Best capture device for $100 or less?

[nmaxfield]

Hello,

I am trying to convert home video tapes (VHS/ VHS-C) to digital in as high quality as possible without spending hundreds of dollars on the project. After reading the guides on the website, I have bought a good VCR for the project, but the guide for capture devices is completely indecipherable to me and seems to have been written quite a while ago. I tried the Roxio easy vhs-dvd system with mediocre results; the software was terrible, the color was often desaturated and I had a lot of tracking issues along the top bar of the screen (Not from VCR).

So now I want to invest in a much better device or PCI-E card. It does not Necessarily have to be sub $100; if paying an extra $50 or so will make a big difference I will do it gladly.

What's your guys's advice? I could really use the help.

Thank you!

-Nathan

[sanlyn]

You can now and then find usable ATI All In Wonder cards for $100 or less, but it would cost more than that to build a machine to accept the cards unless you found one of the "X" series PCIe AIW cards and an older XP or Win7 machine (most jhave drivers only for XP, which is still the recommended platform for VHS capture). Otherwise the more current recommendations are in this list: http://www.digitalfaq.com/forum/vide...ti-wonder.html. The recommendations in that thread are known to be good performers of approximately the same quality, certainly good enough for VHS capture and restoration using lossless media.

[nmaxfield]

Thank you for your advice!

I've looked through some forum threads and it seems like the Hauppauge 610 USB2 has some issues. Would the Diamond VC500 be a good alternative?

Thank you

[sanlyn]

The only issue I'm familiar with concerning the 610 USB is clipping of super blacks at y=16, but that's nativve to many USB devices based on common processing chips. The VC500 has occasional quality control issues but all USB devices, especially used ones, have those. Brand-new retail models from big-name sellers don't seem to be a problem. The VC500 is currently in use by several members, has been tested in other forums, and has no super black clipping limit. It's easy enough to work around that limit once you learn how to capture with devices that offer luma level controls such as VirtualDub's capture. You'll have to learn proper level control during capture anyway to avoid illegal video levels with any capture device. Regardless of which of the newer devices you get, test it as soon as possible.

[jnielsen]

I have tested some devices, results here

http://www.digitalfaq.com/forum/vide...html#post46568

I also tried the Roxio package but I sold it long ago after testing against Hauppauge USB 2 Live. I also did not like the software. I like Pinnacle software, especially the older versions, I use v. 12, because they have a very simple workflow all in the same software: Capture - edit - make DVD or file. And it seems to support many capture devices.

I recommend you to capture in MPEG2 if you only will do basic editing (cutting out parts). MPG2 files are also the best to use for making DVD´s. If you want to make MP4 be careful, you need to deinterlace it to be computer-ready, and this demands computer-power and time. I use the software "Handbrake" for that ( setting: filters, deinterlace = slower ).
You can also make MP4 directly in Pinnacle but the result is not as good. Avoid all the "converters" on the software market.
If you do not know how to make a good MP4 file the best option is just to use the MPEG2 files and play them on a pc with VLC Player and remember to enable de-interlacing ( Tools, settings, video, deinterlace = automatic. ) choose yadif method.

You write "I had a lot of tracking issues along the top bar of the screen (Not from VCR)."
Maybe it is from the VCR but not visible on a TV-set.
I think you need some kind of TBC ( Time base coorection ). I have a Panasonic DMR-ES10 that I use as pass through. I have very good results with that, it stabilizes the picture and also has some noise reduction. For old tapes, and tapes played over from other VCR´s it is really good. Very stable picture.
For tapes in very good condition a VCR with built in TBC is better, because they do not need so much TBC and NR as the ES10 supplies.
However a good VCR with TBC is hard to find and you can get very good results from just a good normal VCR ( good brand Panasonic or JVC ) and a Panasonic DMR-ES10.