VirtualDub captures few seconds before video playback?
 

I can't seem to record my VHS tapes from the complete beginning in virtualdub. I press capture and then playback on the VHS, virtualdub says "capture in progress" but the statistics don't show anything and the generated video is just an empty video file of a couple mb.

I have to playback the tape for about 5 sec before virtualdub picks up the video. If I press capture sooner, it will capture a blank canvas.

Is there any way to start recording a couple seconds before actually playing your VHS tape in virtualdub? I use the Hauppauge Live 2 USB, maybe it doens't recognize the video signal right away. Preview isn't working either but the recordings it produces are good other than the audio sync which I'm still trying to figure out.

I'm on W10 capturing Lossless huffyuv YUY2 + PAL settings.

I have a GV-USB2 and with it, Virtual Dub 1.9.11 starts capturing immediately I hit "Capture" (statistics showing capture), even though there is no video signal coming in (even with all plugs disconnected). The result is a nice blue AVI with no dropped frames; not very big though: 3.6mb for 17sec.

I also tried with my Startech USB3HDCAP; same result. VDub started recording immediately I hit Capture.

The Hauppauge might need a signal: I suggest you get one of the VCR menus up on the screen (meaning there is a output signal from the VCR) and see when VDub starts capturing then.

You can use VDub to losslessly trim off any excess capture prior to the actual VHS capture, so don't be worried about starting VDub 20 seconds before and wasting disk space.

Hi @walt, I know this is an old thread but replying here for the benefit of other users who search to solve a similar issue.

Also Hushpower's reply does not solve the issue, at least with Hauppauge Live 2 USB.

So... I faced the same problem as you: if I start capturing in VirtualDub then press Play on my VHS player, all I will record is a a black frame. My workaround: press > (play) on the VHS player first, wait for the video to display in VirtualDub, start capture in VirtualDub, press << (fast backwards) on the VHS player until you reach 00:00:00, then press > (play) - all of that while VirtualDub still capturing. Once you have captured the full tape, trim the beginning and losslessly save as avi with both video and audio set to direct stream copy.