EasyCap vs ATI 600 for USB capture devices?

[sChen77]

Hi Admin,

Have you had any luck with the EasyCap devices?

I think the one you might be referring to is the EasyCap DC60+ 3.1C. (ref. http://easycapexpertti.mybisi.com/pr...y-only-for-mac)

I bought one from this guy and can confirm that it works with PAL60 video (ie. NTSC VHS played back on a PAL / Multi-system Panasonic NV-SJ530 VCR), and the VideoGlide software on my MacBook.

The one that you linked to seems to be for security CCTV cameras (ie. four video feeds at a time, with only one audio channel). Or perhaps the product linked to at the website has changed in the last 3 years?

I had also considered a Component video USB capture stick, but it was not Mac-compatible, and my VCR / Camcorder only has composite video output.

Or perhaps you prefer to stick with the ATI USB 600 devices?

Cheers,
Stephen
Singapore


P.S. Jarmo Timonen, the owner of the EasyCapExpertti.mybisi.com website is an absolute gentleman to deal with. :-)
P.P.S. Note that I have not tried the EasyCap DC60+ on a Win7 system, though Jarmo apparently has.

This question has been split from another post or thread. This was done in order to address the topic more in depth, make it easier to find via forum searches, as well as prevent the other post/thread from going too far off-topic. Please continue this part of the conversation here. Thanks for understanding our tech Q&A policies.

[volksjager]

dredged up a 3 year old post??

the easycap is rubbish

get a ATI600USB

[lordsmurf]

Both the original "EzCAP" device and the knockoff "EasyCap" devices are lousy quality, based on the inferior Philips capture chipsets. Furthermore, both often refuse to install properly, as they have really lousy drivers. VirtualDub often won't see the device, so you're forced to used the extremely lousy ArcSoft ShowBiz software.

Only buy an EzCAP or EasyCap if you want to test or compare devices. Don't buy it with the intention of using it for any serious work, be it for home/hobby or (hopefully not) professional work. Honestly, I'd hope a professional (or even a wanna-be professional) has more sense than that.

The ATI 600 card is far, far better: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...SIN=B0035BJGYW
Average priced range, shipped, is $75 (used) to $100+ (new).

There are also some clones available, specific models from the likes of Tevion and Hauppauge,.

Given the alternatives, EzCAP/EasyCap is a waste of time and money.

[sChen77]

Hi Lord Smurf,

Thank you very much for sharing your thoughts.

I'll keep an eye out for the ATI 600 in my part of the world.

Unfortunately, it doesn't seem to have Mac OS X drivers to use with my 2007 MacBook, which was one of the reasons I got the EasyCap instead of the better component video capture device.

I guess I'll have to learn to set up my 2011 Win7 Asus i5 /8 GB ram laptop to do video capture with Virtual Dub. (Don't have a spare Win XP machine.)

I had intended to use iMovie HD (from 2006) to edit captured videos on my MacBook, but am willing to give VirtualDub / MpegStreamClip / Womble a try on my Asus notebook.


- - - -

Hi volksjager,

Thanks for your thoughts too.

I don't think I was "actively looking to dredge" up a 3-year old post when I replied to the initial comments by the Admin (ref. http://www.digitalfaq.com/forum/vide...sycap-usb.html).

I had actually found the post highlighted among the list of Top 5 similar threads for a recent topic of how to capture VHS tapes (ref. http://www.digitalfaq.com/forum/vide...s-capture.html). Given that I am thinking about doing the same, and had already acquired a EasyCap DC60+ for use with my MacBook, the post caught my interest and I thought I'd offer an update on the post, and on alternative vendors of USB capture sticks.

I certainly appreciate your opinion, and that of LordSmurf's too, that the EasyCap is rubbish. It was meant to be a cheap redundant way of digitising my PAL tapes, being a backup to using a DVD recorder, and making me get my hands dirty in learning more about the VHS transfer process. It was also a cheap solution for converting a few NTSC tapes which would be played back in the PAL-60 colour space.

Getting my family video off from the tapes would already be a big step up for me and my family, given the situation that it is almost next to impossible in Singapore to buy decent consumer-grade second-hand VCR's, and ones with only composite video and mono-sound output at that. (And then if I discover that a tape is particularly important, I could then choose to acquire better capture hardware, or send it out to a professional video transfer and restoration service.)

Hence, even a faded / noisy capture would probably be better than no capture at all.

(I'm really new at this, having only started learning about in-adequate capture hardware about a year ago after spending US$315 on a AC Ryan DVR (RealTek chipset) w/ 2TB HDD to record my videos (ref. http://www.acryan.com/product/playondvrhd/). While the DVR has a huge HDD and works well recording from cable boxes, it has issues with unstable signals from VCRs / Camcorders, which the EasyCap doesn't seem to have.)


Best regards,
Stephen
Singapore

[lordsmurf]

Quote:

Originally Posted by sChen77

I don't think I was "actively looking to dredge" up a 3-year old post when I replied to the initial comments by the Admin (ref. http://www.digitalfaq.com/forum/vide...sycap-usb.html).

It's really a non-issue anyway. I split the posts to a new thread. You're fine.

volksjager was just looking after the forum, which is also very much appreciated. It's nice to have helpful members here.

I've not yet tried an EzCAP or EasyCap on OS X Snow Leopard. I may have to do that later this week, when I get some time.
I generally avoid capturing on the Mac. I wonder if VirtualDub via Wine would actually see a capture device. Unlikely, but worth investigation.

Also, thanks very much for upgrading to a Premium Member.

[sChen77]

Hi Lord Smurf,

Just wondering, just how different is the picture quality of footage captured by an ATI 600 USB stick and the Empia 2861-based EasyCap DC60+?

Would you happen to have any video samples to share?

I also note that the EasyCap DC60+ when used with the VideoGlide software, you can make adjustments to colour, brightness, contrast, etc. (ref. http://www.recordexusa.com/VideoGlide%20ReadMe.pdf + http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z3Melw6aDZo at around 1:52)

- - -

Also, if we had a choice, and if the Empia-based device is sufficient, what codec would you choose to capture in? (I personally think Uncompressed YUV for conversion of VHS home videos is going to be overkill and takes up too much HDD space for my project, and have been referred to capturing SD video in either DV-PAL or possibly Photo JPEG @ 75%, which I understand is the default codec for capturing in VideoGlide (based on quite a long email exchange with the software's developer).) I might also have to consider Motion JPEG A since that codec is what an iPad is supposed to support.

(I'm taking reference to a post on VideoHelp.com in which you had commented on (ref. last post on VHS to media server and DVD thread)).

Some other reference on codecs that I have been reading:

• Choosing the Best Video Codec
  http://www.larryjordan.biz/technique...st-videocodec/
• Choosing the Right Codec for Capturing SD Video
  http://www.larryjordan.biz/technique...ring-sd-video/

As always, appreciate hearing your thoughts.

Cheers,
Stephen
Singapore

[NJRoadfan]

FWIW, the ATI 600 USB stick is based on the Empia EM2883 chip set. For lossless analog capture, I usually use HuffYUV. The codec enjoys wide playback support thanks to its inclusion in ffmpeg.

LS edit: Actually, the ATI uses the TI TVP5150 video chipset. Empia is just the USB bridge.

[sChen77]

Hi NJRoadFan,

Thanks for your input. Based on the info at Empia's website, it seems that the only difference between the 2861 and 2883 chip sets is the additional support for a digital TV tuner? Therefore, if I am just using it for analogue video capture, the 2861 used in an EasyCap DC60+ should be just as good?

refs.

• Description of the Empia Chip Sets
  http://home.eeti.com.tw/web20/eg/VIDEO_Division.html
• See page 6 of the Empia's Chip Set Datasheet for comparison table
  http://home.eeti.com.tw/web20/pdfs/2...TI_2008_VA.pdf

Hi lordsmurf,

Do you have any insight into this?

Given the issues with Windows 7 drivers and VirtualDub compatibility, I am considering using my EasyCap DC60+ and VideoGlide to capture on Mac OS X and then using iMovie to work it.

Would that be a better path? Or would I be better off using VirtualDub instead?

• Mac equipment: 2007 MacBook Black / 2.16 GHz Core2 Duo / 3 GB RAM / Snow Leopard / VideoGlide + iMovie HD 6 / FW400 external 1TB HDD 5400 rpm
• PC equipment: 2011 Asus u24e laptop / i5-2430 2.4 GHz / 8 GB RAM / Win 7 (assuming I get the drivers to work properly) / VirtualDub 1.9.11 / internal 750GB HDD 5400 rpm

Your input on an appropriate codec would be much appreciated. From what I understand,

• YUV normally uses 4:2:2 sampling;
• Photo-JPEG and M-JPEG use 4:2:2 sampling;
• h.264 uses 4:2:2 sampling;
• DV-PAL uses 4:2:0 sampling; and
• MPEG-2 uses 4:2:0 sampling.

(ref. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chroma_subsampling)

As such, it seems that capturing to DV 4:2:0 would be the most appropriate given the final destination of mainly MPEG-2 encodes? (I can use iDVD or copy the QuickTime files to Windows and use Handbrake or ffmpegX to encode them.)

Thanks and regards,
Stephen
Singapore

[lordsmurf]

It sounds like the Mac is the only real option. But does it work for you?
I would not use iDVD. Avidemux would be best for encoding. Not sure about authoring (I use DVD Studio Pro).