Very strange VHS to PC capture problem

[fredhoward]

I've had another go at VirtualDub and finally got it running. The breakthrough was when I noticed "Capture.avi" low down under the "File" menu. That in turn opened up the 4 capture options under the "Device" tab and away I went. It was immediately obvious that the video was much better than that in the Leadtek Tuner window. It didn't make much difference to the bad frames though, but I now have a fine piece of software to use when I get that problem solved. Trying to upload 2 images using the "browse" window below, which saves me going via ImageShack, but I'm having about as much luck as I did with that "mpg" upload !

[fredhoward]

Here's the page and tab that got me started

[fredhoward]

I received a parcel from Hong Kong today. Inside was an EasyCap USB capture card. It cost me the grand sum of AUD4:98. plus freight. It wouldn't work in Vista, so I tried it in XP as I have a dual boot setup. You have to run it via Ulead Video Studio 10, which is included on disc. I already had version 11, so I installed that, but it didn't work. Back to Vs 10 and after a lot of drama - Success ! I couldn't be happier right now if I'd won the Lottery! The whole video runs flawlessly via this tiny little unit. I can't believe it ! Stiil haven't got the sound going but I'm sure that I'll get on top of it. I wouldn't recommend it to a Newbie, but if you are pretty computer literate, it's the best $5 worth I've ever had ! If I can find a driver that works with Vista x 64, I'll be in heaven. I persevered only because of my puzzlement over the tape playing back perfectly via the TV. I guess the EasyCap just passes the data through, as does a VCR to TV link. That TV Tuner card is probably being a bit too clever.
Thanks again for all the help and advice I've received here.
Fred
Fred

[fredhoward]

Here's a sample from the same section of tape. Still no sound, but I'll get there !

recorded%20via%20easycap.mpg

[jagabo]

Much better. Now it needs some deshaking.

deshake.avi

[fredhoward]

Gee, What next? I didn't even know that such a thing was possible and was prepared to live with it. After all, it was only a cheap camera and early technology. Still, I'm a glutton for punishment, so I'll look into it. Tried "right clicking" on that .avi, and "save as", but nothing happens. Any ideas ?
Thanks, Jagabo.

Fred

[jagabo]

Tried "right clicking" on that .avi, and "save as", but nothing happens. Any ideas ?

You should have gotten a save file dialog. I just downloaded the file myself so I know it uploaded properly and the link is working. What browser are you using? In Firefox right click on the link then select Save Link As. In IE right click and select Save Target As.

[fredhoward]

Thanks, Jagabo. That's exactly what I did after you gave me the same tip last time. However, when I did the same thing just now, it worked. Another learning curve ahead, but after I've saved 140 hours of VHS tapes to my new 1TB HDD. I'm also in the middle of doing the same thing with countless numbers of old Vinyl ! I also need to find a Vista driver for that $5 Dongle, if one exists.
Fred

[2Bdecided]

Here's a sample from the same section of tape. Still no sound, but I'll get there !

recorded%20via%20easycap.mpg

Did you want 1/4 resolution video with half the temporal resolution thrown away too?

Because that's what you've got.

Cheers,
David.

[jagabo]

I assumed he uploaded a quarter D1 (352x288) sample just to save time and space. But yes, capturing at full D1 (720x576) will maintain all the spacial and temporal resolution.

[fredhoward]

Thanks, Jagabo, that's exactly what I did. I was just over the moon that a $4:98 dongle fixed the video problem and still am. I now have the sound up and running too and am perusing this site for advice on what codec I save the files to. I have an empty 1TB HDD to play with, so size is no problem.
Still beats me why that Leadtek 3200H Tuner card makes such a mess of the VHS data. Tried it again in case it had sorted itself out, but no go. I've also spent a considerable amount of timetrying to get the EasyCap to work in Vista, but it seems to be my choice of the 64bit version that is the problem. Hooray for dual boot setups as I have two scanners that are still in top shape, but neither work with Vista and HP and Acer aren't interested in helping with drivers.
Thanks again for all the help and encouragement I found here.
Fred

[brispence]

Hi,

I'm brand new to this forum as well as to this whole video capture thing so please bear with me. I'm replying to this topic since original poster (fredhoward) seems to have had the exact same issue I am having. I just bought and installed a Hauppauge WinTV-HVR-1250 card and am using that to capture video from some old VHS home movies. Based on what I have read here the problem seems to have something to do with the capture device being overly sensitive to certain sync signals. It also seems that fredhoward solved that problem by purchasing a very inexpensive USB capture device as it ignores the kinds of signals that cause the image problems. My question is is there any way to "dumb down" the supposedly more advanced cards to be less sensitive? Or is a VCR with TBC built-in or an external TBC the only solution? I guess I just don't understand how one can buy an internal card for $75 (or more) and it just doesn't seem to work as well as something that costs $15...I know "work as well as" is relative but hopefully you see my point!

Thanks!!!

[jagabo]

I just don't understand how one can buy an internal card for $75 (or more) and it just doesn't seem to work as well as something that costs $15

It's because Macrovision detection is a "feature" that's added to the driver. Of course, it's not a feature for you, but a feature for Hollywood. Many Chinese companies don't care about making Hollywood happy. US companies have to so they don't get sued.

My question is is there any way to "dumb down" the supposedly more advanced cards to be less sensitive? Or is a VCR with TBC built-in or an external TBC the only solution?

Sometimes you can find drivers hacks which eliminate the Macrovision detection. But I haven't seen any for recent Hauppauge cards (I haven't really looked though). A video stabilizer (~ US$50 to $100) will work for most problem tapes.

But if you're serious and want quality you need an S-VHS deck with built in line TBC to clean up the timing before you capture. Not to get rid of the false Macrovision detection, but to get much better caps.

[fredhoward]

I just received an email from this site to the effect that somebody else was having the same problems that I had, so here's an update.
The Easycap worked in XP only but expired after I'd copied about 15 four hour tapes to the PC with it. I then bought an EZ Grabber, again from the Hong Kong market. That has so far successfully copied another 20 four hour tapes . Unlike the Easycap, it works in XP and Vista, in both 32 and 64 bit systems. I could never get the Easycap to work in Vista as I run 64 bit. The EZ Grabber sort of works in Win 7 64 bit too, but after about 40 mins recording, the edit screen goes blank. Clicking on it starts it again but so does the recording of the first 40 mins ! It keeps the same file No too. I'm not complaining as the packaging only says that it's for use with XP and Vista, 32 or 64 bit. I run it successfully in both. Here's what I bought and where I got it. The software provided is simpler to use. The only thing it doesn't have is a setting for the length of recording, but my VCR makes a hell of a racket when it gets to the end of the four hours and starts rewinding, so that is warning enough ! Hope that this helps somebody.
Fred



http://cgi.ebay.com.au/USB-2-0-Video-Grabber-with-Audio-TV-Capture-Solutions_W0QQitemZ...item3efbbabe57

[brispence]

Thanks for the responses, guys. I ordered and received a digital video stabilizer (http://www.mcmelectronics.com/product/80-4280) but it did nothing. It's possible it is defective since it shipped with a battery loosely installed. Since the battery was not secured within the chassis it was able to rattle around during shipping and bent many of the internal components. I might try getting a replacement if indeed that damage was enough to render this one useless.

I do have some questions about stabilizers like the one I bought. I saw on Qualitek's site (http://www.qualitekindustries.com/noname.html) that they have several different models available that look practically identical. The descriptions suggest that you would order a specific model depending on what devices you are connecting. Would the fact that the one I bought states VCR to VCR make any difference with respect to how it behaves within my VCR to PC capture card setup? Just a thought...

On the advice of fredhoward I also went ahead and ordered one of those cheapo EasyCap things from Hong Kong. I figured the $10-$15 it costs made it worth a shot. We'll see how that goes once I receive it...

I will also be looking into getting a higher quality VCR as jagabo suggested.

[brispence]

Just wanted to follow up and say I received my EasyCap device last week...amazing how it cleaned up the picture...I'm a happy man...and it works just fine on my Windows 7 64-bit machine (they make Vista/Windows 7 specific models now). It's funny how all the articles I had read before I bought my PCI capture card had said PCI was the way to go...no one ever mentioned the Macrovision problems...in fact I didn't even know what that was until I found this forum, so thanks!

I will say that I couldn't get the audio to work properly through EasyCap but I just ran it through the mic input on my sound card and it was fine...now to get a nice VCR...

Thanks for the help everyone!