[Pablo M]

has anyone done this? is it possible? I'm looking for the highest quality capture possible for my old analog camcorder tapes.

Thanks

 

[sdf777]

I use a DV-500 board - works great. The MyHD has no composite input.

 

[Pablo M]

Thanks, but my question is about the myhd. I want to use the s-video input on the myhd to capture analog from my hi8 camcorder. I think you can do this but is the quality any good and then how hard will it be to burn on dvd?

 

[Pablo M]

Judging by other threads it sounds like even analog tv tuning (sound) is difficult with this card. No one has tried the S input? Maybe I'll go with the Pinnicle PCTV Deluxe usb 2 that now has a $50 rebate.

 

[Boss302]

Pablo,


I use the S-video connected to a SVHS recorder. I have succesfully captured VHS movies for conversion to DVD. I use the default analog capture codecs (Indeo 5.x for video and PCM for audio) this generates a huge AVI file which I then manipulate to DVD compliant MPG (VOB).

 

[Pablo M]

Thanks Boss. Now can you comment on the quality of the capture. And is it worth the trouble or would I be better off with the maybe more user friendly pctv deluxe?

 

[Boss302]

The picture quality is as good as the original. It's hard for me to do a A-B comparison as MyHD does not play AVI's in the file mode. I have to use WMP to view the AVI's. I capture at 640x240 which is about the max my measly 1700+ processor can stand. The picture quality is much better using S-Video versus the composite input on the MyHD dongle. Conversion of the AVI to a MPG is a pain.

 

[Pablo M]

Thanks again. Yes, conversion of the AVI to mpeg sounds too painful. pctv deluxe it is.

 

[RalphArch]

Quote:

Originally posted by Pablo M Thanks again. Yes, conversion of the AVI to mpeg sounds too painful. pctv deluxe it is.

just a question - since you were discussing your "old analog camcorder" tapes. Assuming you now have a digital camcorder why not just capture the avi directly with a digital 8 camera or daisy chain the old and new camcorders and capture the analog directly as digital? (ie use Pinicle Studio 8 DV - should be cheaper than deluxe)

 

[Pablo M]

Bad assumption. The old analog camcorder is all I've got. Dont use it enough now to justify a new one. Your point is one I've considered though. I have wondered what kinkd of quality is possible from the analog inputs that some digital camcorders have.

 

[RalphArch]

Quote:

Originally posted by Pablo M Bad assumption. The old analog camcorder is all I've got. Dont use it enough now to justify a new one. Your point is one I've considered though. I have wondered what kinkd of quality is possible from the analog inputs that some digital camcorders have.

I have a digital 8 - however it takes the old Hi-8 tapes I have and plays them directly and also captures them directly as AVI files using firewire.


These files are the same size as regular digital video files - around 10 gigs for an hour. Obviously the quality is what you start out with on the hi-8 - its not the same as digital but then again there is no degradation that I notice getting to digital in the camera.


Same thing for me on a regular VHS tape being output from a VCR and input into the camera (SONY TRV 840.) then into computer by firewire. Output is full VHS in all its glory - which is quite short of digital video and the audio is much worse as well but I believe identical to the source or nearly so.


This arrangement is really good for consolidating all those old tapes because of the editing capability with something like Studio 8

 

[sengsational]

Quote:

Originally posted by Pablo M Judging by other threads it sounds like even analog tv tuning (sound) is difficult with this card. No one has tried the S input? Maybe I'll go with the Pinnicle PCTV Deluxe usb 2 that now has a $50 rebate.

I tried the capture using myHD dongle composite from my old 8mm video camera. It seems that there are sound drop-outs in the capture. I thought I had the mp3 conversion thing licked because it looked like the Sonic MyDVD software would handle that without intervention. But the bad sound is a show-stopper (literally;-)).


Pablo, or anyone, how do you do your capturing? Does it go straight to a compressed format?


--Dale--