A Bit OT: Canopus ADVC

Stuart Robinson wrote on 9/18/2006, 12:08 PM
Does anyone have any experiences with the Canopus range of analogue to DV video converters?

http://www.canopus.com/products/videoconversion.php

Sometimes I'm asked to archive footage from broadcast TV, so the (perhaps insane) plan I've come up with is to use something like an ADVC box, connect it to a laptop in the HT room and send the converted DV stream in real time via wireless G to my editing PC.

There's enough bandwidth on the network (wireless G and dual Gigabit) so I'm wondering how the Canopus boxes perform?

Ideally I wanted something that would convert an RGB input to DV, but haven't been able to find anything that doesn't cost a few thousand pounds or more and these occasional projects don't warrant that kind of investment.

Comments

rs170a wrote on 9/18/2006, 12:17 PM
You can't go wrong with any of these excellent boxes!!
For most uses, the ADVC 55 (one way) or the 110 (bi-directional) will suffice. If the signal is "dirty" (old VHS tapes) then get the model 300 with it's digital noise reduction and image stabilization.

Mike
Jayster wrote on 9/18/2006, 12:18 PM
These boxes are very commonly used by Vegas users. The s-video connection is of course better than the composite video. I have an ADVC 100 and it allows you to adjust for 0 or 7 IRE (a great thing to have), it has locking audio sync, and it has always been very robust. Of course I use it more for previewing to a television than I do for capture, but it's been great. It also works with both PAL and NTSC.
kentwolf wrote on 9/18/2006, 3:14 PM
I use an ADVC 100 and it's one of the best things I ever bought. Completely trouble-free and works exactly like it's supposed to.

The ADVC 100 (now 110) is nice because you can output video *from* your PC; not just *to* your PC. I hear the ADVC110 allows for some degree of control, but the 100 works great for me. Two-way data flow is great for doing VHS projects, as they may arise. You can also use it to feed an external monitor.
Tinle wrote on 9/18/2006, 4:10 PM
Do these ADVC boxes give a better quality (for a straight transciption of VHS to digital) versus using an analog in on a MiniDv camera to firewire out to disk , for a very limited number of tapes?

I recently re-discovered several VHS tapes that I would like to move to digital.
FrigidNDEditing wrote on 9/18/2006, 4:51 PM
The ADS Pyro AV box is able to do bi-directional Composite, S-Video, Component, and Firewire. Less expensive too. The Pyro does brighten the signal a bit, but its color stays true (at least as well as the canopus if not better).

Dave
Opampman wrote on 9/18/2006, 6:27 PM
The Canopus boxes are excellent. My wife and I both use them for broadcast use and they are flawless.
kentwolf wrote on 9/18/2006, 7:14 PM
>>Do these ADVC boxes give a better quality...versus using ...MiniDv...

I am not sure. I know it looks good. I've never needed to do the analog/miniDV route. I got an ADVC right away.

I seem to remember Spot saying a long time ago that the ADVC boxes did something to raise the luma values slightly.

All I know is that it looks good.

With the ADVC 110's with the controls, I'l bet you can make it look even better.
rs170a wrote on 9/18/2006, 7:21 PM
I recently re-discovered several VHS tapes that I would like to move to digital.

This is where the ADVC300 earns it's money due to it's built-in digital noise reduction and image stabilization.

Mike
TheHappyFriar wrote on 9/18/2006, 7:55 PM
if you have older vhs's with things like fades, shoves, etc. (or stuff simular: theature curtain moves, etc) then something with the NR & is really help. dv doesn't always like those. But I belive if you run the signel through your camera it already does image stabilization? I can't confirmas my camera doesn't allow that.
farss wrote on 9/18/2006, 9:04 PM
The "image stabilization" being referred to is Time Base Correction. This is totally different to the image stabilization in a camera!
And no, no DV camcorder has a TBC, doesn't need one. The only exception is some D8 camcorders and VCRs that also playback 8 and Hi8 tapes, it needs that for analogue playback which makes them an excellent A<->D converters, can be real cheap if you find one with a dead transport, dead lens etc on eBay.

The only downside to using a D8 camera is the mess of wires and they'll only do NTSC or PAL not both, unlike the ADVC300.

We've got plenty of expensive kit from Miranda and Convergent Design but for some jobs with wobbly sync we still go back to the 300 as the SD Connect doesn't have a TBC.
The other plus to the 300 is being able to tweak the procamps during capture AND see what you're doing on the outputs.

Bob.
Stuart Robinson wrote on 9/19/2006, 9:54 AM
Thanks guys for all the excellent feedback. I think I'll give the ADVC110 a shot, Canopus have a promotion running in the UK at the moment so it's only a few pounds more expensive than the ADVC55 plus power supply.

I'm tempted by the great reports of the ADVC300 but I have only worked from VHS once in the last year and in that instance used the timebase corrector in my playback deck - a JVC D-VHS machine - with decent results.
WillBellJr wrote on 9/19/2006, 10:23 AM
I have the 300 and love it! Typically I use Sceneanalyzer to capture instead of Vegas's capture but either way it's a great box!

Search EBay to see if you can find some sweet deals - that's how I got mine - NEW too!

-Will
mrBun wrote on 9/19/2006, 10:51 PM
Also have the 300.
Last year I did a lot of work with old VHS tapes.
The good folks on this forum advised that the 300 was the bomb.
Love it and have got quite a tidy bit of business from the word of mouth.
Paid for itself several times over!