5.0 out of 5 stars Great product—if you see Static, it is my/your Sony Camcorder fault, NOT this device!

M. · 25 October 2023

(function() { P.when('cr-A', 'ready').execute(function(A) { if(typeof A.toggleExpanderAriaLabel === 'function') { A.toggleExpanderAriaLabel('review_text_read_more', 'Read more of this review', 'Read less of this review'); } }); })(); .review-text-read-more-expander:focus-visible { outline: 2px solid #2162a1; outline-offset: 2px; border-radius: 5px; } This product is great! For less than a tenner, I can convert my hi8 tapes into digital format—these memories can now last forever instead of slowly degrading as the tape deteriorates over time.Quickly I'll say that the PC immediately detected the device when plugged in and installs the drivers automatically (as the supplied manual indicates), so you only need the CD to install the capturing/editing software. You can of course, use your own. The software provided is very easy to use, in fact if you only want to capture what is on your video tape, then you literally only have to click the record button (and press play on your VCR/Camcorder).The manual was helpful in describing the installation process, which if you're not installing or using the software, can be condensed to one page.In summary, well worth the cost, considering your getting the capture device and a fully licensed video capture/editing software package. The CD key is displayed clearly on the back of the envelope it comes in, if you're installing it.Now that is out of the way, the main reason I am compelled into writing this review is that some reviews have WRONGLY labelled this device as garbage, because they saw some static interference across the length of their captured video! In summary, they jumped to the WRONG CONCLUSION and blamed this capture card. If they had tried to connect camera to their TV before jumping to conclusions, they would SEE THE SAME OUTPUT! If you don't want to believe my summary, read on to see my detailed testing, and more importantly, why I can state as fact that this is caused by Sony HandyCam Camcorder AV output and not this USB capture card.I am a Software Developer with a background in Electrical Engineering, but no technical knowledge is needed to verify what I did to prove the USB card is perfectly rendering/capturing what it is being sent by my/your Sony Camcorder.Tests I carried out, and detailed findings below====================================It is very important to note, since I read reviews calling the product cheap garbage, having connected a Sony camcorder to the RCA connectors and being dismayed to see static across the screen. THIS IS THE SONY CAMCORDER!!! NOT THE CAPURE DEVICE.Here is why I can confidently state this as fact:** Connect the card to your Sony camcorder using the 2.5mm jack AV out to RCA (yellow, video, white/black, mono sound) and you will see static on the screen. The static suddenly appears on the Camcorders LCD screen simultaneously! The card is faithfully capturing perfectly what the camcorder sends it. Garbage in, garbage out!** Connect the same Yellow and Black/white RCA output to my TV. SAME RESULT! STATIC OVER THE VIDEO. My TV is not suddenly garbage! It is also faithfully displaying the signal the Sony Camcorder is sending it!** I hooked up the audio only (white/black RCA plug) to either the TV or the USB card, and the LCD display on my camcorder STILL shows the static. The sound is not affected, and you can hear that coming from output device (whether TV or PC vi's this card). The video is black since its not connected, yet the LCD screen still shows the video having static/interference lines** Now, either pull out the RCA (both plugs, the yellow video and white/black mono sound should be disconnected), the camcorder display suddenly cleans up, showing a crystal clear image once again. The same will happen if you pull out the jack from the camcorder—the built-in camcorder LCD display suddenly cleans up and shows a perfect image again.I do not know what Sony camcorder the other reviewer was using, but I have a HandyCam hi8 CCD-TRV208E - it shares a manual with several other models in the range, including one digital device, so I am making the assumption this is not unique to my model, but something that affects a range of Sony Camcorders from the mid 2000's (maybe earlier/later, I bought mine in 2002).Without another AV cable to hand, I cannot say for sure that it's not in fact a defective AV output->RCA input, but the cable I have IS shielded, so it is not electrical interference causing it. And if it was electrical interference, I would expect to only see such interference on the captured video, and NOT on the camcorder built-in LCD simultaneously! This, and the fact other reviewers also using a Sony Camcorder have seen this static over the video channel, along with my tests, have given me enough evidence to confidently rule out the cable and blame the camcorder. Seeing the same static appear on the LCD display at the same time clinches it—but in any case, cable or camcorder, it 100% proves the card is faultless (and the TV showing the same problem for the hat-trick).S-video output from the camcorder is crystal clear. Unfortunately s-video only carries the visual, meaning you still have to use the 2.5mm jack to record the sound. With my cable, the static suddenly appears on the LCD screen even if I only connect the audio channel and leave the video disconnected. I haven't tested using an audio only cable. The other reviewer says he used s-video for a crystal clear image, but as soon as he connected the audio RCA, the static re-appeared. His response was to call this product garbage in his Bolo review, when the opposite is true! His (and my) camcorder is providing the garbage! The card captures PERFECTLY. Now I suspect he was using the same 2.5mm AV cable but only connecting the sound; I cannot say whether a 2.5mm audio only jack (cable without the yellow, only red & white/black, basically like a headphones wire) would affect the video channel..I don't have one available to test with. But I suspect not, so I'm ordering an S-video cable and a seperate 2.5mm to RCA audio only. If it turns out that anything connected to the camcorder AV output causes interference, then you'd have to capture the audio and video signals seperately, and merge the video with the sound afterward. This basically means I would have to rip the tape twice, once for sound and once for S-video. But that's not this device fault! It is SONY CAMCORDER FAULT. Garbage in, garbage out. TV shows same output as USB capture, so it's not the card that's the problem.Helpfully, it appears the editing portion of the bundled software package does allow you to do this! Albeit your "adding" a soundtrack to your video, that comes from an mpg file the same duration, but that has blank video.It is noteworthy to mention that, even without this static interference over the AV composite RCA cable, it is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED you use the S-video anyway, as it is a higher quality picture compared to composite, even at the same resolution. It is akin to the difference between a video/DVD player connected with a SCART connection, and your old coaxial/RF aerial wire—the latter is blurry compared to the former, whilst the SCART is sharper. There's a great YouTube video where a Nintendo N64 connected over RCA is compared to being connected via S-video. The latter is crisp, sharp, whilst the RCA looks blurred, the textures look like someone smudged them in paintshop! You only notice how stark the difference is when you see them side-by-side or immediately one after the other.

5.0 out of 5 stars DELIGHTED with this product

I.F. · 29 November 2024

This was SO easy to install and use.My camera is from the early 90's and uses video 8 tapes, but this converted them to digital with ease. I now have a lovely presentation DVD for my daughter, who is now 30, from when she was a baby. Thrilled to bits.I was dubious at first and took a long time about choosing correctly as this didn't mention Windows 11 in the description. Only up to 10. But I took a chance and was definitely not disappointed. It even had the option to arrive the same day, which I thought was fabulous.The price is exceptional for what you get and it means that all my old video tapes are not lost or too obsolete to be played.If ordering, check whether you need to include the male to male RCA lead, (normally Yellow, Red, White) as it does not come with it. It is usually recommended to buy seperately, depending on what input/outputs you have on your equipment. Also, I found the recommended capture software (Potplayer and OBS) was a bit complicated to be bothered with, so I simply went to the NCH website and downloaded a trial version of "Videopad" which worked absolutely seamlessly. "Debut" works as well, if you prefer.Overall very good value for money and the results were worth many times the price.

4.0 out of 5 stars Good, but ignore the manual for OBS setup

C.T. · 5 January 2025

In the pack is a user manual and inside it recommends installing PotPlayer or OBS on my Windows 11 PC. I tried PotPlayer first and after looking at the recorded footage, I was about to return the device. Really bad quality. Even just picking up the digital feed in VLC Player looked pretty rubbish. Before giving up, I installed OBS. This looks complex! I followed the manual setup instructions and had a go at recording some footage. I was pleasantly surprised with the video quality, except there was an audio delay, there was also a concert hall type echo and the recorded footage was in a small window in the middle of the screen. Pretty clear though, so I persisted for a good hour with mixed results. I solved everything though with some YouTube videos. So just go onto YouTube and search for a video called 'How to Convert VHS Tapes to Digital with OBS' by Christian Elia and watch from 6 mins in. He will walk you through the OBS setup. Worked a treat. OBS has some clever wizardry that takes the converted digital signal from the capture device and works it somehow so it looks clean and relatively sharp. There is no getting away from the fact that there will always be a slight loss of detail once recorded, but it's acceptable. In MP4 output at 1920x1080, an hours recording is about 1 gigabyte, so check you have enough storage space before you start. Don't return it until you've tried the free OBS software and set it up correctly. Good luck.

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent for price and simple to use!

M. · 30 January 2025

Fantastic device, couldn't be happier for the price paid! I had a stack of Mini Dv tapes and a Panasonic Camcorder to play them on. This device paired with the OBS software made capturing these tapes digitally on my PC very simple.Take C Taylors advice and watch the short video on youtube titled 'How to Convert VHS Tapes to Digital with OBS'. Makes everything so easy.One note is that most of my Mini Dv tapes are Panasonic branded and record to the PC flawlessly with this device. I have one Mini Dv tape that is Sony branded and this tape produces interference on both the camcorder and PC when connected via this device. As others suggest there is definitely something about Sony products that does like this device.

Video capture adopter

R. · 12 November 2024

(function() { P.when('cr-A', 'ready').execute(function(A) { if(typeof A.toggleExpanderAriaLabel === 'function') { A.toggleExpanderAriaLabel('review_text_read_more', 'Read more of this review', 'Read less of this review'); } }); })(); .review-text-read-more-expander:focus-visible { outline: 2px solid #2162a1; outline-offset: 2px; border-radius: 5px; } a good product. only negative point is that they give driver software in mini CD. This technology is outdated. Fortunately I have CD drive in by old desktop so i uploaded it there and then transferred to my laptop using thumb drive. otherwise the product is good. met my expectations.

Kindheitserinnerungen gesichert

D.S. · 8 January 2025

Funktioniert einwandfrei. Anleitung ist sehr gut geschrieben sodass jeder sofort weiß was er zu tun hat, welche Programme man benötigt und wie die Einstellungen sein müssen um das beste Ergebnis zu erhalten.

lovely product

D. · 6 July 2024

I was finally able to transfer my camcorder videos to my mac

It works right away

A.E. · 11 January 2025

The product just functioned normally when I plugged it in...didn't need to install any special software. Works with OBS in my experience so it should work with most/if not all capturing softwares 👍

سهلة الاستعمال ما تحتاج تحمل لها ملفات تعريف

M. · 13 January 2025

قطعة ممتازة صراحة مجرد انك تشبكها في الكمبيوتر بتثبت ملفات تعريفها تلقائيًا وتنقل الفيديو والصوت بنفس الجودة، تستحق الشراء.