Scart to VGA VHS capture

[Juc1]

Dear all,

I want to digitise some old VHS tapes. I was hoping to use this scart to VGA cable and golden videos software. So I have connected my VCR scart to my laptop's VGA (ie no TV or other hardware involved). But golden videos is not recognising my VCR. (I also tried a DVD scart to laptop VGA but again no recognition). Does this sound like it should work? Is there any alternative to golden videos that I could try?

Any suggestions please??

thanks

[usually_quiet]

You can't send data in using that connection.The VGA port on your laptop is one way, out. You need a SCART to USB video capture device or external analog-capable TV card with a SCART adapter. It won't be a simple adapter cable. There will be a small electronic device included.

Being in the US puts me at a disadvantage when it comes to suggesting a useful capture device. We don't have SCART. The only one that came up in my searches was made by Elgato for the Mac.

[Edit] I finally found an example for PCs, but there are likely better devices available. http://www.scan.co.uk/Products/Kworld-USB2800D-DVD-Maker-USB2-Convert-you-analogue-Video-VHS-to-DVD

[Edit 2] The example for the PC apparently does not include a SCART adapter for one of the video connections shown in the photo. You will only be able to use it as is if your VCR has composite out or S-Video out. Finding a SCART to S-Video or SCART to composite adapter that works correctly with it may be difficult.

[DB83]

I'll echo what was previously said and expand slightly on it.

Capture software requires digital data. Your VHS is outputing an analogue stream and any capture software simply does not understand that.

So you either need one of these conversion devices or a capture card inside your PC. A standard graphics card simply does not have the electronics do do this.

Options available:

Similar to what was suggested is the 'EasyCap' which aslo works via a USB connection to the PC.

Roxio and Pinnacle also make external devices. I would not begin to recommend one of these over the other - I understand that both are 'iffy'

Another option is Hauppauge who make both external(USB) and internal (PCI) devices.

You can also invest in a combined graphics/capture card such as ATI 'All-in-wonder'

Finally, there is the Canopus ADVC range which require a Firewire port on your PC. Despite what is written on here, I find them to be quite good for PAL conversions.

But if your VHS are NTSC then the ball-park has suddenly moved and you will need to do some research in the forums about PAL-60.

[Juc1]

You can't send data in using that connection.The VGA port on your laptop is one way, out.

Thanks for replies. I was influenced by one customer reviewer on Amazon who wrote that the scart to VGA cable is 'something to allow me to transfer my VHS cassettes to my laptop', but I guess he means that he thinks (wrongly) he can do this rather than that he has successfully done it.

By the way although the VGA socket on my laptop is output, is there any such thing as a VGA input socket on a PC?

Thanks

[Juc1]

I'll echo what was previously said and expand slightly on it.

Capture software requires digital data. Your VHS is outputing an analogue stream and any capture software simply does not understand that.

OK I think you mean that even if I had a VGA input socket on my laptop it still wouldn't work because my laptop would not understand the signal. I think this cable would allow me to watch my VCR on an external PC monitor (ie without the PC and acting as a TV screen), but then there would still be the problem of getting the signal from the monitor to my PC.

Options available:

Another option is Hauppauge who make both external(USB) and internal (PCI) devices.

Yes I have a Hauppauge USB device and ages ago I used it successfully for some VHS capture. I thought the VGA thing might be an alternative but I will go back to Hauppauge.

Thanks

[usually_quiet]

By the way although the VGA socket on my laptop is output, is there any such thing as a VGA input socket on a PC?

I have never seen a PC capture device with a VGA-in port, and I have looked at quite a few.

OK I think you mean that even if I had a VGA input socket on my laptop it still wouldn't work because my laptop would not understand the signal. I think this cable would allow me to watch my VCR on an external PC monitor (ie without the PC and acting as a TV screen), but then there would still be the problem of getting the signal from the monitor to my PC.

The cable seems to be for connecting the VGA port on LCD or plasma TVs (or projectors that can accept a TV signal as input) to DVD players and VCRs with SCART. The seller clearly states it will not work for computer monitors. After reading user comments and the seller's description for that cable, I think quite a few of those who purchased it bought it without understanding its purpose.

[usually_quiet]

I did run across a reference to a VGA capture device in another VideoHelp thread today, but it isn't cheap at £ 209.95. http://www.epiphan.com/products/frame-grabbers/vga2usb/ and the capture framerate available varies according to the screen resolution. It looks like it will capture a PC signal, but I'm not certain about a TV signal.

That SCART to VGA cable still seems unreliable anyway. Stick with your Hauppauge capture card.