Viability of cheap VHS capture

[Feallan]

You should be able to record the video with the capture device and audio through line in simultaneously, unless your program throws another fit

[Jetrell Fo]

VirtualDub will capture both at the same time.

[MrBrown]

Virtual Dub really should do the job. I don't even use the Audio In option of my capture Card, but the Audio in from my SoundCard.
Somehow that gets a better result.

I also do not recommend to use a signal splitting cable. I had such for audio only, like using two headphones with one audio player, and the quality was always a bit lowered, and cheaper one got a noticible buzz into it.
If you got to split a signal up, also a good signal amplifer should be applied to avoid weaken the signal, in my opinion.

[crissrudd4554]

I tried VirtualDub a few days ago. Wasn't pleased with the quality.

[crissrudd4554]

I'll be busy over the weekend so I won't be able to do a test DVD til probably Monday but I may have perfected this. Earlier this week I purchased Pinnacle Studios (2008 version) off eBay and it arrived today. After some tinkering I hooked up the Dazzle Capture Device from the software i tested last week as well as the VIDBOX capture to my 2008 Honestech software and was able to capture the video from Dazzle and the audio from VIDBOX simultaneously through the '08 version of Pinnacle Studios. The video looked fairly good and audio didn't seem too bad. Should anyone try this technique a tip for you is make sure to set the capture setting to MPEG. It was initially set to DV but it will only capture the whole video if it's rigged to one device. I tried it with it hooked to more than one and the videos were only about a split second long. This was no longer a problem once i switched to MPEG. So I may be on to something. Additionally I even tried capturing the sound with Audacity. Still had the buzzing I had noted so no good there.

[BusterD]

The buzzing might be because of a ground loop, I was able to get rid of it in my setup by not grounding my PC when capturing.

[crissrudd4554]

I don't think that's the problem. It's not like a buzz that stays the same like a non stop 'bzzzzzzzzzzzzzz'. Its like more of a frequency type static buzz that occurs when the sound levels are too high. This is why I was hoping the software would at least give me the option to control the volume before capturing but alas I can't.

[MrBrown]

You don't change that in the software, but in the Windows settings. Go to the Audio Level Setup, change to the input devices, and reduce the volume level of the specific device, you are using for input.

[crissrudd4554]

I dont think that will help either. That I believe only lowers or increases the volume of the program not the actual capture. I actually had that theory the other month ago when testing another software but lowering the volume through the Windows settings did not help.

[MrBrown]

If you lower the audio level for your input device, independent from any software related audio setting, it will change your recording audio level.
I had the problem, that too loud sound on the German Escape from New York LaserDisc brought some heavy noises in the louder passages. I lowered the Windows setting for the input device, without changing windows audio level itself... And the recorded result was better.