Getting sound using s-video out?
 

Let me start by apologizing. I'm sure any question I ask has been answered in many other posts and I would benefit greatly by reading a lot. I will read the archives while I download many hours of analog, but I have a few basic questions.

1.Do 8mm analogue tapes played on a sony camera with HI8/8mm playback such as DCR-TRV460 need to go thru a secondary capture like diamond video capture VC500 to be recorded on a computer? I think I need to hear that, "Yes, the sony camera allows you to view/playback your analog tape but it doesn't digitize it for you."

2. Do I need to have a capture device that accepts either my firewire or mini USB camera jack to utilize
either of those outputs? I suppose if I had recorded on the sony which would have provided a digital recording that would allow much faster downloads.(Does any software let me at least view USB or Firewire output it as it plays thru either cable?

3. When I digitized my first tape thru my Diamond one touch VC500, I used a S-Video cable and the audio cables form the camera's yellow component jack. I got acceptable video and no sound. Did I likely select the wrong setting in the software or do I need to worry about the slightly loose fit of the cable jack fit? Any experitize on what the best input choices such as "AVI vs MPEG2" would be greatly appreciated!

Can I connect S-Video from Sony Camera to S-Video on my Diamond VC500 and then get audio with the red and white A/V jacks after plugging in the AV jack from the camera and only using the audio jacks?

That's how it's done for any analog tape video format.

Ok. I should have mentioned that's what I tried. I got pretty good video a loud hum and none of the audio I heard from the camera during the recording. The sony cable doesn't fit very tightly at the camera, so I suspect that connection, but also wondered if my software audio choice needed to be set to ??. I can't get the easy grabber to open one day later, or I'd say what it is set to. Thank you for confirming the dual cable set up is correct regardless.

What capture software are you using?

Getting sound while using S-Video out
 

I downloaded easy grabber and Cyber Power director with the Diamond VC 500. I also downloaded NCH suite and Diamond also suggested I get VLC media Player. I first encountered annoying hum and no actual sound on EZGrabber and then tried it again on VLC Media player with the same result. What do you endorse?

Try vdub or Amarectv.

Correct. That is analog capture > digital.
Note that there is no external frame TBC, only line TBC in the camera, and you will likely have dropped frames as a result.

Correct, the camcorder plays, it doesn't digitize.

PAL or NTSC?
If NTSC, the lose 50%+ of the color data by compressing it to DV. You want lossless analog capture from an external capture card.

No. Always realtime, either analog or digital (DV).

Probably.

Perhaps. Those cables are somewhat cheap, may need to get another one. I've seen where these cables can go bad, and only output from one channel, or none at all. Also pay attention to the stripes on the ends of the cables. You need a cables that matches the plug, something you'll only find in the manual.

Either lossless "AVI" (Huffyuv), or high-bitrate MPEG-2 (15mbps+ and preferably 4:2:2 if available).

Yes.

It may be the wrong cable. Where did the camera come from?

You're using the wrong software. Cyberlink and NCH make garbage software, many bugs, and doesn't look good at all. No amount of settings work because you have few choices. It made them for you -- and those were bad choices from the software. It yields low quality video.

Use VirtualDub 1.9.x, available for download here in this forum.

EZGrabber are notorious junk cards.
That VC500 may be fine, but those have been variable. Some are fine, some have major issues.
Neither is ideal.

Also pay attention to Windows audio controls. Sound isn't just in software, but also OS settings.

Getting sound using s-video out?
 

Thank you very much! One last question before I try and digest this, would Cloner Alliance Pro be a much better device to record with than Diamond VC500?

I don't think anyone here have tried a $150 proprietary device that no one knows what it does to the video when the PC method proven to be the best way to capture analog video, Be our guest try it and let us know.

Getting sound while using S-Video out
 

I'm confused by what you mean when you say the PC method. Both the Diamond VC500 & Cloner Alliance Pro are supposed to give me a digital file to edit with software such as Virtual Dub. You also said I want "lossless analog capture". What external device should I be looking at? What minimizes " 50% loss of color"?

I don't know what device you're talking about, I copied the text exactly from your post and did a google search and it returned a capture box with built in USB flash drive. That's why detailed posts with pictures saves time and post count.

Ok. I can do that next time, but yes that's the device that appeared to be an upgrade, although maybe it just looks more durable and has HDMI...
What capture devices minimize compression and excessive color losses that you warn against?

VirtualDub as linked by LS above is probably the most commonly used and recommended capture program used by members of this forum. Even the 32 bit version (recommended) works in all Windows OS's from XP to Win 10. It is used with all manner of capture devices, from ATI All In Wonder (AIW) display cards (32 bit XP required) to USB devices like the VC500 in Win 7 (recommended over Win 10) and even Win 10. Win 10 puts up lots of roadblocks as a reliable capture OS :smack:, but people persevere and overcome if motivated.

VirtualDub allows capturing of "lossless" avi files in various formats/codecs which are highly editable and allow extensive restoration in "post", this to produce the best possible final result. VirtualDub can do some of this, but more powerful tools are available as well. The Cloner Alliance Pro device (and many others like it) only captures in a "lossy" format which immediately adds compression artifacts to the video which are then hard to remove in "post".

I recommend you do a bunch of searching and reading on the forum to get a broader picture of what's possible and what are the tools used to do things. We all wish it were as easy as the EasyCap avderts would suggest. It's not, at least not to do it even close to "right". The guides are a good place to start even if they are quite dated. The basics have not changed. A highly useful guide to capturing with VirtualDub is here: http://www.digitalfaq.com/forum/vide...-settings.html You could use your VC500 as the capture device. Note that USB devices are sometimes a bit more finicky than AIWs but all capture devices seem to have "peculiarities" and work best with different settings (Overlay vs. preview, etc.). Some don't allow monitoring of either the sound or video during capture, yet the capture is fine. The video can be and must be previewed to set levels before capturing.

Everyone needs to figure out what they really want to do and then determine what are the tools they need to do it, acquire them and then learn how to use them.

Regards the "50% loss of color" question, you can just take it to recommend you not digitize analog video via a "DV" codec (miniDV or Digital8 or some DV conversion box - ADVC 100/110, etc.). These are all quick and dirty solutions but will all add compression artifacts and reduce the already marginal color "signals" within the analog video. To understand it in more detail you can read up on digital formatshere and here

BTW, searching this forum is best done by entering your search criteria in the "Google Custom Search" box, not the "Advanced Search". Searching "Best Capture Device" provides some useful reads. Sadly, no one thread is going to give you a single definitive answer. There simply is no one answer.

BW

Thank you so much!
Right after my last comment/ question, I decided I better start reading and learned most of my questions have already been discussed. It also occurred to me I have a TEAC audio mixer board that might even help. It depresses me to hear about Windows 10 being of less use than 7 or 8 as well. I will see what I can learn before my next question and start by capturing a tape with Virtual dub

No. Not at all.