Converting VHS to PC

[foxy123]

Hi all,
I'm very new at all this including Forums! I've purchased an instant video converter thing which you hook up to your VHS and plug this device in, you push play on the VHS and record on the device. Once you have recorded the tape, you plug the device into the PC using a usb connection. I found the file and tried to play it through my Windows Media and all I got was a blue screen and humming sound. I tried it again a few weeks later and this time I got some sound and flashes of picture but mainly blue screen. I have now tried it again today (having a bit more time on my hands) and yet again its just a blue screen. The device has a SD card in it as well. Also there is a cord that has yellow, white and red plugs but the VHS only has white and yellow - does it matter that I can't insert the red one?
Well I hope my explanation is fairly clear! I would love to hear from anyone that could help me as I paid quite a bit of money for the converter. It was meant to be SO EASY
Cheers
Foxy123

[manono]

I know nothing about your "instant video converter thing". Maybe if you were a little more specific?

"Also there is a cord that has yellow, white and red plugs but the VHS only has white and yellow"

Your VCR has mono audio, so the fact the red isn't used doesn't matter. You might wind up (if you ever get it working) with audio on one side only, but it should be easy enough to get dual mono out of it.

[foxy123]

Hi Manono thank you for your quick response! Ive copied a link for the converter I brought www.innovations.co.nz/p/electronics/gadgets-gifts/vdcvt-instant-video-converter - so this should show you what it does rather than my explanation that would probably confuse you!

And thank you for the explanation of the red/white/yellow - I thought that might be the case but wasn't too sure.

Cheers

[manono]

Interesting looking little gadget. Do the VCR and tapes play, like when hooked to the television, or haven't you tried? Do you have a different VCR you can try, like from a friend or relative?

Have you tried any other captures, just to test it out, like from a DVD player or from the television? In what format does it capture? MP4, as I suspect?

[Zero-11]

try Winavi Video Capture

[TimA-C]

It would be interesting to see what the results from this device are like. Any chance of posting a short sample or two?

[Eric-jan]

It would be interesting to see what the results from this device are like. Any chance of posting a short sample or two?

Blue screen

Better buy an good capture device, even a "Easy Cap" usb stick will do a better job, or just buy an BMD device like an Intensity Shuttle.

[TimA-C]

Got me! I'd hoped that he (or she) might have gotten it working by now.

[Eric-jan]

maybe it just worked for all other people ?

[foxy123]

Hi again,

Yes the VCR plays the tapes to the television fine (I actually have borrowed a friends one ). The format it puts it into is AVI.

Here's two examples of what it captured, hope you're able to open them.

Thanks

[aedipuss]

since it's not capturing properly and there are no settings that can be adjusted, i'd call it a dud and return it as defective. and no i wouldn't get a replacement one.

[manono]

Here's two examples of what it captured, hope you're able to open them.

Yes, thanks. That's interesting, H264 in an AVI container. Have you tried to capture from a different source? The link said you could capture from a television or DVD player. I think I'd try to do that first, before calling it defective (although it might well be).

Also, you capped at 640x480 at an odd framerate. I assume you have PAL tapes. Can you set it to cap at 720x576 and 25fps?

[jagabo]

Make sure you have the cables plugged in correctly. The yellow connector is video -- make sure it's plugged into the composite video output of the VHS deck. The red and white connectors are for the audio. The 50 Hz buzz in your audio may imply the video output of the VHS deck is plugged into an audio input on the capture device. Or it could just be very bad power line noise. The secondary ~16 KHz whine may also be video related.

Is it a commercial tape you are trying to capture? Or a home made video tape? Commercial tapes may be Macrovision protected and most capture devices will refuse to capture them.

It's also possible you have a PAL vs. NTSC problem. Your caps are 640x480 implying NTSC, a little less than 25 fps implying PAL. NZ is normally PAL. Though your tapes may not be (if they were recorded elsewhere).

[johnmeyer]

I think between manon and jagabo, they have given you some amazingly good advice. I'd start with the PAL vs. NTSC setting because the way the video looks reminds me exactly of what used to happen when I was given PAL to transfer. Macrovision is definitely a possibility if it is a commercial tape.

[Eric-jan]

The audio sounds like video... like said before ... check cable(s)

[Zero-11]

Here's two examples of what it captured, hope you're able to open them.

Also, you capped at 640x480 at an odd framerate. I assume you have PAL tapes. Can you set it to cap at 720x576 and 25fps?

for what? PAL VHS only has 640x448

[manono]

for what? PAL VHS only has 640x448

Eh? I'm not sure what you're saying, but I've captured probably 50 PAL VHS tapes at 720x576. While it might not have the equivalent of 720 width, it most certainly has the equivalent of 576 height.

[lordsmurf]

for what? PAL VHS only has 640x448

That's not correct at all.

PAL must be x576.
PAL is 720x576 max SD resolution.

The digital equivalent of PAL VHS is more like 250x576, but that's really just for the sake of understanding your source. 352x576 is adequate to capture all the detail, and is allowed in some workflows (MPEG). But others must use the 720x576.

640x576 is possible, but not ideal, and would be rejected by most software as non-compliant sizing. In fact, most codecs would reject the data.

640x448 is not anything.

[TimA-C]

OK. Can somebody just confirm that neither of those two samples plays as a nice, coherent picture? (Just checking that I'm seeing what everyone else is seeing.)

Foxy, you say that the Video recorder plays fine to the TV. Are you using those same outputs on the back of the VCR to connect to both the TV and the capture device? If not can you find a way of connecting the capture device to those same outputs that you're using to connect to the TV? Thanks.

[Zero-11]

for what? PAL VHS only has 640x448

That's not correct at all.

I used the screenshot tool from Icecream Screen Recorder. The Winavi Video Capture Screen showed the native Resolution.

[JVRaines]

for what? PAL VHS only has 640x448

That's not correct at all.

I used the screenshot tool from Icecream Screen Recorder. The Winavi Video Capture Screen showed the native Resolution.

Analog video does not have "native resolution" because it does not have pixels. PAL has 625 lines, of which about 576 make up the visible image and are available for digital conversion. The number 576 is chosen because it is divisible by 16 — a convenient value for computer programmers. The measurable vertical resolution of analog video is determined by the medium and the equipment which captures, transmits, and reproduces it. An optimal PAL signal will have over 500 lines of vertical resolution. (Do not confuse with the prescribed 625 horizontal scan lines.) With VHS, you will get a little over 300 vertical lines.

Digital converters sample the signal at any frequency they like and turn the constantly varying waveform into discrete pixel dimensions. An early and influential standard is to take 720 samples per PAL scan line for an effective resolution of 720 × 576 nonsquare pixels. Other dimensions and pixel aspect ratios are possible depending on the converter, as long as the resulting image is displayed on your computer monitor in its proper 4:3 aspect.

[redwudz]

That device appears to be a: PYLE PVRC43

from pyleusa.com

Technical Specs:

•Video File Output: .AVI

•Output Resolution: 640 x 480 Pixels

•Interface: USB 2.0

•Quality (Bitrate): 1016kbps

•Power: USB/5V Adapter

http://manuals.pyleusa.com/PDF/PVRC43.pdf

Not much info in the owners manual either.

Also available on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Upgraded-transferring-Camcorder-PVRC43-Pyle/dp/B01MFEPCUX

[Eric-jan]

Yes, this device is for NTSC use, New Zealand's analog tv system has been PAL. that's why it won't capture correctly.