problems capturing with dazzle DVC100 and s-video no color

[rekotc]

hi!, im trying to use a dazzle DVC100 for capturing my old vhs-c, i have a vcr, a scart adapter for rca+svideo with in/out selector and the dazzle of course.
if i connect the vcr through the scart adapter using the s-video cable to my tv it works fine, i can see the the vhs with full colors, while if i connect it to the dazzle i can only see black/white! The capturing process is good only if i use the composite cable and it's the only way i can get the colors, is there any way i can use the s-video cable? i've tried both with the instant dvd recorder provided by pinnacle and amcap with no luck, i've also found some workarounds (like setting SECAM_B in virtualdub or amcap) but they dont work in my case, is there anything i can try? i have different s-video cables but im quite sure the problem is not there since they all work for my tv.
Last thing, i live in italy so PAL

thanks in advance

Simone

[hech54]

If you don't have an S-Video connection out of the VCR then I'd just use the RCA connection. If the VHS machine was an S-VHS model then YES...find a way to make it work but...there is no quality advantage using an RCA to S-Video cable.

[rekotc]

mmm...im not an expert so sorry if it's a stupid question, but shouldnt the scart with the s-video connector keep the luminance and chrominance separated? im not using an rca to s-video cable but something like this:

http://www.elektrohome.it/SCART%203RCA.jpg

isnt it better than simply using RCA?

also im not sure if the original tapes were recorded with an S-VHS i will try to find it out

[aedipuss]

it depends on the vhs tape machine you are playing them with, what make/model is it?

[rekotc]

i couldnt find a decent old working one (in italy) so i bought this LG V390 VCR+DVD player which is a recent unit.
The strange thing is that if i use the same VCR+SCART+SVIDEO on a different (and cheaper) usb adapter, this one TX hollywood hybrid USB2 , i get the colours!...(even if with an horrible capture quality)

[hech54]

mmm...im not an expert so sorry if it's a stupid question, but shouldnt the scart with the s-video connector keep the luminance and chrominance separated? im not using an rca to s-video cable but something like this:

http://www.elektrohome.it/SCART%203RCA.jpg

That is....sorry to say....GARBAGE. You should see my SCART to RCA and SCART to S-Video cables.

[rekotc]

:P i know it's not the best , i can think of buying a new and better one but i first need to know why it's giving me only black and white pictures, i think it's the damn dazzle, i could send it back to the shop for a full refund if there is another option that might work better, but im still curious about this issue.

[hech54]

Take a look at your normal SCART cable......and look at that adapter......count and compare the pins inside. I'll bet there are less pins in the adapter than in a normal SCART cable.

[rekotc]

unfortunately no...all 21 pins are there, i compared it with the picture on wikipedia, i cant understand maybe the dazzle is faulty..i can still capture with the other usb adapter with colours!

[rekotc]

ok i was wrong , i get B/W frames even with the other usb adapter when using s-video...this adapter has only an s-video input and with virtualdub if i select video source -> composite i get colours, while i get B/W if i select s-video..even if the only connection available on this capture card is s-video...i cant understand where the problem is...bad scart adapter? the s-video cable is a decent one with gold plated connectors..and why it works fine on my tv? i hope im not getting annoying ..i appreciate your help.

Simone

[rekotc]

im convincing myself that i cant use the s-video output on a VCR only compatible with VHS, no way!i was misleaded by the other usb capture card and its apparently coloured capturing.

[hech54]

I don't recall ever being able to use my SCART to S-Video cable going from my Non-SVHS machine to my DVD Recorder. I must have both SCART to RCA and SCART to S-Video for a reason...

[rekotc]

ok now it's clear so i will buy some hi-quality RCA cables with a better scart to rca adapter in order to get the best out of these tapes
do u have some suggestions about the scart to rca adapter? thanks !

[hech54]

HAMA company used to make some higher quality cables(higher quality than their normal CRAP). I bought my cables about 7 years ago here in Germany but cannot find them on their website.

[rekotc]

i found some RCA cables on hama.de using the search function with keyword "rca" on top of the page ...ok so i have to spend 20-25 euro for the cables i will give a look around for a scart rca adapter (even without svideo) thanks everyone for your help!