Any good USB capture devices

[techmot]

Hi, does anyone know of any really good USB video capture devices which will work with current Windows and a basic Ideapad laptop?. I have a nightmare at the moment with my Easycap type device where nothing seems to work properly, and when a capture program does work there's always some issue, ie no sound. For some reason for the last few weeks none of the versions of Virtualdub will work, Debut video capture (a not very good program IMO) won't detect the device. VLC player seems to be temperamental, sometimes it detects the device but then I get an error message. I have never so many problems with trying to capture analogue video from VHS recorder to my laptop using this device.

Anyone recommend a better capture device that is guaranteed to work?.

[lollo]

Before the capture card, you need a good player What do you have?

[sum_guy]

I have this https://hauppauge.com/pages/products/data_usblive2.html works great on Windows 11 Pro

[klavz]

USB-Live 2 with AmaRecTV and HuffYUV

[techmot]

I have this https://hauppauge.com/pages/products/data_usblive2.html works great on Windows 11 Pro

Hope it's better than my Climaxdigital capture device, but it doesn't look much different than it. Knowing my luck it still won't work lol. If it doesn't then there must be something wrong with the capture programs I'm using. Will it work with Virtualdub etc?. I can imagine that the capture program will display a macrovision notice when a tape jumps even when the tape isn't copy protected. The program that came with my capture device did this as did Corel Video capture.

Also it says it supports NTSC but doesn't mention PAL.

[techmot]

Before the capture card, you need a good player What do you have?

Do you the VHS player? it's just basic 6 head Bush video, Nicam stereo with digital auto tracking, nothing hi tech really. I do have a Panasonic VHS/DVD recorder combi, but it needs repairing as one of the idler motors needs fixing (I think it's the idler motor). It got jammed when I tried to load a tape without the rear flap on, and now when you power the machine on it makes a whirring sound where the motor is trying to move but can't.

[lollo]

Do you the VHS player? it's just basic 6 head Bush video, Nicam stereo with digital auto tracking, nothing hi tech really. I do have a Panasonic VHS/DVD recorder combi, but it needs repairing as one of the idler motors needs fixing (I think it's the idler motor). It got jammed when I tried to load a tape without the rear flap on, and now when you power the machine on it makes a whirring sound where the motor is trying to move but can't.

The player is the most important element for a good capture. If you do not have a high end S-VHS with TBC a Y/C output, the results will not be very good. Eventually try to insert one of recommended DVD-Recorder in pass-through mode. Then the Hauppauge USB-Live 2 suggested by others (with AmarecTV and HuffYUV) can fit well and replace your existing card that is giving troubles.

[Alwyn]

IOData GV-USB2.
I've never noticed the "this is a newer model..." in the ad before. The driver install instructions are in Japanese but there's an English translation available. In any case, it's a couple of clicks and that's it.

It's bulletproof on Win 11. I use AmarecTV to capture.

I might have mentioned this before: before you go out buying stuff, connect your VCR to your Panasonic Combo and then S-Video from the combo to the digitiser. Most Panny combos have the VHS Refresh feature that the pure DVD recorders have. The combo doesn't need to have mechanically-functional drives.

My Hauppauge USBLive2 (recent model 610) supports PAL and NTSC.

[techmot]

IOData GV-USB2.
I've never noticed the "this is a newer model..." in the ad before. The driver install instructions are in Japanese but there's an English translation available. In any case, it's a couple of clicks and that's it.

It's bulletproof on Win 11. I use AmarecTV to capture.

I might have mentioned this before: before you go out buying stuff, connect your VCR to your Panasonic Combo and then S-Video from the combo to the digitiser. Most Panny combos have the VHS Refresh feature that the pure DVD recorders have. The combo doesn't need to have mechanically-functional drives.

My Hauppauge USBLive2 (recent model 610) supports PAL and NTSC.

Thanks for that. I looked up the Happauge USB on amazon UK but it say it supports upto Windows 8, no mention of Windows 11, and they seem a little expensive considering it pretty much looks just like my current Climax Digital capture device.

Speaking of my capture device, but I have been having lots of problems with capturing with it using various programs like VDub, Debut video capture, AmarecTV, and even VLC player. None of them seem to work or work properly on my new Lenovo Ideapad running Win11. I tried more than version of VDub, and still I could get no signal from the device, at one point there was just a black screen (normally a bluescreen would appear from the VCR). Thinking this was down to the drivers, I then updated the drivers but still nothing. Thinking this must be the capture device, I then booted up an old HP laptop running Vista (not enough ram for HD playback though), opened up Virtualdub, connected the VCR to my capture device and one of the USB inputs, and Vdub was able to detect the device. So why won't it do the same on my Ideapad?. Is this down to Windows 11?. I would've continued capturing on the HP laptop except that about 20 mins into capturing it shut down due to overheating (typical, just when it was capturing lol). I'm assuming the fan is overheating?. Just shows how superior the older (2009-ish) HP 15" laptop was to my new cheap Ideapad. Maybe Ideapads and Notebooks just aren't suitable for capturing video.

[Alwyn]

USB Live-2 on Win 11: https://www.hauppauge.com/pages/products/data_usblive2.html#specifications

So why won't it do the same on my Ideapad?. Is this down to Windows 11?

I would say so. The drivers for your current digitiser aren't fit for Win 11.

Capturing video is not an intensive task. You've got other issues if you have an overheating HP while capturing.

[lordsmurf]

e my current Climax Digital capture device.

That's an Easycap, a $2 Chinese capture card (literally $2 to produce) that sells for more.
aka Easycrap

[techmot]

USB Live-2 on Win 11: https://www.hauppauge.com/pages/products/data_usblive2.html#specifications

So why won't it do the same on my Ideapad?. Is this down to Windows 11?

I would say so. The drivers for your current digitiser aren't fit for Win 11.

Capturing video is not an intensive task. You've got other issues if you have an overheating HP while capturing.

I agree about the overheating, can't be down to just capturing. I'll mention this in a new thread, hopefully someone can help. Even on my Toshiba satellite running Windows 8 the device would be temperamental, sometimes it would work and sometimes it wouldn't, sometimes this depended on which capture program I was using.

[techmot]

e my current Climax Digital capture device.

That's an Easycap, a $2 Chinese capture card (literally $2 to produce) that sells for more.
aka Easycrap

I suppose they are crap, but it does work (sometimes).

Amazon UK don't seem to sell the Hauppauge Live 2 for some reason.

[Alwyn]

Amazon UK don't seem to sell the Hauppauge Live 2 for some reason.

Check the prices, I got mine from the horse's mouth, Hauppauge. Can't get a bodgy one that way.

[techmot]

Amazon UK don't seem to sell the Hauppauge Live 2 for some reason.

Check the prices, I got mine from the horse's mouth, Hauppauge. Can't get a bodgy one that way.

I don't know why I can't get the Happauge from Amazon UK, it seems to be only available from the US, and I can't imagine postage would be cheap. I think the Elgato is only for Mac not Windows. I don't really want to buy another cheap crappy EasyCap type device. I just need a good reliable capture device that will work for Windows 11 on a laptop.

[Alwyn]

USB Live2 from Hauppauge direct (as I suggested above):
https://www.hauppauge.com/pages/webstore2/webstore_usblive2.html

I just need a good reliable capture device that will work for Windows 11 on a laptop.

My recommendation is the IOData GV-USB2. Proved to work on Win 11.

[techmot]

USB Live2 from Hauppauge direct (as I suggested above):
https://www.hauppauge.com/pages/webstore2/webstore_usblive2.html

I just need a good reliable capture device that will work for Windows 11 on a laptop.

My recommendation is the IOData GV-USB2. Proved to work on Win 11.

I didn't realise there was a UK site. Searched for IOData GV-USB2 in the search bar under the UK site but nothing is found. There is the WinTV-HVR-1975 but doesn't state it's compatible with Windows 11.

[Alwyn]

Here you go, UK Ebay via my VPN:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=p2047675.m570.l2632&_nkw=io+data+g...&_sacat=182094

[techmot]

Here you go, UK Ebay via my VPN:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=p2047675.m570.l2632&_nkw=io+data+g...&_sacat=182094

Thanks for that, but I thought they were made by Happauge? looks like one of those chinese Easycap devices. Why are they from Japan, and the delivery is over a month. Why doesn't the UK Happauge site or Amazon UK site sell the Win Live2?

[Alwyn]

Nah, the USB Live2 is made by Hauppauge and the GV-USB2 is made by IOData. IOData, I believe, is a Japanese company. The digitiser itself has "Made in Taiwan" on it. Definitely not a easycr@p.

Why doesn't the UK Happauge site or Amazon UK site sell the Win Live2?

Dunno. If you buy it from the .COM site, you get taken to a US site, so maybe the have a world-wide distribution network. Mine was shipped from Singapore.

From the .COM site, it's ~$50, with ~$10 shipping.

[Sharc]

I ordered my IO-Data GV-USB2 directly from a Japanese distributor found on the internet. Free shipping cost to Europe via SnailMail with no tracking options. It took about 6 months until the parcel arrived in perfect condition. I almost gave up the hope that it will ever arrive, but they kept the promises.
No risk - no fun

[Bogilein]

Maybe it's possible to buy from german Amazon Site.

https://www.amazon.de/Hauppauge-USB-Live2-Analog-Video-Digitizer/dp/B003Q2ZA36/ref=sr_...33&sr=8-4&th=1

[techmot]

Maybe it's possible to buy from german Amazon Site.

https://www.amazon.de/Hauppauge-USB-Live2-Analog-Video-Digitizer/dp/B003Q2ZA36/ref=sr_...33&sr=8-4&th=1

Thanks, but why is it not available in the UK from Amazon UK?. I can't be the only person with a Windows 11 laptop who wants to use a video capture device. There are loads of USB video capture devices on Amazon but most seem to be those cheap crappy Chinese ones.

[Sharc]

Thanks, but why is it not available in the UK from Amazon UK?.

Ask Amazon .....

[techmot]

I ordered my IO-Data GV-USB2 directly from a Japanese distributor found on the internet. Free shipping cost to Europe via SnailMail with no tracking options. It took about 6 months until the parcel arrived in perfect condition. I almost gave up the hope that it will ever arrive, but they kept the promises.
No risk - no fun

6 months wait? what's the point in that?

[techmot]

Thanks, but why is it not available in the UK from Amazon UK?.

Ask Amazon .....

No need to be rude, just asking. Like I said, there are lots of these UBS capture devices on Amazon, but they look like the Easycap ones, lots of cheap ones. I even checked out local PC retailers and they don't sell the Happauge USB live2, the only were the Elgato for the Mac or one for Windows Vista, 7, 8/8.9.

[TimA-C]

Er . . . maybe they've just come back into stock . . . ?

https://www.amazon.co.uk/USB-Live2-Capture-display-record-Laptop/dp/B003Q2ZA36/ref=sr_...88&sr=8-1&th=1

[techmot]

Er . . . maybe they've just come back into stock . . . ?

https://www.amazon.co.uk/USB-Live2-Capture-display-record-Laptop/dp/B003Q2ZA36/ref=sr_...88&sr=8-1&th=1

Oh right thanks for that. Must've come back in stock as you say as I'm sure I couldn't find it previously. But it doesn't say it's compatible with Windows 11, just says Win 10, 8.1, 8 and 7. I think the one that's sold on Amazon US is for Windows 11. My Ideapad is Windows 11.

[lollo]

But it doesn't say it's compatible with Windows 11, just says Win 10, 8.1, 8 and 7.

Why do you search the specs for a product on Amazon? Better to look at the manufacturer site: https://hauppauge.com/pages/products/data_usblive2.html#specifications

[techmot]

But it doesn't say it's compatible with Windows 11, just says Win 10, 8.1, 8 and 7.

Why do you search the specs for a product on Amazon? Better to look at the manufacturer site: https://hauppauge.com/pages/products/data_usblive2.html#specifications

Yeah it's odd that it mentions Windows 11 on the Happauge website but only mentions Win 7, 8, 8.1 and 10 on Amazon. I'm assuming they're both the same model?.