AT MY WITS END!! VHS capture device

[Alwyn]

Here we go. It's running on Win 10 20H2 in Virtual Dub (1.9.11):


[Attachment 58373 - Click to enlarge]

I only installed the drivers, not the Honestech DVD software.

Proc amp and histogram are working fine (thanks again, jagabo! You are THE legend).

Download VDub from here:
http://www.digitalfaq.com/forum/video-conversion/1727-virtualdub-filters-pre.html

Capture guide here:
http://www.digitalfaq.com/guides/video/capture-avi-virtualdub.htm

I have a hunch that it is important that, when pulling out your USB stick, that you "safely remove" it from Windows first; in the tray, click the "safely remove hardware" icon and click the "eject USB capture device" line.

Standby for a report on the Honestech software...


Who did shoot JR??

[Alwyn]

Honestech working OK too. BUT, it records into MPEG 2, which is not desirable for advanced video processing. That said, it will be simpler putting the video onto a DVD using the Honestech capture fi you don't want to get too deep.


[Attachment 58374 - Click to enlarge]

Make sure you've got the settings set correctly . They're self-explanatory, but you have to open the Settings cog first (on the 1. Capture screen); mine wasn't set on the "Conexant Polaris Video Capture Device" (the VGB-100) for video or audio.

Graphstudio Proc Amp worked too, but no Histogram. On one try, it left a green haze over the image window when I exited the proc amp.

So, it works. Now we have to nut out why.

[DB83]

It may be useful if you were to guide the OP as to the correct way of installing the drivers.


I am not suggesting he did it wrong since he does have audio and 'some video' but the installation does vary according to OS. Sometimes it is load drivers BEFORE you first plug in the device. Then the OS will 'detect' the device and finish the install process.

[Alwyn]

Yes, good call, DB83.

Here is what my Device Manager looks like:


[Attachment 58375 - Click to enlarge]

The VGB100 is the two "USB2.0" entries.

Do you have those, Darren?

If not, I'll post the install sequence that I used.

FYI, in this case, the instructions are to plug in the VGB100 first, then run the installer for the drivers and the Honestech DVD authoring software.

[jagabo]

*Now I did read a topic some days ago that a user had 'solved' his Win10 capture issues. I kinda dismissed the reply as I had not read that before. But, I guess, it is worth checking out just in case an update did do this.

Yes, this is a common problem -- Windows security blocking access to video input devices. Windows -> Settings -> Privacy -> App Permissions -> Camera. Allow Store Apps and Desktop Apps access to the camera/capture device.


[Attachment 58376 - Click to enlarge]

[Brad]

Forget about the VCR for now.

The first step in your troubleshooting should have been to hook up a 100% stable, standard video source via composite to the capture device. Some possibilities depending on what you have in your home:

1. DVD player
2. TV set-top box (STB)
3. Camcorder (if analog tape then: Camera section, not Playback section and maybe not its internal Menu system either)
4. Video game system that outputs standard PAL/NTSC video (basically, from the Sixth Generation onward, but even in that generation there were non-standard video modes with some games)

In post #11 you showed a screenshot of the driver's Video Decoder tab. When it says Signal Detected: 0 that means one of these is true:

1. There is no video source connected
2. An incompatible video source is connected (like a 288p / 240p signal: VCR menu, VCR blue-back, earlier game console, etc.)
3. An unstable video source is connected (like in your clip, the "snow" is being muted by the capture card -- that's 100% normal and expected for this device)

You want Signal Detected: 1 to appear on that Decoder tab.

BTW, August VGB-100 = Diamond VC500. And the Hauppauge USB-Live2 is also a Conexant Polaris device.

[1974darrenh]

Yeah I might try installing win 7 and try that, but surely changing compatibility settings to win 7 should sort it? But it didn't.

In my device manager, the vgb100 is showing as USB camera and usb audio so it is installed right. I used the new drivers from the August site but still no difference..

I've tried at least 10 tapes and all the same, sound but no video.

Unfortunately my TV is quite new so it doesn't have a scart socket, and the composites are just a blue and a yellow jack plugs.

[1974darrenh]

As for signal detected, it flicks between 0 & 1

[1974darrenh]

Yes, good call, DB83.

Here is what my Device Manager looks like:


[Attachment 58375 - Click to enlarge]

The VGB100 is the two "USB2.0" entries.

Do you have those, Darren?

If not, I'll post the install sequence that I used.

FYI, in this case, the instructions are to plug in the VGB100 first, then run the installer for the drivers and the Honestech DVD authoring software.

Yes I have those.

[DB83]

I already told you what 'compatability mode' is for.


And did you check your Windows Privacy settings ? See jagabo's response above.

[1974darrenh]

*Now I did read a topic some days ago that a user had 'solved' his Win10 capture issues. I kinda dismissed the reply as I had not read that before. But, I guess, it is worth checking out just in case an update did do this.

Yes, this is a common problem -- Windows security blocking access to video input devices. Windows -> Settings -> Privacy -> App Permissions -> Camera. Allow Store Apps and Desktop Apps access to the camera/capture device.


[Attachment 58376 - Click to enlarge]

All done and no difference. This is getting ridiculous.

[1974darrenh]

I'm gonna try installing win 7 and dual boot it.

[1974darrenh]

Well That was a waste of time. Win 7 wont install. Another problem!!!!!!!!

[jagabo]

Win7 is very difficult to install on modern hardware. If you really want to pursue that see this thread:
https://forum.videohelp.com/threads/384921-Windows-7-Image-Updater-SkyLake-KabyLake-Co...n-Threadripper

[1974darrenh]

Win7 is very difficult to install on modern hardware. If you really want to pursue that see this thread:
https://forum.videohelp.com/threads/384921-Windows-7-Image-Updater-SkyLake-KabyLake-Co...n-Threadripper

Thank you for that. Gonna give it a try now

[1974darrenh]

Good news, it's now working. The heads on the VCR needed cleaning. I took it apart and cleaned the heads with aftershave and voila, it worked.

[jagabo]

So Win7 is what got it working?

[DB83]

Maybe one should be reminded of what you wrote in reply #19 >> "The videos show fine on the tv" (or words to that effect)


Blue/Green screen is NOT a consequence of dirty video heads.


But if it is working now........

[ozymango]

The heads on the VCR needed cleaning. I took it apart and cleaned the heads with aftershave and voila, it worked.

This line wins the internet for today.

[lordsmurf]

Win7 is very difficult to install on modern hardware. If you really want to pursue that see this thread:
https://forum.videohelp.com/threads/384921-Windows-7-Image-Updater-SkyLake-KabyLake-Co...n-Threadripper

Huh? Not really.
WinXP isn't even a huge challenge these days, thanks to the Integral Edition fan project.

[anachronon]

Now I did read a topic some days ago that a user had 'solved' his Win10 capture issues.

That was me. A Win10 update had turned-off my camera permissions. This had disabled my capture drivers. Turning permissions back on solved the problem.

Go to Settings->Privacy->Camera. Turn on "Allow apps to access camera". See if this helps. For some reason, Win10 sees video capture devices as cameras.

It is possible that the capture devices are being finicky with the video signals. I have a "Dazzle" device that routinely loses the video, whenever there is a flaw or blank spot in the tape. I would have to stop capture and restart it, to get the video to reappear. If you are using VDub to capture, try Capture->Test Video Capture, and see if your video appears (no file will be created). There are times though, when the Dazzle completely goes south (no video under any circumstance) like when I run my analog signal through the line TBC of the Panasonic ES-15. For some reason, the Dazzle doesn't like the output of the Panasonic. Conversely, I have found that the Hauppauge USB-610 continues to render video, no matter what the circumstance.

[Why]

Good news, it's now working. The heads on the VCR needed cleaning. I took it apart and cleaned the heads with aftershave and voila, it worked.

Hello all,

until this point my story was quite similar as regards the amount of time wasted and the extent of my dispair.

The big difference was that I was struggling with only one USB videograbber named König from Nedis. Refeence and data about it, here: https://www.distrelec.de/Web/Downloads/_t/ds/CSUSBVG100_eng_tds.pdf. And I used just one VCR, and in the early phase the same VHS casette.

First I thought that the videograbber was the one to be blamed.

Since I tried to use it with three computers a) a laptop running on 37 32b b) a PC on W7 64b c) another laptop on W10 32b. And I always failed, I got only sound, never a video, just sometimes some frozen pictures of low quality at the very beginning of the playback of my VHS. On the other hand I used/tested three softwares, the one provided with the grabber (Arcsoft's ShowBiz), OBS and some VirtualVCR. Just the same failures.

But after some more tests (see *) I realized that the grabber works, so I started to think that my VCR needed some sort of cleaning, although its picture could be seen on TV via Scart-Scart Cable.

*My new assumption was supported by the fact that if I used my old analogue video camera as the video input, I mean playing back its small size casette (which is called Compact Video Casette, at least I guess so) then the picture appeared on my laptop. I was shocked a bit, because I did not understand it, but I sarted to be a bit happy, too
That was the point I found this thread and the cleaning became the new bet to solve my problems

Nevertheless instead of cleaning the heads of my VCR I had an idea and I put this CVC to a casette adapter, and I placed the adapter into my VCR. Pretty interestingly its picture appeared on my laptop using exactly the same cables and adapters as earlier with the VHS.

Well, after that would it make any sense to clean the VCR???

At this point I tested all my VHSs that I wanted to digitalize, but no success at all. Again just the sound, no video appeared in the softwares on my computers.
These 4 VHSs are TDK HD-X Pro, so even if they are 15-22 years old, they were and maybe still are of relatively good quality. Moreover I have 2 backup VHSs which were almost never played back.


CORRECTED: only 2 of them are TDK, the other 2 are Sony Excellence V. As regards the backup VHSs, 1 TDK, 1 Sony.
See also my later, separate post about what I figured out during my additional tests.

So is there anyone around who knows why the picture of a CVC can flow perfectly from a VCR through a SCART F => SCART M + RCA F=>RCA M + RCA M => RCA F+videograbber+USB M combination to a computer, why that of a VHS cannot?

Thanks in advance,
Zoltan

[DB83]

Well I have one suggestion as to why the VHS appears on the tv and not through a video grabber >> PC.

Your analogue tv system was, I believe, PAL D/K rather than the more common PAL B/G-I. Check your capture software to see if a change is possible -virtualdub does have such a setting.

[Why]

Sure, I did not mention it, but in the options of ShowBiz I had tried all of the options of TV/video standards before I understood that we had PAL D/K. So unfortunately it may be not the reason.

And again the CVC used for recording in the camera appears being played back both in the camera and in the VCR, and none of those VHSs appears which contents were copied directly from that CVC (using camera as input and the same VCR as the recording device).

Are you sure there is no difference in the signals of a CVC and a VHS if those were used in the above way? Do they have the same attributes, logical formats etc?

And thanks for your hint about tv standards, anyway.

[DB83]

I may be wrong here but a VHS-c (I assume that is what you mean by CVC and an adapter) uses plain/vanilla PAL so is probably B/G/I.

Later today, I will throw a UK home-recorded VHS in to my recorder and see if there is a difference between B/G/I and D/K.


Twas but a late-night thought.


But may I ask what this weird connection system you have. All you require is a simple scart to composite(RCA) adapter. Unless you have a S-VHS recorder attempting to record through s-video would also mean no video.

[Why]

But may I ask what this weird connection system you have. All you require is a simple scart to composite(RCA) adapter. Unless you have a S-VHS recorder attempting to record through s-video would also mean no video.

Yes, I use a Scart to composite adapter, plus the RCA cabel, plus the usb video grabber.

I just wanted to precisely define what it means in terms of connectors (I thought I had to list Males and Females, too, just to show that I respected this profession of “videoing” )

[DB83]

Not really. Anyone who reads and replies would know that you can not directly join female to female

But that adapter is typically switched so it has to be set to 'output' ie from the vcr end

[dellsam34]

B/G and D/K and the likes are just TV broadcast standards, In VCR world there is only NTSC/PAL/SECAM and the hybrid formats such as PAL60, MESECAM, NTSC4.43 ...
The above poster's problem could be tape format differences, VHS-C tapes are recorded in a different format than full size VHS cassettes because maybe the VHS-C tapes were shot abroad with a different camcorder, By the way there is actually a CVC video format like Video8 but neither use an adapter. So no cleaning the VCR has no effect here, Even if it was dirty you could still get static but not a black screen.

[DB83]

Yes. I appreciate that these are broadcast standards but still I wonder how that broadcast get on to a tape and is thus 'vanilla'

And I ask this specifically since, if the above was true, that tape from a tv broadcast I once received from a friend in Brazil should have played correctly in my own vcr without a standards conversion.


Of course with a commercially recorded tape we just have the three.

[Why]

Not really. Anyone who reads and replies would know that you can not directly join female to female

But that adapter is typically switched so it has to be set to 'output' ie from the vcr end

My adapter is not switchable, it is an output-only one.

In the meantime I understood that I have really no CVC, which is a totally different format, but indeed a VHSc. Unfortunately there is no other text on my VHS-c as “compact video cassette”. But my cam shows that it works with VHSc.