PC interface to grab video & audio

Ainsley1

I guess that this will be a common requirement but with various interfaces available of varying quality.

Recommendations would be welcomed from those with experience of video interfaces to record to PC and then onwards to DVD. As the source will be videotape cassette, by today's standards it will not be particularly high quality (PAL 625 lines).

I already have software or recording, editing/converting and burning so it is really the front end I need for the PC (mini tower, plenty of memory win 10 64bit). Ideally as the source may be a bit poor (dropouts, possible loss of lock) the likely most important aspect will be ability to cope with those disturbances rather than high definition etc.

These tapes have recordings not available on commercial DVDs or streaming services and the like.

No budget set yet so really need guidance on that aspect too as to what can be bought for the money!

forgotmyname

What are you using to play the tapes? What outputs does it have?

The dropouts etc would ideally be done with the player. Plenty of capture cards out there that will wake an RGB input or a composite signal etc.

Its all down to the player really and your pockets.

Ainsley1

Thanks F.
A standard videocassette player with composite video/scart outputs. No ability to lock to external syncs on playback.

I do not plan to buy a new player for what is now really an obsolete medium, just trying to get the best out of it for a reasonable cost.

I was hoping there might be a card that would lock to the incoming video with a short term 'flywheel' effect to overcome any sync disturbances (much like a phase locked loop could do) should the playback machine loose sync for a second or two to give best chance to edit out any glitches afterwards.

I would hope not to exceed £100 for a card but would rather spend on that rather than any other additional devices that would become redundant I.e a preference (only that) to future proof.

AndyPix

Ainsley1 wrote: »

These tapes have recordings not available on commercial DVDs or streaming services and the like.

Are they commercial recordings ?? If so i'd be very surprised if they arent on the web somewhere.


Anyhoo, as above, you just need a tv capture device for your pc. Like this :-
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/like/181719702311?lpid=122&chn=ps&adgroupid=36165537022&rlsatarget=pla-278516814949&adtype=pla&poi=&googleloc=1007105&device=c&campaignid=738474636&crdt=0

Ainsley1

Thanks for that addition, Andypix.

to answer your question:
A few might be commercially available but many of the ones I want to copy are not (I assume by commercial you mean broadcast etc. rather than just professionally produced). Some for example are family news items and my own recordings.

That capture device example is interesting, very cheap ( much less than I was expecting!), so probably worth trying it out even if it proves to be non too great!

I would still appreciate getting more advice if there are known reviews or comments of experience from members regarding capture devices that could be a better long term proposition? if not I'll just give it or a similar one a try.

J_B

We have a 'video grabber' purchased from Netto several years ago

Can't remember the exact make but it connects SCART to red/yellow/white connectors then on to USB
It came with some software.

Sorry to be rather vague, but I have managed to record from VCR onto the laptop.



EDIT ......

Silver Crest USB Video Grabber
There seem to be a few on eBay

Strider590

Be careful with the fake eBay "easycap" USB devices, there are 3 different units with different PCBs and different drivers for each, it is impossible to tell which you'll get. I have 4 of those devices and only 2 of them work, but one only works on Win7 and the other only works on WinXP. The other two, I just can't find drivers that actually work.

Ultimately i'd have been better off sourcing a genuine "easycap".