Capturing Video & Audio from VHS tapes

Tex Wilson wrote on 1/18/2006, 3:17 PM
I am using Sony Vegas 6 software for the first time. I have used Pinnacle Systems & Arcsoft Showbiz 2 software before, but this has to be the most complicated & confusing software I have ever tried!!! I captured some video successfully with the Vegas 6 software, but it did not record the audio from the tape (even though I could hear it playing in the computer's speakers) When I first clicked on Capture, it gave me the option of clicking on Video Composite. This gave me the video picture in the preview window just fine. In muddling around trying to get the audio to work (the manual wasn't much help) i clicked on something that took away that option. Now when I click on Capture, the only thing in the drop down list is Conexant. Does anybody know how I can get back to the Video Composite setting and also get it to capture the audio?

Comments

rustier wrote on 1/19/2006, 5:11 AM
what type of camera and what type of connection are you making to your computer to capture? and just to be clear are you using Sony Vegas 6 or are you using Sony Vegas Movie Studio + DVD (which is the pared down version)?

for what it's worth - I think the "Vegas" software runs circles around pinnacle in both function and being user friendly. Obviously you are frustrated, but you have come to the right place. There are a number of VERY KNOWLEDGEABLE folks in here more than willing to help you out. I am sure someone will be able to help you "fix" your problem. You can learn a lot here just by looking through the posts.

By the way, if you are using what is considered the "full" version of software called Sony Vegas - no movie studio in the title - then the more appropriate forum would be the Vegas forum.
Tex Wilson wrote on 1/19/2006, 7:59 AM
Thanks for the encouraging words rustier. I am using an RCA AutoShot camcorder & GE VCR connected to my Fry's computer with regular duping cables (you know, yellow cable for video, white & red for audio) I am using the Vegas Movie Studio + DVD version of the software. The video pictures I captured looked fine. Obviously my problems are in settings. If anyone knows how I can get back to the video composite setting for video and the correct setting for audio I would really appreciate it. Thanks.
Chienworks wrote on 1/19/2006, 9:21 AM
What capture hardware are you using? In other words, what are the other ends of that yellow/white/red cable plugged in to? Is it a card in your computer? Is it an external box? And if it is external, how is that box connected to your computer?

Vegas Studio's capture program is ideally intended for capturing digital video through firewire. It's not the best program available for analog captures. If your capture hardware came with software for capturing you may want to consider using that instead, and then use those files in Vegas Studio.
Lou Sander wrote on 1/19/2006, 9:24 AM
Don't give up on Vegas -- it's useful, solid software. If you're using the "Quick Start" manuals, try downloading and printing out the full manuals that are on the DVD. They're big, but very good and very useful. I printed mine out duplex (both sides of the sheet) and had them bound at Office Depot. They're my bibles now.
Tex Wilson wrote on 1/19/2006, 10:09 AM
I am plugged in to the capture card in the back of my Fry's computer. It looks like the connections on the VCR that you plug in the duping cables (the video anyway- it's yellow. The audio is plugged into a green port with an adapter) This setup worked fine with the Showbiz 2 software that came built into the computer, but I had problems with that software. Most of the DVDs that I made stop, skip or hesitate or won't play at all. The Showbiz files don't seem to be compatible with the Vegas software...at least I can't figure out how to import them into it. By the way, I tried uninstalling & reinstalling the Vegas software thinking that might restore the option of Composite Video when I click on Capture. It didn't work...It still shows only Conexant. Could someone help me please.
rustier wrote on 1/19/2006, 7:53 PM
this is a guess tex, but I imagine what you changed was on your computers operating software and not vegas studio. Conexant probably refers to the (computer)chip you were using to encode the video on the capture card. If this capture card that you plug into has capture software that came with it you may want to try that. Vegas can work with quite a few different video files. make yourself a project folder, capture with the software that came with the computer to that folder, then fire up vegas studio and use the media tab to go get it and import it into SVMS (Sony vegas movie studio). If the other software gives you a choice save the capture in the AVI format . As mentioned above SVMS capture works best with digital video and firewire - but you can still use the editing software.
GaryJ wrote on 1/22/2006, 11:07 PM
I am in almost the identical situation as Tex. Was using Arcsoft Showbiz which was not good. I got Vegas Moviestudio 6 and it won't let me capture from a conexant 23880 device.First it tells me video capture was not shut down properly - would you like to load the previous project? Then if I choose no the capture programs freezes up and I have to kill it. I have spent hours and hours already looking for any update on this at sony at at conexant and any other site I can find. Is there is any hope for using my Conexant 23880 video capture (Blackbird NTSC dual-Input) PCI capture card? I am using this on a HP Pent IV 3.00 GHz 512MB RAM. 160 Gig hard drive. Any help is appreciated!
rustier wrote on 1/23/2006, 8:04 AM
I am no expert, but I believe your choices are:

Use your existing capture card with ANOTHER software program. If possible capture in the avi format (for the best quality) although SVMS works with many types of video formats. Then import it into SVMS.

Beg borrow or purchase a digital encoder with a firewire connection like ADVC 50, 100 (used on ebay), 110 or for all the bells and whistles the 300, or a similar device that allows SVMS to draw its data from that firewire. The advantage of this type of device is that there is no program or software to load or run - it just does it's thing.

Beg borrow or purchase a digital video camera with "pass through" capability. Hook your VCR to your camera and your camera VIA firewire to your computer and push the buttons.

Be advised that if you use other programs to "capture" your video you may have to "jump through a few more hoops". An example of this is my capturing a family video from VCR with my Sony VAIO PVR - which saved it in an exclusive (windows) file format. I had to use several types of file converters (several because not all of them worked) to reformat the video into something SVMS could use. This also created some other "issues". The good news is that with the newer version (6) Sony has broadened its compatibility and capability.

Good luck hope this helps. There are a lot of guru's that frequent this forum if you need more help.
ChristerTX wrote on 1/24/2006, 6:59 AM
You are on the right track here. V
egas MS works best with a DIGITAL video stream for capture. I used the ADVC with great results.

I also have a VAIO with analog capture capabilities and I simply use that for capturing analog video and then use the resulting file in Vegas MS.