Video capturing crash course?
 

Good Afternoon Lordsmurf!

I haven't had time yet to give [this] a solid 6-8 hour deep dive like I plan to. But keep in mind I have just read some reddit, watched some videos and a lot of digitalFAQ, I am not even an amateur ha.

I am still incredibly intimidated about the process and scared of screwing something up.

Can you [give me] maybe some directions or guide me to the right page on digitalFAQ? I want to get started like you suggested but I want to do it right.

-- merged --

[I wanted] to check on the guide? I know your very busy, and I know your doing this out of the kindness of your heart... I'm just very excited to get this going and ... see the videos again.

I'm absolutely greatful for you and appreciate everything you've done and are doing for me and my family!

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Yes, very short on time these days, but here's a brief crash course:

Tapes

Gather all your tapes, inspect them. Any mold is a no-no, cannot be processed (unless you want to screw up your new gear). Any physical damage is a "set aside" tape, do it last. Rewinding tapes in another VCR cam be prudent, in case any are oxide shedders.

Capture card

I usually set up capture card, then use the capture system to preview tapes. Using a TV is just a PITA in the 2020s, as most are HDMI only, digital only. Digital doesn't work well with analog VCR tech.

You have a Pinnacle.
Install it.
Drivers: https://www.digitalFAQ.com/forum/vid...html#post71898

If using post-XP, Crossbar Thing is needed to swap from composite (default) to s-video. It can also control card audio levels (leave at default), and proc amp (do not use without calibrated monitor, otherwise you'll adjust wrong)

Capture software

Use VirtualDub 1.9.x
Launch/open/run software.
File > Capture

In capturing mode, go to Capture > Timing settings. For this card, generally, select the "do not resync" and "disable resync" options, leave others at defaults. See this post for similar: https://www.digitalfaq.com/forum/vid...tml#post105004
OK, done.

Change from Video > Overlay to Preview.
The card does not support Overlay post-XP (due to Microsoft changes, they started to treat capture cards like webcams)
Tip: Device > Device settings > Save current, OK -- and from now on, no need to swap Overlay to Preview, and timing settings also saved to device profile.

Audio > Enable playback (preview)

VCR

You have a JVC with line TBC. Using OEM JVC remote, go into menus:

Calibration = OFF
Picture Mode = NORM/AUTO ---- EDIT should be used sparingly, as it disables chroma noise suppression
Overlay/Superimpose (on-screen display) = OFF
Audio = HiFi (and it auto-swaps to norm when no HiFi track)
TBC = on, if not button on front of deck (location varies by model)

That sets up VCR.

Use s-video cables, connect to capture card. In VirtualDub, you should see VCR bluescreen.

Preview a tape before moving on to inserting TBC, and actual capturing.

TBC

A TBC is boring box that sits between the VCR and capture card, ideally connected with s-video cables (not composite; few exceptions). It corrects input timing for precision, cleans the signals -- VHS is sloppy, untimed, imprecise. Digital devices don't like, often can't work with, messy analog signals. This box fixes that.

You have a Cypress mid-gen/B+ model. This means the image quality is fine, an actual video. It often hates menus and blue screens, especially JVC, as those menus/screens are artificial video. It's generated, and not precise 100% compliant NTSC (or PAL). Well, again, digital devices often hate analog slop -- even devices made to de-slop it!

Tip: Turn on VCR, then TBC. Put in tape, press play, wait 2s, press stop. The initial TBC image is often glitched, and the actual signal lessens that. When the VCR menu is seen again, it's often very "NES like", in that it is readable with scanlines. Not always, but you can play/stop a few times, and it takes. But more ideal is to adjust the JVC menu before inserting TBC into workflow. Just bypass it temporarily, if needed.

The non-best TBCs all have some % of finicky issues, especially Cypress. Most of the stuff you see on eBay/etc is not even usable, like late-gen Cypress with flawed chips, overpriced garbage.

Capturing

Exit capture mode, close VirtualDub. Always important to File > Exit capture mode, then close VirtualDub.

You need a lossless capture codec, ideally Huffyuv using the hofmand installers.
https://github.com/hofmand/video-codec-installers
VirtualDub is 32-bit, so install 32-bit, not 64-bit.

Open VirtualDub, File > Capture mode

File > Set capture file (name file)

Capture > capture

/end

I hope that covered it. :)

I probably forgot something, and hopefully others can fill in any gaps.