How to Capture AVI format

paulwho · Post by **paulwho** » Wed May 10, 2006 11:30 am

I need to find out what settings are needed to capture a analogue 8mm 90 min tape using AVI format. I'm using my Sony Hi8 video camera through capture card using Ulead Video studio 9. I'm in PAL country. I've just got the hang of caturing in MPEG 2 BUT I was told that if burning project to DVD I need to capture in AVI. So can anyone tell me what settings I need to set.
Thanks Paul

Post by **Ron P.** » Wed May 10, 2006 11:49 am

Hi Paul,

I took a quick look at your capture card's specs on LeadTek's website. Unfortunately, it only allows capture to the MPEG1, MPEG2, WMV, VCD formats.
What I use is my Sony Digital 8, DCR-TRV120 camcorder as a passthrough. I can then capture my VHS, BETA, VHS-C analogue tapes to a digital DV-AVI format to edit them.

My opinion only:

I don't understand why these manufacturers bundle video editing programs with their hardware that will only capture to a highley compressed format. Editing MPEG, WMV formats can lead to problems, such as loss of quality and out of sync issues. If they are going to bundle the editing software, they should at least incorporate the abiltiy to capture to an editible format such as DV-AVI...

Ron P.

paulwho · Post by **paulwho** » Wed May 10, 2006 6:43 pm

Thanks Ron for the information. So what do I need to capture DV-AVI format on my setup ? Will I need to buy another capture card ? or how can I convert to AVI when I edit ?
Thanks Paul

Post by **Ron P.** » Wed May 10, 2006 6:51 pm

Paul,

You have a couple of choices here;

1. Purchase a capture device that allows capturing to DV-AVI, or see if you can locate an old Digital 8 camcorder. Mine, a Sony DCR-TRV120 allows pass-through. This is what I use to capture my VCR tapes. I only paid about $230 (US) for it off Ebay.

2. You can use a free program like SUPERto convert your video files. However you risk losing quality.

3. You can use a special purpose program like Womble to edit your MPEG videos.

Ron P.

Post by **Ken Berry** » Wed May 10, 2006 9:41 pm

A lot of (most?) modern mini DV digital video cameras allow themselves to be used as a pass-through from your analogue camera, just as Ron has used his old digital 8. If you have a digital video camera, check its manual to see if it can be used that way. That way the analogue signal from the Hi8 camera gets converted in the digital camera to DV and is sent to the computer that way over the digital camera's Firewire connection.

I actually went out and bought a brand new Sony DCR-TRV480E digital 8 camera which, far from being old, was only released here in Australia early last year. It has all the 'modern' bells and whistles, but uses digital 8 tapes, and so is bigger that most modern mini-DV cameras. However, the feature that made me buy it is that it can playback old analogue 8mm AND Hi-8 tapes AND do so in digital format, which is sent directly to your computer in DV format via Firewire. I paid A$640 for it (US$480) which is definitely not cheap. You might need to search around to get a cheaper price, or find a second hand Sony which has this capacity. Some do, though most, like Ron's, can only be used as a pass-through. I hasten to add, though, that this latter is absolutely fine. But I have been literally thrilled by the quality when I play back my old analogue tapes over the new Sony so, for me, it was a price well worth paying! To paraphrase a Mastercard ad on TV: "Resuscitating all my old travel tapes in near digital quality -- priceless!!"

paulwho · Post by **paulwho** » Thu May 11, 2006 6:11 am

If I upgrade my Capture Card to a Leadtek Winfast DV2000, would this alow me to capture my analogue tapes in AVI format ?
Cheers Paul

Post by **Ken Berry** » Thu May 11, 2006 7:19 am

I have that precise card and it is great. However, while it will allow you to capture (huge) uncompressed AVI files, it will not allow DV/AVI capture.

kebrinton · Post by **kebrinton** » Fri May 12, 2006 7:39 pm

It would definitely be more forward-looking to get a used Sony Digital-8 (D8 ) videocamera that can still play your old Hi8 tapes AND ALSO transfer their contents in digital form to your computer AND ALSO take new digital footage on Hi8/D8 tapes.

You'll find a list of Sony D8 videocameras that offer the pass-through feature at this Web page (http://www.camcorderinfo.com/bbs/t48170.html) if you scroll down and open the zipped Excel file. The page also includes a free Excel viewer if you need it.

I'd recommend the Sony TRV320. When it was reviewed, it was considered possibly the best comsumer camcorder made (same site).