ADVC-110 Capture Device Problem With Software

[Bez34]

I am trying to capture a VHS movie from a VCR, which I have done successfully once before with the above device. With the device connected by firewire to the computer, and to the VCR by RCA cables, I click on "Capture", then on "Capture Video" in my VideoStudio Pro software. Next, either both LED indicators for "Digital In" and "Analog In" permanently light up on the ADVC-110 making video capture impossible (I had selected analog in), or a message on the screen that Corel must shut down because an error has occurred. Always showing in the panel of the software is "Format: DV" and "Source: AVC Compliant Device". Occasionally none of the foregoing problems will occur and I will successfully get the capture going, when all of a sudden the "ding" warning sounds and a message appears "A new device is plugged into your computer. Do you want to use it?" After which the capture ceases and both "Digital In" and "Analog In" lights are lit on the device, making further efforts impossible without rebooting. I've tried plugging the device in both before booting, and after booting without success. Is there something else I could try?

[Ken Berry]

You say you have used the device successfully before, but was that with X2 or an earlier version of VS (and perhaps before VS11)?

I ask because with VS 11, and continued in X2, Corel changed the capture plug-in, scrapping the several that had been included in earlier versions, and substituted it with just one ('IVI Capture Component'). The problem is that this capture component could capture -- sometimes with difficulty -- DV via firewire direct from a mini DV camera playing a mini DV tape. But other variants of firewire DV capture were no longer possible. That included devices such as yours, a mini DV camera being used as a pass-through device connected to an analogue source (e.g. analogue video camera or VCR), and Digital 8 cameras either playing back an analogue 8mm or Hi8 tape, or else being used as a pass-through device like the mini DV camera above.

There were huge complaints at the time VS11 came out, and Corel issued a patch which only fixed some of these -- and in fact I seem to recall the one thing fixed with that patch were devices such as yours. However, it seems that that patch was either not included in the code of X2 or else was included imperfectly. (Have you applied the X2 patch, by the way?)

Continued complaints were made to Corel (including by me as I have both a mini DV camera AND a Digital 8 which I want to use as a pass-through device), but to no avail.

The only work-around I can suggest is that you either try to use Windows Movie Maker to capture in DV format, and then open the captured files in X2 for editing. Or else, as a lot of us here have done, download a small freeware DV capture program called WinDV (windv.mourek.cz), which does an excellent job. And you do the same: capture with that (and it only captures in DV format) and then open the captured files in X2 for editing.

[DVDDoug]

EDIT - Ken beat me to the punch...

Your device may not work with Video Studio... Some capture-hardware and capture software just "don't play well together" and it's hit-or-miss when you mix-and-match hardware & software.

Once you have a digital video file on your hard drive, you can (hopefully) use Video Studio for editing & DVD authoring/burning.

The website does not mention Corel Video Studio:

Compatible with leading editing and DVD authoring applications including Grass Valley EDIUS, Final Cut Pro, Adobe Premiere Pro, Vegas, iLife, Ulead MediaStudio Pro, and Windows Movie Maker

I assume you have Windows Movie Maker?

I am trying to capture a VHS movie from a VCR

If this is a commercially produced movie, it's probably got Macrovision copy protection. (This is a different potential issue... It's not what's causing Video Studio to crash.) Some capture devices will simply ignore the copy protection (and allow copying), but apparently your unit does not...

- Macrovision detection
When Macrovision signals are detected by the ADVC110:
- The brightness and contrast for both analog and DV output are
lowered.
- The Status light blinks

[Bez34]

The one project I was able to capture successfully with Video Studio Pro X2 was a 20 minute VHS movie, and no, I have not installed the X2 patch, so perhaps I just lucked out because it was very short. That movie, and the longer one I am now trying to capture, are not protected by Macrovision or copy protection. I have downloaded and unpacked WinDV. I started to capture with it this morning when suddenly VideoStudio launched itself, destroying the capture. I clicked "Do not show this message again." , deleted the partial captured file (which incidentally played back both audio and video perfectly) on my D drive and started capture again. About 5 minutes later VideoStudio Pro launched itself again, destroying the capture attempt. I had a look around inside VS Pro X2 and changed the working file to something different than what my project was using for WinDV, but couldn't really see any way to prevent this from happening. I'm fairly new to computers, what would I need to do to shut down VS Pro before capture with WinDV? Thanks!

[skier-hughes]

I know of no reason why VS should be starting itself midway through capture.
VS isn't open when you start capture is it?
Look in task manager for anything to do with ulead and stop it.