Hi8 and VHS-C captures, no sound using Canopus ADV 110 on Mac?
 

Hello,
First time asking a question on a forum. I have transferred my home videos on mini Dv's to my Mac with the old video camera. Now trying to transfer my older Hi8 tapes using my older camcorder (and then my even older camcorder and VHSC tapes) to my old MacBook laptop using iMovie 9 and the Canopus ADV110 that I just purchased on eBay. The video is viewable but no sound.

I have just read a 2017 post by Lordsmurf. He stated one would need a DataVideo TBC-1000. But also said: So the main question is this: Are you willing to ditch the Mac (for capture tasks) in order to get better video quality? You won't need some special new/fancy system, simply one built to handle video ingest/capture."

I have not yet found that TBC. If need be and if it truly better I open to using a window laptop (my husband and son each have one). I have not used a windows computer in ages so have no idea what to do. Does it need to be an older windows laptop, is firewire only needed for Apple computers and so a newer Windows computer and cables will be fine? Basically, I would love to know what I have to do.

Also, I have stored my other transferred home movies on a Seagate Barracuda external HD. If it was used with a Mac, will I need a different one for use with windows? If I capture these older home movies on a windows can they all end up on one external HD even though some are from windows and some from Mac?

Thanks in advance!

This was fine. :congrats:

I'm not anti-Mac, I quite like mine. But not for video, it's terrible at most video tasks.
I also have a Canopus, mostly for testing to show how antiquated the 1990s tech is compared to lossless that we had in the 2000s (and now). For PAL, it's fine, 4:2;0. For NTSC, not fine, over compressed, 4:1:1.

The Cypress CDM-1500 that I have available is very similar to the DataVideo TBC-1000.
See http://www.digitalfaq.com/forum/mark...bc-1000-a.html

CDM-1500 lacks the distro amp, essentially the video/audio outout splitting, but rarely is that needed anyway. I'm not really sure what the lack of audio has to do with TBC, and if you're referring to the distro amp. I'd need to have a link to my old post, see what you were reading.

At any rate, the ADVC is not a TBC, and a TBC is still needed to avoid dropped frames.

Ideally you'd get a recommended USB card, and capture those analog tapes lossless. Not compress to DV, which loses 50% of the color data with 4:1:1 compression. Lossless retains the full 4:2:2 color. The color loss is very obvious, even to laymen (though they sometimes don't know how to describe the loss, just that colors are muted, and the image appears fuzzier).

The Windows computer can see a Mac drive with the low-cost software MacDrive ($49) or Paragon HFS+ ($20).

Thank you for your response.

By the way, this is the original post I looked at:
http://www.digitalfaq.com/forum/vide...r-canopus.html (I took from it that if one wants to use a Mac to capture home movies from analog (Hi8 or VHSC), in addition to a Canopus ADV110 one must also have a TBC. I have just bought the Canopus on eBay although for some reason the sound does not work (and I cannot understand why unless it was sold to me broken) and I have not yet purchased a TBC yet.

After reading your post above I figure I should just use a Windows computer.Can you explain what you mean by a USB card? The computer would have a USB slot, is that what you mean? Do I need a special card that would be added to a laptop?

Also, how would I connect to a USB slot? My camcorders have an S video option or the red/yellow/white attachments how would I connect those to a USB slot? Are there adaptors available? I can send photos if that would help.

Also, the 90 hours of mini DV tapes I just captured via camcorder direct to MACBook - would they be of lesser quality than if I had used a Windows computer (in case I feel like punishing myself and re-doing them on a windows computer)?

Thanks.

Well, ls said the DV was OK.

"Card" is kind of old school usage. It actually plugs directly into the USB port. The S-video connector and red/white audio jacks go into it. nothing else to buy.

"Card" comes from when a desktop had to be used and an actual circuit card had to be installed to handle the video data.

ls has workflows for sale that can be used; I'm waiting for one.

Technically, USB "thingies" have cards in them, small microboards/motherbaords. Just really small cards. So card, stick, whatever. Semantics.

USB capture card has input for s-video/composite and RCA audio.

The DV "captures" were just DV transfers. The term "capture" is misused for DV transfer. So those DV transfers from DV tape are fine. Again, word play. Jargon used wrong. (Not your fault, it's widespread misuse.)

Honestly, that Canopus box probably is broken. Lots and lots of gear on eBay is, even so-called "tested" and "working" items. The people selling are rarely video folks, totally clueless, have no idea how it should actually function. It gets as ridiculous as somebody plugging in a device, seeing lights and sounds, as proclaiming it functional and "like new". eBay has a return policy, and you should consider using it (or more accurately, as is often the case, fighting for it).

I use Windows, OS X, and several Linux distros (Mint and Xubuntu are my favorites). Those all just tools for dumb boxes that do what we instruct. No need to fear MS or Apple or whoever. It's all homogenized over the years, all are similar. If you can use a Mac, you can use Win7/8/10.

Can you suggest or send a link to a good brand for a capture card? I hear some are really bad and drop frames (that is why I bought the Canopus ADVC 110 for my Mac it had better reviews than most). Can you suggest a good one for a Windows computer?

This brand seems to get many good ratings: https://www.amazon.ca/Elgato-Video-C...language=en_CA

Is it a good Brand (before I waste money on a second device).

Amazon reviews are wholly unreliable, and are almost always left by people with no more experience than yourself at video. Will you take the advice of a random nobody? Or do you at least take the advice is somebody that has some credentials in video?

Elgato isn't a good card.

The saddest part is the card isn't just crap, but expensive crap.

All cards can drop frames if the signal is unstable. All VHS tapes are unstable, and require TBC.

There's a number of better cards, including ATI AIW USB (which I have in the marketplace subforum here), which works on Mac, but only some OS X versions. I've never dabbled with the Mac software workflow. Mac isn't a decent capture OS. It fights you, limits you.

USB Capture Card Brand Suggestion?
 

You said Macs were not good that is why, as per your advice, I am looking at using a Windows laptop to transfer my analog home videos. You said I needed a USB capture card to do this but did not suggest a type. That is why I am asking you. Before I asked you I thought I would look online and find one that works with Windows that supposedly are good.

1) So, can you suggest a good USB capture card I can use? You mentioned ATI AIW USB for a Mac - does it work on Windows?

2) Can you clarify that if I am using Windows - I still need a TBC? If so, you mentioned a Cypress CDM 1500 for Mac does that also work for Windows? - $650 seems like a lot of money for transferring home videos do you have any other suggestions?

3) Might there be anything else I might need to know/buy to complete this project?

Thanks,
Michaele

Hello,

In addition to the questions in the post above, you mentioned the ATI AIW USB - I cannot seem to find the forum. Do you have a link to the page you can give me?

Thanks,

Michaele

ls was referring to the marketplace, on a different.

Here's one link: http://www.digitalfaq.com/forum/mark...ati-600-a.html

USB Capture Card Brand Suggestion?
 

Thank you, Bruce.

Happy to help where I can.

Video and video standards are pretty complex for a beginner, especially if the distinction between digital and analog video isn't understood clearly. As a beginner (which I still am) it's difficult to filter out the vast amount of bad information about video capture that's in existence, and keep just the good. And capture's not a push-button process: we all believe that push-button capture must surely exist, but the mechanics of VCR operation preclude that possibility.

I trust the info here, and it's both very detailed and helpful.