[gentoo-user] Re: [OT] Transferring old video tapes to disk

[James]

walt <w41ter <at> gmail.com> writes:


> Now's my chance to save the tapes to a newer format. (Until the
> new format becomes obsolete in another year or two.)
>
> Transferring the audio is easy even for old non-multi-media me,
> but how to get the video off the tape and into the computer?  Do
> I need a new video card with special stuff?  Or what?


An old "Avermedia" card works really well. It should work under linux
too. Just match up the video out hardware ports on the VCR to 
the correct ports on the video (input) card.  NTSC -NTSC
or whatever hardware ports your vcr has (RGB-RGB) etc 
etc. There are many older brands out their, Avermedia is
but one of the better one, imho.

You'll get a bit of noise on these old analog Inputs/Outputs;
So clean the grounding terminals and make sure the VCR and the
PC are on a good, common ground, to minimize noise....
USE good cables. Clean all connections and put both on UPS
to clean the wall power up a  bit (particularly on the UPS.

hth,

James