Media Import - Canon ZR-90 pass-through

[tomhyzy]

This is more out of curiosity than something I absolutely need to do, but perhaps someone on this board can shed some light on it.

 

I've previously tried other methods of capturing VHS video to .avi files, including using the Syntek USB device, with unsatisfactory results. The resultant .avi files contained audio artifacts like stuttering, slowed-down audio, and other undesirables. Having a Canon ZR-90 mini-DV camcorder, I've settled on using that camera's AV-DV passthrough to "wash" the VHS analog video through. The VHS player is connected to the ZR-90 using an STV-250N cable (RCA yellow, red and white to TRS miniplug), and the ZR-90 is connected to a Firewire port on my PC. However, I can't use Roxio Media Import to capture the passed-through video from the Canon, as the Roxio software refuses to see the ZR-90 unless there's a tape in the camera. Putting a tape in the camera causes the camera to play the tape, not the passed-through video, so that's pretty much useless. I'm currently using other capture software (Ulead), which works very well for this purpose. The Ulead software is generating very acceptable .avi files, which I then take into Roxio for editing and DVD authoring.

 

My question: is the Roxio Media Import software incapable of performing this capture using something like the ZR-90? Or are there some settings in Roxio that I've neglected to get right? I'd appreciate any input on this from forum members, thanks.

 

- Tom Hyzy

[bimicher]

This is more out of curiosity than something I absolutely need to do, but perhaps someone on this board can shed some light on it.

 

I've previously tried other methods of capturing VHS video to .avi files, including using the Syntek USB device, with unsatisfactory results. The resultant .avi files contained audio artifacts like stuttering, slowed-down audio, and other undesirables. Having a Canon ZR-90 mini-DV camcorder, I've settled on using that camera's AV-DV passthrough to "wash" the VHS analog video through. The VHS player is connected to the ZR-90 using an STV-250N cable (RCA yellow, red and white to TRS miniplug), and the ZR-90 is connected to a Firewire port on my PC. However, I can't use Roxio Media Import to capture the passed-through video from the Canon, as the Roxio software refuses to see the ZR-90 unless there's a tape in the camera. Putting a tape in the camera causes the camera to play the tape, not the passed-through video, so that's pretty much useless. I'm currently using other capture software (Ulead), which works very well for this purpose. The Ulead software is generating very acceptable .avi files, which I then take into Roxio for editing and DVD authoring.

 

My question: is the Roxio Media Import software incapable of performing this capture using something like the ZR-90? Or are there some settings in Roxio that I've neglected to get right? I'd appreciate any input on this from forum members, thanks.

 

- Tom Hyzy

 

 

I have used Roxio software to capture video from my VHS recorder using the pass-trough mode that you described for several years without any problems. I have not tried it using C2010 though since the laptop on which I have C2010 does not have a Firewire port. Also I am using a Sony DV camcorder as my "conversion" device. I believe that people are having all sorts of problems when using Canon camcorders in the see-through mode. I do have to have a blank tape in the DV camcorder for the capture to work but do not have to play the tape.

[ggrussell]

Here is what I had to do:

Let Media Capture start the tape and then manually press the 'stop' button on the camcorder. That will then let the VCR pass through. Fairly easy to cut out the beginning. For what ever reason, the software doesn't recognize that the tape was stopped. Go figure! LOL

 

The only other way would be to actually record the VCR to the miniDV tape and then capture the miniDV tape. Takes twice as long, but it does work well.