Best external USB video converter?

[Bogilein]

Quote:

Originally Posted by lordsmurf

What's amusing is that we're not disagreeing.
- You're saying to bypass SD for HD capturing with some workarounds.
- I said that SD is terrible and HD capturing is fine (though not best).

We're basically saying the same thing.

The bigger problem is that HD capturing would enforce 16x9 resolutions, and I'm not sure it would respect interlace. You're getting into video voodoo territory with a chain of devices that may have unforeseen effects and consequences.

It is a viable method, but I find it really hackish.


No.

DVD recorders with HDMI out are not common, and many have issues (as is the case with most DVD recorders).

First question: Have anybody ever tried this capture way who say this isn't a good way?

The dvd recorder is used in passthrough mode only with 576i/480i resolution. I would never used a dvd recorder for upscaling.
The Blackmagic shuttle is only used as HDMI Interface. There is no a-d conversation. We just grab the uncompressed YUV 4:2:2 stream.
Macrovision shouldn't be a problem too, because the HDMI-Splitter removes the HDCP protection.
Yes we use a panasonic recorder in passathrough mode. Sharpness and Noise reduction is off. Recommended models DMR-EH65,DMR-EH495, DMR-EH595 and a few more.
All these models have a a-d encoder chip from the 2nd generation.
The first generation models (with the strong jitter correction) have been DMR-HS2, DMR-ES10, DMR-EH52, DMR-EH50, DMR-EH60 and a few more. But no one from the first generation has a HDMI Output. All analog outputs from the first generation DMRs here in Germany have problems with brightness variation. Excepts the AV1-Scart connector. I don't know if these defect have the panasonic recorders sold in the USA too?
The second generation chips have a satisfactory jitter correction which will be good enough for about i would say 80% off the video stuff you capture.
The video resolution with this way is 720x576/720x480 FUll D1. (For example the ati 7200 all-in-wonder radeon capture only cropped D1 704x576).
Another nice feature for me is I can use my calibrated videomonitor (for color correction, color shift,cropping... in the postproduction) with one of the analog outputs from the Blackmagic.

[hodgey]

Quote:

Originally Posted by hodgey

I could also get pretty much the same result with a Diamond VC500 card using the S-video output on the dvd-recorder.

Scrap that, can't edit, it's not the same, at least not when testing again.

Striked out that line for you on your earlier post. -LS

[lordsmurf]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bogilein

The dvd recorder is used in passthrough mode only with 576i/480i resolution. I would never used a dvd recorder for upscaling.
The Blackmagic shuttle is only used as HDMI Interface. There is no a-d conversation. We just grab the uncompressed YUV 4:2:2 stream.
Macrovision shouldn't be a problem too, because the HDMI-Splitter removes the HDCP protection.
Yes we use a panasonic recorder in passathrough mode. Sharpness and Noise reduction is off. Recommended models DMR-EH65,DMR-EH495, DMR-EH595 and a few more.
All these models have a a-d encoder chip from the 2nd generation.
The first generation models (with the strong jitter correction) have been DMR-HS2, DMR-ES10, DMR-EH52, DMR-EH50, DMR-EH60 and a few more. But no one from the first generation has a HDMI Output. All analog outputs from the first generation DMRs here in Germany have problems with brightness variation. Excepts the AV1-Scart connector. I don't know if these defect have the panasonic recorders sold in the USA too?
The second generation chips have a satisfactory jitter correction which will be good enough for about i would say 80% off the video stuff you capture.
The video resolution with this way is 720x576/720x480 FUll D1. (For example the ati 7200 all-in-wonder radeon capture only cropped D1 704x576).
Another nice feature for me is I can use my calibrated videomonitor (for color correction, color shift,cropping... in the postproduction) with one of the analog outputs from the Blackmagic.

That is an interesting workflow.

[Junior1s]

Quote:

Originally Posted by NJRoadfan

I have a RetroTINK-2x on pre-order

http://www.retrotink.com/

Its basically a composite/s-video/component to HDMI adapter powered by a ADV7280 ADC. It can linedouble to 480p with bob-deinterlacing (progressive if the source is 240p, pretty much all computer sources and the JVC VCR blue menu) or used as a straight pass-thru. There is also a smoothing filter that can be disabled (don't care for the look from video game sources, but could be handy for select video sources). I'll be evaluating it for VHS capture work when it finally arrives and as a substitute for missing analog inputs on newer TVs.

LordSmurf,

What do you think about the above option? Would this work for VHS Digital conversion?

[lordsmurf]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Junior1s

LordSmurf,
What do you think about the above option? Would this work for VHS Digital conversion?

Well, this is what I think...

NJRoadfan is not a novice. So if he's says something is worth testing, then it's worth testing. But that's my point here. He's only now investigating it. He'll being evaluating/testing it, and currently has no idea how viable it is. It may be a dud, maybe fine, maybe somewhere in between (as we often see with many devices and workflows).

Long-term matters, too, as only then can you run it through many scenarios. Too many times, somebody says "hey this works!" but it only happened to work for that scenario, and not others.

If you want to use it, and not merely test/experiment, then you need to look elsewhere. Follow one of the method already laid out on this site.Those are rock-solid transfer methods that work.

That little device was made for video games. So I highly doubt it has been used with the sort of analog sources that members of this site have. And again, that's why NJRoadfan is testing it. We'll see what happens. However, I go into these things with low/no expectations. I've wasted thousands of hours testing, and read about many things that never came to fruition. So don't get overexcited with these things. Honestly, assume it doesn't work until proven otherwise.

[NJRoadfan]

I won't receive the product until the end of August for evaluation. There is a video review of the device here that specifically mentions and has clips of VHS captures at around 15:30: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pdIgmQH4AHA

Note that the clips are bob deinterlaced, not raw 480i footage. Not the best to judge with. Also the device lacks simple proc-amp adjustments that one expects from a capture card driver. This decision was intentional given its focus on video game sources and wanting a simple plug-n-play experience. The capture chip does have these controls, but the device currently lacks a user interface for them.

[hodgey]

The chip is related to the one in the Blackmagic intensity (ADV7180) and the one used in the expensive magewell pro capture HDMI pcie cards(ADV7842), and features the same pseudo-TBC feature, so it seems promising that it doesn't freak out like the blackmagic at least. Being able to capture over usb, or at least configure the chip settings would have been nice though, you would still need a hdmi capture device.

[NJRoadfan]

My Retrotink-2x finally showed up.... testing will commence soon.

[sanlyn]

Quote:

Originally Posted by NJRoadfan

My Retrotink-2x finally showed up.... testing will commence soon.

Worth waiting for.

[Junior1s]

Yep, I am still looking for a high quality USB analog to digital video converter option. Looking forward to your findings.

[Eric-Jan]

Diamond CG500 ?

[hodgey]

Quote:

Originally Posted by metaleonid

I now have HDMI capture board ADV7842 from analog devices. I was able to configure it. It's got TBC inside which is configurable too. I haven't done any long captures with it yet. Just short test captures. My expectations are that this is the best analog capture card quality wise out there. I tend to be using it with my LaserDisc player LD-S2.

Have you tested how it deals with VHS tapes? The specs state that the ADV7842 has a frame TBC, so I'm curious how well it works, and how well the ADLLT thing works with horizontal jitter (compared to a VCR or DVR Line-TBC.) The ADV7280 in the RetroTINK only has the ADLLT thing.
Even if the eval board is no longer available, I know that at least Haupaugge Colossus 2 and Magewell pcie cards use this chip.