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  • From: "Sil Greene" <quack AT ibiblio.org>
  • To: raustin3 AT nc.rr.com, "Internetworkers: http://www.ibiblio.org/internetworkers/" <internetworkers AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Cc:
  • Subject: Re: [internetworkers] VHS Tape to DVD Gear
  • Date: Thu, 19 Aug 2004 14:17:52 -0400 (EDT)


Roger,

Pinnacle's Dazzle products have been around for a few years but they'll be
on the low end of the quality spectrum. The general idea is they put a TV
capture (signal converter) into a USB-attached device.

An alternative class (to the USB-attached-device class of products) is the
TV-capture-card product. ATI's All-in-Wonder video cards aren't cheap but
are reasonably good quality. I've also heard good things about Hauppage
(sp?) and their cards. I would expect the quality and performance of an
internal card to exceed that of a USB-attached system, but installing one
does require opening the case.

Both of these are just ways to get the signal from your VCR/camcorder onto
the hard drive (in some unspecified format). Then you get to figure out
the process of converting it to a DVD -- editing, rendering, remixing
sound, etc can all be done in software at this point using various free
tools or alternatively an all-in-one authoring suite. I've used some free
tools to turn MiniDV footage into (S)VCDs, and they've got a learning
curve, but they offer much more control over all parts of the process.
Maybe someone else can offer a suggestion as to which all-in-one suites to
try (or avoid).

HTH,
--sil



Roger Austin wrote:
> Has anyone had experience with gear that allows you to convert VHS
> tapes (VCR) or camcorder tapes to computer and DVDs? (Windows based
> that is...) I have been looking at the Dazzle stuff from Pinnacle
> Systems, but wanted to know if there are any issues I am overlooking.
> They seem to have a variety of products, but they all seem to do the
> same thing so it is a little confusing.
> I have zero experience with this so I figured some of you young
> people would know about the issues involved. I know I need a
> connector for plugging in the S-Video or composite plugs into the
> USB port or a board. I don't know anything about the software that
> comes with the systems or the DVD file construction.
> Thanks, Roger






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