the ATI All-in-wonder and the Pinnacle DC10+, and I far prefer the DC10+. It has onboard MPEG hardware encoding, and the program that comes with it is a "lite" version of Studio 7, whcih is pretty useful. Pinnacle stuff tens to be kinda buggy at this price point (their upper end stuff does better), but they have a very active online support forum that has been very helpful. As for ATI, they make good hardware, but their software SUCKS (at least IMHO), including their drivers.

In any event, I'm sure there's a way to use you DV camcorder to capture analog video - they all do it. Let us know which model you have and those of us on this forum who actuall are here to help (rather than ridicule) will give it a shot.

Dennis

[reaperx]

If you use a normal scart plug for connecting the cam these cables only work 1 way cam--->tv not tv--->cam you need a 2 way scartcable wich also has a video-out !! TV ----> CAM. You can find this cable @ most electronicshops !!



Greetz ReaperX

[AirGuitar]

Hi dmwierz, thanks for helping.
The sony cam i have is theDCR-TRV20E, i think it was released a year ago, becuase when i bought it it was the only Sony DV cam with Firewire In and Out.
The sony documentation is terrible, i can usually work out technical things no prob, but the instructions are ridiculous.

reaperx, the scart plug im using was one that came with the cam, it has 2 cables that plug into the back, the labeling of which i cant remember right now. If it came with the cam, shouldnt it have video out anyway?

The cam does have a S-Video out port on it, but its a different shape to the cable i have, which is why ive been trying to do things with the SCART plug.

Thanks


Andy

[ironwood321]

The point I am trying to get at. is if you paid a small fortune for a device which you don't know how to fully operate because the manuals crap you should give the item back.

If its over a year well that's your fault. You only option is technical support.

Personally if I paid a small fortune for one of these cameras and the manuals crap I would give the item back because of the amount of money I paid. If the manuals crap so must be the support.

An item which might be all singing and dancing and given rave reviews because of quality is not necessarily good because the manual does not show you how to use the device to its full potential.

[vitualis]

Small clarification to a poster above:
The DC10+ capture card has hardware MJPEG (motion JPEG) compression, not MPEG.

Regards.

[AirGuitar]

ironwood321, Ive never had any need to use that feature of the camera before.
Usually i just film what i need, apply any effects i want with the camers, import the film with my firewire port and edit it.

Only now ive thought about copying old films to the tape.

Being as its a camera, ive used it as a camera, taking photos and film? If i'd have wanted to capture things from tv at the time i'd have bought a tv capture card wouldnt i!

And your the one on about taking the camera back, i have no intention of doing so, and never had, its a bloody good camera and does what i bought it for. If i cant get it to capture from the tv ill just get a capture card, its more effective and less hassle anyway.