Hi Graham,

Thanks for those recomendations. I've checked out the websites and they
sound the business. I'm going to buy a "Take 2" device. The scart version of
this is quoted at nearly a €100 cheaper at €293.75. Although both versions
get a 5 out of 5 rating in the SimplyDV review. I can't think of any
disadvantage of using the scart. Even if using a non scart input this can be
converted with an inexpensive adaptor. Am I missing something ?

Will let you know how I get on.
Thanks,
Garry

"Graham Hughes" wrote:

> Hello, just popping in
>
> To get the best as Wojo says you need to connect the vhs to a convertor
> which will output dv-avi files and this has to be done using a firewire
> connection to the pc. The better quality makes will also use tbc, which is
> time base correction, this will keep the audio and video in sync. When you
> capture them seperately the video card often processes the video and the
> audio card the audio signal. As these work at different clock cycles you end
> up with audio drift over time.
> If you are UK based then PC World is not the best place to go, they have
> lots of usb based products and often they are next ot useless.
> Check out these two makes, superb quality, at a higher price, but one of
> only two options to get the quality you say you want.
> http://www.canopus-uk.com/US/product..._selection.asp
> http://www.miglia.com/products/video...or2/index.html
> http://www.simplydv.co.uk/Reviews/av_digitisers.html
>
> The other option si to get a minidv camcorder which has analogue in.
>
> --
> Graham Hughes
> MVP Digital Media
> www.myvideoproblems.co.uk
> www.dvds2treasure.com
> www.simplydv.com
>
>
> "Wojo" <[REMOVE]wojos_web@[REMOVE]verizon.net> wrote in message
> news:WxY6f.7286$hP6.5494@trnddc05...
> > 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).