Sony vrd-mc5 vs I-O Data GV-USB2 quality when capturing Hi8 from Av to RCA

[Lanman55]

When I go straight from camera to my TV (2011 75in LCD and 12in CRT) using just the normal av cables, the picture looks great and clear. But I've been having trouble getting it to look like this on any computer capture.

When I capture it using AV to a cheap (10 dollar) RCA to USB device with virtual dub, it comes out super dark and loses so much detail and quality. I just want it to look like what it does on my TV.

Would this sony vrd-mc5 be better than those cheap USB devices ? I'm looking to replicate the straight from camera to TV quality as best as I can.

If not, got any recommendations?

I understand that ill pretty much get the uncompressed version with the I-O Data GV-USB2. But with these Hi8 tapes, would there be a noticeable difference if i recorded to a dual layered dvd with the Sony vrd-mc5?

And last question, would either of these devices give me better results over the cheap usbs?

Thanks!

[davexnet]

Post a sample cut directly from your AV cable/USB capture.
You can post up to 500MB to this forum

[aramkolt]

Vwestlife has a few videos about the VRD-MC5 and he seems to like it quite a bit and that's my guess how you heard about it. It seems to have line-TBC-like effects, but the limitation being MPEG2/DVD encoding which isn't going to be as high of bitrate as a lossless capture and you'll end up with compression artifacts to some degree. Whether they matter enough to make the recording chain more complex is up to you. Sounds like anything would be better than your cheap capture card as the levels and detail retention is poor.

The whole Dual layer thing doesn't really matter, just means you can get more recording time per disc which at the highest setting is probably a 2 hour recording instead of a 1 hour recording with a standard DVD.

If I was you, I'd probably try both the IOdata and the VC5 and see what you like better. Neither are particularly expensive and you could probably resell the VC5 if you don't like it. If you want an extra quality boost, I'd also be using an S-Video cable which it is unclear from the first post if is being used or not.

[Lanman55]

Post a sample cut directly from your AV cable/USB capture.
You can post up to 500MB to this forum

Unfortunately, i dont have the clips available to me at the moment as im out of town and won't be back for a bit. Ill try to upload something when i get back.

[Lanman55]

Vwestlife has a few videos about the VRD-MC5 and he seems to like it quite a bit and that's my guess how you heard about it.

If I was you, I'd probably try both the IOdata and the VC5 and see what you like better. Neither are particularly expensive and you could probably resell the VC5 if you don't like it. If you want an extra quality boost, I'd also be using an S-Video cable which it is unclear from the first post if is being used or not.

You're pretty much correct. Saw his video and was like "This looks so much better"! I just placed an order this morning for the Sony. When i first got into shooting with tape hobby, that cheap dongle was fine and i was content. I thought what i got was the best i could get out of a 2001 camera. Glad to know i was wrong.

And no i havent been exporting with S-video, as the S-video connector on the USB device was jank and it wouldn't give me a stable picture. So that will be nice that i can finally be able to use it once the machine arrives. Ill think about the IOdata too in the future if im not happy with the Sony. It should work with Virtual dub i think.