Tape-Based Capture: In AVI vs. MP4?

[Chuck Engels]

Looks like you have your answer Fred

[MP#$864zz]

Hi Steve
Thanks or the Reply.
I have Ordered the Diamond 500
from Amazon. Until it arrives I
thought i would give it a Try with what I have
.
What I do not understand is How to LINK
the old VHS Player to the Capture Device
and Computer.
In you video you used a Camcorder and said
you had to make some adjustments
in order to LINK UP with the Capture device.

You machined in a POST about How P E has not
Supported Tape capture since About version 11.

I have some older Versions of P E.
Would Running an older Version
make VHS Capture easier ?

Thanks for sharing you knowledge about this subject.

I have Thee of your Guide Books PE 10, PE 11.RE 12
What section Covers Video Capture ?
Fred

[Steve Grisetti]

You won't be doing the capture in Premiere Elements since it no longer supports this type of video capture. Your capture will be done with the software that comes with the VC500.

The capture device will attach to your VCR or camcorder with a couple of RCA plugs. It will plug into your computer's USB port. You won't be able to control the tape player from your computer. You'll just turn on the recording software in then play the tape with the camcorder or VHS player. The software will record this video and audio and save it as an MP4.

[MP#$864zz]

Hi Steve
"You won't be doing the capture in Premiere Elements since it no longer supports this type of video capture."

What about it working with an older Version I have P E 7.0 ?

The Capture device I have Shows Up in WIN 10.

Under Device USB But PotPlayer will not Capture Video ?

I will wait for my Amazon Package with Diamond 500.

Thanks

[Steve Grisetti]

Even older versions of Premiere Elements will not capture analog video over a USB connection. Earlier versions, however, were able to capture miniDV and HDV over an IEEE-1394/FireWire connection, but even they could not capture analog video without using a "pass through" connection, which is even more complicated.

Trust me. For your situation, the Diamond VC500 is the weapon of choice.

[MP#$864zz]

Hi Steve
Thanks for you Reply.
I will Wait for the Diamond 500.
Do you think the Diamond Software
is Better than the PotPlayer ?
Could you use PotPlayer or other software
with the Diamond Hardware ?
Is there A Reason None of the Capture Cards
use USB 3.0 ?

Fred

[Steve Grisetti]

I don't know the answers to any of those questions, Fred. Except that I'd expect the PotPlayer software is so generic it would work with pretty much any USB digitizer.

[MP#$864zz]

Hi Steve

Thanks for the Reply.

I thought that VHS Capture demands

would not require USB 3.0 speeds.

Most of these Capture Cards seem to be similar.

Have you noticed Much of a Difference in the

different ones you have tried ?

Fred

[Steve Grisetti]

No. The results have always been good for me.

[Steve Grisetti]

An update on this topic, folks.

I picked up a Diamond VC500 with hopes of creating a tutorial on its use, but I've been less than impressed. If there's movement in the video, the digitized video breaks up. I've even tried using other software (including the POT Player) to capture through the device, but the results were still pretty bad.

I'm not sure what to recommend. I got much better results with the off-brand EZ Link, but it's fallen off the market.

Is there anyone who has found a means of digitizing video that creates editable video files that look as good as the original?

[Chuck Engels]

Not USB capture anyway.
I still use a Firewire connection and one of the original capture devices like the Pyro Link or one of the Canopus models. I still have a firewire connection on my new computer and the Pyro Link

[Peru]

I use a Canopus on Firewire, too.

[Chuck Engels]

I don't know that there is anything else out there that does as good, USB doesn't seem to compare. It might be worth getting a firewire card and finding a used Canopus device.

[John 'twosheds' McDonald]

FWIW I use an old Canon miniDV tape camera that has passthrough. I connect this to a VHS player and use a Firewire card in the PC.

A bit clunky but it works on the (increasingly) rare occasions that I need to convert VHS files - normally for folk who have their wedding videos on tape and want them preserved on newer media.

I normally output to both BluRay/DVD and to a USB pendrive. These days it is pretty much the only time that I use optical media.

[Steve Grisetti]

My challenge is that that Canopus device hasn't been manufactured in 10 years, so you'll need to find a used one, and unless you have a custom-built computer you don't have a FireWire connection on your computer. (Which means that if you've got a Mac, you're definitely out of luck.)

Even if it's a compromise solution, there must be a way to get decent digitized video from old videotapes.