VHS capture problems.

[castellanos]

Hi there!
I'm having a problem trying to capture from an old JVC VHS camera.
Here is the deal. System: Windows 7 Ultimate x64. The camera is a JVC VHSC, Model GR-AXM1 and I'm trying to capture the video trough a WinTV HVR-1200 card. The camera has a composite video output of course but the TV card has Cable and S-Video input only, so I'm using an adaptor "composite video --> S-video" to connect the camera.
So far so good, I've tried a few programs to make the capture Windows Movie Maker (I got no signal), WinDV (Black and White and flipping lines) etc.. finally I think the best option was VirtualDub (1.8.8).
With VirtualDub I got the same result as WinDV: Black and White and flipping lines.
After I put VirtualDub in capture mode I go to Video/Capture Filter... and I select the Camera format "NTSC_M". Every time I do this, VirtualDub shows "Signal Detected: 1" but when I go to see the picture, is the same as before. I go back to Capture Filter... and it's back to "PAL_B".
I've tried this so many times and I get all the time the same result.
Can somebody help me with some ideas?
Thanks in advance.

[kenmasters1976]

What if you try with the latest version of VirtualDub?.

[Sharc]

I normally use VirtualVCR for VHS Camera / analog TV captures.
It's based on DirectShow and I get less audio/video synch problems compared to WfW tools.
http://virtualvcr.sourceforge.net/

[castellanos]

Thanks kenmasters1976 and Sharc.
I will try with VirtualVCR and I will report ASAP.
I hope to get better results.

[castellanos]

I've tried VirtualVCR and I get no signal and an error message:
http://img704.imageshack.us/img704/9661/videotest.jpg

EDIT: I've managed to get video signal, as you can see in the picture:
http://img215.imageshack.us/img215/8442/videotest1b.jpg

As you see, the norm matches the device "NTSC_M", however when I hit OK, two times, VirtualVCR go back to this:
http://img215.imageshack.us/img215/5417/videotest2.jpg

I go to the settings, and it's back to "PAL_B". It happens the same as VirtualDub.

[Emulgator]

525 lines timing looks like NTSC. 720x480 looks like NTSC.
The camera is NTSC VHS-C.
25.000fps looks like PAL and smells funny here.

Maybe you should try
tick: Use custom settings and force the fps to 29.970 fps.
Use no compession of Huffyuv if available.

If VirtualVCR (maybe buggy, I don't have it) still sees 25.000fps fit,
then you may try resolution of 720x576 and 25.000fps.
(but it still won't line up with a 525lines video signal found on input)

[castellanos]

25.000fps looks like PAL and smells funny here.
Yes, I know that, but as you can see in the picture, "Use Custom Settings" and "Use Compression" are unclicked.
I have already tried your suggestion. I've forced the resolution to 720x480 and the f/sec to 29.970 and tried all the codecs I have and set it to no compression as well. The result was the same, I'm afraid.

[Ghitulescu]

Are you sure that your hardware is NTSC capable? Because if not, then you'll never ever have the colour ;)

[an3k]

have you tried different video standards? Perhaps it isn't NTSC_M

[castellanos]

Are you sure that your hardware is NTSC capable? Because if not, then you'll never ever have the colour ;)
Well, as you see in the second picture, while I'm doing the setting, I get NTSC signal (color is fine). The problem is that it doesn't stay there after I hit OK to begin the capture.


have you tried different video standards? Perhaps it isn't NTSC_M
I've tried NTSC_M_J as well. Same result.
PAL is not, neither SECAM.

[Ghitulescu]

How about using a real VCR instead of your camera, you know, a SVHS one (they have S-Video)? The S-Video<->Video adapter works best only from S-Video to Video and needs hardware support for viceversa.

[castellanos]

Good point Ghitulescu, but my original idea was a live capture... However, if the VCR works, I could make the video directly with the camera and capture it afterwards with the VCR. It's only one step more.

[Ghitulescu]

I had this issue long long time ago, I don't remember how I solved (I did) - I do all my analog video in hardware, no problems and faster.