Can you make VirtualDub timeshift (delay) capturing?

[Rick123]

Hi. I'm really in need of some help here quickly. My VCR remote has decided to bust up on me and I am unable to record my favourite TV show(s) atm. I suddenly came upon the idea of using VirtualDub (preferably) to act as another "timeshifting device" to record these programs.

I'm after any advice whatsoever about how this can be achieved, and I suspect that it may require a set of line commands or similar. I've seen that there are two options at the bottom of the File menu called "Run script" and "Job control", but I have no idea how these are utilised and the help file contains no known instructions on how this may be accomplished (it only pertains to working with existing .avi's, not capturing new ones).

I'd like any and all ideas, regardless of whether they may work or not. I really need some answers so that I can play around with them quickly and work them out for myself - as I only have about 18 hours from now until my first TV show is broadcast . Many thanks for any help you can provide.

[Tommyknocker]

It sounds like the idea I had when my wife bought me a video camera. I thought it would be cool if I could get the video from my camera into my computer onto my VHS. I was dumbfounded to find out the state of the art had gone way past that and all the way into DVDs. Anyway, this sounds like your answer: A Virtual Dub Timer --

http://www.geocities.com/GeoFileSer0002/eigene/VDstartCur/vd_start.html

[Rick123]

Tommyknocker, you're a lifesaver (and damn quick too, only 13 mins since I first posted!). I've just downloaded it now and am testing it as I type ...

Preliminary tests reveal that it works A-okay - the instructions provided within the program window are self-explanatory and everything worked according to what it said it would do. The start/end time fields had me a little confused at first (too hard to explain why atm, I thought it was a timer rather than the clock itself). Also, it didn't quite "end" when I asked it to ... it kept capturing past the minute I put in as the "end", but it did stop halfway through that minute (I almost expected it would continue up to the last second of the end-minute, not the start of that particular end-minute). Confused? Aren't we all when we try something new

There's also a Pro version (which seems like it doesn't need registering, there's no mention of it having to). And the best thing of all, the website has no annoying pop-up windows asking you to "click-here and get free porn" etc - thank god! The only problem with the website is there are many errors in the web-code, so there's a lot of "OK" pressing to continue loading the webpage. Apart from that, it's all hunky-dory!

Anyway, I'm in your debt TK. Let me know if there's anything I can help you with (or anyone else out there for that matter).

Maybe we should put this utility into VCDHelp.com's "How To" or "Help" sections - I'm sure it'd come in very handy and it might give people the edge on capturing TV broadcasts rather than relegating back to VHS for capturing at a later date (helps eliminate those couple of wiggly lines down the bottom that VHS is unfortunately designed to produce). Many thanks again.

[RoopeT]

Ther are also modified version of Virtual Dub with the timer function built in. Check the FAQ from www.doom9.org forum, capturing video subsection for more information and downloads.

[tjdmobile]

Do you remember the name of that Vdub app? I didn't see it in the FAQ.

The best I have found to make use of Vdub would be an app called VirtualDVR (previously VirtualVCR, but renamed in the last couple days because of confusion with a different WDM application). The German side of the site indicates that version 2 is coming out in the next few days. Link to site is:

http://www.virtualvcr.de.vu/

It is MUCH better than VDstart, MUCH more reliable. IMHO

TJD