how do I access the scart/phono on my pc

happyhero

Hi I have a Medion PC and the video card has various connections. I would like to connect my old VHS video machine to this and go through some tapes. I do not really want to buy any other leads or convertors so I am hoping that the fact it has a scart connection means this is possible with what I already have.

I connected everything and started a tape playing, thinking that either switching on the VHS machine or pressing play would kick my PC into doing something but it just rudely ignored my VHS machine.

I thought of one thing, could it be that this scart is only for output?

Is there any software I should have or can download that will let me check input sources to try and find the signal etc?

I also have a scart lead with the 3 phono plugs (red yellow and white plugs)and I have connections for these on the front of my pc, how would I access this input to see it on my PC?

Any help would be appreciated.

art_for_arts_sake

There are a number of issues here to consider.

You will be able to work out what the graphics card can do by looking at what devices are installed. You need to go into Device Manager from Control Panel and see if you have a video capture device or tv tuner installed, and if there are drivers installed which it will require to work. There will probably be software bundled with the computer enabling you to record video if there is either fitted. If so start the program and see what devices, if any, the software detects.

Even if there is a device present allowing input into the scart socket it's important to note that scart leads are often one-directional http://www.theavguide.co.uk/view_page.php?page=19, so you may need to buy a special scart lead to carry the signal from your VCR to a capture card.

googler

Is there anything in the programs area of your start menu that looks as though it might be a video capture program...?

paddyrg

You almost certainly need a video capture card/device. You can buy usb ones for not to much, quality will be good enough for vhs. It is hugely unlikely they would have fitted a video capture card without making a big fuss about it as a sales feature and on the box.

happyhero

Nothing obvious in my device manager, under imaging devices(probably closest to what I am looking for) it show just my scanner and my web cam.

The thing with Medion PC's I have found, and I have had 3 now, is they are all full of features and connections with all the software preloaded, i.e. they are pretty well organised. In one I did have a tv tuner card but not this one.

In one I had a program called Power cinema that let me select inputs and watch the tv tuner, but this one looks as if they have changed that and now they include Home cinema instead, which contains 4 programs within it, but none that seem to let me select even the phono connections on the front as a source yet previous experience tells me these PC's don't have sockets without software to use them, with this make. I have tried Windows movie maker but that does not seem to offer a source selection (I am using Vista).

Looking at All Programs/startup, I have been all through the possibilities but cannot find anything installed.

I suspect the scart will be only output now, thinking about it, i.e. arn't video cards for output only but just with several offerings of connector?

The phono connectors I have on the front are contained within a plate (don't know what the right name for this is) that has, USB connectors, firewire and camera card readers, if that helps?

art_for_arts_sake

Aldi used to sell a lot of Medion PCs, and I remember Woolworths occasionally selling Medion-branded stuff, especially laptops. I was always impressed what bang for bucks they offered compared to their rivals, but a TV card was often installed as part of the package.

Obviously HDMI has largely superseded scart sockets but it's still handy to be able to capture VHS or camcorder footage. USB video capture devices and even USB tv tuners are so cheap now that you'd probably pay as much for the lead as the capture device.

Toxteth_OGrady

happyhero wrote: »

The phono connectors I have on the front are contained within a plate (don't know what the right name for this is) that has, USB connectors, firewire and camera card readers, if that helps?

They could be jacks for headphone and mic. Can you post a picture of the panel?

paddyrg

Just to reassure you, a TV tuner card is not quite the same as a video capture card, so even if you had one you wouldn't be out of the woods quite yet! Usb capture cards do start at single digit prices though, so not a bad option!

paddyrg

Just spotted this flash sale item from Maplin

mobile.maplin.co.uk/module.aspx?moduleno=341048

It's a capture kit for vhs and has decent reviews - you can get cheaper but some can be absolute dogs to use!