Capturing from a VHS into CS4Pro

I have an old VHS tape that I want to edit by importing it into my CS4pro software. As soon as I receive my input connector, I am going to connect the VHS player to my computer. I've never captured this way before. The videos I edit now are from my HDV camera which I connect to my computer.
I have no idea yet, how my computer is going to capture this tape. Is this something any of you, my friends, can help me out with, or do I have to go to the store where I purchase my computer to find out how to capture a VHS onto my computer?

Time Base correctors are generally not cheap. This is the one I use, which costs $480:
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/185957-REG/Datavideo_TBC_1000_TBC_1000_Single_Channe l_Time.html
This one is only $214.95, but I know nothing about it:
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/276891-REG/AV_Toolbox_AVT_8710_AVT_8710_Multi_Standa rd_Time_Base.html
In the meantime, a free but time intensive solution is to record your VHS tapes to digital tape using your camcorder's inputs, and then digitize the digital tape.
J. D.

Similar Messages

Capturing from old vhs tapes

I want to capture a bunch of old VHS tapes into CS6. I have an analog to digital converter that I'm going to plug a VCR into and a Firewire cable from the converter into my computer.
1.) Can anyone recommend any general settings for making sure I get the highest quality possible?
I'm looking at using the following settings:
Sequence Preset
DV - NTSC
Standard 48kHz
and then going to:
- File > Capture
- Press play on the controller at the bottom of the window
- Press record on the controller at the bottom of the window
Any advice will be greatly appreciated!

There are a few ways to take care of this. One is to crop the 2 pixels from the top and the 2 from the bottom from the source when you export. If you do that, you can scale it up a bit to take care of it, or stretch to fit. Either way, it is unlikely to be noticeable since the analog wasn't picture perfect to begin with. Or, you can just leave the black above and below. Hardly noticeable at all - depending on how you display it. If you put it full size on a white web site then it is a problem. Playing it out on a DVD is not problem at all. Nobody sees that far to the edge on most TVs anyway. Although more and more they show the entire picture.
Basically, I suggest that you capture a few seconds of video and play around with it before you get too far into the project. You might not even have the noise.

Cant see the videos that I captured from my camcorder, into iMovie, on my hard drive or in FCP.

I can only see these files in my iMove Library. I cant see them at all from inside FCPX. I just want to import the video's I already captured from iMovie into FCPX.

Version 10 of iMovie and 10.0.8 of FCP X Trial. If I could just locate where the video's I captured are in the Macintosh HD then surely I could use that video. They are large files I assume since they were captured from 1 hour long DV tapes but I just dont see them anywhere on the HD.

How to store the data captured from oscilloscope into the MS Access database table

Hi All,
In my application, I tried to save the data captured from SCOPE, but could store only 200 bytes. I've taken the Memo data type for the field in database. I want to store all data ( 4 channels) in one field & retrieve back and display on the XY Graph.
Thanks in advance.
Regards,
Shrini

kramish wrote:
Im pretty sure that Access does support JDBCNo it does not. It supports ODBC.
just doing a quick Google came up with some pages:
http://blog.taragana.com/index.php/archive/access-microsoft-access-database-from-java-using-jdbc-odbc-bridge-sample-code/
http://www.javaworld.com/javaworld/javaqa/2000-09/03-qa-0922-access.html
Both articles explains how to use the jdbc-odbc bridge. I think I've seen a pure jdbc driver for access but it wasn't from Microsoft and it wasn't free.
Kaj

Capturing from a dvd into FCP

I have a bunch of QuickTime files on a DVD that I need to capture. I have already imported them into FCP and it works fine but when I want to capture, FCP does not recognize the DVD deck (which is built in my Mac) and says "No Communication".
what should I do?

because when I log a clip it shows "Media offline" message, so don't I have to capture the footage to my hard drive in order to use it in my project? How do I avoid the "media offline"? I also have some still pics that I have imported from another DVD, but once I take out the DVD from the deck it shows the Media offline message again...

CAPTURING FROM DVC PRO INTO iMOVIE

I am feeding a DVC pro deck with SDI out into the firewire port on my new mac. I can see the video in imovie capture window, but cannot actually capture footage (either by selecting import or hitting the space bar). No clips are captured.
I have rebooted the mac but still can't capture video. Since I can see video in the imove capture window, I can assume that the source (dvc pro) is not the problem.
Any help would be appreciated.

iMovie 11 is well worth the cost. Get it for $14.99 in the new App Store.
In iMovie 11, you need to get a free app called MPEG Streamclip. You need to have it anyway. It is like a Swiss Army Knife for people who make videos. Right-click on the clip in iMovie. Select Reveal in Finder. Drag this clip to MPEG Streamclip. Move the playhead to the frame you want, and click FILE/EXPORT FRAME. Pick Jpeg, TIFF, or PNG and you are done.
In iMovie 08, the above procedure works fine as well. However, there is another way, which I have documented [here|http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=2255510]

Unable to capture from the Panasonic AJ-HD1400 deck into Final Cut

I am working on a project where I need to use the Panasonic AJ-HD1400 deck and import 720p footage from the Vericam into final cut. I am able to connect to the deck via firewire but when I playback footage or try to capture I get a black screen and error message saying that FCP isn't getting a video signal.
I have tried multiple capture and sequence settings, none of which have worked. The one I have read that I am suppose to use is the easy set up for DVCPRO HD 720p24.
The footage is shot from the Panasonic Vericam which shoots at 60 fps. The footage has been flagged both 24p and 60p during different takes. - Which I have read you are suppose to convert using the DVC PRO HD Frame Rate Converter after it has been imported.
Anyone out there know how to solve this issue,
-Steller

Have you tried trashing your prefs?

FCP 10.1 DV capturing from camera breaking the scenes into unwanted clips by flashing a black screen on import window. But its fine and accurate with adobe premiere pro cc ? Any solution * Advance Thanks

FCP 10.1 DV capturing from camera breaking the scenes into unwanted clips by flashing a black screen on import window. But its fine and accurate with adobe premiere pro cc ?
Any solution * Advance Thanks

FCP X will import into separate clips every time it detects a scene change (as when you stopped and started recording in the camera). There is no option to avoid this, as far as I known.
You may try importing from camera using Quicktime Player X and then bringing the imported file into FCP X.

Capturing from VHS

I want to capture some old VHS tapes and am looking at the Canopus ADVC55.
1. With this device connected, will it work like a DV deck with FCP, enabling me to fast forward and rewind from the capture now window? Will it be easily recognized by FCP?
2. I no longer even own a VCR and need to borrow one from somebody. I'm guessing that the quality of the VCR will play a large role in the captured video. Can anyone recommend some key features (minimum number of heads, etc.) I should look for in a VCR for good playback while capturing.
Thanks!

1. With this device connected, will it work like a DV deck with FCP, enabling me to fast forward and rewind from the capture now window? Will it be easily recognized by FCP?
No, you cannot control your analog VCR from FCP. You must set Log&Capture for Non controllable device and use Capture Now mode.
I have a DVC-100 and works prefect with FCP. Never heard about problems with these devices in the forums.
Hope that helps !
Alberto

Transferring footage from a DVD to CS4Pro

About a year ago I was asking what item to use/purchase to transfer video from VHS into my computer so that I could capture it into my CS4pro. This year I snuck an old '86 DVD from my brother's wedding album and now I want to edit this video so that I can give it to him for Christmas as a surprise. The dvd was created from a VHS tape. The colors and clearity are just awful. My question to anyone of you out there, is, what item can I buy to transfer a DVD video into my CS4 software that is friendly to use and works great?

It can be, depending on exactly how the DVD was created.
I have been handed some DVD's, that were created via DVR units (some consumer, but some pro from TV stations), and have just used my ADVC 300 with my dual VHS/DVD deck, to run the deck to the computer.This allows me to Capture from that DVD (a DVR) into PrPro.
Some, like Jim Simon, use a software program, to handle those problem DVD's. As I already had the hardware hooked up, I have not explored that possibility/workflow, but if Jim recommends it, I have zero reason to doubt it.
However, and depending on how the DVD was created, you might not even need that extra step. However, the VOB Import capability was not included until about the CS 4.2 update (might have been CS 4.1?). That will only yield good results, with 100% DVD-compliant VOB's, say ones created with a program, like Adobe Encore. Even some DVD authoring programs, create less-than-perfect,100% DVD-compliant discs. The issue is usually with the first VOB, that along with probably part of the spanned MPEG-2 AV file, also contains Menus and navigation. That is where things can go very far off.
As that first VOB (~ 1GB) contains the navigation and Menus, if it is filled, say with intricate navigation, then the user does not need anything from it, as the MPEG-2 will not start until the second, and probably the other VOB's. With many DVD's, that first VOB will NOT be filled to max with the navigation and Menus, and getting to just the MPEG-2 (the first part of the video), can take some work.
Sorry for any confusion above, and I wanted to point out that PrPro, as of the last update to CS 4, can actually work quite nicely with many VOB's. Depending on how the disc was originally created, you might not need any additonal software, or hardware. Still, the ADVC-110 is a good unit, and though you might not need it on this Project, if you have much VHS (or other analog source material), it is great to work with. As you mention the colors in the VHS, and again predicated on how much such work you plan to do, the ADVC-300 might be a real time-saver. It has the capability to do some pretty nifty correction, at Capture. That correction can certainly be done in PrPro, but with a ton of tapes, it can share hours off the total Project, and in my case, justified its higher price. For just a few tapes, I'd save the $, and stick with the 110.
For corrections on VHS source material, I usually go with a group of Effects: Levels, Shadow & Highlight (turned OFF of Auto), and then the Fast Color Corrector. It is surprising what just a few Effects can do, to enhance old tapes. Even with the TimeBase Corrections in the 300 unit, I still often do some tweaking with those Effects, but then it's usually pretty minor and quick.
Good luck, and sounds like a great present.
Hunt

One last question about capturing from tape

I have a box full of family VHS tapes that I will be capturing into the computer to digitally archive. However, I want to make sure I am doing it the best possible way. These are the two things most important to me:
1. Quality
2. Longevity
1. Quality
I have a VHS/MiniDV JVC SR-VS30 deck connected via firewire into my 2014 iMac. I know that firewire is typically the best option when capturing DV footage into the computer. However, is this still true for VHS and other forms of old tape. I can hook anything up to this deck via composite/s-video in and go out through the firewire connection. However, I wasn't sure if firewire was the best coming from a VHS tape. I also have an old video capture card that has a straight s-video/composite input. Which would be more native to the VHS/analog tapes as far as keeping original quality and the best possible image?
When I use the JVC deck, some programs will capture the vhs tapes and others won't because they won't recognize unless I'm using the DV side. For example, FCPX recognizes the deck, but when I go to import unless it's a dv, it will say "no tape" and I cannot capture anything. iMovie will capture files as .DV. Quicktime will also recognize the deck and capture files as apple prores MOV files. When I compare the QT and iMovie, the QT files look better in my opinion, though I don't know if they truly are. The iMovie dv files have jagged edges like tv lines or something during quick movement and like others say about firewire it looks a little "milky" (though I know this isn't necessarily a bad thing). The QT clips don't necessarily look sharper, but they don't have the hideous jagged edges.
So my question before I start this large project is:
Which capture methods above would you use, or what else would you recommend for best quality?
2. Longevity
Which file format would you recommend saving these files (or just keeping them as they are at capture) for long term storage? When I come back to these files in 10 years and need to convert them to something new, I want them to have the greatest chance of being compatible with whatever lies ahead. There are so many different file formats.
Many thanks for any help along this long process

I want to make sure I am doing it the best possible way.
I have done lots of that.
For maximum quality here is my procedure: ADVC300 > iMovie 06 > iDVD 09/11.
To get your VHS video into iMovie, use the Grassvalley ADVC300 . With the ADVC300 Audio and Video go in, FireWire comes out. It also comes with a nice Macintosh application that works flawlessly with iMovie 06 and iDVD 09/11 (I have used it a few times with iMovie 11).
The ADVC300 has been discontinued by the manufacturer. The included software (which is not really necessary but does enhance performance) is not compatible with OS 10.7 or newer. You can still find the ADVC300 for sale in a few outlets as well as eBay. It will sell between 50% and 100% ABOVE its retail price. Yes, it's that good.
If you can’t find the ADVC300, use the Grassvalley ADVC110.
I have a drawer full of analog-to-digital converters. After using the Grass Valley ADVC300 I find nothing else acceptable.
The program that comes with the ADVC300 has some nice filters that can improve video and audio of the source material. The ADVC300 will take Audio and Video from any source (VCR, Tivo, Satellite Receiver) and convert it to FireWire (iMovie will treat it like a camera).
I would use iMovie 06 with iDVD 09/11, why?
iMovie 09, 11, and 13 uses 'single field processing' meaning every other horizontal line of the video is thrown out, which reduces the sharpness of the footage. iMovie 06 uses ALL of the image to form the video. (Also the latest iMovie CANNOT set Chapeters !)
After lots of experimenting I get the best results using OS 10.6, iMovie 06, and iDVD 09/11. My movies look just like Hollywood!
My primary computer is a Mac Pro, so I just use one of the four hard drives and boot OS 10.6. You can also partition a single hard drive to achieve the same results.
This may seem like more trouble than you want to go through. However, I find the superior quality to be well worth it.

Import VHS into Final Cut7?

To edit a Sample Reel in FCP7 I need to capture many VHS cassettes into my iMac computer and FCP7, as QuickTime files. I bought a Blackmagicdesign Video Recorder at Tekserve. But when I read the box it says: H264 Encoding : "it records H264 Video to iTunes/ iPad&iPhone/AppleTV/ YouTube."
In this Forum I was told once that H264 is not fit for FCP. Should I look for another Converter? (to Quick Time if it exists?), or convert to H264 and then to ProRes in a 2nd step via StreamClip for ex? I also will be importing DVDs for that Sample Reel. I would be grateful for any tip from someone with experience in this process. Thank you very much in advance

Hi
Me Guessing a bit
Guess - .H264 is not that good and by converting it to ProRes or AIC - it will work but the quality lost in H264 coding is not there (and as far as I get it can not be restored)
If this is true - then my way of doing it is the best one I seen
• I use an A/D-box - Canopus ADVC-300 (Grass Valley ADVC-300)
An expencive box but as it has some to me very vital functions - worth it
• It has TimeBase Corrections
This is important if VHS tapes are a bit old or can have Drop-Outs as it tries to mend them = Program Importing DO NOT STALL (Halt) - Meaning You need not to Babysit
- My tapes are new to >> 10 Years old = Drop Outs
- Recorded on various brands (most of them too cheap) = Drop Outs
- Recorded in LP-mode = Drop Outs
• And if there is Drop Outs then with ordinary A/D-boxes - Audio goes OUT OF SYNC. And this is a night mare to correct by hand ! !
Ny notes on this:
Analog to Mac (digital)
Analog to Mac/Digital
From
• S-VHS, VHS, VHS-C - Camera or VCR (VHS-C needs adaptor cassette - SVHS/VCR in such cases)
• Video 8, Hi8 ...........................................( Camera / Digital8 Camera or special VCR-player )
Can be done via
• Camera and tape or video trough (if present) (miniDV or Digital8)
• A/D-box
    Several brands (Must be FireWire)
        Canopus ADVC-55 (now Grass Valley ADVC-55) - (only on way)
        Canopus ADVC-110 (now Grass Valley ADVC-110) - (two ways)
        Canopus ADVC-300 (now Grass Valley ADVC-300) - (Timebase/code-correction)
        EyeTV
• VCR --> DVD (result needs conversion to be of use)
Captured/Imported by
• iMovie 1 to HD6
• iMovie’08 & 09 & 11
• FinalCut Express or Pro
• Final Cut Pro - X ( iMovie’11 Pro? )
• QuickTime Pro
• iDVD
SCART - Must use an SCART-adaptor with in and out switch. The one that came with Camera is one way. Camera ----> VCR/TV - not other way around.
RCA - Connect right way around
USING the S-Video out than RGB-video (Composite) from SCART will give a significantly better result !
Why
• Want to do a DVDs
• Want to edit
Connect VCR to A/D-box via SCART---RCA (EU) or via RCA---RCA (US) and set SCART switch to out (if used). The A/D-box may have an in resp. out side. Connect to in-side. Set A/D-box Input selector to Analog in.
My ADVC-300 has two sets of dip-switches on bottom - for PAL they are set to
Left one number 6 is set to on - all others in off state.
If 6 in off state then it is NTSC
From A/D-box via FireWire 6-pin to 6-pin or 9-pin end to Mac FW port.
Now turn A/D-box or Camera ON
Start iMovie or QT or FinalCut
Select Import or Capture
Re-wind tape in VCR or Camera
Start - Play on VCR or Camera
Import or Capture Now
See that the saved movie is collected on a hard disk with sufficient space
1 hour needs 13.5Gb
8 hour needs 105-110Gb (e.g. a 240VHS tape recorded in LP-mode)
How to store the material
• As is - Icon with a Star on it (iMovie HD6)
• As a set of DVDs
• Collected in a folder - FinalCuts Scratch folders + Movie document on an external/second hard disk
• As DiskImages
• Back to miniDV tapes
Do not use LP-mode with miniDV tapes. Two major problems.
a. When Camera dies - so does the tapes - Can’t be play-backed securely on other Camera even if
brand and type number is the same - the tolerances are to small
b. Audio goes out of sync due to 12-bit recording and/or drop outs in video makes video and audio
not walk in pace / parallel. Resulting in a very tough re-sync problem.
Yours Bengt W

Quicktime video capture from VCR

Hey Guys….
I have this issue quicktime and I'm not sure what is going on. So basically I'm capturing video / audio from a VCR into quicktime. Sound works fine. The video is coming through, and the color is fine. but the video is distorting slightly. I know it's not the VCR because when I plug into the TV directly, the picture is fine.
I'm using one of those USB 2.0 Dongle's that capture video / audio through composite cables. Quicktime is picking it up as I see the video on the screen, it's just distorted slightly. Kinda like when you used to hit the "tracking" button on the VCR back in the day.
I'm using OSX Lion on a 2007 Macbook Pro.
Driving me nuts. The capture dongle says it works both PAL and NTSC. Any help would be appreciated.
-Kaiserdood

1). To answer your questions. I am plugging the VCR into a receiver, So it comes up on the TV, and through the Receiver A/V outputs I am using the dongle. I took a picture of it. And yes I am using the dongle's Composite inputs, and then the dongle plugs into the Mac via USB. I thought it could be the receiver, but then I plugged the VCR directly into the dongle with the same results.
Currently unable to view posted images. (Not sure if this is an issue with the files or the Apple server—i.e., the link appears good but nothing loads to browser page. Was hoping the image might better identify the problem as I am now wondering if some sort of double encoding in taking place with USB device encoding data, passing it to the QT 7 app which is the re-encoding the data.
2). It appears to have a MPEG 4 decoder, but I'm not sure on that. I plugged a Nintendo Wii into it to test it, and the picture came up fine with the Wii.
Still not clear on how the USB device works. Can you provide make and model info so I can look it up on the internet?
3). Quicktime version 7.6.6 pro
Which preference setting are you using? What are the stats for the "captured" file contents.
4). The distortion is like when the "tracking" was off a little when watching VHS tapes back in the day. The image sharks a little and sometimes there are blurry lines. But you still can make out what is on the screen. I've attached a picture to show.
Unfamiliar with your use of the term "sharks" here. Are you referring to a general decline in picture quality as individual line progress across the display or the normal "comb" effect caused by the motion of objects in motion across the display between the two fields that compose a single video frame. (I.e., the distance an object moves between the capture of odd and even fields that compose the video frame.) The latter is quite common when capturing interlaced (VCR) content in an application like QT 7. (I.e., your TV and the Wii could be displaying the fields at a frame rate of 60 fps or more which better approximates the display of an older analog TV displaying interlaced fields as separate frames rather than QT 7's attempt to capture the two fields as a single interlaced frame.) If this is you problem, you could try deinterlacing or decombing the captured content but would likely degrade the quality in the process.
Example of comb effect for hands in motion above

Videotape movies (old VHS) into FCE

Is there an easy way to capture VHS videotape images from the old tapes into FCE for editing please?
I have a few sections from older movies that I'd like to incorporate into a current project in FCE4. Can it be done? I have tried placing the movie camera in front of the TV or the projected images on the screen from the multimedia projector, but the quality is quite poor (understandably). The focus, audio, brightness and keystone effects are issues.
Any advice please? Thank you. Keith

Hi
My list on this topic.
*Analog to Mac/Digital*
From
• S-VHS, VHS, VHS-C - Camera or VCR (VHS-C needs adaptor cassette)
• Video 8, Hi8
Can be done via
• Camera and tape or video trough function (if present) (miniDV or Digital8)
• A/D-box - Several brands (Must be FireWire)
............Canopus ADVC-55 (now Grass Valley ADVC-55) - (only on way)
............Canopus ADVC-110 (now Grass Valley ADVC-110) - (two ways)
............Canopus ADVC-300 (now Grass Valley ADVC-300) - (Timebase/code-correction)
............Elgato EyeTV
• VCR --> DVD
Captured/Imported by
• iMovie 1 to HD6
• iMovie’08 & 09 & 11
• FinalCut Express or Pro
• QuickTime Pro
• iDVD
SCART - Must use an SCART-adaptor with in and out switch. The one that came with Camera is one way. Camera ----> VCR/TV - not other way around. (common connector in EU - not in US)
Why
• Want to do a DVDs (then avoid iMovie'08 or 09 or 11 - due to quality loss)
• Want to edit
Connect VCR to A/D-box via SCART---RCA (EU) and RCA---RCA (US) and set SCART switch to out. The A/D-box may have an in resp. out side. Connect to in-side. Set A/D-box Input selector to Analog in.
My ADVC-300 has two sets of dip-switches on bottom - for PAL they are set to
Left one number 6 is set to on - all others in off state.
If 6 in off state then it is NTSC
From A/D-box via FireWire 6-pin to 6-pin or 9-pin end to Mac FW port.
Now turn A/D-box or Camera ON
Start iMovie or QT or FinalCut
Select Import or Capture
Re-wind tape in VCR or Camera
Start - Play on VCR or Camera
Import or Capture Now
See that the saved movie is collected on a hard disk with sufficient space
1 hour needs 13.5Gb
8 hour needs 105-110Gb (eg a 240VHS tape recorded in LP-mode)
How to store the material
• As is - Icon with a Star on it (iMovie HD6)
• As a set of DVDs
• Collected in a folder - FinalCuts Scratch folders + Movie document on an external/second hard disk
• As DiskImages
• Back to miniDV tapes
Do not use LP-mode with miniDV tapes. Two major problems.
a. When Camera dies - so does the tapes - Can’t be playbacked securely on other Cameras even if
brand and type number is the same - tolerances is to small
b. Audio goes out of sync due to 12-bit recording and/or drop outs in video makes video and audio
not walk in pace/parallell. Resulting in a very tough re-sync problem.
Yours Bengt W

Capturing from VCR?

I'm currently making a showreel of my work, however some of it is on VHS. Is there anyway I can link a VCR to my Mac Book Pro and capture from it on FCP? If not can my Mac link to the VCR and turn the programmes into Quick Times or similar?

You'll need an I/O device and there are loads of them available but it may be that you already have one that is ideal for capture to edit purposes ... do you have a DV camera? If so then it probably has an AV in port to which you can send the output of your VCR, you can then pipe the DV output into your MBP via firewire and capture into FCP as DV.
In the loads of them category there is Blackmagic's aptly named Video Recorder: http://www.blackmagic-design.com/products/videorecorder/
its pretty cool but nowhere near as cool as Matrox's MXO2 Mini which is standout awesome:
http://www.matrox.com/video/en/products/mxo2_mini/

Capturing from a VHS into CS4Pro

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