Hi Garry
I will try to help you further but as I don't capture analog myself I am not
sure how much more help I will be. Hopefully Graham will chime in here as
this is more his area than mine.

First one of the recommended digital converters is called Dazzle. It is a
piece of external hardware that connects to your computer via firewire and
is capable of capturing analog signals through RCA cables and convert them
to digital. There is another one that Graham always recommends but the name
of it slips my mind at the moment.

Next you are correct, you can't capture through WMM to DV-AVI using a USB
connection. A firewire connection is required to achieve this.

Outside of what I have said here and in my previous post I am not sure if I
can shed any more light on the subject for you but I am certain that either
Graham or papajohn can.
-Wojo

"Garry" <Garry@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:84017863-3E5E-41FD-971A-B889E3252EDE@microsoft.com...
> Hi Wojo,
> Thanks for the response. I followed up on the options that you presented
> but
> I'm still having difficulty.
> 1. My Digital video camera does not appear to have the ability to input an
> analogue signal.
> 2. The largest retail shop where I live "PC World" does not sell external
> devices with firewire outputs. The external devices they sell all have USB
> connections. My PC is a small form computer and I have no room for
> internal
> cards.
> 3. The Hauppauge software can create AVI files but the quality of the file
> is no better than the wmv's created through MM2. The files are reasonable
> in
> small inset but are very poor in full screen.
> My primary objective to preserve the optimum quality of the analogue
> signal.
> The second option is I think still the best option.
> Am I understanding you correctly that it is not possible to import an AVI
> file through any USB port regardless of the source ? This could explain
> the
> Hauppage poor AVI quality.
> Can you recommend a dedicated analogue conversion to AVI external device ?
> In terms of quality is mpeg2 less than AVI ?
>
> Can you shed any further insights.
> Thanks again
>
> Garry
>
>
>
>
> "Wojo" wrote:
>
>> Hi Garry,
>> Part of the issue is that you can't capture to DV-AVI with a USB
>> connection.
>> So you really have three choices here.
>> 1) Use a digital camera with a firewire connection that allows
>> pass-through
>> and hook the VCR to that.
>> 2) Purchase a capture device that has a firewire input to the computer.
>> 3) Capture to MPEG2 using the Hauppauge software and convert that file to
>> AVI.
>> Hope that helps.
>> --
>> Wojo's Place:
>> http://wojos-web.tk
>> Also Please visit.....
>> http://www.remember-christopher.dost...m/christopher/
>> Dedicated in loving memory of our son Christopher Lee
>>
>> "Garry" <Garry@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
>> news:4D0DC491-CBB1-41A1-96CD-9B4AE262F56C@microsoft.com...
>> > Hi,
>> > The discussion on this topic is of interest to me. I am having a
>> > problem
>> > converting my old analogue home video tapes in VHS to AVI. The MM2
>> > screen
>> > greys out the Digital device format (DV-AVI) option. It allows
>> > conversion
>> > to
>> > wmv but the quality is very poor.
>> >
>> > I am playing the tapes through a VCR into a Hauppage WinTV USB
>> > connection.
>> > I
>> > read on the papajohn site that
>> > "The Hauppauge devices are meant to capture TV signals to MPEG-2 files.
>> > As
>> > Movie Maker doesn't work with MPEG-2 files, they are not a good choice
>> > if
>> > you're looking for something to use with MM2. If you have one already,
>> > you
>> > can work toward ways to convert your captured files to align with Movie
>> > Maker. "
>> >
>> > Is my problem an incompatability with the Hauppage USB capture device ?
>> > Is
>> > there a work around ? Could you recommend a more suitable usb device ?
>> >
>> > Hope you can help.
>> >
>> >
>> > Garry
>> >
>> > "Wojo" wrote:
>> >
>> >> Awesome, Happy editing!
>> >> -Wojo
>> >>
>> >> "degefu" <degefu@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
>> >> news:F61E0CB7-46A7-4818-B9F1-4923C1C5D3C9@microsoft.com...
>> >> >
>> >> > thank you very much wojo! i think it works.
>> >> > degefu
>> >> > "Wojo" wrote:
>> >> >
>> >> >> Click2DVD (Sony's own proprietary software product) works for
>> >> >> analog
>> >> >> capture
>> >> >> but Movie Maker doesn't. The easiest way to get your video into
>> >> >> Movie
>> >> >> Maker
>> >> >> then is to capture with Click2DVD and then convert the file to an
>> >> >> AVI
>> >> >> file.
>> >> >> Import the AVI into Movie Maker. For help with conversion go to
>> >> >> this
>> >> >> site:
>> >> >> http://www.videohelp.com/convert
>> >> >> Hope that helps.
>> >> >> --
>> >> >> Wojo's Place:
>> >> >> http://wojos-web.tk
>> >> >> Also Please visit.....
>> >> >> http://www.remember-christopher.dost...m/christopher/
>> >> >> Dedicated in loving memory of our son Christopher Lee
>> >> >>
>> >> >>
>> >> >> "degefu" <degefu@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
>> >> >> news:CD0DF301-7958-42AE-983A-84064F767678@microsoft.com...
>> >> >> >
>> >> >> > hello Cari,
>> >> >> > thanks for replying to my post...
>> >> >> > i don't think i know exactly what kind of capture card my
>> >> >> > computer
>> >> >> > has,
>> >> >> > but
>> >> >> > i was successful in capturing analog video in click2dvd . plus i
>> >> >> > coundn't
>> >> >> > be
>> >> >> > able to import video from click2dvd due to the format it was
>> >> >> > captured
>> >> >> > is
>> >> >> > not
>> >> >> > the type of file that the movie maker can accept...
>> >> >> > thanks for ur help again
>> >> >> > degefu
>> >> >> > "Cari (MS-MVP)" wrote:
>> >> >> >
>> >> >> >> Windows Movie Maker is not designed to capture analog video.
>> >> >> >> What
>> >> >> >> kind
>> >> >> >> of
>> >> >> >> software came with your capture card? I've used WinDVD Creator
>> >> >> >> v2,
>> >> >> >> PowerDirector v3 and 4 and ATI's Multimedia Center and all seem
>> >> >> >> to
>> >> >> >> work
>> >> >> >> fine.
>> >> >> >>
>> >> >> >> --
>> >> >> >> Cari (MS-MVP)
>> >> >> >> Printing & Imaging
>> >> >> >>
>> >> >> >>
>> >> >> >>
>> >> >> >> "degefu" <degefu@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
>> >> >> >> news:BEDF0775-2276-4D96-8EB3-5164EDA665AD@microsoft.com...
>> >> >> >> >
>> >> >> >> > helloGrham,
>> >> >> >> > i'm trying to capture video from analog video[from vcr] to my
>> >> >> >> > movie
>> >> >> >> > maker
>> >> >> >> > but when i hit capture from video device, it says,"video
>> >> >> >> > capture
>> >> >> >> > device
>> >> >> >> > is
>> >> >> >> > not detected check the device is connected and turned on and
>> >> >> >> > try
>> >> >> >> > again". i
>> >> >> >> > tried every thing i know but it didn't work out. any help
>> >> >> >> > please?
>> >> >> >> > degefu
>> >> >> >> > "cmsoule" wrote:
>> >> >> >> >
>> >> >> >> >> Thanks Graham! I hope this works...
>> >> >> >> >>
>> >> >> >> >> "Graham Hughes" wrote:
>> >> >> >> >>
>> >> >> >> >> > Basics then.
>> >> >> >> >> > Ensure all other apps are off, include
>> >> >> >> >> > firewall/internet/a-virus/screensaver/power save modes etc
>> >> >> >> >> > etc..
>> >> >> >> >> > Defrag before capture.
>> >> >> >> >> > Ensure dma mode is enabled on the hard drive.
>> >> >> >> >> > Try to capture to a seperate hdd other than the one on the
>> >> >> >> >> > o/s.
>> >> >> >> >> > Squiggly lines may be copy protection, but you wouldn't see
>> >> >> >> >> > this
>> >> >> >> >> > on
>> >> >> >> >> > a
>> >> >> >> >> > hi8
>> >> >> >> >> > tape
>> >> >> >> >> >
>> >> >> >> >> > Graham
>> >> >> >> >> >
>> >> >> >> >> > --
>> >> >> >> >> > Graham Hughes
>> >> >> >> >> > MVP Digital Media
>> >> >> >> >> > www.dvds2treasure.com
>> >> >> >> >> > www.simplydv.com
>> >> >> >> >> > "cmsoule" <cmsoule@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in
>> >> >> >> >> > message
>> >> >> >> >> > news:9A14415C-2A1E-47E0-9F78-20B222E8C72E@microsoft.com...
>> >> >> >> >> > > Hi Graham and thanks for responding to my posting. It is
>> >> >> >> >> > > hard
>> >> >> >> >> > > to
>> >> >> >> >> > > explain
>> >> >> >> >> > > but
>> >> >> >> >> > > while I'm watching the captured video on my monitor, the
>> >> >> >> >> > > picture
>> >> >> >> >> > > kind
>> >> >> >> >> > > of
>> >> >> >> >> > > fades in and out, a light fuzziness more than squiggly
>> >> >> >> >> > > lines
>> >> >> >> >> > > actually.
>> >> >> >> >> > > The
>> >> >> >> >> > > weird thing is that one time I copied two videos off of
>> >> >> >> >> > > VHS..both
>> >> >> >> >> > > about an
>> >> >> >> >> > > hour long and put them on a DVD. One of the videos was
>> >> >> >> >> > > perfect
>> >> >> >> >> > > and
>> >> >> >> >> > > the
>> >> >> >> >> > > other
>> >> >> >> >> > > had the fading in and out throughout the entire video.
>> >> >> >> >> > > Last
>> >> >> >> >> > > week,
>> >> >> >> >> > > I
>> >> >> >> >> > > was
>> >> >> >> >> > > capturing from a Hi-8 video camera and had the same
>> >> >> >> >> > > problems
>> >> >> >> >> > > (but
>> >> >> >> >> > > I
>> >> >> >> >> > > didn't
>> >> >> >> >> > > go
>> >> >> >> >> > > as far as putting it on a DVD).
>> >> >> >> >> > > I first thought it was my VCR but then why does the Hi-8
>> >> >> >> >> > > tape
>> >> >> >> >> > > play
>> >> >> >> >> > > perfect
>> >> >> >> >> > > inside the camera and the vhs tape play perfect in my
>> >> >> >> >> > > vcr?
>> >> >> >> >> > > I
>> >> >> >> >> > > only
>> >> >> >> >> > > see the
>> >> >> >> >> > > lines when I'm capturing the video???
>> >> >> >> >> > >
>> >> >> >> >> > > "Graham Hughes, MVP Digital Media" wrote:
>> >> >> >> >> > >
>> >> >> >> >> > >> Whereabouts are these lines.If at the top and bottom
>> >> >> >> >> > >> this
>> >> >> >> >> > >> is
>> >> >> >> >> > >> normal
>> >> >> >> >> > >> analogue
>> >> >> >> >> > >> picture and is not visible on tv's because of overscan.
>> >> >> >> >> > >> Graham
>> >> >> >> >> > >>
>> >> >> >> >> > >> --
>> >> >> >> >> > >> Graham Hughes
>> >> >> >> >> > >> MVP
>> >> >> >> >> > >> www.simplydv.co.uk
>> >> >> >> >> > >> www.dvds2treasure.com
>> >> >> >> >> > >>
>> >> >> >> >> > >> "cmsoule" <cmsoule@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in
>> >> >> >> >> > >> message
>> >> >> >> >> > >> news:3E8FE6B1-A8E3-4EB8-8FFC-9027F31EDC6A@microsoft.com...
>> >> >> >> >> > >> > I am using an HP m470n computer with Windows Media
>> >> >> >> >> > >> > Center.
>> >> >> >> >> > >> > I
>> >> >> >> >> > >> > am
>> >> >> >> >> > >> > getting
>> >> >> >> >> > >> poor
>> >> >> >> >> > >> > picture quality (i.e. squiggly lines) when I am
>> >> >> >> >> > >> > capturing
>> >> >> >> >> > >> > an
>> >> >> >> >> > >> > analog
>> >> >> >> >> > >> > signal
>> >> >> >> >> > >> to
>> >> >> >> >> > >> > my hard drive. It happens when I am recording from a
>> >> >> >> >> > >> > VCR
>> >> >> >> >> > >> > (VHS)
>> >> >> >> >> > >> > or
>> >> >> >> >> > >> > my
>> >> >> >> >> > >> > Hi-8
>> >> >> >> >> > >> > video camera and whether I'm using Showbiz 2 or
>> >> >> >> >> > >> > Windows
>> >> >> >> >> > >> > Movie
>> >> >> >> >> > >> > Maker
>> >> >> >> >> > >> software.
>> >> >> >> >> > >> > I thought the inputs on the front of my computer & the
>> >> >> >> >> > >> > software
>> >> >> >> >> > >> > supported
>> >> >> >> >> > >> > analog. Do I need new software? an analog capture
>> >> >> >> >> > >> > device?
>> >> >> >> >> > >>
>> >> >> >> >> > >>
>> >> >> >> >> > >>
>> >> >> >> >> >
>> >> >> >> >> >
>> >> >> >> >> >
>> >> >> >>
>> >> >> >>
>> >> >> >>
>> >> >>
>> >> >>
>> >> >>
>> >>
>> >>
>> >>
>>
>>
>>