[guidoia]

I was wondering if importing a VCR tape or VHS-C was better when using a Mini-DV camcorder than opposed to a Video capture card or a video - usb cable. I have a couple USB tv tuners that have input cables on them but have been very unhappy with the quality. I have many home movies I wish to convert to digital. Thanks,

 

[sabatical]

Yes you should definitely use your miniDV camcorder as an analog --> digital converter. Any video capture card that uses a USB cable is sub standard and will produce poor quality transfers.


You should connect your VHS-C/VHS deck to your miniDV camcorder using an S-Video (preferably) or Composite cable and then use a Firewire cable from your miniDV camcorder to your PC.

You will need to ensure that your miniDV camcorder has analog pass-thru enabled.


To 'capture' the video on your PC, use Adobe Premiere, Sony Vegas or even Windows Movie Maker (but make sure you tell WMM that you're capturing DV-AVI). If you want a simple and straight forward capture program, check out WinDV: http://windv.mourek.cz/

Files captured by the above method will be approximately 13GB / hour in size.


Hope this helps. If you have any further questions please ask

 

[guidoia]

Thanks for the info. I was hoping you would say that. Looks like a good way to do it. I am using Sony Vegas and have been very happy with it so far. I see a few cheap camcorders out there and am leaning toward the Canon ZR60 for the importing of video. Price is cheap, does stereo and has S-video inputs. I will try to let everyone know how I turn out.


- Mark

 

[guidoia]

I have not been able to import video from my VCR using the camcorder I got off of Ebay. It is a Canon Elura 80 which seems to function normally in every way. I turn on the function to pass through the video which is coming into the camera. I see and hear the recording from the VCR playing on the screen of the camcorder. When I select the capture feature from the software the screen goes blue and the tape says it is playing. I get about a second of video capture and that's about it. I have tried this from Sony Vegas and from Microsoft Live Movie Maker and on two different computers. I must be doing something wrong so I could use some assistance if anyone has any ideas. Thanks, Mark

 

[flintyplus]



Quote:
Originally Posted by guidoia  /t/1418752/importing-video-using-a-mini-dv-camcorder#post_22417599


I have not been able to import video from my VCR using the camcorder I got off of Ebay. It is a Canon Elura 80 which seems to function normally in every way. I turn on the function to pass through the video which is coming into the camera. I see and hear the recording from the VCR playing on the screen of the camcorder. When I select the capture feature from the software the screen goes blue and the tape says it is playing. I get about a second of video capture and that's about it. I have tried this from Sony Vegas and from Microsoft Live Movie Maker and on two different computers. I must be doing something wrong so I could use some assistance if anyone has any ideas. Thanks, Mark

Not many dv cams will record video in,i have a Canon HV30 that will also a Sony D300 mini dv recorder player that will record video in.

 

[guidoia]

According to the manual that came with the camcorder and what I have read online, it should work.

 

[mvpers]



Quote:
Originally Posted by guidoia  /t/1418752/importing-video-using-a-mini-dv-camcorder#post_22420580


According to the manual that came with the camcorder and what I have read online, it should work.

and you are connecting to your pc via firewire?

your PC is recognizing the camcorder?


i looked at the manual for your camcorder, it appears it should work exactly as my sony does for this conversion.

 

[guidoia]

Yes, I am connected through Firewire and it is recognized by the computer. When I tell it to capture the camcorder goes into play mode. Is that what its supposed to do?

 

[sabatical]

Try putting in a miniDV tape in the camcorder while you're doing the transfer. I've heard that some camcorders require this.


Alternatively....


I know this isn't the most efficient way of transferring your videos, but you could record your VHS-C tapes onto miniDV tape first and then transfer them to your PC via Firewire.

 

[flintyplus]

If your model will record from an analogue source i would record the analogue footage to DV tape and then import the DV tape into the pc.