Watching a VHS on the computer.

Spectral Swallow

Okay, heres the deal. At my work we have a vcr hooked up to the computer, now we can record stuff played FROM the computer to VCR, but we can't figure out how to play(and hopefully capture) stuff from the VCR to the computer. How abouts would be the easiest way to do this? Even if it means buying some new stuff, that wouldn't be a problem. Thanks.

AngelHedgie

You need some sort of capture device. A TV card would work, or one of those USB video capture dongles.

Spectral Swallow

How do 'those usb video capture dongles' work, I asked around at the local electronics shop(hahaha) and they didn't really have any useful advice.
"Can't you just plug it in to the back of your computer?"

Ruckus

Depends on the quality you're looking for.

USB Video dongles are essentially a USB cable to a small box with Coax cable connector or RCA video connector for video.

An example of one that does Video and Audio (requires a Line In 1.5mm audio port as well).

A more powerful solution would be a TV Tuner Card. ATI used to make their All In Wonder line of cards with Video input, but I think the closest they have now is the TV Wonder series.

Fantasma

Get a TV tuner PCI card, by using the composite video in you will be able to capture to mpeg1 or mpeg2 and burn to a CD or DVD.

http://www.provantage.com/hauppauge-990~7HAUP11V.htm

http://www.amazon.com/AVerMedia-AVerTV-Plus-White-Tuner/dp/B00094OWFQ/ref=sr_1_23/105-2496413-8457213?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1181834301&sr=8-23

Mr_Grinch

A different workaround is to use a DVD Recorder (as in the successor to the tape recorder), the ones you hook up to your TV and can then record programs to disc. You can just hook the VCR up, burn the content to DVD and then pop that in your PC.

The main advantage to this is it's damn easy and you get a DVD Recorder out of the deal too. And they can be picked up pretty cheap nowadays.


http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_gw/103-1694217-3231839?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=dvd+recorder

Some go down to $60. Dunno if that's pricey or not in your crazy american money.

Spectral Swallow

So the setup we have now where a separate TV can record images from the computer will not in any way work?

And it's for security type stuff, so the better quality is always helpful.

Daedalus

Spectral Swallow wrote: »

So the setup we have now where a separate TV can record images from the computer will not in any way work?

And it's for security type stuff, so the better quality is always helpful.

Input and output are different things with different required hardware, yes. Just get a cheap PCI TV tuner card and run the VCR through that. You don't need some crazy videophile gear for this type of thing, just get whatever $30 piece of shit is on sale at Newegg.

Fantasma

If your computer's video card is equipped with Video In, yes, you can also record using a second composite or S-Video cable.

Be careful, if you don't know what you are doing, I do not want you to fry your video card.

Spectral Swallow

I think the USB one in This link will probably be the easiest, since I'm just looking for straight video, now assuming I get this(or the radio shack equivalent of) will I be able to capture the images fairly easily, or do I need a special program?

Fantasma

If you buy a TV tuner with the 878 fusion conexant chip, there will be tons of applications that will work with the card, USB devices are more tricky, sometimes they only work with the application that comes with the device.

Some of the applications I have used:
1. ChrisTV Professional
2. VirtualDub
3. powerVCR

Here is a list of applications that could or not work with a specific TV card:

http://www.videohelp.com/tools/sections/capture