Resolved What Hardware for Converting Analog Video Tape to Digital?

I purchesed a conversion box a few years ago for about $200 and never used it even once before I was fool enough to loan it to someone who moved hundreds of miles away who also says now he doesn't have it. It was an ADS Tech box; I don't remember the model.

Now I'm up against the task of buying another and I want some advice on what to choose, how/why to choose and what features/specifications to look for.

I'll be converting some old VHS and Hi8 to a digital format and I understand there are devices that have different rates (megs per minute, I guess), FPS and color depth.

I've seen some cheapies on e-bay for under 20 dollars; but, it seems too cheap to do the job. Surely there are plenty of gotcha's in one that cheap.

I saw this one at ADSTech.com ($50).
http://www.adstech.com/products/USBA...d=USBAV-192-EF

Would it be as good for my limited needs as this one ($90):
http://www.adstechnologies.com/index...&products_id=2

Then there are these, one with and one without software ($180 and $200):
http://www.adstech.com/products/API-...id=API-558-EFS
https://www.adstechnologies.com/inde...&products_id=3

Advice and technical understanding will be appreciated.

 

Sony sound forge, Sony Video forge Home version seems to work OK...
Well, check all the specs before buying it, but I'm fairly certain this is the best A/D converter I have ever tried.
It converts almost any format to any other format that you please.
I'm not sure of hardware requirement.

 

On my system I have a VCR hooked up to a Hauppauge WinTV HVR-1600 card. It saves the video as a mpg file. Then I can use my DVD software to make a DVD. Also have a fire-wire card.

 

Alex, since you seem to have experience... is there a tool you recommend for viewing something on your TV at the same time it's recording to your computer?

I want to feed, for example, my VCR or a game console into my computer to record, but while I watch it (or play it) on my TV at the same time. Is this card, that you're looking for, for that sort of thing, or do I need to look for something else?

(Just went to peruse tiger to see what kind of hardware is used for our kinds of projects... and have been quickly overwhelmed.)

 

It never occurred to me that might be possible. I have three TV tuner cards attached to various computers. Two came in new HP systems with Windows Media Center and one came in a Gateway. I've never used any one of them even once. Are you saying I might be able to use one of them as a converter for VHS and Hi8?

Sorry, I don't (have experience).

 

The TV card I have has both a digital and analog tuner. I ran a cable from the antenna out on the VCR to the in on the analog tuner. Turn on both the VCR and TV program. Hit record on the TV program and start the tape. I can watch the tape while it is recording it. Have not had any dropped frames. For Hi8 analog tapes, my VCR has front jacks on it so I can plug an analog camcorder into them to record the tape to the hard drive. For my digital 8 I use fire-wire and my movie program. I did try one of those USB capture boxes you plug your camera or VCR into. For me I never did get it to work recording video. Got a lot of dropped frames with that. Don’t think it is made anymore it was called CameraMate.

 

Thanks.

I'll look tomorrow to see if any of mine have the necessary terminals.

 

Thanks for all the input. I ordered a used ADS TECH Instant DVD 2.0 Video Converter off e-bay and I now have four TV tuners from various HP systems with the necessary inputs. Thanks for the info. I should be able to get a good job done with all of this.

 

All I see up there us "Mark this thread unresolved ". Someone must have marked it. already.