VHS to Digital Conversion - recommendation for tool

[93adtwins9386]

I need to purchase the converter tool for VHS input to digital. I was looking for something in the reasonable price range and produces a decent end product.

Thanks

[maddrummer3301]

Hi,

You should post the specifications of your computer to help make that
decision.

MD

[93adtwins9386]

I have an HP 2.6 GHZ, over 60 GIG available space, firewire connection. USB 2.0. Running XP.

I have already done the DV import successfully but have VHS and VHS-C to convert and customize.

Anybody tried using Adaptec, VIDEO OH! DVD

[thecoalman]

I have already done the DV import successfully but have VHS and VHS-C to convert and customize.

Does your cam Digital cam have pass-through capabilities, you might not need anything? If you don't know what's the model?

Two suggestions:

ADVC-100 - Converts to DV-AVI Only
Hauppage Encoder Cards, the 250 if you can afford it. Converts to MPEG only.

[THoff]

Go to VideoHelp and take a look at the list of video capture devices there, you can search their database based on the features you need/desire. The Canopus products tend to have the highest user ratings, but their devices are not cheap. Still, you get what you pay for.

[thecoalman]

The Canopus products tend to have the highest user ratings, but their devices are not cheap. Still, you get what you pay for.

Forgot to mention, there's also the DAC 100 which from what I have read produces nearly identical results compared to the ADVC 100. It's about $60+ cheaper.

[THoff]

And speaking of the ADVC-100, it's been discontinued and replaced by the ADVC-110.

The ADVC-110 is bus-powered (and therefore requires a powered 6-pin FireWire connector), but an external power supply is available for purchase from Canopus if needed.

[Steve__A]

I've had positive experiences with an ADS Instant DVD 2.0 capture box for USB 2.0. It retails for about $179. For maybe $50 less they also sell the DVD Express which supposedly works as good (although there were many reports of overheating when it first came out).

They both offer "Audio Lock" technology which supposedly keeps the audio and video in sync through the capture, edit and burn processes... whatever the reason, it worked great for me. Supposedly they use the same chipset as the set-top recorders, which aren't known for having sync problems.

I'd throw out a different suggestion here- the set-top recorders have come down in price to the point where they make a great alternative to the VCR for recording TV shows. So you might want to consider that as well. (I'm very happy with the combination VCR/DVD Recorder I just bought which is a Toshiba D-VR3, although the ones from Sony and Panasonic are supposed to be good, too.) There are also DVD recorders which include DVR features (think TiVo!).

Steve A.

P.S. I've only heard good things about the Canopus products on many forums. Everything except for the price... But what the heck you will pay more when you buy professional quality tools although in the long run they can be a better value.

[thecoalman]

I've had positive experiences with an ADS Instant DVD 2.0 capture box for USB 2.0. It retails for about $179. .

@93adtwins9386 If you look into a unit that uses USB make sure it has USB2 and your system has USB2. USB1 simply can't sustain the data rate needed for transferring video.

[rwernyei]

In addition to the ADVC-100 and DAC-100, there is also the ADS Pyro A/V Link. All will capture/export in DV-AVI. For an internal solution, Turtlebeach just released the PCI Video Advantage but it lacks the export features of the above list.

For MPEG capture cards, there are both internal and external. The Hauppage WinTV PVR 250 is one of the best as thecoalman suggested.

To the coalman:
I loved your heated debate at videohelp with LordSmurf on the video quality capabilites of the PVR 250 vs. ATI. By the way, did you ever get around to doing that test comparison with the nvidia geforce fx 5900 series. Just curious. I have nvidia card but never use the VIVO because of the AV/DV passthrough capabilites on my Sony camcorders.

[thecoalman]

I loved your heated debate at videohelp with LordSmurf on the video quality capabilites of the PVR 250 vs. ATI.

It wasn't about quality of the AIW, the theatre 200 chipset is probably one of the best capture boards you can buy on a consumer level. And it wasn't a comparison to the PVR-250 either. It was about the false MV detection that wasn't present on a Winfast TV2000XP, which FYI produces a much lower quality video that the AIW.

I haven't updated it in a while but here it is... www.nepadigital.com/mv

Some additions I need to make to that page.... The same tape captures in the ADVC fine. If you read it you will see the Geforce produces the same false MV detection, iot too has a lower quality capture that the AIW.

Doesn't really matter now I have gone to the darkside with LS and purchased a TBC. We have since made up, he even made me a "capture advisor" on his forum.

[GeorgeW]

don't forget to check your dv camcorder (as mentioned earlier). It might have the conversion function...

The ADS DVD Xpress can be had for $50 on occasion from CompUSA in the U.S. (after rebate). Excellent price imho

I bought an old Sony Digital-8 camcorder on eBay for $40 -- seller said the recording was a little funny sometimes, but I didn't want it for the recording, I wanted it for it's internal analog-to-dv converter (with pass thru both ways). Funny thing, I got it, ran a tape cleaner through it, and it records perfectly!!! And the analog-to-dv conversion works perfectly as well

depends on what format you want to capture...

[rwernyei]

the coalman,
Oh yes, that was it. It was so long ago I was going on rote memory. I couldn't find it in the archives either. Thanks. Glad to hear things are well with you and LS.

[DVDDoug]

Pinnacle makes both external boxes that connect between the video device and your computer's FireWire or USB-2 port as well as cards (PC boards) that plug into a PCI slot inside your PC.

The most popular video capture cards are the various TV-Wonder and All-In-Wonder cards made by ATI.

I have a Hauppauge PVR-250 ($130) which has a built-in hardware MPEG-2 encoder. The Hauppauge card seems to ignore Macrovision, as I've had no problems making DVD copies of copy-protected VHS tapes (for legal non-commercial personal use, of course. ). It is MPEG only, so at some point I'll probably get another (AVI format) capture device.

Most of the internal cards have a TV tuner, so you can watch TV on your computer, or use it as a TiVo.

Hardware MPEG advantages: It doesn't requre much processing by the CPU. I don't have any problems with dropped-frames, etc. It takes less hard disk space (than AVI), and the video doesn't have to be re-coded for DVD.

Disadvantages: MPEG is not supposed to be edited. You can cut and splice, but any "real" editing (transitions, special effects, filters, etc.) cause "blockiness". This week, I made a DVD archive of a documentary from a news channel. I blacked-out the news-crawler at the bottom, and this caused noticable video quality deterioration. I've also experienced the infamous "lip-sync" problem when editing MPEGs with Video Studio.

[thecoalman]

It was so long ago I was going on rote memory. I couldn't find it in the archives either. .

Just look on my profile and select find all posts, then sort them descending. That was some of my first posts there, they should be right at the top.