Can't remember how to capture VHS to PC

Brian L · 27-07-2009, 9:43 AM

I hope that this is the right section to place this but there are so many.
It's a long time since I built a DVD video of photographs and video clips using Pinnacle Studio 9 and I can not remember how to capture the VHS content from a VHS player connected to the PC.
Can any one help?

*A n d r e w* · 27-07-2009, 12:59 PM

You need some form of capture device to covert the analogue video signal into a digital file. If you do a forum search you should come up with a few hardware options.

**senu** · 27-07-2009, 1:04 PM

Pinnacle studio 9 did have a hardware standalone "movie box" allowing you to capture analogue video. Some Studio 9 versions also had a PCI capture card
Short of using one of them ( or other as Andrew suggests,)
You might want to just copy VHS to a DVD using a DVD recorder , then capturing off the DVD video disc

Brian L · 27-07-2009, 1:46 PM

Iv'e got a capture device in the form of what I think is a TV card.

When I open the Studio 9 I see a screen which shows three options. Composit-S Video-Tuner.
But what ever button I click onto I can't find how to get it open.

WasBeen · 27-07-2009, 2:36 PM

Some camcorders allow analoge in DV out (AV>DV). Mine does, but it is quite old. Have a look at yours, you may be lucky.

Brian L · 28-07-2009, 7:43 AM

As I said, I have what I think is called a TV card and I checked the VHS player that is connected to the PC. However, I'm not sure what Studio is supposed to be do. If I select Capture there is only a Camcorder showing and if I put it on Edit and go into Set-up, then Capture source all I get in that bar is DV Camcorder.

Brian L · 28-07-2009, 10:19 PM

I checked the Video card but found that it does not capture. I suspect that an appropriate Vidoe Capture card would cost a lot which means a USB box. Someone gave me an "Xpert DVD maker USB 2 but that dosent run with the Pinnacle software I already have so I wonder if a Pinnacle one is the choice.
I would welcome any sugestions.

Brian L · 29-07-2009, 6:03 PM

I find myself in the position of feeling rather thick because after trying to get Pinnacle to accept a signal from my VCR I find that it does not have that capability because the Video card does not accept a signal from a VCR and I suspect that one that does will cost a lot.
I do have a device called Xpert DVD maker with a disc that is called, "Power Producer Gold". The device is about one and a half inches wide, four inches long and half an inch thick. It has a four wire setup at one end which goes to the VCR and a cable at the other end with a USB plug. This gadget brings in a picture of what the VCR is playing but it appears to only have the facility to copy the VCR content to a DVD and I can not see a way to save it to my hard disc to use subject matter for the video that I want to build.
It looks as though I have to look for a device that will allow me to capture from the VCR to my computer. Who knows but Pinnacle may even produce one.
I know that it is possible to play a VHS tape on a VCR through the TV and record iy on a DVD but firstly I don't know if I can just bung that in the computer and abstract the bits I want and secondly I really would like to be able to do all the work using a computer.

**senu** · 29-07-2009, 6:55 PM

Use a Sett top DVD recorder( borrowed off a friend if need be) and spare yourself all this hassle
You can import the video to PC from the resulting DVD video and edit as you wish with little or no loss in quality: alsmost lke using a DVD fron a dvdv camcorder
I advise this as someone who actually owns Pinnacles dedicated Moviebox Dv ( Pinaacle Studio 10) and Avid Liquids Pro 7 BOB as well as a camcorder which has AV-in and "pass through" which are other methods of capturing analogue video
I think the DVD recorder route will get you results with far less hassle unless you are keen on " cracking it"

Brian L · 29-07-2009, 10:09 PM

I'm not sure what a set top DVD recorder is but I do have a TV, a VCR, a DVD player/recorder and a device which allows one to connect the three together. Tomorrow I will try to remember what goes where.

**senu** · 30-07-2009, 5:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brian L

I'm not sure what a set top DVD recorder is but I do have a TV, a VCR, a DVD player/recorder and a device which allows one to connect the three together. Tomorrow I will try to remember what goes where.

A DVD recorder ( which you seem to have) is a settop one. the settop refers to the fact that it isnt connected to a PC ( as would be a DVD drive for computer) but is a standalone AV kit in itself
For instance a Sky digibox is described as a setop Digital box, in the same way as a standalone Freeview box would be to differentiate, given that now many TVs have built in freeview tuners
The DVD recorder should have inputs for Scart, composite video, s-video .. and in many cases even Dv ( fire wire)
It should be possible to connect the VHS Player to the DVD recorder to get a DVD copy of the VHS tape.
The DVD made from this can then be used on the PC for editing and making a DVD from the PC itself using appropriate software

Brian L · 30-07-2009, 9:53 AM

Many thanks all. I will get there.

Brian L · 31-07-2009, 7:25 PM

I tried to use a VCR connected to a DVD recorder but had all sorts of problems probably due to my inexperience which I will not go into so I thought I would have a go using Windows Movie Maker. I connected the Xpert DVD Maker USB with the VCR and the PC they connected through Windows Movie Maker.
Windows Movie Maker allowed me to save the data from the VCR to my PC Video file which was more than the Power Producer2 software did and from there I was able to upload the data to Pinnacle and start to edit it so many thanks for all you help.