Loading VHS Clips

Monte88 wrote on 3/10/2014, 2:23 PM

I am going to be loading a large amount of clips from full size and VHS-C tapes. I am running Sony Vegas 12.0 (Build 486, which I will upgrade to 770 soon) on a 64 Bit Windows 7 machine (SP 1). I purchased a Hauppauge DV PVR box which came with the ArcSoft Total MEdia Extreme software (version 2.0.45.12) and the driver version 1.7.30059.1 dated 2/28/12. Most of my standard clips come from a firewire connection to a mini-DV deck and this works fine within Sony Vegas.

I don't have a lot of experience with this newer technology, and am looking for help loading older VHS clips. I am not able to load clips using the PVR from within Sony Vegas (the preferred method) because it says something like "Cannot access Hauppauge DVR because the device is in use with another program" or words to that effect. Using the ArcSoft software I am able to load clips and then import them to Sony Vegas without issue, but the ArcSoft software is awful and locks up or crashes constantly. In trying to load a lot of clips this just hasn't been feasible.

Does anyone have any suggestions for one of the following alternatives?
1. Ways to get the Hauppauge DVR to work using the Sony Vegas clip loading software.
2. Other clip loading software that would work with the Hauppauge box outside of Sony Vegas better than ArcSoft
3. Another box I could purchase that allows me to load using an S-Video or RCA video input either through Sony Vegas (preferred) or using stand-alone software. There must be other ways to do this but in browsing around the forum I haven't found any conversations about it.

Thanks in advance for your help.

Comments

Steve Grisetti wrote on 3/10/2014, 2:40 PM

That's probably not the best unit for capturing and editing video with Vegas Pro, Monte. Those DV-PVR boxes that come bundled with software are pretty much designed for use with the programs that come with it and that's about it.

For best results with virtually any video editing program, I'd recommend you do your digitizing with a DV bridge, like the Grass Valley/Canopus AVDC.

These units interface beautifully with pretty much any software, and the DV-AVIs the produce when they capture will load into virtually any video editing application.

musicvid10 wrote on 3/10/2014, 3:04 PM

You will need to save the clips as TS or MPEG from the pvr using its own software, "possibly" run them through VideoRedo to clean up stream errors , and then open the files in Vegas.

Vegas capture officially supports firewire only, not USB.

sodbuster-ca wrote on 3/10/2014, 3:26 PM

"Vegas capture officially supports firewire only, not USB."

Not only that, AFAIK, Vegas doesn't support any of Hauppauge's PCI/PCIe cards either (for video capture).

I have the HVR-1850 and I just use the included WIN-TV capture software. For quick editing and/or stream error clean-up I use MPEG VCR ($19.00) by Womble.
http://www.womble.com/products/vcr.html

Also, VideoRedo ($49.99), as suggested by musicvid10 is probably more popular.

musicvid10 wrote on 3/10/2014, 3:31 PM

I think Womble (aka mpeg-vcr) still only works with mpeg-2, which might be perfectly fine for the OP's needs.

VideoRedo and TSDoctor also work with h264, such as from HD-PVR TS source.

sodbuster-ca wrote on 3/10/2014, 3:46 PM

You're right. From the Womble web page "It supports all MPEG-1 and MPEG-2 bit streams, including MPEG-2 Transport streams for HDTV." It works well for VHS transfers.

I like it because it is easy, quick and cheap.

R0cky wrote on 3/10/2014, 3:52 PM

I have a Grass Valley/Canopus ADVC-300 for capture. Discontinued but I think they still have the 110.

I still use Scenalyzer for tape capture, it's great. The developer is giving it away now:

http://www.scenalyzer.com

rocky

Monte88 wrote on 3/10/2014, 5:19 PM

Steve, thanks for the response on the Grass Valley/Canopus AVDC. I think this is what I am looking for, something to make the bridge between the analog and digital through firewire. It looks like the model 110 is available on Amazon.

When playing the clips through the box and into the firewire card on my editing PC, I assume I am able to then use the Sony Vegas clip capture tool directly within the application? I am not sure if I was clear in the original post or if it even is relevant to my question, but I will be loading partial clips from full tapes, and not digitizing the entire tape, and hope to capture small sections right in Vegas.

Thanks a lot.

videoITguy wrote on 3/10/2014, 5:42 PM

Your best bet is to get hold of Mini-DV or digital 8 camera that has digital pass thru - then hook your VHS deck output to the analog in of the digital pass thru camera, then the firewire output of camera to your firewire port on the computer - capture away with managed manual transfer with fantastic low-cost resutls.

SecondWind-SK wrote on 3/10/2014, 5:54 PM

The ADVC100 also will allow digitizing Macrovision copy protection. Some of the later models had this 'feature' removed. You'll sometimes find ADVC100s used on Ebay for less than $100.

sodbuster-ca wrote on 3/10/2014, 7:27 PM

"...I am not sure if I was clear in the original post...

Your OP was clear except for one detail. What is the name and model number of your Hauppauge DV PVR? Depending on the model you have, the above mentioned hardware alternatives may or may not provide better digital conversion.

I have two different Hauppauge devices (HVR-1850 & PVR-250) and both of them came with a version of their WIN TV capture software. WIN TV works fine with my devices.

You mentioned having problems with ArcSoft Sofrware. I believe that is a free accessory found on your WIN TV installation disc. I've never bothered with that.

Have you tried using WIN TV?

I would try WIN TV before purchasing anything else. You have to set it up to read the RCA inputs instead of the TV Tuner. Then you can select your capture bit rate.

riredale wrote on 3/10/2014, 7:50 PM

Second what VideoITguy says. Many cameras have a pass-through feature, makes getting clean video into Vegas a slam-dunk.

Monte88 wrote on 3/11/2014, 1:52 PM

I purchased the Hauppauge 1212 DV PVR. I will have to check if the WIN TV software came with the unit, as I ran the install disk and ended up with the ArcSoft product.

Acting on some of the suggestions from the post, last night I was able to get a "pass through" set up using my Panasonic AG-DV 1000 Mini DV deck's S-Video input and captured some clips within Sony Vegas. Thank you to those who suggested using a camera or another deck as a converter!

But I am leaning toward a dedicated device like the Grass Valley/Canopus ADVC110 Converter. Can anyone confirm that you are anle to use this device to load clips from within Sony Vegas using the firewire connection?

Thank you

Chienworks wrote on 3/11/2014, 1:54 PM

Of course you can. Vegas sees pretty much any incoming DV stream as compatible with it's capture program.

Still though, it's not really any different process from capturing with a non-compatible device. You end up with a bunch of clip files in a folder when you capture, and then you put them on the timeline in Vegas. It's the same steps no matter how you do it.

musicvid10 wrote on 3/11/2014, 2:21 PM

You may need to install legacy firewire drivers.

astar wrote on 3/11/2014, 3:22 PM

Get a Viewcast 100 or 100e, depending on your interface. Viewcast makes the most rock solid analog capture cards on the market. Load the drivers and select the card inside Vegas capture program. Works seamlessly with MS Encoder too, when you just want to convert tapes to mp4.

2nd, I would say Blackmagic shuttle for the mjpeg capture ability.

sodbuster-ca wrote on 3/11/2014, 3:47 PM

" Monte88

OK. Apparently your unit did not ship with WinTv (for some reason the HD PVR's were not initially compatible with WinTV). Now they are compatible with WinTV v7.2 (I use WinTV v6). According the their site, you can purchase the WinTV v7.2 installation disc for $9.95.
http://www.hauppauge.com/site/products/data_hdpvr.html (Click on the "3rd Party Apps" tab).

There's also a link to "NextPVR" which is a free download. I've never tried that...I don't know anything about it. Sometimes "free" = good. Sometimes that old adage applies..."You get what you pay for".

It looks like you have a temporary solution by using your "Pani" as a pass through. The 110 converter seems to be the solution that provides the easiest way of getting your tapes into Vegas.

As was mentioned earlier, in the end, you're going to have a bunch of files in a folder whether you capture with Vegas or something like WinTV7.

Capturing with Vegas gives you a couple of advantages:

1) Vegas is already open.
2) If you go with the Grass Valley 110, you'll have better hardware. Although, I'm not sure the difference will be noticeable considering the source is S-Video VHS.

Monte88 wrote on 3/19/2014, 8:48 AM

UPDATE: I purchased the Grass Valley 110 digital converter and set it up yesterday. I was able to load clips right from within Vegas using the firewire connection, as many of you mentioned I would.

As a little test, I loaded one of the same clips using the Grass Valley box as I did with the Hauppauge device (loaded outside of Vegas and imported to a project), and it appeared clearly to the naked eye side-by-side within Vegas that the Grass Valley clip was better quality. I was not expecting to notice much of a difference, and quality was not the reason for getting the new hardware, but I was pleasantly surprised with this result. It will be good to load a high volume of clips using software that I am familiar with and won't lock up all the time like the ArcSoft.

Thanks for the guidance on this issue.