I've been recording to DVHS for several years now, but have never dumped to my Desktop computer. I have searched, yet cannot find a definitive answer on the exact procedure. I have Vista 64, have downloaded CapDvhs. Capdhvs lists the 5U as the capture device, yet the I-link indicator on the 5U shows no connection, just the I- , and nothing else. Capdvhs will not record also. A box pops up saying : Cannot open output file". I clearly am missing something else here, like I don't know what the hell I am doing.

If someone would kindly point me in the right direction, it would be appreciated.

I've been recording to DVHS for several years now, but have never dumped to my Desktop computer. I have searched, yet cannot find a definitive answer on the exact procedure. I have Vista 64, have downloaded CapDvhs. Capdhvs lists the 5U as the capture device, yet the I-link indicator on the 5U shows no connection, just the I- , and nothing else. Capdvhs will not record also. A box pops up saying : Cannot open output file". I clearly am missing something else here, like I don't know what the hell I am doing.

If someone would kindly point me in the right direction, it would be appreciated.


If the recording is 5c enabled - as most cable systems have been for some years now - you cannot.

I understand about the 5C protection.

If someone who has hooked their DVHS player up to a PC could give me step by step instructions I would be elated.

Capdvhs is all I need correct?, drivers and implementation?

Sorry, I don't know but I'm in the same boat. There are guides in these forums but they address XP only and the subtle changes in Vista (I have 32bit HP, BTW) keep me from using them. You might have better luck, i'm not very computer savvy but I do know the 5u at least better than average. Keep me posted too if you find an easy guide.

Lack of an I-# may be due to an unsuccessful HDCP or whatever hand shake. Get to this scenario and then tell the 5u to re-configure itself and its I-link connections. This is done by simultaneously pressing down and holding down the stop button and the D-VHS button under the flip door for about 7 seconds. The unit will re-cycle and hopefully will get you an I-# within a half minute or so.

If this doesn't work also try testing all power up sequences of the three devices. "Three? Don't you mean two, the computer and the 5u?" you ask. Well yeah but don't think of it that way; think of making the physical I-link connection as if it were powering up a device. Calling the three "C" for computer, "J" for JVC D-VHS, and "I" for the I-link firewire you need to try all power up sequences giving each unit say a 15-30 sec window to settle down before you turn on the next device in the sequence:

J,I,C / J,C,I / C,J,I / C,I,J / I,C,J / I,J,C Yes, I know, if the two aren't connected in any way how could they care which was powered up first, right? So this means you can skip C,J,I, it is redundant to J,C,I, but you still need to do the others.

Any luck?

Hello. DVHS will not work in Vista. There are no drivers for it. You have to stay with XP. Robert.

Thats the word I've been getting is that Vista 64 is not going to work.

So since I still have a XP PC, I still can't get the DVHS player to work correctly with it.

Hence the humble request for a step by step for a DVHS player to work correctly to a XP PC;)

I don't know about Vista 64 but a Laptop I had with Vista home Premium worked with a DVHS machine. The drivers seemed not to be totaly compatable with some capture software. DVHSTools did not work and Nero did not work until I put in an updated version. CAPDVHS did work. With either Vista or XP SP2 if the DVHS shows up in CAPDVHS, the driver is installed and you should be ready to go. On my JVC30000 the computer does show up as I5, so something seems wrong on your 5U. I would try turning off the computer, unplugging the 5U, then repowering everything and see if you get an I number assigned to the DVHS.
John