Need HELP digitizing VHS - Getting no video feed no matter what!

[PuzZLeR]

Can I get you to try with VirtualDub again?

File -> Capture AVI

Then:



As you can see, I don't get "OEM Device (Direct Show)" like you get. Mine shows the true chipset info. Did you install the ezcap.tv drivers correctly?

Then go to Video->Video source and try the connection you're using whether it's S-Video or Composite to the ezcap.tv. Do you get a video signal?

I've tried several applications that don't work as well (or work with problems). However, using VirtualDub for VHS is IMO the ultimate solution anyway and I would't care for any others. You won't go back once it works for you.

[PuzZLeR]

If that still doesn't work for you, I would uninstall everything (including your older device's drivers, which may be conflicting) and go to this page for the proper drivers.

http://www.ezcap.tv/ezcap116-drivers

[DB83]

Well I did ask you way back to confirm that the VCR is actually sending a video signal by connecting that scart to a tv

[vhsguy827]

Okay, i tried what you suggested, deinstalled the drivers from the ezcap CD and went with the ezcap 116 drivers from the homepage, but they only made it worse basically;

Instead of "SMI Grabber Device" the thing called itself "Grabber DEV 3D" now, but it wasn't being recognized as "audio and video controller" but as an "unknown device" instead (the ones with the yellow exclamation mark in device manager).

Trying to let windows update search for a suitable driver on its own resulted in "No drivers found" every time, both on Win7 and XP.

So i went and tried to manually update the drivers for "Grabber DEV 3D" by chosing the ones on the ezcap CD, which seemed to have worked at first, but the device name switched to "SMI Grabber Device" again afterwards.

Now, here's the curious thing;

I went and switched over to a "Funai 31C-850" VHS recorder, which isn't a combo DVD/VHS like the previous one from Schneider.

Here i tried both the "AV2 (Decoder)" and "AV1 (TV)" scart plugs on the back, and at both of these i'm still only getting sound and no video feed.
But few minutes ago i went into virtualdub, and loook what the program told me;



^ It constantly claimed there were 25fps being shown, but all i saw was either those artifacts or a completely black screen.

It's also worth noting that sound doesn't seem to work in VirtualDub, but in the honestech application it works flawlessly.

So since i switched over to a completely new VCR recorder and the stick itself is brand new as well i assume this is still a drivers issue by the looks of it?
Maybe the Ezcap i'm using is different from the "ezcap 116" drivers from the homepage? But then again, why don't the drivers that came with the CD itself work properly?

Damnit, this is getting really frustrating... :/

[DB83]

I know this is now a long (well short of) and maybe this has been asked and answered.

We can now, kinda, discount the actual VCR since you tried two. But what about the tapes themselves. Have you tried a commercial VHS in either ?

[PuzZLeR]

Yes, try some different tapes from different sources as DB83 mentioned, but, regardless, if it doesn't say "USB 2861 Device", or similar, then the ezcap.tv is not installed correctly. It's that simple.

Where did it get that "Grabber" stuff? That's wrong. It's obviously from the fake one. Also, it's not that the ezcap.tv is "worse" since the previous one didn't work anyway. I don't want to sound like a nag, and do want to help, but this is why we don't recommend such phony products here as they can mess up your system, and don't function correctly (just do a search and see - you are not alone). You may need to clean out your registry entries to properly install the ezcap.tv, or any other such device, now. Do you know how to do that?

Or do you have access to another computer you can test the ezcap.tv with, just to see if it installs properly?

[DB83]

Some more thought.

1. The remote possiblity that your scart to composite cable is faulty. Have you tried another ?

2. USB drivers. These can be an ass to install. Some devices require you to load the drivers BEFORE you plug the unit in. Then Windows should recognise that you have new hardware and you follow the dialogues to install the drivers. The common error is to plug in first and try to install the drivers from the CD. The instructions should clarify the correct proceddure for this unit (XP install could also be different to Win7)

[Nelson37]

I'd do a complete uninstall of BOTH devices, followed by a reboot, registry clean with CCleaner, then another re-boot. Then install the drivers before plugging in the
stick.

I'd also remove all software that came with either device, and manually delete all related directories before the final install. A virus scan wouldn't hurt, either.

ALso, verify some sort of output menu from the VCR, using the TV, so you can get something with no tape involved. See if you can locate another video output device
as a test. Try the DVD player outputs without the Scart plug. This is just to verify function with a different source.

[vhsguy827]

This definitely isn't the fake one. The manual and packaging even both have the ezcap company adress and so on in it, not to mention that it has the exact same design as the other ezcap's.

The problem is that "SMI Grabber Device" seems to be the default name for this device as per the driver CD that came with it. So i don't understand how it can be "wrong", if that's what the manufacturer called it. Unless there's another secret and super fuzzy way of properly installing this which i don't know about yet, of course...

This is what the CD installation dialogue looks like on both XP and Win7 for me;



As you can see it's "SMI Grabber Device" in both cases. The "Grabber Dev 3D" stuff made a return too when i plugged it in after driver installation. On Win7 there was no "found new hardware" message or any such reaction at all, it just remained uncrecognized this time around.

If i try and install the drivers from the manufacturer homepage linked above instead of using those provided on the CD the device is suddenly called "USB Video/Audio Device". And in both cases when i plug the stick in afterwards it doesn't get recognized properly and won't show up in ArcSoft ShowBiz at all.
Cleaning the registry and removing all related drivers and applications didn't seem to have any effect at all, in fact it seems as if it made it only worse seeing as the device now doesn't get recognized AT ALL anymore on both XP and Win7.

As for trying another SCART adapter, the one i'm using right now is super new and i only bought it a few days ago, i don't think he's the culprit.

I also already tried the DVD output jacks with the male to male RCA cables that came with the ezcap, no luck in that regard either, i still got no signal (neither audio nor video).

Right now i'm contemplating wether i'll try yet another device or write a message to EzCap support directly and ask them what's wrong with this device.

If anyone can give some further input in the meantime, i'd welcome that as well...

[DB83]

Well. Just eliminate the cable by using it from a VHS to another input device aka a tv.

The messages appear to tell you that your installation method is WRONG. Audio works because the ezcap does not process audio. It only passes it through to your sound card.

And. Do not ignore all the help we are trying to give. Test these VCRs in to a tv with a commercial tape. Then test your own tapes in to a tv. There is method in this madness.

[Brad]

Audio works because the ezcap does not process audio. It only passes it through to your sound card.

Pretty sure that's impossible to do over the USB bus.

[PuzZLeR]

I find audio isn't high quality through the ezcap.tv anyway. I capture directly into the sound card.

Back to the topic.

VhsGuy827, didn't realize the install disc had "Grabber" on it, since I never installed it myself (never cared for its software). I purposely avoided it and just installed the drivers from the site and was fine since (and it was over a year or two ago, so wouldn't remember what happened now).

Regardless, it's obvious we both have different results from the installation(s). I'm personally using a dedicated XP capture box (and have at least a dozen different, of what I believe are the better, capture devices installed on it - all with no conflict.)

I still suggest you try it on a different machine if you have access to one before contacting support. You mention XP and Win7. Unless I missed something, is that with the same machine? If so, I strongly suggest you try a different machine to try and narrow down the possible reasons for the problem.