Capturing VHS, HI-8 need your help

G-manG-man
edited February 2004 in Internet & Media
I have Adobe video collection, I want to capture old Beta, VHS and HI-8 tapes, but can't transfer to my DV camera to download via firewire.

Is their a cheap, quality way to get these in my computer?

Keep in mind I have some long tapes , maybe 3 hours long does it matter?

Will it conflict with Adobe?

Comments

  • primesuspectprimesuspect Beepin n' Boopin Detroit, MI Icrontian
    edited February 2004
    You're going from an analog source.. Do you have an analog capture device?

    If all you have is firewire, then you only have digital in.. You need a card with analog (composite) inputs, so that your computer can do the analong-to-digital conversion.
  • G-manG-man
    edited February 2004
    Any suggestions?

    I don't have a analog capture device
  • primesuspectprimesuspect Beepin n' Boopin Detroit, MI Icrontian
    edited February 2004
    What's your budget? You can get an ATI Radeon All-In-Wonder 9000 for $148.00 . Understand that this replaces your current AGP video card. If you want an add on solution, I've heard good things about Dazzle Digital Video Creator, which is also about $150.
  • G-manG-man
    edited February 2004
    http://www.pinnaclesys.com/Category.asp?Category_ID=1&langue_id=7&Family=24

    Will all these work O.K.? (except DV clip)
  • primesuspectprimesuspect Beepin n' Boopin Detroit, MI Icrontian
    edited February 2004
    I have no experience with external analong capture devices, but I imagine they all do pretty much the same thing - analog to digital.
  • G-manG-man
    edited February 2004
    I have no experience either
    If they all will just capture the video I can edit it with adobe. Just trying not to spend that much if I can help it as this hopefully will be a once in a lifetime thing
  • DexterDexter Vancouver, BC Canada
    edited February 2004
    Any of the ATI capture cards or the Dazzle capture systems will work fine. The quality is good enough for home use. Dazzle gives you the option of capturing into several different formats.

    A professional MPEG encoder can cost thousands of dollars - the one I have at my office is about $3000. Consumer grade products give you the same file format (MPEG) for a fraction of the cost. The biggest difference between consumer level capture devices and professional level capture devices is the amount of pre-processing that the image goes through prior to encoding. Pro gear will pre-process the image: stabilize the sync, optimize the hue / chroma / brightness, pre-read the video pattern prior to encoding, etc. This results in a crisper, clearer, sharper final product. The consumer level products o not have this: they capture whatever goes in. The acronym GIGO is important: Garbage in, Garbage out. The better quality source you can put in, the better quality encoding product you will have.

    Dazzle is owned by Pinnacle Systems, who also make some "prosumer" and professional lavel video products. For my clients who deal in pro MPEG playback, I do not recommend Dazzle. But for home use, I would say it is more than adequate.

    If you want to capture long movie files, you better have lots of hard drive space. Dazzle's specs call for 1.5 GB per 20 mins, which means they are capturing at about 10 Mbps. If there are options to reduce the bitrate, I would recommend dropping it to between 6 to 8, which is DVD quality.

    20 mins at 6 Mbps =~ 0.9 GB (plus audio.)

    20 mins at 8 Mbps =~ 1.2 GB (plus audio.)

    Both Dazzle and ATI products come with basic video editing software as well, which is very handy if you wish to compile multiple segments, add titles or effects, or edit down captured segments.

    Dexter...
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