VHS to PC capture, cabling problem!

[Web Junkie]

I am trying to connect my old JVC HR-J400EK VCR to my PC via SCART to an ATI X850XT. I have a SCART kit that can be made up to have a SCART connector on one end with a Composite (Yellow) and L/R Audio output on the other.

So I plug the S-Video adaptor that came with my GFX card into the S-Video connector on the card and plug the Yellow Video output on the made up SCART lead into the input on the S-Video adaptor and press play on the VCR, not bothered about sound at this point as I just want to get the video sorted.

I fire up PowerDirector 5, set composite for the input on the capture side but nothing shows on the preview except a black backgroud with grey horizontal bars that roll/jump around, same happens using VirtualVCR and also if I press STOP on the VCR so this is happening with/without any input into the PC. I also tried the latest stable VirtualDUB 1.6.17, but it says no capture device found for 'Microsoft WDM Image Capture (WIn32) (VFW)' and when selecting the 'ATI T200 AVStream Analog Capture (DirectShow)' nothing is shown? I set composite video input in all programs.

I'm connected into the correct connector on the S-Video adaptor as there is an arrow on one of the yellow plugs pointing down the cable meaning 'input'. Do I need a different SCART lead or different cables or altering any setting regards capture (if so, where!)?

FYI the SCART connector has the following pins connected:

1 - AUDIO Output Right
3 - AUDIO Output Left
4 - AUDIO Ground
8 - Function Switching
17 - VIDEO/Sync/Luminance Ground
19 - VIDEO/Sync/Luminance Output

I have an AMD 3000+ XP (2.2Ghz), 1GB RAM, Sapphire X850XT VIVO 256mb GFX card running latest Catalyst 6.12 video and WDM drivers and DX9.0c December 06 update if that helps. I had a look at the FAQ and Capture Guide and it seems I'm connected correctly (as far as I can understand), but can't understand why I can't view video?

Anyone able to offer any guidance/suggestions with this problem please?

[JoeShrubbery]

Well I'm not sure if I'm reading this correctly*, but if I am then you're input going into the card would be via an s-video signal. If that's the case, why do you have the card's input set to composite?


*this is what I gather your video path looks like:
VCR -> SCART adapter -> composite output -> composite to s-video adapter -> ATI card

[Web Junkie]

I already set the inputs to s-video with the same result.

From what I've read the composite into S-video adaptor doesn't matter as it's not an S-Video signal, it's a composite signal going into an s-video adaptor.

I found this post:

http://forum.doom9.org/showthread.php?t=93950

and the comment by Arachnotron describes my setup, so I thought it would work!

[wonkey_monkey]

It's probably unrelated, but when I was young I tried connecting my little synthesizer keyboard's line audio out to my TV's video in. The result was rolling horizontal grey bars...

David

[Web Junkie]

Correct, it is unrelated, you don't connect audio out to the TV in and I have no audio connected in the first place.

I did some tracing of the wiring with a multi-meter and found the cable I was using was connecting the wrong pins so I think some wires are broke inside, as the SCART kit I have has another cable included I used that and found it worked but the cable has a broken wire and needs to be bent to get the picture to apear on my monitor.

So I've managed to get the video in, but now I need to read some guides and sort the quality/cleanup of the video.

[wonkey_monkey]

Correct, it is unrelated, you don't connect audio out to the TV in and I have no audio connected in the first place.

I did some tracing of the wiring with a multi-meter and found the cable I was using was connecting the wrong pins

Well that's the thing, I did connect audio out to TV in, and I got rolling grey bars. That a multimeter shows you had incorrectly connected pins suggests you may have been doing the same thing, albeit unintentionally.

Still, problem solved!

David

[Web Junkie]

I see your point regards the broken cable, but even with no cable connected to the PC I get the same grey bars and rolling as I mentioned in my original post.

I'm going to have to solder up a new cable as the one that is working is old and obviously damaged, I need to get some quality audio/video cable and wire up the same cable as the damaged one.

[Arachnotron]

There are two ways to wire a scart to composite adapter, depending on whether it is used for recording or playback. My guess is you have it wired for recording to the VCR instead of playback from it.

I mostly use the small block type adapters that have a slide switch to select in/out.

[Web Junkie]

I have the correct adpater as the connector I plug into the SCART socket has 'OUT' stamped on it and the only pins wired up are Audio/Video Out and Ground, it was the lead I was using that was damaged, hence I'm looking for a new cable.

I've seen the SCART -> Composite Video/Audio cables and think that's the best route, also a L/R audio -> 3.5" Jack is needed too so I can plug the audio from the phono plugs into the sound card. Time to raid the local shops and see what I can grab!