Capturing VHS using Video grabber

[Christop]

Hi All

Id appreciate some advice on capturing from VHS using a 'Ex-Pro USB 2.0 Video/Audio Grabber Editor for capture video' device.

Ive attached the device to a Daewoo DF-4700 device. Ive got the Daewoo device to record from VHS to DVD so thats great. But its a bit hit and miss auto-initialising the blank DVDs. So i got the capture device to capture to my laptop (plus at some point id like to convert 8MM tapes).

I had a problem with the capture device software called "ArcSoft ShowBiz". An error came up" "The device is not available, or being used by another application. Please close any applications that may be using the device and try again".
I contacted the seller and they gave me a fix for it, the fix required me to uninstall the software, however i am unable to uninstall the software (showing error) and im unable to do a system restore to a time before the software was installed.

Any advice appreciated!

[DB83]

The issue was probably the device. Not installed properly. USB devices follow a certain routine typically install drivers before inserting device into PC/Laptop etc.


'Ex-Pro' really does not say much. A link to the item from where you acquired it (Ebay ?) might reveal more about it. Also need info about your laptop / OS etc.

[Christop]

Hi DB83, yes i think you are spot on there. This is what the makers told me... but only after i had done it the other way round! And they advised to uninstall the software and try again but as per initial post ive not been able to do that.

Im using a Lenovo 310 ideapad, running Win 10.

The product is this:
https://smile.amazon.co.uk/Ex-Pro-Grabber-Editor-capture-Windows/dp/B001HB9C1O/ref=sr_...mputers&sr=1-1

Thanks!

[dellsam34]

Expensive doesn't always mean good quality but I can assure you that cheap is almost always means bad quality, especially if it comes from China where there is no ethics or regulations.

[lingyi]

Sorry for the wall of text, but your question and situation has been posted here and at digitalfaq.com numerous times before.

Your device is 100% an EasyCap clone based on the price, design and software. Search for EasyCap on this forum and you'll see why it's nicknamed EasyCrap. Cut your loss and search for a proper recommended capture device like the ATI-600 or Haupauge PVR-500 which aren't cheap at $50-$100+ but are known to be good quality and more importantly advice supported by members here. Before you buy any new device, be sure ask for opinions and advice here first. No sense in buying something that no one here knows about and can't help with.

lordsmurf (one of the most knowledgeable members here and at digitalfaq.com) has the ATi-600 and similar quality devices available for sale here. I see that his current prices are higher than they were, but you're getting his guarantee of working quality and support.

If you want, you could try using VirtualDub with your EasyCap. Again, search for advice here for how to do that.

Alternately, you search for a DVD recorder which is a quick and easy solution.

Understand that I'm not being facetious about the following at all.If you're willing to accept fair quality at best (which you'll get with your current device) or good quality at best (which is what you'll get with a DVD recorder) and you're happy with it, that's perfectly fine and you can stop reading here.


*************************


But if you're seeking to get good to very good quality video captures, keep in mind that your capture device is only one link in the chain to get a good quality capture. And you'll need to spend some $$$ to $$$$, and devote the time to learn and experiment.

I highly recommend thoroughly reading and absorbing this article http://www.digitalfaq.com/editorials/digital-video/professional-analog-workflow.htm, by lordsmurf . Note that everything except the cameras and multiple equipment, except possibly VCRs apply to home capturing.

Also read this: http://www.digitalfaq.com/forum/video-restore/1567-vcr-buying-guide.html and hopefully your VCR(s) are on the recommended list.

[DB83]

Hi DB83, yes i think you are spot on there. This is what the makers told me... but only after i had done it the other way round! And they advised to uninstall the software and try again but as per initial post ive not been able to do that.

Im using a Lenovo 310 ideapad, running Win 10.

The product is this:
https://smile.amazon.co.uk/Ex-Pro-Grabber-Editor-capture-Windows/dp/B001HB9C1O/ref=sr_...mputers&sr=1-1

Thanks!

Well reading down the comments, which do not surprise me, there are issues installing under Win10. In fact many a cheap, and jeez, this is cheap, units have issues installing under Win10 since there are no bespoke drivers - some work but many do not.


And I also read the words 'Easycap'. Or as we tend to misspell it 'Easycrap'.


Higher priced items may not give to the result but atleast you might expect some level of proper support - not the flannel given by the seller.


I have not ug to Win10 yet my Hauppauge USB-Live 2 captures fine and I would expect that a respected co. like Hauppauge to provide for proper Win10 drivers.


At the end of the day you get what you pay for.

[lordsmurf]

there are issues installing under Win10.

That's because there is no "Windows 10", as a singular OS. At least one annual "update" for Win10 is more like an OS upgrade, and can fundamentally change the OS. It's far different from updates of the past, or even the Service Packs. Some of those changes have had very negative consequences for A/V work, with capturing especially being hit hard. The GDPR nonsense was especially ruthless in uninstalling cards, then refusing to reinstall, due to stupidity in confusing capture cards with webcams.

I have not ug to Win10 yet my Hauppauge USB-Live 2 captures fine and I would expect that a respected co. like Hauppauge to provide for proper Win10 drivers.

Both Hauppauge and ATI crafted drivers based on the generic eMPIA drivers. Easycraps use the generic drivers. The eMPIA then bridge to the actual capture video/audio chipsets. (This is why many people mistakenly think all USB cards are "the same", which is false.) All 3 drivers sets can succumb to Windows 8/10 whims at any time.

Easycraps have very inferior chipsets, and the captures are rife with significant image/audio flaws.

Easycraps are only $5 (£4) on Aliexpress and Wish, last I saw, last year (2019). That included shipping. The fact that anybody thinks they're getting a good item is hilariously ridiculous. Rebadgers love those cards, and mark up the price 2x (no-name China resellers on eBay/Amazon) to 200x (Roxio). The customers are none the wiser (aka sheep, lambs to the slaughter). At least, until they come to sites like these, with their usual problems, and learn the truth of the junk they mistakenly bought.

software called "ArcSoft ShowBiz".

Terrible software. Use VirtualDub.

[Christop]

Thanks for all the responses- very detailed. Lots for me to think about. i'll do some research and be sure to post back if i intend to buy something. thanks again

[Christop]

Does anyone have any advice on how i might be able to uninstall this troublesome software!?
The message i get when trying to uninstall is "An installation support file could not be installed. Catastrophic failure."

[davexnet]

Does anyone have any advice on how i might be able to uninstall this troublesome software!?
The message i get when trying to uninstall is "An installation support file could not be installed. Catastrophic failure."

Set a system restore point for safe keeping. Reinstall the app over the top, see if it gives you the option to uninstall -
if not, reboot the PC and uninstall from control panel as usual.

[Christop]

Does anyone have any advice on how i might be able to uninstall this troublesome software!?
The message i get when trying to uninstall is "An installation support file could not be installed. Catastrophic failure."

Set a system restore point for safe keeping. Reinstall the app over the top, see if it gives you the option to uninstall -
if not, reboot the PC and uninstall from control panel as usual.

Thanks i just gave that a go and i got the same message! " "An installation support file could not be installed. Catastrophic failure.".

[davexnet]

There's this
https://www.revouninstaller.com/products/revo-uninstaller-free/

Or if the product was installed recently, you could see if there is a restore point prior to that

[Christop]

There's this
https://www.revouninstaller.com/products/revo-uninstaller-free/

Or if the product was installed recently, you could see if there is a restore point prior to that

Thanks Dave.
Ill give that a go for sure.
I regularly create restore points but when i went to restore after this happened i could only see 1 restore point so i was annoyed!

[Christop]

There's this
https://www.revouninstaller.com/products/revo-uninstaller-free/

Or if the product was installed recently, you could see if there is a restore point prior to that

Thanks Dave.
Ill give that a go for sure.
I regularly create restore points but when i went to restore after this happened i could only see 1 restore point so i was annoyed!

Looks to have worked Thanks very much!

[Avagadro1]

..

[davexnet]

I have . . . my Hauppauge USB-Live 2 . . . captures fine. At the end of the day you get what you pay for.

DB83:

I have a Chinese-made USB capture device. It works, but I have nothing to compare it to. (I am just now learning to use VirtualDub and will be using the Huffyuv codec, rather than what came with the USB capture device --- all of which I learned about on this site.)

ISSUE: Many months ago, I called Hauppauge Tech Support to ask one primary question about the USB-Live 2: To what file format(s) will the device capture? The fellow stated very clearly: all output from the Hauppauge USB Live 2 is MPEG-2. No other option.

Since capturing VHS video is only my starting point, then to be edited and burned to DVD, and having learned on this site about VirtualDub (which captures in AVI) and near-lossless codecs, I assumed that the Hauppauge device was not appropriate for my purposes. (Right?/Wrong?)

In light of YOUR choosing the Hauppauge device for your purposes, would you please share your thoughts on the matter as I have presented the issue.

Thank you.

This is what their tech support told me also. I pointed out to them they had stated it was software compression in their app.
Surely, if that's the case the input to the app must be the uncompressed signal.

Besides, others in the forum have reported that they're able to capture lossless with this device