Capture/convert a film from VHS to a PC

[home102938]

Hi All   

Following the demise of my monitor and preparations to return my computer to the shop I have backed all up and now decided to do some outstanding jobs before wiping the hard drive, like converting few VHS tapes with some family films to a digital versions and hopefully copy them to DVDs later.

I've got a Tevion Home DVD creator purchased a while ago with this task in mind.
Installed all from the disc supplied, connected and in using the ArcSof ShowBiz DVD software capture function I get the  "no video signal detected; please check the source video"  message after pressing the Record button.



The instructions that came with that device are pretty useless.

So I am stuck.   Have been checking it all and trying different options for hours last night and am slowly loosing a will to live
I think I double checked all the connection between VCR and PC, I know that VCR works OK but still no "signal".
I am looking at VCR picture playing on half of my TV screen and the PC desktop on the other half.

As for the options of transfer of those films I do have a stand alone DVD player but not a recorder, no digital camcorder so a bit limited with just VCR and PC as tools to use.

Any tips on where to go from here will be appreciated.
cheers
Stephanie 

[Lona]

This might be of help.........................

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S2XWNlywi9E&feature=related

[.Griff.]

I think I double checked all the connection between VCR and PC, I know that VCR works OK but still no "signal".

How have you connected the VCR to the PC? I'm presuming it's some sort of USB device with composite/S-VHS inputs on it? Are you completely sure it's all connected correctly?

[kinmel]

I use the same Tevion gizmo

If you are using the SCART converter to connect to  VHS player, make sure that the direction switch is set the correct way i.e. "output"  If it is set to that, then try changing it to "input". The switch moves the video connection between pin  20 for Video in and pin 19 for out.


p.s.  there is a better manual on the software DVD

[D-Dan]

Personally, when I've done this I've simply used an inexpensive analogue TV tuner, plugged the VCR in and recorded. In fact, I've just popped the tuner card into my dads PC so that he can do the same. Simples

[Steve]

Indeed a simple method!

[home102938]

Hi and  All for your suggestions

Had to step away from the project yesterday thinking that maybe after a break I return and spot an "obvious" solution or a mistake which was staring me in the face yesterday... no such luck   


Lona

Had a look at the video - thanks. I have a gizmo and the process seems simple enough...... its when the process gets to a hick up when solutions are not easy to find

.Griff.

Connected to PC via USB and the scart to the VCR end. Here is a picture of how it all looks




A - scart converter with the switch (have two of those so checked them both, no change; also swapped the scart between left and right just in case)
B - USB connected to PC
C - the gizmo that suppose to do the job
D - all the red, white and yellow connectors - connected what was provided with the gizmo

PC can see the gizmo as its listed in device window but somehow when I get VHS to play it does not show in that black square on the screen shot (in my post above) where I assume it should appear to be captured


kinmel

I assume your gizmo worked OK   I had checked the SCART converter switch and tried both positions -  it made no difference to the message I get on the screen. Any advice from your experience would be great.

D-Dan and Steve

That indeed sounds simple if I had a clue     - my keeping up with technology stopped a couple of years ago  as these days I only learn what I may need or use. Somehow in the meantime I made a transition from the office to the garden and that hobby took over.....
I may well go and explore what the TV tuner is and how to use it with computer if what I have now can not be worked out. Thanks for the tip. 

By the way if my PC had a TV tuner (how do I find it?) would it be the right one to use for the job?

Off to scratch my head

Stephanie   

Ps. trying to cheer myself up came across this explanation how a woman's brain works - shown  in one, easy-to-understand illustration (mine certainly feels like that right now)



Everyone  of those little blue balls are a thought about  something that needs to be done, a decision or a  problem that needs to be solved.
allegedly! A man  has only 2 balls and they take up all his thoughts

-nothing personal !!!just thought it really funny, though shouldn't probably say this since you are all actually thinking how to help me ;-)

[Rik]

A man  has only 2 balls and they take up all his thoughts

These days, I'm more focussed on food, Stephanie. 

[Lona]

I notice you have a scart connected to the VCR. Where does the other end go and why don't you remove it.?

[kinmel]

kinmel

I assume your gizmo worked OK   I had checked the SCART converter switch and tried both positions -  it made no difference to the message I get on the screen. Any advice from your experience would be great.

I have  just had mine out of the box for the first time in ages to refresh my memory and it works perfectly

Your setup in the last photo is the same as mine.

The only setting that kills my picture is under the "INPUT" options for the video device "USB2861video" - when you select the INPUT button, you get 2 choices "Composite Video" which gives me a picture once set, or the option "S-Video" which kills the video.

Also try swapping the SCART connection to the other socket on the VCR

[D-Dan]

By the way if my PC had a TV tuner (how do I find it?) would it be the right one to use for the job?

A TV tuner is exactly what it says on the tin. It's a TV tuner for your PC. They come in a couple of flavours, PCI or USB, and are usually inexpensive (mine cost < £14). You can get them with analogue and digital, and digital only. For your purposes you would want one with analogue and digital (the analogue is for your VCR). You plug it in, attach the aerial out from the video to the aerial in of the card, tune it in and away you go. They usually come with PVR software (Personal Video Recorder) which will take the input on the card and record to to a digital stream on your HD. If you buy one without, there are plenty of free options out there.

The advantage, you can tune them to freeview and watch on your PC. If you use Windows then WMP will play them, otherwise vlc does a pretty good job once you have the channels.conf file sorted out.

Edit: Some ATI gfx cards have them built in - check if you have ATI.

[home102938]

Hi,

A response long overdue - sorry had to divert my attention for few days to a 93 year old living with us.

Anyway I DO HOPE
you all realise
how much your help and advice
is appreciated !!!
 

so    to you all :-)

Going back to the issue, Lona - I had that thought re scart as well. From one scart I was connected to the computer and from the second to the TV as I was looking at the desktop and Video preview on the screen at the same time (side by side).
Then I dropped the VCR to TV scart, plugged the other one in its place, lost the VCR preview but..... gained the signal throuh the gizmo !!! Result!!  Thanks for pointing it out.

D-Dan thanks for your explanation about the TV tuner. I may explore this avenue after the imminent change of computer.

For now I am happy I got the signal, so the only "small"    matter that remains is of which format (AVI, I suppose since I would like to do some editing before writing to DVD's) , resolution etc to select to get the best quality copy from my rather old tapes.  I wish there was no more that 2 choices of each. Even with PAL and SECAM there are more than 2 as it shows those with different  letters following................

As I have more tapes than I thought to convert that will also have wait till new computer - proves quite a lenghty process - so I am off to remove all my data before returning old computer back to the shop.

Hope that running the system recovery will clear it for good    (?) So far the Goggled info suggests that after the destructive system recovery documents could not be restored. Hope that's the case.
Cheers to all again
Stephanie