capturing 8mm on PC

[jscompton]

HELP! I am new to this game. I am trying to capture 8mm tape from my camcorder to my PC using USB Instant Video CD. I can see an image on the PC from the camcorder, but it is skipping tons of frames. This package also came with ulead video studio 6. Is this the best way to go about converting? Is there a better package out there! Again, I'm new, so be gentle!

[atifsh]

can u pls specify,..

what card u have model/company?
what /how u were capturing?
what u want as a result? vcd/svcd / dvd / divx

[rsquirell]

I take it that since USB is referenced it's an external device...and since it came packaged with ULead VS6 (which doesn't have an external device of it's own) that it's an AVI capture tool of low resolution (352X240)...which means it'll capture, but the video will be blurry and no where near the quality of the original.

[jscompton]

I'm not sure what you mean by what card do I have? Is that something internal to the computer?

I plugged my camcorder via yellow and white plugs into an ADS Technologies little black triangle-shaped box. The box then plugs into a USB port in the back of my PC. I ran Video Studio 6.0 SE and could see the video from the camcorder.

What I want as output is something I can watch on my new DVD player. I'm not picky.

I am looking for the easiest, cheapest, fastest way to do this. I am not a computer techie person, but am tryng to move into the 21st century by converting my camcorder tapes.

If you know a better package/method of doing this, I'll do whatever you say. A friend of mine said I need to buy a package with IEEE 1394 plug and a DVD capture/authoring program. Any suggestions?

Thank you for your quick reply.

[rsquirell]

VHS doesn't capture thru the firewire (1394). Your device is a low resolution AVI capture device that any editing software will capture....but the result will be blurry video, and you won't feel comfortable getting rid of your source (the VHS tapes.) To get digital copies as good as source you need to spend at least $200 on a good external MPEG2 capture device (Canopus or Pinnacle's Dazzle DVC-150) or install an internal capture card with high resolution (720X480). But if you haven't got the bucks don't complain about the results. You might try capturing with VirtualDub freeware found in the download area...it can mask some of the bad frames you're dropping.

[jscompton]

I'm not trying to caputre VHS, I'm trying to capture 8mm tapes from my camcorder. What exactly do you suggest? I'll buy whatever program/software that I need to, money is not a problem.

[rsquirell]

8mm tapes= VHS

[rsquirell]

Here's the problem with making a suggestion...there are soooooo many beginner issues with any VHS conversion method...from upgrading to USB2 to getting latest drivers and DirectX. It's best to search the forum for "VHS" and see the various methods other users use. Whatever way you go...external capture device or internal card...there are a myriad of problems associated with each method...which is why hardware and software vendors have user forums on their sites where problems associated with their products can be discussed, and work-arounds discovered. It isn't as easy as plugging something in and going. everything has it's peculiarities.

[Subsonicwaves]

I bought one of those USB things... Throw it away! I bought a Athlon 2700 with a 7200 rpm hard drive, and hooked it all up... and lo and behold. The quality was JUST AS BAD and it skipped JUST AS MANY FRAMES as my P 455. Boy was IO disappointed. Look for last years nVidia cards, the 5200 was good. You will need to get the older driver for it, 108 version number, but get rid of that USB thing. It does some horrid compression inside, like 50 to 1... Horrid. Even capturing uncompressed to the HD it loses frames. THROW IT! NOW! It will depress you and make you angry.

[rsquirell]

Limited by notebook...I'm stuck with external devices. I DID chuck my DVC-80 POS...it's as bad as that Roxio. But I upgraded to a DVC-150 with a USB2 card. After one-hellofa learning curve it captures as good as source...can't get better than that. But, I agree...capture cards have to be easier and better.

[megamachine]

I have been using the ADS Technology Instant DVD capture device for over a year with my Windows 2000 laptop, and am very happy with it. It captures via USB-2 as MPEG-2 at either 3, 4, or 5mbps, and I have done dozens of video tape captures and am very happy with the quality. There were some problems with VS6, mainly in it freezing up, but when I upgraded to 512MB RAM, that was solved. Anyway, I think the original poster has a different problem. He stated that he had ADS Tech Instant Video CD, which probably means it is only capturing in MPEG-1 at a lower resolution, and it might be USB-1, which is horrid for video capture. So, if he wants to make VCDs, there is surely a way to use what he has to accomplish that, though I suspect he wants DVDs as the end result, and so Instant VCD is the wrong device. Anyway, check your specs and let us know what you are using.

[jscompton]

I am only using USB Instand Video CD because I am doing unrelated freelance work and this black box and drivers were given to me to use. They work fine for the application they were supplied for. I thought maybe they would help me convert my camcorder tapes to DVD without any additional expense.

I am looking for the best software/hardware package to buy to convert my camcorder tapes to DVD. My computer is brand-spankin' new with all the bells and whistles, so that's probably not an issue. Can someone recommend a good package that they have been successful with. I don't want to walk into Comp USA and have them sell me something for $200 that they say "should work fine" and to find out later it doesn't. Does the word "Dazzle" mean anything to anyone?

Lastly, I am a SHE. Sorry to disappoint you

Thanks in advance for your suggestions.

[jscompton]

I'm back. The original post-er. I checked on my USB ports, I have 4. They are listed as: 2.0 Enhanced Host Controller 24CD, Universal Host Controller 24C2, 24C4 and 24C7. What does this mean? And how do I know which is which? If I want to make DVD of my tapes, do you still thing USB Instant VideoCD is the wrong way to go, even if I plug it into the correct USB port? (2.0 one).

[sfheath]

Don't worry about which port, they all get scanned.
RSquirell says he uses the Dazzle. I've seen good reports of it.
By definition, Instant VideoCD is not a tool for making DVDs. Maybe the software bundled with the Dazzle may cover it.

somewhere between Chicago and Iowa? .. you must know Samantha?

[troyy01]

Check out this thread...perhaps this will help:

http://forum.digital-digest.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=30624