Capture devices? Giving up on using Black Magic Shuttle for Betamax & VHS

[Neil-Betamax]

I don't get why people insist in using Mac OS for such tasks

After a person is told Mac is the wrong tool for capture...

Just use the right tool.

This is why I value this forum a lot. I mean, when I bought my first capture device I had very basic knowledge of how video capturing works, this was about 15 years ago. It's something you can't really google, so I really do appreciate everyone's input here. Thank you!
There's so much info you need to discover on your own, or otherwise be pointed in the right direction towards. There's so much you just can't tend to google.
I've noticed a few familiar names here pop up, I remember you all from within the last 5-10 years perhaps, as I've been back & forth a lot.

But I'm so happy with my results so far. There have been a few unexpected hickups, last night a particular VHS I captured has audio sync lag after 20 minutes, so I just captured it in batches, ready to edit later. These are home recordings so there's always a reference point between films where I can stop capture, to avoid missing frames when I splice it back together.

So far, its really impressive. Managed to capture recordings of myself playing in a metal band at 13, loads of silly animations I made, & archving a lot of VHS which is taking up room, of which would be better viewed from a HD. Really good to know I'm not letting these videos decay further before I can preserve them.

[lordsmurf]

There have been a few unexpected hickups, last night a particular VHS I captured has audio sync lag after 20 minutes, so I just captured it in batches, ready to edit later. These are home recordings so there's always a reference point between films where I can stop capture, to avoid missing frames when I splice it back together..

This is caused by lack of frame TBC, generally made worse by by capture hardware (BM cards for SD), as well as bad capture software (sometimes settings, but less so). There's really no mystery on why you're having problems. It's the gear.

This is what gives a successful capture:
S-VHS with line TBC > frame TBC > capture card in Windows

Anything else starts to decrease quality, and increase problems/frustration. There are budget avenues, trade costs for lower quality.

For Mac, there are a few quality cards (specific ATI 600 USB "clones") that work with Videoglide, using OS X 10.14 down to Snow Leopard. Nothing newer, nothing for M1/2/3 CPU. Anything else tends to be a PITA, or DV, or both.

After 20 years, capturing is down to science. Straying to others devices, newer devices with false/flat/BS promises, never ends well. Wasted time, wasted funds. I've personally spent $$$ trying almost all of it, and it's all dead ends or crap, as compared to the tried-and-true methods. Same for wrong OS (Linux, Mac, etc), wrong computer hardware (non-Intel), wrong capture software (OBS, etc).

[Alwyn]

The guy talks through his process using a I-O Data GV-USB2 (coincidental as some of you have suggested this & its high up on my list), but he does mention at 11:05 how he experiences audio sync issues..

"I've noticed how for some reason, time can drift upto around 15 seconds for every hour of tape. I don't know what causes this, but I usually add a bit of time just to be on the safe side."

I'm not sure what he's doing here, but maybe this method could fix the problem I'm having with the BM audio sync?

It looks like you've misunderstood what that guy is talking about. The 15 sec per hour is the error of the tape counter when he's trying to set the stop condition/timing. It's got nothing to do with audio sync.

That would have to be THE most annoying voice I have ever heard!

[Neil-Betamax]

[QUOTE It looks like you've misunderstood what that guy is talking about. The 15 sec per hour is the error of the tape counter when he's trying to set the stop condition/timing. It's got nothing to do with audio sync.

That would have to be THE most annoying voice I have ever heard! [/QUOTE]

Thanks for that, yeah I thought there was something I were misunderstanding there, thanks for clearing that up. Thankfully though, I've conqurered my audio sync issues just by using a different machine. At the time though I was contemplating anything which could potentially fix the issue though. He does have a pretty distinguished voice doesnt he! I remember seeing his videos a few years ago, I kinda like it in a weird way coz its funny, but perhaps that's my coping mechanism in order to get through his videos. Sound guy though, he got back to me about a few things I had to ask regards the black magic shuttle. God knows if I'll ever find thee, ultimate combo in terms of software hardware, but at least I've managed to get around the audio sync problem for now.