Capturing VHS video to DVD

[Clevo]

I'm using the Kaiser Baas USB TV dongle with a HD tuner, they have a model that can connect to a VHS player. VSx2 & VSx3 picks up the signal from the TV dongle with no problems and I can transfer all my old VHS tapes.

the KB usb tv dongle cost me less than AUD$100

[zelopes]

Next, your connection to the VCR will only work with S-Video if the original video you are trying to copy was recorded in S-Video mode. So you should try plain old RCA cables instead (the yellow, red and black [or white] ones)...

Third, have you downloaded and installed the latest version of Windows Movie Maker for Windows 7, and tried capturing via Firewire with that?

Hi Ken,

So, contrary to what has been said here before, WinDV is actually Windows 7 compatible! Interesting¡K

For all my efforts during the last few days, I did not succeed at capturing any analog video using other programs, such as GrabBee from StarTech and Corel¡¦s VideoStudio Pro X2.

As I understand it from what Ron said about VS, my issue is that VS Pro X2 cannot to the job. VS 10 can and I have it installed in another machine running on Windows XP. However, VS10 seems to be not compatible with Windows 7. And the older XP machine where I have it installed does not have any Firewire connection.

If the solution resides in my downloading and installing the latest version of Windows Movie Maker for Windows 7 and capturing my VHS videos via Firewire, I¡¦m in¡K Even though my VCR does not have a Firewire connection, I still hope that I might be able to do it via USB 2, which is exactly what the StarTech cables are for -- composite cables out of the VCR and USB into the computer.

If you did it yourself before, how did you set up the connections?

Thank you for your help

[Ken Berry]

I have always connected RCA/composite cables to the VCR, but the cables had a standard 'stereo'-looking (earphone or microphone) jack at the other end, which plugs into my AV socket of my Canon mv960 mini DV camera. And that in turn is connected via Firewire to my computer. And I use WinDV for captures (since VS 11/11.5+ and X2 could not do the job i.e. capturing DV via firewire from an analogue source using a mini DV camera as a passthrough device). X3 also won't do it, but that set-up still works.

In fact, I was going to do it this afternoon with two VHS tapes I have to capture for a friend... Will report back if I have any problems...

[Trevor Andrew]

Hi

I do the same as Ken regarding the connections as I mentioned in my first post, connect to A/V In terminal.

Ken I have managed to use pass through with X2.
The program did do a few ¡¥Not Responding¡¦ whilst I tried to set it up, and immediately prior to capture.
But once capture started it seemed ok.
Too much trouble though, VS 10 or Win DV will be the way in the future.

[zelopes]

Hi
I do the same as Ken regarding the connections as I mentioned in my first post, connect to A/V In terminal.
Ken I have managed to use pass through with X2.
The program did do a few ¡¥Not Responding¡¦ whilst I tried to set it up, and immediately prior to capture.
But once capture started it seemed ok.
Too much trouble though, VS 10 or Win DV will be the way in the future.

Trevor,

Thanks for your continued support. I will try the approach you mention, even though I need to decipher which terminals to use in my ZR50 and how to use them. There are a few terminals that accommodate more than one function, using different settings on the VCR Setup Menu.

The AV out would be via Firewire, so no issue there. I assume that Firewire will also transfer sound, am I right?

As for the AV in I think I may be able to change the settings of the headphones terminal so that it functions as an AV in terminal. I also need to buy the type of cables mentioned by Ken. If this works, fine, otherwise I can't see where else I can get the signal from the VCR to the camcorder.

On the WinDV, did you guys have to download and install any drivers for it? I just downloaded and installed the program itself, as Ken mentioned. However, when I open the program, the box at the bottom consistently shows this troubling message: "Error: Device not found." Any suggestion on this?

Thanks.

[Ken Berry]

First, WinDV is complete as and of itself. Any DV drivers are installed as part of Windows.

The Headphone terminal will be of no use apart from Audio. You have to have an AV input jack -- AV meaning Audio Visual. So at best a headphone jack will give you the audio part.

Which makes me wonder if we are singing from the same song sheet here: you connect the analogue device via RCA-to-AV cable, plugged into an AV socket on the passthrough/capture device (NOT a headphone socket on anything. But then again, what headphone socket exactly are you talking about? An AV socket is marked as such on any digital camcorder I have seen). The capture/passthrough device in this case converts the incoming analogue signal to digital DV, which is transmitted out of the passthrough device via a Firewire cable to the computer.

[Trevor Andrew]

Hi

First WinDV just worked ok from the original download, I am using Vista and although this is not mentioned on the web site it seems to perform ok. The file seems to run on its own rather than installing to pc. I did not install any additional drivers.

¡¥Error device not found¡¦ shows when my camera is switched off.
There is no device Camera/web-cam etc recognised by your pc.

When you connect the camera the pc should see it and may give you a warning to that fact, it should show in the Device Manager as Imaging Devices. If you see it there then start WinDV.

Cables
Firewire is connected to the pc usually with a 6 pin connector, to a laptop maybe a 4 pin.
The other end to the Camcorder DV- Out terminal usually a 4 pin.
That¡¦s just a normal capture connection for DV capture. (13Gb per hour)

The RCA cable has three connections on one end --- yellow for video, red and white for audio L/R.
Connected to the VHS A/V out.
The other end is a 3mm single plug, similar to the Line-In/Mic plug
This is connected to the A/V in/out terminal on the camera.

Remove any tapes and set the camera for Pass-through/Throughput (Turning the analog-digital converter on)
Switch camera to playback mode.

[zelopes]

First, WinDV is complete as and of itself. Any DV drivers are installed as part of Windows.

The Headphone terminal will be of no use apart from Audio. You have to have an AV input jack -- AV meaning Audio Visual. So at best a headphone jack will give you the audio part.

Which makes me wonder if we are singing from the same song sheet here: you connect the analogue device via RCA-to-AV cable, plugged into an AV socket on the passthrough/capture device (NOT a headphone socket on anything. But then again, what headphone socket exactly are you talking about? An AV socket is marked as such on any digital camcorder I have seen). The capture/passthrough device in this case converts the incoming analogue signal to digital DV, which is transmitted out of the passthrough device via a Firewire cable to the computer.

I'm sure we are singing from the same song sheet, except... You are much more proficient at reading this music than I am!...

Let me try to explain a little bit further.

The manual for my ZR50 provides this information about the headphone terminal, which is visually identified on the camcorder by the graphic design of a headphone set:

AV (audio/video) IN/OUT terminal. Switching the AV/headphone terminal:

Through the menu, the camcorder's AV/headphone terminal can be switched to function either as the AV terminal or the headphone terminal.

Open the menu and select VCR SET UP. Then select AV/PHONES and set it to AV or PHONES and close the menu.

Now, I still need to actually try it. And I assume, like I said previously, that both the A(udio) and V(ideo) signals will squeeze out through the Firewire cable to my laptop.

The reason I still did not do it -- but will definitely try it -- is that I finally managed, just a few minutes ago, to disprove the assertion previously made by someone that VS12 (VS Pro X2) would NOT capture analog video, no matter what.

At this right minute, as I'm writing this post, a VHS tape containing the "public" presentation of my two days old first grandson is being transferred to my laptop's HD... This, of course, happened a godd few years ago...

One thing I did not understand yet is why it chose format MPG for the conversion instead of any other... But I'll find about that later.

Once again, all you guys have been just great and I owe it to you to have reached his point without having given up!

Many thanks.

[Black Lab]

I finally managed, just a few minutes ago, to disprove the assertion previously made by someone that VS12 (VS Pro X2) would NOT capture analog video, no matter what.

How?

[Ron P.]

Yes please tell us how you managed to get VS X2 Pro, to capture analog video. Using a third-party program to capture is not VS capturing. Everything that we have tried, VS fails at about 8 secs into the capture, and deletes the file.

Are you using another capture device? If so, what? Is this being done with a DV camcorder, using it's pass-through A-D conversion? Your camcorder must be the one and only make/model that VS allows it.

[Trevor Andrew]

Hi Ron

I have managed to capture using Passthrough and X2
Bog standard connections, Composite from VHS to Panasonic GS 400--Firewire to pc.

X2 does a Not Responding during setup for a short while, whilst recognising the camera, and immediately after pressing capture button

But once the capture has started it seems to be ok.

I tried with X3 and was able to capture without going through the Not Responding stage although there were short delays whilst VS thought about it.

[zelopes]

Black Lab and Ron,

How?!!!???...

As I said, I just finished conversion of my first VHS tape using a VCR and the StarTech cables I've been talking about since my first post, through... Yes, Corel's VideoStudio Pro X2!!!...
Now, please let me put my second tape on my VCR and start another copy. Then I'll come back and will answer any questions you may have.
But, please, beware!!! Like Ken wrote here before... I believe we are all singing from the same song sheet, except you guys may may all be much more proficient at reading this kind of music than I will ever be!
I'll be back in a few minutes.

[Ron P.]

Ok, Ok, please do finish before VS gets grumpy and changes its mind about capturing..

I will have to say at this point, your capture device is about the only one made that VS does not reject with analog video. Now please do not let Corel know, they'll surely screw it up..

[zelopes]

Ok, Ok, please do finish before VS gets grumpy and changes its mind about capturing..

I will have to say at this point, your capture device is about the only one made that VS does not reject with analog video. Now please do not let Corel know, they'll surely screw it up..

Ron, I have news for you... Keep reading.

I finally managed, just a few minutes ago, to disprove the assertion previously made by someone that VS12 (VS Pro X2) would NOT capture analog video, no matter what.

How?

Go on!...

Yes please tell us how you managed to get VS X2 Pro, to capture analog video. Using a third-party program to capture is not VS capturing. Everything that we have tried, VS fails at about 8 secs into the capture, and deletes the file.
Are you using another capture device? If so, what? Is this being done with a DV camcorder, using it's pass-through A-D conversion? Your camcorder must be the one and only make/model that VS allows it.

How?...

Yes, please tell us¡K

Well, the short answer is¡K By doing it!

The longer answer is, I might not even know how¡K As I reported, I had tried before without any success. As I write, my second tape (recorded in 1990) is being converted to MPG format.

Meanwhile, what I now have is this:

-- Corel VideoStudio Pro X2 (VS12)
-- The VHS tapes I want to convert to DVD format
-- An LG VCR
-- A set of analog to digital video converter cables from StarTech
-- A Lenovo T61p laptop running on Windows 7

The StarTech cables are attached to one of my laptop¡¦s USB ports (another myth that seems to have fallen to ground). The other side of these cables is connected to my VCR through two audio cables (red and white) and one S-Video cable. And¡K That¡¦ts about it!...

Should you have any further questions that I can answer, I will be more than happy to do so. If not for anything else, as my way of showing you how grateful I really am for all the help and support most of you guys showered me with since my first post. And I mean it.

So¡K I¡¦ll be looking forward to read from you.

P.S. - Ron, I promise you I'll keep it just here, between the few of us...

[zelopes]

Hi Ron

I have managed to capture using Passthrough and X2
Bog standard connections, Composite from VHS to Panasonic GS 400--Firewire to pc.

X2 does a Not Responding during setup for a short while, whilst recognising the camera, and immediately after pressing capture button

But once the capture has started it seems to be ok.

I tried with X3 and was able to capture without going through the Not Responding stage although there were short delays whilst VS thought about it.

Bad news, Ron, I hate to tell you... I am doing it directly, as stated before. Now, Trevor says he also did it via "pass-through" his own camcorder.

All said and done, if I were you, Ron, I would grab the phone and not let those guys at Corel sleep for one minute before they sent you a new, working copy of VS!!!...

What say you?...