I'm curious about using a digital camcorder as pass through as some others have mentioned as well. I have a Sony mini DV Handycam (DCR-TRV10 NTSC) which has a few video/audio ports including S Video, DV in/out, and "ID-2 Audio/Video." So would I be able to do what you're doing? And if so would that be better quality than using the Dazzle capture device? and if so, how do I configure that? Which of those ports would be the input from the VCR and I assume I use the DV out to the computer as I did in capturing my mini DVs? Does the signal just pass through or do you record to a mini DV and then send back to the computer?

thanks for any further insights,

Ron

Start here for some basic information.
http://esupport.sony.com/US/perl/tutorial-display.pl?tut_id=64&mdl=DCRPC350

Here is another one.
http://www.videohelp.com/dvanalog

Here are a bunch more.

https://www.google.com/search?q=video+camvcorder+passthrough&oq=video+camvcorder+passthrough&aqs=chrome..69i57j0.22216j0j7&sourceid=chrome&espv=210&es_sm=93&ie=UTF-8

As for quality, you will have to judge for yourself. .
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BoilerPlate: To posters who ask for help -- it is nice to thank the volunteers who try to answer your questions !
Anything I post unless stated with a reference is my personal opinion.

Stevek - very helpful, thanks. Unfortunately that first link/video answered all my questions but was not happy to learn that my Sony Handycam does not support that function. Oh, well I'll just have to live with the quality using the Dazzle. Fortunately almost all of those are acceptable.

Ron

Have had my first go at capturing some video through the Canopus ADVC 110 to PD11 using the original Sony Handicam Camcorder with it's original Hi 8 tapes. Got my firewire lead in and hooked up.

DIP switches on the bottom needed adjusting, 1st five in off position, last switch ON for PAL video.
Next I discovered I don't have an Svideo lead. So I'm just testing with the black and yellow lead, not sure what that's called.
My handicam doesn't have any other ports, just the black and yellow av cable with same at other end. So I guess that goes in the yellow and white ports of the converter.

Hey presto,..there it is.

So play the video through the camera, and press record on the screen.

There it is. The couple of things I'm questioning at the moment are:

1. Will an S video lead be better? Can you get them with the black and yellow connection at one end (to go into my camcorder)

2. PD captures the footage at default Mpeg2 - 'DVD HQ', and that apparently means 720x576. I'm not sure what the speed indicator is, as there's another profile that sais DVD HQ fast. ?? I guess what I'm saying is what profile for Hi 8 video? the default? or a custom. My goal is to have a clear digital copy, as well as be able to transfer these to Blu Ray, or to DVD for playing in a blu ray player at the best possible quality. There is an AVI profile as well. I don't understand file types

Here's a snippet. Jenny

Check that black lead. If your camcorder is supposed to do stereo, it may be a stereo output (you'll need a stereo plug to get it)

mpg2 is the compressed format that is on all standard DVDs (mpg2 with VOB extension). DV-AVI is uncompressed so those are much larger files.

If you have the space on your computer, capture as AVI and do all your editing. When you go to burn, the disc or a folder set, those videos will be converted to mpg2.

Are you in a PAL country?

You are capturing in standard definition; is the Hi8 camcorder a high definition camcorder. If you have a high definition camcorder, you cannot capture high definition with that device. There is no use trying to do blu ray with standard definition video files except you can put an awful lot of video time on a blu ray disc. Do you have a blu ray burner? I assume you have a blu ray player -or blu ray capable optical drive.

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BoilerPlate: To posters who ask for help -- it is nice to thank the volunteers who try to answer your questions !
Anything I post unless stated with a reference is my personal opinion.

Hi Steve, thanks for your reply.
Yes, I'm in Australia, a PAL country.
I have lots of space on my computer, I was just wondering if it makes a difference, the AVI v mpeg 2. Mpeg 2 vob files seem to be the native files of the camcorder. What would be the point in capturing bigger AvI files? Would they be clearer?

The Camcorder is not, I don't think, a high definition camcorder. I think it's standard def. only as I believe Hi 8 only recorded in Standard definition:
SONY CCD-TR516E VIDEO CAMERA HI8 HANDYCAM CAMCORDER 330X ZOOM

Yes, I have a blu ray burner and player. (this new computer rocks.)

I guess I'm looking for the best possible transfer and the best possible play media. Id rather it on blu ray as you suggested it holds a LOT of time. I'm wondering if an S video lead will have the plugs on the other end to match my camcorder (yellow and black.) Jenny

First, congratulations on your successful video capture. Your footage looks good, nice and clear.

Your Sony CCD-TR516 is a standard definition analog only camcorder. It has composite video out (yellow), and mono audio out (black). The camcorder is not capable of S-video or component video, and the audio is not stereo. This information is from the Sony manual for the SONY CCD-TR516 camcorder. I don't know if the "E" (CCD-TR516E) changes anything.

You do not need an S-video cable since your camera does not output video S-video format. And even if you bought a composite-video-to-S-video adapter, it would not help, and would not improve the picture as the chrominance and luminance in the signal are already combined. So why are they sold? Solely as a convenience item for cabling purposes.

The choice of DVD or Blu-ray is up to you. As you said, Blu-ray holds more video. While Blu-ray is capable of higher definition, it doesn't automatically mean that a video will look better on Blu-ray vs DVD. You have standard definition video. There is only so much picture information in standard definition.


Here are the specs on the video clip you uploaded:
Format : MPEG-PS
File size : 15.8 MiB
Duration : 15s 560ms
Overall bit rate mode : Variable
Overall bit rate : 8 539 Kbps

Video
ID : 224 (0xE0)
Format : MPEG Video
Format version : Version 2
Format profile : Main@Main
Format settings, BVOP : Yes
Format settings, Matrix : Custom
Format settings, GOP : M=3, N=15
Duration : 15s 560ms
Bit rate mode : Variable
Bit rate : 8 114 Kbps
Maximum bit rate : 8 300 Kbps
Width : 720 pixels
Height : 576 pixels
Display aspect ratio : 4:3
Frame rate : 25.000 fps
Standard : PAL
Color space : YUV
Chroma subsampling : 4:2:0
Bit depth : 8 bits
Scan type : Interlaced
Scan order : Top Field First
Compression mode : Lossy
Bits/(Pixel*Frame) : 0.783
Time code of first frame : 00:00:00:11
Time code source : Group of pictures header
Stream size : 15.0 MiB (95%)

Audio
ID : 189 (0xBD)-128 (0x80)
Format : AC-3
Format/Info : Audio Coding 3
Mode extension : CM (complete main)
Format settings, Endianness : Big
Muxing mode : DVD-Video
Duration : 15s 552ms
Bit rate mode : Constant
Bit rate : 256 Kbps
Channel count : 2 channels
Channel positions : Front: L R
Sampling rate : 48.0 KHz
Bit depth : 16 bits
Compression mode : Lossy
Stream size : 486 KiB (3%)

Holy Guacamole! What the??? It looks good, not sure what it all means though.
Rob, you're a genius, I wish you were here sitting next to me.
Yep, learned the output of my camera will only be via the yellow and black cable.

So I'm good with my cable, converter and camera.
Now I just have to learn about the output profile. Default is Mpeg 2. HQ DVD. I imagine that means High Quality.

Again, ALL I'm looking for is the original quality of my nice old video, which was gorgeous (but of course played on the old analog tv too). If I can get on, or near that, I'll be very pleased. I'm going to convert a 1hr tape now, using the default capture setting of mpeg2 (any reason I should use AVI???) , then use PD11 to do whatever I need to, to it, and put it on a dvd to see how it looks in my blu ray player on the hd tv. Probably have to reduce the screen size (I said frame size last time and someone took that the wrong way, I meant the size of the tv frame..screen...so it doesn't have so many ...um, pixels...to work with?? because its Std def. Know what I mean?

I've heard murmurings about 'transcoding' or ..?? but I'm going in the dark here, I'm taking the line of least resistance and just going with the flow. Cross fingers. Jenny

Quote: So I'm good with my cable, converter and camera.
Now I just have to learn about the output profile. Default is Mpeg 2. HQ DVD. I imagine that means High Quality.

Mpeg2 HQ (8 Mbps) is a compressed format HQ does mean High Quality. Resolution is 720x480 NTSC or 720x576 PAL.

AVI may be uncompressed, therefore larger file size and less compression artifacts.

If you want the best capture you should try AVI, be aware the file size can be very large.

You should try both and examine the output in a player to decide which you want to use. MPEG2 makes much smaller file sizes at the cost of compression artifacts.

Carl312: Windows 10 64-bit 8 GB RAM,AMD Phenom II X4 965 3.4 GHz,ATI Radeon HD 5770 1GB,240GB SSD,two 1TB HDs.

The data comes from the utility MediaInfo. Once installed, right click on a video file to see description tags. MediaInfo is open source, free of charge, available at

http://mediaarea.net/en/MediaInfo

That, or other similiar utilities are handy to have when you are curious about the tech specs of a file.

jaymay22, I also looked at your Video you posted.

If that is an example of the output from Canopus capture device, that is excellent video for Standard Def.
I believe that Canopus capture device got everything it could out of your Hi-8 tape.

What you are doing, keep doing it.
The only advantage AVI would offer is less compression.

DVD vs BluRay. 720x576

Bluray will hold hours and hours of Standard Definition Video.
DVD Double layer two hours.
Carl312: Windows 10 64-bit 8 GB RAM,AMD Phenom II X4 965 3.4 GHz,ATI Radeon HD 5770 1GB,240GB SSD,two 1TB HDs.

Carl, thankyou! I thought it was good too, particularly as the lux was quite low in that one. (but it was a GREAT camera that only Sony handycam, it could've filmed in a black hole!)

I did a massive experiment (see other thread) and liked the Mpeg2 capture > AVC produce > AVCHD dvd combination the best. I think!! I believe that as std def can't get any higher, that the only difference here must be the capture and produce parts of the equation??? Not even sure that producing as avc is making a difference. Anyway. Seemed good. Will continue to capture in Mpeg 2 now as have done about 10 hours, only about 20 x 1.5 hour hi8 tapes to go, then onto the vhsc earlier ones!

You've all been great. Thank goodness for the forum.

oh, yes, that was from the Canopus ADVC110. With my black and yellow lead input from camera, firewire to the pc, and set to PAL capture. Jenny