VCR to computer question

[acebake]

I have a question: I just bought an ATI TV Wonder VE Card. It has the coax cable, sound, and an S-Video port (don't know which one), with an adapter that plugs into it and branches off into the red and white component cable holes. My question is this: the card claims you can plug your VCR into it, and watch/convert VCR tapes. How would I do this?

I sound retarded, because I am a computer geek, but know nothing about video. Thanks!


Aaron Baker

 

[wetcat007]

Well for starters, the best way for most VCR's is to hook it up using RCA cable, you need to hook it up to the tv tuner and then you need to use the ATI software to record it, and save/record it in whatever format/codec you want.

 

[HeroOfPellinor]

Well, I'm not sure what you're going to do with mono recordings because, unless things have changed in the past year, the VE doesn't support stereo sound.

Anyway, plug the VCR into the computer the same way you'd plug it into a TV.

 

[Ionizer86]

Basically you capture using software such as ATi's Multimedia suite downloadable from their site. Use s-video if you are able to, and plug the sound into the sound card via adapter.

You can find a lot more info at http://www.dvdrhelp.com

 

[acebake]

All I have is coax going in and out, and then red, yellow, and white...all going in and out. On the TV tuner card, it has S-Video, but that is what the adapter plugs into, as far as I know....

I'm so confused. Does anyone have any idea what I'm talking about...I don't even know myself...

Edit: The card is operating on Mono right now....

 

[HeroOfPellinor]

Originally posted by: acebake
All I have is coax going in and out, and then red, yellow, and white...all going in and out. On the TV tuner card, it has S-Video, but that is what the adapter plugs into, as far as I know....

That's not an s-video connector...it's just the bridge for the RCA cables.

Edit: The card is operating on Mono right now....

It always will.

 

[acebake]

Ok, so I think I've figured it out. The red and white composite cables are for sound, right? So they have to go in a sound port. Question: I have the tuner connected into the line in port, and my speakers in the headphone port. The only thing left is the microphone port (which I guess would be a line in...right). Would the sound from the VCR broadcast if I was to do this?

I've figured out the last cable: an S-Video input video cable. I'll pick it up tomorrow.

Thanks again!

 

[HeroOfPellinor]

Originally posted by: acebake
Ok, so I think I've figured it out. The red and white composite cables are for sound, right? So they have to go in a sound port. Question: I have the tuner connected into the line in port, and my speakers in the headphone port. The only thing left is the microphone port (which I guess would be a line in...right). Would the sound from the VCR broadcast if I was to do this?

If it's the sound you're having trouble with and you can see the video, then likely all you have to do is run the audio out from the tv tuner to the audio in (mic) of your sound card.

I've figured out the last cable: an S-Video input video cable. I'll pick it up tomorrow.

I don't think there's even an s-video port on that card, but, whatever. All I ever did was run the coaxial cable (the twisty one) from the out of the VCR to the tuner card...that will have sound and video.

 

[acebake]

Ok, I have new issues. Here's the current setup: I have the VCR. I'm running red and white component cables to a small converter. That converter bridges the two connections, and they're in the microphone (line in) outlet.

I have an S-Video cable from the yellow output to the S-Video input in the ATI TV wonder card. I'm still not getting anything--any ideas?

I'm not really sure where to go from here--how do you even pull the VCR up? I have this ATI multimedia program, but I'm confused....

 

[Matt155]

Lets try the simple method first just like what HeroOfPellinor suggested.

Just try using the coax connector, you know how you normally connect your vcr to your tv right?
Cable from wall to vcr in(coax) ---> out from vrc to tv via coax.

Ok for your card, I would think just connect the coax out from your vcr to the coax in of your card, i think the coax carries both video and audio like HeroOfPellinor said before. So now play any tape and
the software should record the video and audio to whatever format it supports.

Try this first.

The other method your trying is this, first the adapter you have, plug that into the video card, it looks like a s-video port but its not.
Now you have red, white, which is for audio and yellow which is for video.
So connect the red white and yellow from the out of the vcr to the into of the adaptor.

Thats should be it.

 

[acebake]

Awesome--thank you for the help! Ok, I have it set up, and cable is running through the VCR to the card. The other question: I think the VCR is plugged in, but....what kind of software do I need to get the VCR stuff up on the computer monitor? When I put in the video, what do I open to play it?


Thanks,

Aaron Baker

 

[goog]

Should be some software that came with the card namely ATI® MULTIMEDIA CENTER ati.com

 

[acebake]

Well, it plays on channel 3 of the TV software, but I was wondering: is there any other, easier way to record it and convert to DVD instead of playing the tape, recording it while it's playing, and going from there?


Thanks to everyone for all of the help.



Aaron Baker

 

[acebake]

Bump.

I'm still not totally sure how to approach this. The VCR is working fine, and I can view all of it on channel three. However, if I wanted to convert something to DVD, I don't have to record it for 3 hours and then move it over do I?


Thanks!

 

[acebake]

.....

 

[Pauli]

Originally posted by: acebake
Well, it plays on channel 3 of the TV software, but I was wondering: is there any other, easier way to record it and convert to DVD instead of playing the tape, recording it while it's playing, and going from there?


Thanks to everyone for all of the help.



Aaron Baker

No, this is the only way through the computer. It's called "video capture". If you really want to do alot of this stuff without much hassle, you could get a standalone DVD recorder that will perform the entire conversion in one step. Of course, those things are a little expensive, but you could find one for $500-$600 or so.

 

[Pauli]

However, if I wanted to convert something to DVD, I don't have to record it for 3 hours and then move it over do I?

Yes, you do. Converting VHS to DVD requires these steps through the computer:

1. Capture
2. Encode to MPEG2 (DVD video format)
3. Author and Burn to DVD

Steps 1 and 2 can be done in one step, but the video quality is usually not as good as it can be if they are done separately.

There are many integrated software packages that can do all of these steps (Pinnacle Studio 9, Ulead Video Factory, Vegas Video are some popular ones).