Using Premiere and video camera to capture VHS. What settings?

[Brian Louis]

[Todd Roush] “It seems like Premiere will only allow capture if the tape transport of the capture device is moving.”

How are you doing this, are you using a VHS deck and a digital camcorder with A/V to DV passthrough to digitize?

[Sam Ellis]

I also have the same question. I’m using a JVC VHS deck into the Sony TRV-950, A/V to DV passthru into my computer, to accomplish my captures.
Aside from asking what settings are best, is it possible to preset a specific time you’s like the capture to last so as not have to babysit the computer to stop the capture?
Thank you.

[Brian Louis]

when doing passthrough there usually isn’t any deck control so you have to do manual, also since the conversion is done in the camcorder there are no settings per’se, when I was converting I used a Adstech converter and a TimeBase corrector between the vhs deck and converter to touchup and stablize the video, Simatech used to make a fairly inexpensive one but a don’t see them on the market any more, Canopus/GrassValley makes the ADVC-300 converter which will give you some control over the video settings.
Also I used Scenalyzer to capture, it has settings available so you can capture from start to a specific time, but the deck will run-on after the capture stops

[Sam Ellis]

Thank you Brian,
Seems strange that regardless of having a deck control via firewire, that Premiere Pro 2.0 doesn’t give an option for designating a specific time length for a capture. Seems like an oversite….

[Todd Roush]

Yes, a camcorder as the converter which used to work nicely with 6.5 (it would blow your mind all the things we’ve lost since 6.5 although we have gained a few not that I use a lot of them).

Following that I used a Canopus DV storm with premiere which captured nicely. Premiere does not seem to be smart enough to just accept the video without running the transport.

Maybe some shareware capture program?

Need to get these converted and I’d hate to have to buy an old computer and get the storm running again but if I must?

Cheers,

Todd

Todd Roush
Dreamscape Digital Media
Canon XH-A1’s – Dell Studio XPS i7, 920, 2.66 gig,6 gigs RAM (soon to be 12) 650 gig SATA, 1TB eSATA external, 3TB USB(storage). 512gig ATI video card, 28″ HannsG Monitor, 24″ Dell Monitor.

[Brian Louis]

I used a DVstorm for years till Canopus and Adobe had their differences, I used it with Edius for a while but lack of continued support put it on the shelf, I’ve been using Scenalyzer Live to capture A/V->DV, DV, and HDV Split for HDV, mostly on older desktops for capture only with swappable drives till eSATA come into being.