Download direct to VMS or mpg?

Eigentor wrote on 10/21/2009, 6:32 AM

I currently am recording on an old (1994) Sony 8MM (not high) Camcorder. I've been using a Haupage device which is really meant to turn your PC into a TV, capable of receiving an antenna signal. It has a tuner that plugs into the USB and provides coax connection for an antenna. I connect my camcorder to the coax with the Sony supplied cable.I then capture/record the TV image as an mpg, and import the mpg media into VMS.
Would I be better served (better image/resolution...) to download direct into VMS, assuming this is possible?

Comments

musicvid10 wrote on 10/21/2009, 9:23 AM

It is not possible to capture analog video directly in the Vegas capture application. You need an intermediate capture device of some kind.

If you have a mini-DV camcorder with A->D passthrough (Canon), you can connect your analog camcorder to the a/v inputs and then capture to DV-AVI with a firewire connection, with better quality than your mpeg device will give you.

Eigentor wrote on 10/21/2009, 9:54 AM

Thanks for the info.

amendegw wrote on 10/21/2009, 10:34 AM

If you are going to be doing a lot of this type of transfer (Analog -> Digital), you might try Googling "Canopus". They make some nice stuff. I've had an Canopus ACEdvio since Vegas 4 and it still works very nicely.

...Jerry.

Eigentor wrote on 10/22/2009, 4:56 AM

What does using Canopus buy me?
- Will I get better resolution?
- Is it quicker or simpler?

I've actually been relatively happy with my Haupage method, and since it supports HDTV signals I can capture from the antenna or TV as well. But as I implied, I don't know what I might be missing either.

amendegw wrote on 10/22/2009, 8:29 AM

What does using Canopus buy me?

I'm not familiar with the the Hauppauge card, but my Canopus card gives me very good resolution, with no lost frames. Also, some of the Canopus boxes will give you a better image - the ADVC 300 has a built-in Time Based Corrector (TBC) which stablizes the analog image.

- Is it quicker or simpler?

It's certainly quicker & simpler than hooking up a DV Camcorder with passthru every time you want to capture analog. On the other hand, if you have a DV camcorder that you can dedicate to your computer, there should be little difference. The Canopus hardware allows you capture video in a very similar manner to the way you would capture digital video via the Vegas Capture Utility. It will not allow you to use the camcorder controls in the Capture utility, nor will it pass timecode data (don't know of any hardware that would allow you to do that from an analog source).

I've actually been relatively happy with my Haupage method

Hey, if you're happy, don't change.

...Jerry

Eigentor wrote on 10/22/2009, 8:46 AM

Ok, thanks. I'll look into it.

How would I know if I was dropping frames? With 30/second I'm not sure I would notice the difference.

B/T/W I looked at the Canopus, but I don't think it will work for me. My camcorder is simple 8MM, not Hi8. The proprietary Sony cable takes what looks like two RCA + 1 smaller pin to Coax output. I would need a Canopus that accepted a coax input. None of them appear to support this. I could feed two RCA (A/V) off of it to the ADVC55, but I suspect I would be losing something from that third pin.

amendegw wrote on 10/22/2009, 4:09 PM

"B/T/W I looked at the Canopus, but I don't think it will work for me. My camcorder is simple 8MM, not Hi8. The proprietary Sony cable takes what looks like two RCA + 1 smaller pin to Coax output. I would need a Canopus that accepted a coax input"

I believe you are correct that the Canopus "boxes" do not take Coax input. However, I also believe they all take RCA input. I went back the (very) bottom of my closet and found a circa 1994 8mm Sony Camcorder. Do you have something that looks like this?

At this risk of restating the obvious... the connector circled in red is the Video out and can be connected to the Canopus box. Sometimes these camcorders had a proprietary cable that was something like a mini-jack -> RCA.

One more thing... if you capture video via the Canopus/Vegas Capture route you will be capturing the video in a .avi format which is inherently better quality that an .mpg format. That said, the quality difference may not be great enough to shout about - given that 8mm is low quality in the first place.

Again, Good Luck!
...Jerry

amendegw wrote on 10/22/2009, 4:50 PM

One more thing, of course, you would also have to connect the red & white RCA connections to the Canopus box in order to get audio in your capture.

...Jerry

Chienworks wrote on 10/22/2009, 7:06 PM

Most compact camcorders i've seen have a single 1/8" 4 conductor jack for A/V output. The camcorder comes with a cable with the 1/8" plug on one end and the yellow/white/red RCA plugs on the other end.

Eigentor wrote on 10/23/2009, 5:00 AM

Thanks everyone for the good info.

Yes, mine is very similar, minus 1 (either red or white) of the audio jacks. So I would run the two RCA jacks (one video, one audio) to the canopus?
For what is that small middle jack needed?

I'll need to cost out the Canopus. I paid about $80 for my Haupauge kluge.

I won't take offense to the "low quality" remark. I just hate replacing something that still works well.

amendegw wrote on 10/23/2009, 12:30 PM

"For what is that small middle jack needed?"

It's "RFU DC Out", you would not use it for connecting to a A->D box.

"I'll need to cost out the Canopus. I paid about $80 for my Haupauge kluge."

You'll probably play considerably more than $80: See: http://www.google.com/products?q=canopus+advc+OR+acedvio&hl=en&aq=f I'll repeat what I said in an earlier post - If you're happy with the captures your getting with the Hauppauge Card, I wouldn't change.

"I won't take offense to the "low quality" remark. I just hate replacing something that still works well."

This remark wasn't directed toward you, but rather the "loss" of quality one would get by capturing in .mpg. As a matter of fact, I have over a hundred 8mm & Hi-8 tapes that I still use to extract video of sporting & family events to post to the net and create DVDs to archive memories. I also have 4,000 feet from my Dad's 16mm camera coverted to digital - now that's low quality! *grin*.

...Jerry