Analog Device Capture

[BBVolley11]

I'm trying to convert some old Hi8mm analog tapes to digital. I recently bought a (cheap) video capture device (StarTech USB video capture cable -- I know it's low end, but that's not the issue).

I installed the drives for it, and set up a device preset in Edius 7.5, and it seemed to work great at capturing the video on a few test captures (notice past tense). It also worked capturing the video using the (low end) video editing software that came with the cable unit (Movavi).

Well, I was fooling around trying to get the S-Video input to work (all the tests were done using the RCA video input), and somehow the Edius capture no longer works. I uninstalled/re-installed the drivers for the unit; that didn't help. I set up a new device preset, using the settings from the first time when it was working (because I had taken a picture with my phone of the settings) but still nothing.

The odd thing is that it still captures just fine with that Movavi editing software. I don't get any errors when I select the preset. If I disable the device in Device Manager, then the preset doesn't even load. The video stream and the audio stream are set identically between the Edius preset and that Movavi software. I know the camera is outputting because when I connect it to a TV it outputs, and as I said, it is outputting through the cable unit in that Movavi software.

And it worked once (actually a few times) in Edius!

Any ideas what the heck I did to make it so that Edius doesn't "see" it properly anymore?

[ulyssesvideo]

when you did capture video with either edius or Movavi... was the quality of the video excellent?? or was it degraded?

[bobbyd]

I use "Dazzle" and the software it comes with to capture. After capture I load it into Edius for editing. The capture quality of Dazzle is very good. I have captured VHS, SVHS, 8mm and Hi8. Dazzle captures both video and sound. Here is a link.

https://www.pinnaclesys.com/en/produ...hoC4iUQAvD_BwE

[BBVolley11]

It didn't look good, but it doesn't look good when I plug the camcorder directly into a TV either. Basically, in either of the 3 cases (thru Edius, thru Movavi or direct input into a TV), it looks all about the same. I don't think it was great quality to start with, and who knows how degraded the tapes are (these are 20 to 25 year old tapes).

[Thor]

What is the brand and model number of your camcorder?

[BBVolley11]

It's a Sony Handycam Hi8 CCD TRV308 NTSC. It's analog, not digital. circa 1994.

As an aside, I'm kind of amazed it still works.

[ulyssesvideo]

It didn't look good, but it doesn't look good when I plug the camcorder directly into a TV either. Basically, in either of the 3 cases (thru Edius, thru Movavi or direct input into a TV), it looks all about the same. I don't think it was great quality to start with, and who knows how degraded the tapes are (these are 20 to 25 year old tapes).

so the footage looked the same .....either captured or original source

[Ron Evans]

It didn't look good, but it doesn't look good when I plug the camcorder directly into a TV either. Basically, in either of the 3 cases (thru Edius, thru Movavi or direct input into a TV), it looks all about the same. I don't think it was great quality to start with, and who knows how degraded the tapes are (these are 20 to 25 year old tapes).

I think we have got so used to seeing HD and 4K that things from 20 years ago do not look so good to us now. Then they looked great ! I have been transferring VHS tapes from 1982 and they look OK as well as Hi8 from a little later of course. I always got on the early adopters then so bought a Sony VX3 3 chip when it first came out. Still have it on the shelf keeping company of a few Hi8 Handycams, a D8 and several DV camcorders. Personally I would use a D8 camcorder to transfer with DV signal to the PC. That is what I do.

[Thor]

If you can capture with the Movavi software, and then edit the video files in Edius, just do that. Plan "B" is sometimes all you've got, unless you want to spend more money and time on something that really won't make much difference. ;)

[BBVolley11]

To answer the question: "so the footage looked the same .....either captured or original source" -- OK, maybe the captured footage looks a little worse than the source (like 15% to throw a number out), but not enough to matter. It's bad to begin with, so what's a little worse.

In regards to the Plan B (capture with Movavi then edit with Edius), sure, that will work, but part of the problem is that the Movavi software creates a .mkv file, which Edius can't seem to read, so I have to convert it first with Handbrake. I'd rather capture with Edius to have more control over the image and image file. Sometimes you can't get what you want.

But remember, the problem I'm trying to figure out is why Edius captured it successfully once (actually a few times), and then, after fiddling with it but then resetting it back to the settings that worked successfully, it now doesn't seem to want to capture.

[Thor]

Have you tried different S-Video and Audio and USB cables, and a different USB port? Sometimes wonky connections are to blame.

[BBVolley11]

Yup, I've tried different cables and ports. And to explicitly point it out, with the very same cables and port on the very same computer, that Movavi software captures the video, but Edius doesn't. So I know the 'image' is successfully getting into the computer. It's a matter of Edius 'seeing' it.

[antonsvideo]

EDIUS only works with a handful of capture cards

[Ron Evans]

To expand on my earlier post for Hi8 I think the best consumer option for transfering Hi8 is with a D8 camcorder using a range of DV capture software some free but I have always used Vegas. Once you have the file in the PC you can use any NLE you like for editing and export. At least the D8 does the analogue to digital encoding in the camcorder and then it is already in digital form to go to the PC. I have assumed Sony know very well how to do this and my results confirm this.

[Liverpool TV]

I'm trying to convert some old Hi8mm analog tapes to digital. I recently bought a (cheap) video capture device (StarTech USB video capture cable -- I know it's low end, but that's not the issue).

I installed the drives for it, and set up a device preset in Edius 7.5, and it seemed to work great at capturing the video on a few test captures (notice past tense). It also worked capturing the video using the (low end) video editing software that came with the cable unit (Movavi).

Well, I was fooling around trying to get the S-Video input to work (all the tests were done using the RCA video input), and somehow the Edius capture no longer works. I uninstalled/re-installed the drivers for the unit; that didn't help. I set up a new device preset, using the settings from the first time when it was working (because I had taken a picture with my phone of the settings) but still nothing.

The odd thing is that it still captures just fine with that Movavi editing software. I don't get any errors when I select the preset. If I disable the device in Device Manager, then the preset doesn't even load. The video stream and the audio stream are set identically between the Edius preset and that Movavi software. I know the camera is outputting because when I connect it to a TV it outputs, and as I said, it is outputting through the cable unit in that Movavi software.

And it worked once (actually a few times) in Edius!

Any ideas what the heck I did to make it so that Edius doesn't "see" it properly anymore?

Are you saying that the capture preset you created still exists in Edius but doesn’t show any video input anymore? Or is the preset completely gone?

Try creating the preset again. You’ll have to select DirectShow Capture and then the device from there.

For such a device you’ll probably find that Edius can’t select its various inputs, S-video, composite etc. To select the input for Edius you’ll usually have to use the device’s control panel software to select the input and then switch to Edius.

You may also want to try seeing if the device’s capture software needs to also be open for Edius to see the signal, if not, try setting the device input, close its software then open Edius.

The problem with these types of devices is that Edius communicates with them via DirectShow and it can be very hit or miss. Recording audio with the video in Edius may also be problematic as Edius doesn’t usually recognise the audio input of devices via DirectShow Capture.

This video may be useful for some pointers.



https://youtu.be/KKGHNdC7LCM

[DigitalDave]

To expand on my earlier post for Hi8 I think the best consumer option for transfering Hi8 is with a D8 camcorder using a range of DV capture software some free but I have always used Vegas. Once you have the file in the PC you can use any NLE you like for editing and export. At least the D8 does the analogue to digital encoding in the camcorder and then it is already in digital form to go to the PC. I have assumed Sony know very well how to do this and my results confirm this.

I concur that D8 capture of analogue 8 tapes works well in most cases. Additionally the decks will play out NTSC or PAL from digital or analogue. One caveat when buying a D8 camcorder, CHECK THE SPECS as not all D8 camcorders play analogue, some are Digital only.