Media Converter vs Digital Camcorders

[MPEG2GUY]

I am thinking of buying media converters like DV Bridge,Canopus ADVC 100 etc.. However, considering the price of a converter $300 up, I am thinking of buying a digital camcorder (d8 or mini dv) with analog to digital converter feature.My main purpose is transfer my analog vhs tapes to my hardisk and do editing afterwards.For additional $100 I can buy a digital camcorder with the analog and digital converter.

My question is... do I get the same quality if I use the converter in the camcorder ? or stand alone media converter will give better quality?

Thanks in advance!!!

[yg1968]

I believe that the quality will be almost identical. I use the Sony TRV-25 with very good results. If you are thinking of buying a DV camcorder anyways, then you should buy a camcorder with a passthrough feature. Sony or Canons usually have this passthrough feature. But be careful not all camcorders have this feature. Make sure that the one that you buy does. Sony digital camcorder also defeat macrovision (Canons don't).

[MPEG2GUY]

Thanks yg1968, however, may I know if there are audio/video sync issues like if you capture for source like vhs,beta,laser ..etc?What software are you using in transferring to pc from your analog source<
Thank you and best regards!!

[ktnwin]

Sony digital camcorder DOES NOT defeat macrovision. When I tried to transfer a DVD to tape, it won't let me do it.

[mp3superfreak]

Thanks yg1968, however, may I know if there are audio/video sync issues like if you capture for source like vhs,beta,laser ..etc?What software are you using in transferring to pc from your analog source<
Thank you and best regards!!

I use a Canon ZR10 (current model is ZR60) to capture from my VHS and 8mm sources. I do NOT have audio/video sync problems. My captures look as good or better than the originals. I recommend Canon and Sony digital camcorders to family and friends. The Sony's (and Canon's ZR40 and newer) have analog-DV passthrough.

I use Sonic Foundry's Vegas 4+DVD software to capture, edit and author. Yes, it is a little pricey, but does it all including 5.1 AC3. If you are on a budget, I'd suggest Ulead's DVD Moviefactory 2 (for authoring) and Sonic Foundry's VideoFactory 2.0 (for editing).

[MPEG2GUY]

Thanks guys!! Now I've decided to buy a digital 8 video camcorder so I can use my old hi-8 or video 8 tapes..at the same time I can use the camcorder's passthrough features in transferring vhs etc. source to pc using ilink or firewire card.

Another question, have you tried capturing directly to mpeg2 or mpeg 1 using your software via passthrough? If yes, how would you compare the quality?drop frames?

Again ..profuse thanks!!

BTW .. am using a TBC I bought in Japan to remove the macrovision issues from the source.

[whiplash]

I went through the same issues. I began with my Asus video card that supported analog Video Capture. The quality was great but I would see audio sync problems, which got worse as the capture went on. I knew it may be a problem going in and I was all set to buy the Canopus ADVC-100. I thought it was expensive for what it did, but everyone said it worked great.

I then heard about the analog passthrough function that some camcorders supported. I then search these forums for topics on passthrough and the Canon and Sony cameras. Everyone said that it worked great, without any audio synce problems. In this post, https://www.videohelp.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=141600, mpb responded to my question about audio synce issues. He said he was able to capture 6 straight hours of video with no sync issues at all.

Since then I have bought the Canon ZR-70MC and have transferred about 8 Hi8 tapes to my hard drive and have created several DVDs from them. It work great.

The camera that I bought was actually twice as expensive as the Canopus, but the biggest point that I thought about was that I would be able to move away from the analog capture and all new video I shot would be digital. There are many nice features in regards to DV capture from a firewire attached camera. Automatic scene detection, timecode and batch capture, control of the camera via the firewire interface while capturing.

I love the new camera, it is half the size of my old Hi8 camera, battery last longer, plays video on the LCD screen, it actually has a speaker built in so you don't need head phones.

[G-man]

The Sony's have analog-DV passthrough, while the Canon models require recording to miniDV tape first, then capturing to computer (on most models).

Just to set the record straight, all Canon models from the ZR40 on up can do passthru.

[mp3superfreak]

Just to set the record straight, all Canon models from the ZR40 on up can do passthru.

Thanks for clarifying that. I changed my previous post to reflect this.

[yg1968]

Sony digital camcorder DOES NOT defeat macrovision. When I tried to transfer a DVD to tape, it won't let me do it.

Just to clarify, the passthrough feature defeats macrovision but recording to a miniDV tape will NOT defeat macrovision.

[yg1968]

Thanks guys!! Now I've decided to buy a digital 8 video camcorder so I can use my old hi-8 or video 8 tapes..at the same time I can use the camcorder's passthrough features in transferring vhs etc. source to pc using ilink or firewire card.

Be careful, the Sony TRV-350 has a passthrough feature but the Sony TRV-250 does NOT. The Sony TRV-140 also does NOT have a passthrough feature.

You can use a number of programs to capture DV. You can use DVIO or Windows Movie Maker for this. Ulead VideoStudio 7.0 is a good program for DV (they have a trial version). You can capture dirtectly to mpeg with this program. However, the quality suffers from this on the fly conversion. You are better off capturing DV and encoding with TMPGEnc.

[ASB]

I use a Sony GV-D800E, I can play my old 8 and Hi8 tapes and it will output DV. I also use passthough to get my VHS in via DV.

Just thought I should add another option.

[MPEG2GUY]

Just bought a sony trv 340 at $ 350..$50 cheaper than ADVC 100.I am satisfied with its features especially the passthrough function.For the price and quality produced by the digital camcorder ,I guess new authoring/video capture softwares (user friendly) will be out in the market soon.Kudos to free software that we are downloading in the internet!!

:P

[mikewillnot]

[quote="yg1968"]

Just to clarify, the passthrough feature defeats macrovision but recording to a miniDV tape will NOT defeat macrovision.

Not so, at least not with Canon zr40. passthrough with macrovision is particularly not possible. haven't tried taping first.