Problem solved in an unexpected way.
In my surfing the net in search of USB analogue video capture devices, I found that the info on Windows 8/8.1 compatibility in the product specifications is very hazardous. As a matter of fact, I bought a product that claimed such compatibility and that proved not to be true. In the process, I became aware of the importance of the drivers and that many firms were not updating them for Windows 8/8.1.
Trying to find out the firms that updated their drives, I was lucky and bumped into the site of the guy/firm that makes the video drives for EzCAP.TV (that is where I bought the EzCAP 116 device) and several other products/makes (including, for instance, Pinnacle’s Dazzle device).
The site (easycapexpertti.mybisi.com) contains information on drivers by firm and product model, information that is not provided by EzCAP.TV itself. For the model of my device, the driver that is provided in EzCAP’s CD is not even mentioned (probably because it is obsolete, as I suspected for a 2009 driver, pre-dating Windows
. The other drivers are mainly for Windows XP to 7, not for Windows 8/8-1. There is only one driver for Windows 8 which, by comparison, I found to be the 2012 driver that EzCAP experts suggest as an alternative for users who want to use the device with Skype, MSN, etc.. Well, it happens to be the only driver that works under Windows 8! I had already installed and tried it before and found that it managed to capture the video, but the accompanying audio is awfully distorted. However, the site has the solution, because there is a note for Windows 7 users with a trick that I immediately saw that would work for Windows 8 as well: to replace the audio driver contained in the Video/Audio driver by a native Windows audio driver. There is even a YouTube tutorial on how to do that using the driver updating facilities of the Windows 8 Device Manager.
I tried it. I installed the 2012 driver, kept the video component and “updated” the audio driver to a native Windows driver called USB Audio Device. It works. I already captured with good video and audio quality using Power Director 12 (naturally, this solution works also for other programs that I have been using for comparison and tests).
In summary, Windows 8.1 is not to blame in this case and the EzCAP box is OK. But the package box/drivers that EzCAP.TV claims to be Windows 8 compatible comes with a 2009 driver that is not Windows 8 compatible. And the 2012 driver that EzCAP suggests as an alternative for complaining clients has a faulty audio component. This can be fixed by a “trick”, but they do not provide the adequate information, neither in the installation instructions nor in the Technical Support/Forum.
I lost more than a month in installations, uninstallations, reinstallations, questions, experiments, fear that I had a bought a faulty laptop or that I had badly tampered with the OS, etc.. And I was lucky to discover yesterday this solution that saves me from spending more money on an alternative device with no guarantee that it would work. Anyway, all is well that ends well.
For the record and for other users that might have the same problem, I can summarize here the results of the now unnecessary research that, following your suggestions, I did to find reliable USB analogue video capture devices for Windows 8/8.1
1) Many devices/drivers have not been upgraded from Windows 7 to Windows 8/8.1. Furthermore, Amazon and the like are still selling the Windows 7 versions, even when Windows 8/8.1 versions are available from the manufacturer. However, even when the description of the product indicates Windows 8/8.1 compatibility, this is not necessarily so (in my case, for example, I was cheated). One has to contact the manufacturer and ask about it, even if a positive reply is no guarantee. The best bet is to ask commercial support whether new versions have been made to take Windows 8 into account and make sure you buy those versions.
2) In Europe, it is very difficult to get hold of Windows 8/8.1 VHS video grabber. First, EzCAP seems to be the only local supplier (their package works, if you know the trick that I just learned at my cost). Second, even for suppliers that, in the US, are offering Windows 8/8.1 versions, the versions sold in Europe are still Windows 7 (I only found one exception for a product in Amazon Germany). If you try to buy directly from the US, there is the problem that some manufacturers and online stores do not ship to Europe or estimate exorbitant shipping costs (I had an estimate of about $100 of shipping costs for $40 worth of product).
This topic can be closed now. Thank you all for your prompt replies and for your contributions.
Edgar
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