DV Camcorder as filter?

[vljenewein]

I have read that using a DV camcorder for capturing analog to digital is a nice way to go, as besides using your DV camera for the pass through you also have a camcorder. There are some hardware items that, by the time you figure the costs, you might be a little ahead to just by a DV camcorder that has analog I/O and use it as well.

Only thing is are all newer cam corders that take VHS-C or High8 able to process analog into digital? Would be an intersting thread to follow as to what cameras there are that folks have had good luck with while using with their computers.

Once it's in the computer, there are a lot of different ways to get the image and sound onto recordable media like CD or DVD. Main thing is to get the analog into the computer in good shape to begin with.

Also, I recently bought this interesting little item: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=3761&item=3402217189 It has a picture there of it. Would something like this item allow the use of one's VHS home movies to be put onto the hard drive?

Thanks!

[theReal]

I have read that using a DV camcorder for capturing analog to digital is a nice way to go, as besides using your DV camera for the pass through you also have a camcorder.

You need to make sure that the camcorder you're buying is able to record and pass through analog video. A Sony PC100E for example is able to record video, but it can't pass through directly. Then there's a lot of camcorders that have no line-in for external video sources at all.

If you don't really need a camcorder, you can get a good (DV) capture card for less money.

[yg1968]

Many Sony and Canon digital camcorders have a passthrough feature (for example, the Sony TRV-25 or the Canon ZR-45).

Another advantage is that they often have a Time Base Corrector (TBC) which will improve the video from old vhs tapes.

[ReinerSchweinlin]

I´m thinking about capturing PAL-VHS Records through a DV-Cam. Does anybody know a few models or a good source where I can get Infos whether the cam can do TBC on the Video-Input or not?
Merci
Reiner

[yg1968]

I am not sure but I believe that just about any camcorder that has a passthrough feature will have a built-in TBC. So most Sony's and Canons will have it.

There is a guy on vcdhelp called mpb that says that his Canon has one and also told me that the Sony TRV-25 also had one.

Here is a thread were he discuss his Canon's TBC:

http://www.dvdrhelp.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=141600&highlight=tbc

Perhaps, you can also look at the manual for the Sony's:

http://www.ita.sel.sony.com/support/dvimag/minidv/

[ReinerSchweinlin]

Hy Thanx for the tipp, but the Canon ZR-Series is NTSC-Only, i need a PAL-Unit.

Greetings Reiner

[jdevers]

I don't see where anyone answered the question about whether the TV card can be used to digitize your older VHS tapes, well the simple answer is yes, definitely. That is actually what they are designed for, the complex answer is that you MIGHT have problems if the tapes or your VCR are really crappy, basically you will drop a LOT of frames if either of these is true. I've done it many times in the past and even used a card nearly identical to capture DVDs before there were DVD rippers, capturing video using one of these cards is pretty much what this forum is all about so keep reading and all will become clear.

[yg1968]

You won't drop frames when using DV with a firewire card. The digital camcorder does the capturing and it will not drop frames unless your equipment is defective.

[jdevers]

Very true, however the original poster wasn't asking about a firewire card...He was asking about a standard Hauppauge PCI TV Card just an 8x8 analogue capture card.