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Originally Posted by digides Thanks for the posts.
The best route for me seems to be a card for my PC. A quick look at prices suggests about £60, which includes editing software, which I want anyway. My new plan is to connect the VCR to the PC. My VCR has no s-video connector but does have a Scart connection so I am guessing some sort of converter cable is available to connect to the PC?
This route will free me up from having to have a camcorder with AV-in (although I did see a nice Canon for about £300 with AV-in!). If I wanted to save hard disc space on my PC I could, I assume, output from the PC to a DV-in on the camcorder ...but do many camcorders have these? I have a 320GB external HDD connected to my PC so have some storage space.
My DVD player does play finalised DVDs.
Converting VHS to Mini-DV professionally seems very expensive. I was quoted £25/hr!
Given this plan ...any suggestions for camcorders? |
I dont mean to be discouraging but something in me tells me that while there is more than one way to achieve your goal, your anticipated method will cost you ( perhaps the least), but is full of many "learning" points and potential pitfalls
Perhaps a good start is to say which card you wish to use, what file format it outputs to and then which software ( if any ) it comes with.
Far from being patronising, I would hate you to get put off if you meet with a series of annoying hiccoughs as is possible
Pinnacle has a breakout box
This which would take an input from any video source ( except component) and attached to your PC via usb2.
I have the Moviebox DV ( as it was called then, similar device, very handy

)
However I am reluctant to "endorse" the software itself. Studio 9.4 and 10.5 plus have worked quite well for me and is easy to use but others have not been so lucky with it ( stability issues.)
I still quite like the idea of going via DV tapes or DVD recorder but having moved on in your thought processes, I can only add to your list of options
Some of the camcorders with av- in can also be used as a "pass thru device"
In this case the VHS player "plays" into the camcoder in vcr mode Camcorder then digitises analogue footage to digital "on the fly" and sends the footage to PC as DV simultaneously without actually capturing it on tape.
Depending on capture software on the PC you can even capture on PC as mpeg2 which will save space and be ready made raw material for DVD unless editing is required
Whichever way you go try and have fun doing it
HTH