Capture program for 8mm only offers mpeg2. Is there better quality?

[hpcampr]

I'm using Arcsoft Showbiz software that came with the capture dongle (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07FYDCV6L/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1). It's only option for capture video format is MPEG2. As I look at the picture coming from the camcorder (s-video) on the PC it seems to look better than what I see on the captured video. I'd say to my eye the original camcorder video looks 10% better. The black seems more pronounced. This is what the capture saves to:

Demuxer: mpegps
Video
Resolution: 720 x 576
Aspect ratio: 1.3333
Format: 0x10000002
Bitrate: 7500 kbps
Frames per second: 25.000
Selected codec: ffmpeg2
It's PAL 8mm by the way. Would using some other software capturing to a different format (like AVI) significantly help the quality? Thanks

[Brad]

It would, but black level is set by the Brightness control of your device's Proc Amp filter. Using another compression method won't alter it.

Try VirtualDub. In its Capture Mode, see whether Video > Levels works.

Your device appears to be generic Chinese "Easycrap". Is it too late to return it and get something better?

[hpcampr]

It would, but black level is set by the Brightness control of your device's Proc Amp filter. Using another compression method won't alter it.

Try VirtualDub. In its Capture Mode, see whether Video > Levels works.

Your device appears to be generic Chinese "Easycrap". Is it too late to return it and get something better?

Yes, far too late. I bought it to help archive a friends VCR tapes through it's analog out ports. What would you suggest?

[hpcampr]

It would, but black level is set by the Brightness control of your device's Proc Amp filter. Using another compression method won't alter it.

Try VirtualDub. In its Capture Mode, see whether Video > Levels works.

Your device appears to be generic Chinese "Easycrap". Is it too late to return it and get something better?

I installed VirtualDub on my XP Laptop.I'm slowly making my way through the settings. Got the capture going but would only see intermittent video. When I looked at what I captured I saw occasional video and the audio was as if the tape was stretching (speeding up,slowing down). Nothing wrong with the original tape. Then I thought maybe Vdub would work on my win10 laptop. Got it going and recognized EZgrabber and set to s-video.This time only intermittent preview video and the same audio problem. Then turned off audio preview and both vid and audio captured normally but now there some distortion in the audio but also see the bottom of the tape on the original hi8 also has wavy distortion so that must be what that green area is. Just tried the same tape on the old xp and no audio distortion. It shows the wavy distortion at the bottom but no green area like vdub did. Any tips on further vdub adjustments appreciated.Thanks.

[dellsam34]

You never test with problematic tapes, Try the setup with a well know to work tape, once you know what works and what not then you can try the tapes with problems, Having multiple layers of issues will not get you anywhere.

[hpcampr]

You never test with problematic tapes, Try the setup with a well know to work tape, once you know what works and what not then you can try the tapes with problems, Having multiple layers of issues will not get you anywhere.

I see what you mean. I'll try that next.

[hpcampr]

My error. I use my favorite video player, smplayer, to play videos. When I was looking at the captured videos (from arcsoft) I didn't realize that I had adjusted the video properties to increase gamma quite a bit to see some dark video. Smplayer has a feature where you can save those settings as default and apparently I had done that without realizing it. Now the videos look pretty much like what I am seeing in the capture preview window. I guess one has to work through all the settings on Vdub but it seemed to put a much bigger strain on my xp laptop and even the newer win10 one. Now though, I'm curious to see if what that 8mm would look like with a better capture device since there have been some negative comments on these "easycap" devices. It only cost me $20. I have a pretty limited budget but these tapes have significance to me so I wonder what would be the next cost effective step up?

[Brad]

Skewed lines at the bottom of videotape captures, up to ~10 lines high = typical head-switching noise. https://bavc.github.io/avaa/artifacts/head_switching_noise.html

Regarding strain on computer: VirtualDub captures Uncompressed by default, which you don't want to do. Download a lossless codec and use that, being sure to choose YUY2 and not RGB in your device's settings. For newer computers I prefer Ut Video Codec Suite or MagicYUV (you also have to be careful to choose the right selection & settings for these). For older computers and more straightforward settings, Huffyuv and Lagarith.

Which model PAL 8mm player are you using? This will affect suggestions.

[hpcampr]

Skewed lines at the bottom of videotape captures, up to ~10 lines high = typical head-switching noise. https://bavc.github.io/avaa/artifacts/head_switching_noise.html

Regarding strain on computer: VirtualDub captures Uncompressed by default, which you don't want to do. Download a lossless codec and use that, being sure to choose YUY2 and not RGB in your device's settings. For newer computers I prefer Ut Video Codec Suite or MagicYUV (you also have to be careful to choose the right selection & settings for these). For older computers and more straightforward settings, Huffyuv and Lagarith.

Which model PAL 8mm player are you using? This will affect suggestions.

Thanks for the Vdub tips. The camera is a Sony TR2200E. I started having much trouble with that Arcsoft software freezing up. I had a version of Cyberlink PowerDirector on the XP and got it to work so checking it out now. I have a newer version on the win10 laptop but that PC didn't seem to like that EZgrabber. Maybe they never updated the drivers for it?

[lordsmurf]

Your device appears to be generic Chinese "Easycrap". Is it too late to return it and get something better?

Yes, far too late. I bought it to help archive a friends VCR tapes through it's analog out ports. What would you suggest?

Just eat the cheap cost, you made a mistake, buy a proper card. Otherwise you just do yourself and him a disservice. Your capture (if it even works) will be miserable. He'll get back lousy quality.

[hpcampr]

Your device appears to be generic Chinese "Easycrap". Is it too late to return it and get something better?

Yes, far too late. I bought it to help archive a friends VCR tapes through it's analog out ports. What would you suggest?

Just eat the cheap cost, you made a mistake, buy a proper card. Otherwise you just do yourself and him a disservice. Your capture (if it even works) will be miserable. He'll get back lousy quality.

Actually now I'm doing my own tapes. I still have about 20 tapes to go. Just like to get them digitized before they decompose (further). Many live music recordings some in not so well lit places. So what device would you suggest? When I get done with this don't expect to be doing more analog conversion.

[aedipuss]

LOL why are you still trying to use that easygrabber crap device? how many people have to tell you it's just cheap chinese unusable crap?

[babygdav]

http://www.glennchan.info/articles/technical/setup/75IREsetup.html

The capture device is likely setup for a different IRE than the correct one for PAL video, thus the blacks look wrong.

You'd have to adjust this using a video editor and export as a new video, or add a video shader/filter to a media player like mphc during playback to correct for this.

...

Better capture would at minimum be 8mm playing in a digital 8 deck/camcorder into firewire port into a digital file.

Tons of other better ways noted in other threads already.

[hpcampr]

http://www.glennchan.info/articles/technical/setup/75IREsetup.html

The capture device is likely setup for a different IRE than the correct one for PAL video, thus the blacks look wrong.

You'd have to adjust this using a video editor and export as a new video, or add a video shader/filter to a media player like mphc during playback to correct for this.

...

Better capture would at minimum be 8mm playing in a digital 8 deck/camcorder into firewire port into a digital file.

Tons of other better ways noted in other threads already.

That's more what I was hoping to get. A more specific direction. By the way, as I mentioned in another post, my complaint about the black tone was because I made a mistake in my video player after the capture. I had boosted some levels for another video I was looking at and forgot to reset it. Regardless, I just had a look for a digital 8 within my limited budget. Another development I haven't mentioned,is some events have occurred which means I don't have so much time to finish this. So I'm in a hurry to get it down in the next few weeks. After that the tapes go in storage to be dealt with some other time. I was actually hoping to be satisfied that the capture was as close to as good as possible and throw most of the tapes away. My plan now is to get as good a capture as I can now. Hopefully get hold of a PAL digital 8 camcorder soon (does it have to be PAL. I only want to go out the firewire port to the PC not to any TV?) ,keep the ones I think are special (maybe 15%) and ditch the rest. Again, I appreciate for the input as I'm new to many aspects of this. BTW, back on the subject of lossless capture. I'm still doing what I can to capture with my current equipment. Today I saw in Cyberlink there some settings in AVI. I tried the straight AVI but it didn't work well. Attached is the selection they have. Could someone say which one might be best? Thanks!

[babygdav]

Uncompressed selection is lossless.
If you're system can't handle that, then it's simply to much bits.

https://developer.milestonesys.com/s/article/exported-video-too-big-with-Intel-IYUV-co...c-Smart-Client
The other codecs are either also too old or lossy.
....

https://lags.leetcode.net/codec.html
You could try installing and selecting a lossless compressed codec.
If this works, great. If not, you're system could be overloaded by the bits of lossless video capture.

(Shouldn't since these huffyuv derivatives were designed to capture even on a decade old pc.)

....

Pal
https://forum.videohelp.com/threads/385660-Sony-Digital8-camcorders-can-play-both-NTSC...-DV-recordings
"was able to play PAL Digital8 recordings on my NTSC camcorders but it won't play analog PAL recordings."

Just get a PAL camcorder.

...


Obviously, another alternative and not the best quality,
Dvd recorder connected to camcorder.
http://www.digitalfaq.com/forum/video-capture/7553-ntsc-dvd-recorders.html
Pal recorder best. Then simply copy the video to the pc from the disc. Eliminates the issues of pc speed, codec selection, capture card setup, etc.

...

Anyways, try the codec above and see.

[hpcampr]

Uncompressed selection is lossless.
If you're system can't handle that, then it's simply to much bits.

https://developer.milestonesys.com/s/article/exported-video-too-big-with-Intel-IYUV-co...c-Smart-Client
The other codecs are either also too old or lossy.
....

https://lags.leetcode.net/codec.html
You could try installing and selecting a lossless compressed codec.
If this works, great. If not, you're system could be overloaded by the bits of lossless video capture.

(Shouldn't since these huffyuv derivatives were designed to capture even on a decade old pc.)

....

Pal
https://forum.videohelp.com/threads/385660-Sony-Digital8-camcorders-can-play-both-NTSC...-DV-recordings
"was able to play PAL Digital8 recordings on my NTSC camcorders but it won't play analog PAL recordings."

Just get a PAL camcorder.

...


Obviously, another alternative and not the best quality,
Dvd recorder connected to camcorder.
http://www.digitalfaq.com/forum/video-capture/7553-ntsc-dvd-recorders.html
Pal recorder best. Then simply copy the video to the pc from the disc. Eliminates the issues of pc speed, codec selection, capture card setup, etc.

...

Anyways, try the codec above and see.

Thanks for replies to those areas. OK. I downloaded and installed HuffYUV 2.1.1. When I started to capture using it, first there was no audio being captured anymore and then shortly PDirector crashed. From the links in the earlier post https://forum.videohelp.com/threads/385660-Sony-Digital8-camcorders-can-play-both-NTSC...-DV-recordings
I now see that I have to be quite careful. I was looking at video8 not digital 8. The one I saw that looked like it might be in my price range was DCRTRV285E. In that link you provided it's not actually listed as being able to play analog pal tapes but seems outside the area. However I just came across this (https://www.sony.com/electronics/support/articles/00026519) which seems to say that it might? Looking at completed listings all the sold used PAL Digital 8 went for quite a bit.
So, if I get a Digital8 for a decent price I am now wondering at some negative remarks in this and other pages about capturing to DV. Is that the same as the files I get when I capture using WinDV from my minidv camcorder? The files on my PC are avi. Thanks

[babygdav]

Try also a virtualdub with huffy capture - still crashes?
If so, likely stuck with the default card capture quality and software.

A camcorder model that plays video 8 typically means in the same country format - ntsc or pal. Whether a ntsc camcorder can handle pal tapes is typically unknown - you'd have to try it out or find another owner that can verify.

...

Digital8 and miniDV use the same DV file format, codec.

...

Or a better capture device
canopus advc-100/110/300 box into the pc firewire from your camcorder.
https://www.amazon.com/Elgato-Video-Capture-Digitize-iPad/dp/B0029U2YSA?ref_=fsclp_pl_dp_1

Even in a bind
https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_nkw=av+recorder
Those cheap 3" portable av recorders that record on its own

[hpcampr]

Try also a virtualdub with huffy capture - still crashes?
If so, likely stuck with the default card capture quality and software.
BTW I'm not using the software that came with the card. I'm using Cyberlink PowerDirector 8(old version) I already had on my old XP. It's working pretty good right now (i.e. not crashing) but still only works right capturing to mpeg2.I've got a newer version on my newer laptop but couldn't get card to work right there. I'll give virtualdub another try and compare it to this if the capture goes. Last time it just quit.
A camcorder model that plays video 8 typically means in the same country format - ntsc or pal. Whether a ntsc camcorder can handle pal tapes is typically unknown - you'd have to try it out or find another owner that can verify.

...

Digital8 and miniDV use the same DV file format, codec.

...

Or a better capture device
canopus advc-100/110/300 box into the pc firewire from your camcorder.
https://www.amazon.com/Elgato-Video-Capture-Digitize-iPad/dp/B0029U2YSA?ref_=fsclp_pl_dp_1
So the electronics in this are far better than easycap? Some people, especially the most favored negative review really had a lot of problems with it on win10 but some others liked it. One thing I didn't understand is it's max capture size is 640x480 but PAL captures I get now are 720 x 576.
Even in a bind
https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_nkw=av+recorder
Those cheap 3" portable av recorders that record on its own

Thanks for the comment.

[babygdav]

Anyways, I understand the limited budget and time issues.
The other hardware noted are ideas for getting this project done faster with less tweaking. Certainly, people have used devices like the canopus advc and dvd recorder route successfully without much trouble.

...
Now, as for your device, I've been looking at competing devices.
Not sure what's inside hardware-wise, but I do see a price and physical similarity among these $10-20 usb dongle with tails devices.

In another device review, I see:
"Here are some steps to get it working. Step 1: Plug it in directly. If you need to use an extension usb cord, be sure its a high quality one. Windows 10 will see it and install the driver automatically. Step 2: take the included disc and throw into nearest trash can, it's worthless. Step 3: Download and install OBS Studio. It's free, it will recognize almost any type of video capture device you connect and it will allow you to tweak the video to your liking (brightness, contrast, aspect ratio, resolution, etc) You may need to watch a couple tutorial videos on how to use it but trust me, it's well worth it. "
https://www.amazon.com/USB-2-0-Audio-video-Converter/dp/B06XJKSJZ8/ref=pd_aw_ldate_5?_...ws_feature_div

...

A ton of focus lately on this gaming recording software, so maybe it'll work good enough?
https://obsproject.com/

[hpcampr]

Anyways, I understand the limited budget and time issues.
The other hardware noted are ideas for getting this project done faster with less tweaking. Certainly, people have used devices like the canopus advc and dvd recorder route successfully without much trouble.

...
Now, as for your device, I've been looking at competing devices.
Not sure what's inside hardware-wise, but I do see a price and physical similarity among these $10-20 usb dongle with tails devices.

In another device review, I see:
"Here are some steps to get it working. Step 1: Plug it in directly. If you need to use an extension usb cord, be sure its a high quality one. Windows 10 will see it and install the driver automatically. Step 2: take the included disc and throw into nearest trash can, it's worthless. Step 3: Download and install OBS Studio. It's free, it will recognize almost any type of video capture device you connect and it will allow you to tweak the video to your liking (brightness, contrast, aspect ratio, resolution, etc) You may need to watch a couple tutorial videos on how to use it but trust me, it's well worth it. "
https://www.amazon.com/USB-2-0-Audio-video-Converter/dp/B06XJKSJZ8/ref=pd_aw_ldate_5?_...ws_feature_div


...

A ton of focus lately on this gaming recording software, so maybe it'll work good enough?
https://obsproject.com/

I ordered the Elgato and it should get here today. Appreciate your comment on the software that comes with it! Looking at the trouble some Amazon reviewers had , I'll be happy if I can avoid some of those problems. Plenty of people say they made it work so I hope I'll be one of them. Thanks!

[dellsam34]

The device you have is as bad as the elgato, You should have listened to the senior members here, you could have spent half of that money getting a capture device from the early 2000's that actually works. And don't use screen capture software, use Vdub or similar.

[lordsmurf]

In another device review, I see:

1. That's an Easycap (aka Easycrap).
2. Amazon reviewers are morons more than not, especially for more technical items.

I ordered the Elgato and it should get here today.

That was a mistake.

[babygdav]

Elgato - relax.
If it works for him, great. Problem solved for this small project.

If it doesn't, I'll assume he got it from Amazon, which means free returns - No money wasted. Otherwise, can always sell it used and ink sure someone will find it useful.

...

Old equipment - unfortunately, not covered by Amazon's nice return program for new items, so it's a risk.

[dellsam34]

He can buy it 1000 times and return it 1000 times and he will not find one that works as it should, Those devices are made for one and one purpose only, make a quick $5 profit. Again look for a Pinnacle capture device or similar if you are serious about your project.

[hpcampr]

The device you have is as bad as the elgato, You should have listened to the senior members here, you could have spent half of that money getting a capture device from the early 2000's that actually works. And don't use screen capture software, use Vdub or similar.

Is Cyberlink Powerdirector screen capture software? I've tried Vdub several times now and it just crashes. That was when I was trying to capture to Avi. As mentioned in other post I tried that HuffYUV 2.1.1 but it also failed in capturing.

[hpcampr]

Elgato - relax.
If it works for him, great. Problem solved for this small project.

If it doesn't, I'll assume he got it from Amazon, which means free returns - No money wasted. Otherwise, can always sell it used and ink sure someone will find it useful.

...

Old equipment - unfortunately, not covered by Amazon's nice return program for new items, so it's a risk.

I believe it is returnable. Actually, I hope I'm on the way to a potentially better solution. I won an auction for a PAL Digital 8 Camcorder. On the negative side the guy just said it powered up but didn't say it had been tested. He said it worked before putting it in storage for a long time. I'll get it in a week and keep my fingers crossed until then. Thanks

[Cornucopia]

Neither powerdirector, nor vdub are screencap softwares. And even if they now have that feature, I wouldn't recommend using them. Go with OBS.

But, are you really trying to capture your computer screen? Or are you trying to capture the Camcorder's (D8/DV) stream? Not even close to the same thing.

Scott

[dellsam34]

He is capturing analog video with screen capture software, we already told him but he is following the wrong advice.

[Cornucopia]

That's what I thought. Just trying to hammer it home.

Scott

[hpcampr]

Neither powerdirector, nor vdub are screencap softwares. And even if they now have that feature, I wouldn't recommend using them. Go with OBS.

But, are you really trying to capture your computer screen? Or are you trying to capture the Camcorder's (D8/DV) stream? Not even close to the same thing.

Scott

I sure didn't think I was capturing the screen. I don't think The Cyberlink Power Director Software8 that I have on the XP laptop has that feature. PD17 comes with it as a separate program but I haven't tried it. I just go in PD8 under capture, set the parameters and file names and hit capture. The Easycap connects to s-video and RCA plugs for audio to the USB port.