Does the hauppauge colossus work with Virtual dub?

[fluffyshy]

I'm planning on buying the hauppauge colossus to transfer VHS tapes to computer and some to DVD. I have read that I could use
virtual dub with a capture card to record in AVI. Is the hauppauge colossus capture card supported to use with Virtual dub?

[Brad]

Nope.

[jagabo]

No. Start reading here:
https://forum.videohelp.com/threads/329139-Hauppauge-Colossus-HD-PVR?p=2054446&viewfull=1#post2054446

[fluffyshy]

Ok. Since I want to capture VHS tapes and mini DV, I'm between colossus or getting an ATI Theater 750 HD:
DIAMOND ATI Theater HD 750 PCI-e http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16815306023

DIAMOND ATI Theater HD 750 PCI-e x1 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16815306039

DIAMOND ATI Theater HD 750 USB http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16815306019

hauppauge colossus (using include software) and capturing .TS files / mp4
DIAMOND ATI Theater HD 750 (virtual dub)-> AVI-->mpeg2(DVD)-->mp4 for storing on HDD

[jagabo]

The Theater 650 and 750 have automatic gain problems. The Theater 600 may not (but lacks the 3d comb filter, as I recall). I haven't had one to confirm.

An example of the 650 AGC problem:
https://forum.videohelp.com/threads/328439-New-Video-and-Capture-Card-Confusion?p=20350...=1#post2035045

3d comb filter example:
https://forum.videohelp.com/threads/313735-Capture-card-for-Laserdisc-and-VHS-Good-card...=1#post1940519

[jman98]

I own the Hauppauge Colossus and I've used it for some VHS captures and I'm pleased with the results. A few things you need to know.

You need to use the ArcSoft ShowBiz program for capturing. Unfortunately the most recent updates of ShowBiz took away the ability to set the bit rate for your capture and turned on some other options that you may not care about, such as being able to set specific H.264 profiles. If you need/want to capture at specific bit rates and your version of ShowBiz that you install from disc allows this, then do NOT update it when asked to do so. The card will ask you about updates every time you start it.

The Colossus comes with a TBC you can turn on with a registry hack. You can search on how to do it. It's been good enough for my needs. I've recorded some old commercial VHS tapes that I think (but don't know for sure) have Macrovision on them and they recorded fine. The TBC also gave me a stable picture on an old TV recording that suffers from tearing at the top of the image.

I strongly recommend that you NOT record to MP4 containers with the card. Those who have done so have reported audio sync issues. TS seems to work best.

Finally, the card ONLY records in H.264 and audio will always be AAC unless both of these are true:
The source is AC3 and you are recording via optical. If either or both of these are not true, your audio will be AAC.

The chip in the card is fully capable of recording in other video and audio codecs, but somebody has to care enough to write something that supports it.

[jagabo]

The Colossus comes with a TBC you can turn on with a registry hack.

Do you know if there is a TBC hack for the HD PVR 2 Gaming Edition too?

[jman98]

jagabo - I don't know. But here's a link to the Colossus info in case it helps you.
http://forums.sagetv.com/forums/showthread.php?p=509728

SHS, the moderator at the link, sometimes posts here. If you can send him a PM you could ask him. He'll know.

[jagabo]

Thanks for the link. I'm considering the HD PVR 2 for recording HDCP stripped HDMI sources.

[usually_quiet]

The Theater 650 and 750 have automatic gain problems. The Theater 600 may not (but lacks the 3d comb filter, as I recall). I haven't had one to confirm.

An example of the 650 AGC problem:
https://forum.videohelp.com/threads/328439-New-Video-and-Capture-Card-Confusion?p=20350...=1#post2035045

3d comb filter example:
https://forum.videohelp.com/threads/313735-Capture-card-for-Laserdisc-and-VHS-Good-card...=1#post1940519

The Theater 600-based PCI and PCI-e cards have a 2D Comb Filter rather than a 3D comb filter but they have AGC issues too. The TV Wonder HD 600 USB doesn't have AGC issues, but that is only because it wasn't based on the Theater 600 chip. It is based on a video decoder chip made by Texas Instruments (tvp5150). See http://www.linuxtv.org/wiki/index.php/ATI/AMD_TV_Wonder_HD_600_USB

[jagabo]

Thanks for the clarification.

[fluffyshy]

I own the Hauppauge Colossus and I've used it for some VHS captures and I'm pleased with the results. A few things you need to know.

You need to use the ArcSoft ShowBiz program for capturing. Unfortunately the most recent updates of ShowBiz took away the ability to set the bit rate for your capture and turned on some other options that you may not care about, such as being able to set specific H.264 profiles. If you need/want to capture at specific bit rates and your version of ShowBiz that you install from disc allows this, then do NOT update it when asked to do so. The card will ask you about updates every time you start it.

The Colossus comes with a TBC you can turn on with a registry hack. You can search on how to do it. It's been good enough for my needs. I've recorded some old commercial VHS tapes that I think (but don't know for sure) have Macrovision on them and they recorded fine. The TBC also gave me a stable picture on an old TV recording that suffers from tearing at the top of the image.

I strongly recommend that you NOT record to MP4 containers with the card. Those who have done so have reported audio sync issues. TS seems to work best.

Finally, the card ONLY records in H.264 and audio will always be AAC unless both of these are true:
The source is AC3 and you are recording via optical. If either or both of these are not true, your audio will be AAC.

The chip in the card is fully capable of recording in other video and audio codecs, but somebody has to care enough to write something that supports it.

Which version of ArcSoft ShowBiz do you have and what would be a good format to use to play them on the computer?

[fluffyshy]

I decide to settle on hauppauge usb-live2. 1st:is a lot cheaper, 2nd: For the colossus I would have to buy either the A/V Bracket/A/V Cable Set for S-Video, Composite video and stereo audio to connect to the VCR. and 3rd: It should work with Virtual dub.


Now, with the capture device out of the way, it's time for the next step in this long road-converting footage. In the virtual dub it captures in
AVI(Huffyuv). I can convert this in handbrake to get H.264 for playback on computer/storing HDD. Can I use premiere pro cs6 to output to DVD format(mpeg-2) from AVI(Huffyuv)? Does Avidemux output to .TS to burn to DVD?

[jman98]

My version of ShowBiz is 3.5.17.76.

Again, I said that recording in TS containers seems to work best but since you seem to be adamant on using Virtual Dub and have decided on another card, I suppose this is all moot now.

[fluffyshy]

My version of ShowBiz is 3.5.17.76.

Again, I said that recording in TS containers seems to work best but since you seem to be adamant on using Virtual Dub and have decided on another card, I suppose this is all moot now.

Do you have footage capturing with the colossus with TBC enabled and without? Also the TBC founded in the card, is it similar to what the old high-end VCR's has?