Any help would be appreciated on what capture device to use

[Jackal_05]

Hello Everyone,
I'm doing a lot of reading trying to figure things out. I'm a little puzzled on which capture card to buy. I've seen the dongles, I'm not sure what is best. Any help would be appreciated on what capture device to use, I'm not rich!
Thank all

[johns0]

In the future please use a descriptive title for any threads you post instead of help,more people will know what you need and give you advice and welcome to the forums.For now i changed your thread title.

[manono]

Hello Everyone,
I'm a little puzzled on which capture card to buy.

It kind of depends on what you want to capture, don't you think? VHS tapes, gaming action, TV shows, what? More information, please. And there are lots of threads already about capturing.

[Jackal_05]

Yes, I've been reading. My intention is to do video transfer to dvd for clients who would like this service. I'm a bit confused about the different ways to capture video. Some people use a dongle and other units by Hauppauge, I'm not sure if you'd get the same results using a 'dongle' or a Hauppauge unit, is it worth the extra cost? Thanks for replying to my post.

[manono]

Okay, that's a start. You want to make DVDs. Now, what's the source of your videos?

[Jackal_05]

I'm going to have to buy camcorders as my source for 8mm tapes, MiniDV, etc...

[manono]

For DV you'll want to transfer it as DV using something like an ADVC box and a Firewire card. For everything else, unless your videos are going to be Hi-Def, something like this should work:

http://www.amazon.com/Hauppauge-610-USB-Live-Digitizer-Capture/dp/B0036VO2BI/

[smrpix]

For the 8mm, Hi8, Digital8 you may find a Digital 8 camera and WinDV gives results equal to the Hauppauge. The Hauppauge can be better if you have TBCs and other tools, and really know what you're doing.

[Jackal_05]

Thank you all, you are all so kind.

[Taney2]

I've transfered about 140 D8 and Hi8 tapes to my PC via Firewire using WinDv. I've been please with the results.

[Taney2]

You may also find this interesting. This guy uses a digital camcorder as a pass through device. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-vnL4nCv2RM

[Jackal_05]

I saw that, its pretty cool.
Thanks

[Jackal_05]

Hey Gang,
I'm a bit confused about something. I was gonna buy a Hauppauge USB Live-2, I was looking at Canopus and Hauppage units. I plan on transferring tapes, maybe even a home business. If I buy a Canopus or Hauppauge unit, do I stlill need the USB Live-2 ?

[manono]

If I buy a Canopus or Hauppauge unit, do I stlill need the USB Live-2 ?

By 'Hauppage unit' I assume you mean an add-in card for your computer. If so, the answer is 'no' as all three can convert to digital and put the VHS video onto your computer hard drive. Any one of the three will do. The Canopus box will transfer it as DV AVI while the other two will convert to MPEG-2 video, although I think they may be able to capture lossless through Virtual Dub.

[bendixG15]

Yes, I've been reading. My intention is to do video transfer to dvd for clients who would like this service. I'm a bit confused about the different ways to capture video. Some people use a dongle and other units by Hauppauge, I'm not sure if you'd get the same results using a 'dongle' or a Hauppauge unit, is it worth the extra cost? Thanks for replying to my post.

In my world, transferring VHS tapes to DVDs is all done and there is very, very little interest. My equipment hasn't been used for about 2 years.

[Jackal_05]

I'm still not clear if I need a canopus advc, will it capture all my videos and should I get a canopus and eliminate the Haupage Live to usb 2
Thanks for helping a newbie

[smrpix]

The Canopus (now Grass Valley) boxes will capture all the SD video formats you've referenced.

[Jackal_05]

I can use the canopus unit to do all my video capturing?
I guess I can forget about the Hauppauge usb live 2.
Thank in advance.
Jacques

[smrpix]

You still need a way to plug the canopus into the computer, either a firewire card or an analogue capture card. You may want to take a look at the Blackmagic Intensity Shuttle as well. Wider variety of inputs and USB 3 connection to computer.

[usually_quiet]

A Blackmagic Intensity Shuttle is only going to be useful for capturing analog tape sources when used with a DVD recorder (as a pass through) or a full-frame TBC sitting between it and the tape deck. See https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dk_7zBj0Q9w To be fair, the same can be said for other HD-capable capture devices.

Although the same equipment may be very helpful with the Canopus ADVC 110 or the Hauppauge USB Live 2, it is a requirement for the Blackmagic Intensity Shuttle and other HD capture devices.

[Edit] That being said, if you plan to charge clients for digitizing their tapes, you are going to need other equipment beyond a capture device to get an end result worth paying for.

[Jackal_05]

Thanks for the info Usually quiet,
Now I got something else to look into, great!
it's a learning process for sure, again, thank you.
Jacques

[Jackal_05]

Hi everyone,
I'm thinking of buying a Hauppauge usb 2 live 2 but I was wondering if I should spend a bit more money and go for a Canopus avdc110? Thanks in advance for clearing this up for me. Use the Canopus for anything that ain't DV and capture DV with Usb live 2? Thanks again my friends.

[smrpix]

One step at a time. Do you have a firewire card in your computer?

[Jackal_05]

Yes I do

[usually_quiet]

Hi everyone,
I'm thinking of buying a Hauppauge usb 2 live 2 but I was wondering if I should spend a bit more money and go for a Canopus avdc110? Thanks in advance for clearing this up for me. Use the Canopus for anything that ain't DV and capture DV with Usb live 2? Thanks again my friends.

You should not use a Canopus ADVC 110 to capture from a DV camera. Capturing the DV output from a DV camera only requires a good FireWire 400 card and WinDV or other suitable DV capture software.

Either a Canopus ADVC 110 or the Hauppauge USB-Live 2 can be used to digitize audio and standard definition analog video from sources other than a DV camera.

The Canopus ADVC 110 contains an encoder chip that converts analog audio input and standard definition analog video input into a DV stream, which is captured using a FireWire 400 connection on the PC, like the output from a DV camera.

The Hauppauge USB-Live 2 digitizes standard definition analog video and audio input and uses a USB 2.0 connection to transmit uncompressed digital video and audio to a PC, where encoding to a lossless format, DV or something else is done by software.

[smrpix]

usually_quiet has laid it out quite well.

For DV sources:
Use your firewire card to capture directly.

For analog sources:
Use the ADVC 110 to convert to DV and capture via firewire
or use the Hauppage to capture to non-DV formats.

[Jackal_05]

Thank you so much guys

[Jackal_05]

I'm not sure if I'm going to buy the usb live 2 or the canopus 110. Any feedback would be appreciated. Thanks again

[Jackal_05]

Anyone?

[smrpix]

What information do you feel you're missing?