I have recently upgraded my system to Windows 7 x64 and Avid Studio 1.1 from XP and Pinnacle Studio 12.  I had been using the video capture card (BIGBEN-51015544-1.2A) that came with my Studio 9 AV/DV Deluxe package a number of years ago.  It now appears that this PCI card is not compatable with Win 7 x64 systems with greater than 2 Gb of memory.  Give that I am edit HD video, I have 8 Gb.  So can someone suggest a good analog video capture device that accepts S-Video input and does not cost an arm and a leg?

chipfreund:

I have recently upgraded my system to Windows 7 x64 and Avid Studio 1.1 from XP and Pinnacle Studio 12.  I had been using the video capture card (BIGBEN-51015544-1.2A) that came with my Studio 9 AV/DV Deluxe package a number of years ago.  It now appears that this PCI card is not compatable with Win 7 x64 systems with greater than 2 Gb of memory.  Give that I am edit HD video, I have 8 Gb.  So can someone suggest a good analog video capture device that accepts S-Video input and does not cost an arm and a leg?

why don't you go onto ebay, and do like many already do, and use a DV camera with analog/ digital converting pass through -- a camera like the once great Sony VX-2000 for example

much more useful and maybe cheaper than a dedicated box

Thanks for the suggestion of a DV camera. I switched a couple of years ago to a Canon VIXIA HG21 HD camcorder and love it. My need here is to digitize a whole library of Hi8 tapes from my previous camera.  So any recommendations on a card of USB capture device that will work with Avid on Win 7 x64 and not break the bank?

chipfreund:

Thanks for the suggestion of a DV camera. I switched a couple of years ago to a Canon VIXIA HG21 HD camcorder and love it. My need here is to digitize a whole library of Hi8 tapes from my previous camera.  So any recommendations on a card of USB capture device that will work with Avid on Win 7 x64 and not break the bank?

 

Then go to ebay and buy a digital 8 camcorder, and do as Barye says. D8 has firewire out and will play your tapes. 

Why don't you want to follow Barye's advice?

When I bought my HD cam I also kept my Sony miniDV DCR-PC101.

Now when I have to capture old VHS or Video8 tapes I use that PC101 as a capture device.

It has passtrough and is perfectly suited to convert analog to digital.

It shouldn't be to difficult to find a used miniDV cam.

Don't know where you live but  here is a UK page that might help you.

chipfreund:

Thanks for the suggestion of a DV camera. I switched a couple of years ago to a Canon VIXIA HG21 HD camcorder and love it. My need here is to digitize a whole library of Hi8 tapes from my previous camera.  So any recommendations on a card of USB capture device that will work with Avid on Win 7 x64 and not break the bank?

Capture hardware that should work with Avid Studio:

(a) Camcorder with DV-out (see additional notes below)
(b) Pinnacle Moviebox Deluxe, 700-USB or 710-USB (others (especially Dazzle) also work but may not have S-video, only composite inputs)

The Pinnacle Movieboard PCI cards have issues under Windows 7 64 bit with mor than 2GB RAM, so IMO avoid.

Additional notes, expanding on BARRYE's and KentuckyRandy's comments:

1. BARRYE's suggestion is IMO likely to be cheaper than buying a new Moviebox; the DV camcorder is acting purely as a converter -  connect the analogue-out of your existing Hi8 camcorder to the AV terminals of the DV camcorder in "passthrough" mode and connect that camcorder's Firewire port to your computer for capture. It doesn't matter for this application whether the DV camcorder's optics/tape transport work or not, provided that it will turn on and let you enable the AV -> DV passthrough mode (you are using it solely as the A-D converter, not trying to record or play a tape in it)

Note that the "passthrough" feature was generally only provided in higher-end DV camcorders, and not all had S-video terminals (or required you to buy a pricey proprietary cable to get the S-video connector). So you will need to do some research to check whether any particular model you see on Ebay etc. has the AV -> DV passthrough feature and also has S-video input. But if you can't find one at thr right price with S-video input, the composote input would most likely be perfectly usable (at the expense of a little more chroma noise/bleed than the S-video)

2. KentuckyRandy's suggestiion is OK provided you can find a Digital8 camcorder whose heads aren't too badly worn (the Digital8 camcorder would play your analogue Hi8 tape and do the A-D conversion for you). But if your original tapes were shot in LP mode they might only play back well on the camcorder they were shot on...

3. IIRC there are also third party converter boxes with A/V terminals on one side and Firewire on the other (e.g. Canopus) - but new are more expensive than a Moviebox, but maybe worth looking out for second-hand. Such as box would behave in the same ways as a DV camcorder in AV -> DV passthrough mode.

Regards,
Richard

Thanks all.  I did not know DV camcorders could run in "pass-through" mode, hence my initial dismissing of the idea. I was looking at something like the HAUPPAUGE USB-Live2 or Diamond VC500 USB capture devices.  When my old Sony Hi8 camera started to die, I went out and got a Sony Hi8 deck (EV-C100) on eBay for the playback and the PCI-700 I have worked fine untill I went to W7 x64 w/ 8Gb RAM.  The aforementioned devices run $30-$40 new on Amazon, I'm just sure if Avid Studio will recognize it or not.

Well, I just found a Dazzle DVC 100 at TigerDirect for $19.95, so I will give that a try.  According to Pinnacle/Avid site it works with W7 x64.  Thanks again for the quick responses and suggestions, not to mention the education on DV camcorders.  Having skipped over that generation of cameras, I was not aware of the pass-through capabilities.

Here's another two ideas for the OP or anyone else reading this thread. I found it kind of by accident. I can't say these devices will be recognized by any of Avid's products though.

 

1. I'm not a gamer, but I was seriously concidering getting into it in the last few months. I'm unsure why in a few ways and I stopped a very long time ago when I was younger. But I found out that there are lots of usb game capture devices, they have composite, s-video and component inputs and sometimes outputs. I use to think that usb2 couldn't capture component signals, but apparently it can. How well? I don't know since I have not bought one of these devices. From watching youtube and online videos, it can look really good. These devices say that do not copy protected HD signals. You would probably have to use the included software and then export it as a file type to edit it (For the SD or HD), Avid Studio or Pinnacle Studio would recognize that. My computers software can sometimes recognize other input devices or drivers from software and hardware that it was not designed for. Eg: Avid Studio and other software recoognize that my computer can use a specific usb2 camera, but I don't have that camera installed, just other software that has the driver. I only need a camera. Would it work? I cannot verify it right now.

 

2. When looking up capture devices on electronic web-stores, I saw there are the ones that also capture tv signals. They have composite, s-video and component inputs and even outputs. These could work but would probably require an export to a format Avid Studio or Pinnacle Studio recognizes.

 

If anyone needs these kinds of devices and would use them for ther usual purpose, its more bang for your buck.

I have recently moved to a new w7 64 8GB system and also to Avid Studio.
It was a surprise when Ifound out my PCI-500 and breakout box did not work with my
new system although the PCI card was recognized fine.

I got a BSOD trying to access it. I have been trying to get info about
where a working driver is or will be made for the card. The Bender 64 W7 seems to be the problem.
I am putting in my comments from attempts to get an answer from Avid support:

I have investigated the issue in the forums and see that I am not the only
one with the problem in that my AV/DV 500-PCI will not work with Avid Studio
and the Windows 7 Pinnacle 64bit drivers because my system has 8GB RAM. I
purchased the AV/DV 500-PCI from you and have used this device
satisfactorily for years with several generations of Pinnacle Studio. For
some reason, your drivers now have not been updated by Avid/Pinnacle for the
AV/DV 500-PCI and W7 8GB RAM. The Case 01968339 should remain outstanding
until the driver issue is resolved and I can again use my AV/DV 500-PCI and
my breakout box.

As I requested before, please escalate the problem so I can get some
information on when Avid/Pinnacle will provide a working driver for the
AV/DV 500-PCI that is compatible in a W7 8GB RAM system and works properly
in Avid Studio which I just purchased. I have been a Pinnacle customer for
years and should be able to continue to use the products I have purchased.

I would not expect ANY further updates to that hardware/software -- even before it was reliquished recently to Corel.

You are amongst a very limited population still using it. Instead I suggest that you do as I wrote earlier in this thread -- buy a camera like a Sony VX2000 which can very cheaply give you excellent analog digital conversion.

You are amongst a very limited population still using it.

Do you have any figures to back up this WILDLY SPECULATIVE ACCUSATION!!! (sorry, just trying to use the same style as you

I've been expecting this issue to come home to roost for some time. I have a 700 PCI with breakout box, and it has forced me to stick with a 32-bit operating system. While the numbers of owners of this equipment may not be as large as the USB devices, they were very expensive purchases at the time. Pinnacle in the past have been able to wriggle out of fixing the drivers because of the relatively small subset of users with PCI cards installing a 64-bit OS. I don't know how long they have been no longer offered for sale, but probably long enough for Pinnacle to claim they are Legacy hardware now.

I had a similar issue with the DC10+ card ceasing to output PAL video in S12 (I think). That's how I came to own the 700PCI.

The truth of the matter is that there probably is no longer anyone working for, or subcontracted to, Pinnacle that has a scooby how to fix the drivers - even if they could find the disc with the source code on it This could be a sign of BRAIN DEAD INCOMPETENT MANAGEMENT!!! (sorry, slipped into your style again...). Or the cleaner could have thrown it out by accident.

I've now bought a Moviebox off ebay so I can go 64-bit the next time I upgrade. If anyone is looking at a new analogue/digital capture device the money would be best spent on something from Black Magic. They have a range that includes HD capture now.

jjn:

You are amongst a very limited population still using it.

Do you have any figures to back up this WILDLY SPECULATIVE ACCUSATION!!! (sorry, just trying to use the same style as you

 

...The truth of the matter is that there probably is no longer anyone working for, or subcontracted to, Pinnacle that has a scooby how to fix the drivers - even if they could find the disc with the source code on it This could be a sign of BRAIN DEAD INCOMPETENT MANAGEMENT!!! (sorry, slipped into your style again...). Or the cleaner could have thrown it out by accident.

perhaps someone should write a new Elements of Style guide to good prose -- the BARYE edition.

Now that you might no longer have PS/AS to write about, that could well be a rich subject for your next book !!

 

Think about all of us Avid/Pinnacle Liquid users that had the ProBOB. That was a USB 2.0 device that never got driver updates to Vista/Win 7 either.

I need to convert my old VHS tapes to a digital format I can edit in AVID STUDIO.    Does anyone have any experience (good or bad) using the EasyCap DC60 capture gadget?   It's only US $6.59 on Amazon, quite economical!

As far as I can read in the description (at Amazon Germany) it is compatible to 32-bit OS (Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows Vista 32Bit) only.

But IMO it's worth a try, you can return it if it doesn't work for you.

BTW: attached software is "Ulead Video Studio"

I bought one of these cheap dongles a year or two ago. I couldn't stop it from dropping frames on my laptop (which is what I wanted it for)

Why can't people start a new thread when the subject is different, rather than hijack another one? Oh, yes, I know why....

Thank you, folks, I'll probably pursue a more sphisticated converter.

jjn, share your knowledge of the answer to the "Why..." question.   Just curious!

I have just made the same upgrade, but using a climax digital converter for £20. The thing Is I can't see how to capture in studio 16!! In 12 it was able to detect my old device (dazzle 170 - not supported in 64 bit) and 12 detects the new device but flicks between green screen and picture. yet the interface is 16 is so different I can't find the menu option to capture in the same way!  there is only "Import" and that does not offer capture from DV source or DV video camera. (the DV camera idea is brilliant btw - wish I'd thought of it before buying this device).

Currently I can capture using the software that came with the gadget, but this safe as mpg file (MPEG 2) so I assume it is already a lossy format and opening that file for editing in studio 16 then re-compiling will be less good quality than caturing native and compiling only once? or am I wrong (in which case there is no problem, I'll just capture in crudware and edit in studio)

 

PS16 doesn't work with 3rd party hardware, I'm afraid.

If you are capturing from VHS end product is to go the DVD, I doubt very much if you will notice any difference between capturing as AVI and mpeg-2. Studio can direct stream copy and parts of the video that don't have effects, so you may well only get one re-code anyway.

One huge advantage of using a Digital 8 camera for the transfer of Hi8 and Video8 tapes is the built-in basic TBC and drop out corrector. This will give you a far superior transfer compared to capturing it from the original camera.  

chipfreund:

Well, I just found a Dazzle DVC 100 at TigerDirect for $19.95, so I will give that a try.  According to Pinnacle/Avid site it works with W7 x64.  Thanks again for the quick responses and suggestions, not to mention the education on DV camcorders.  Having skipped over that generation of cameras, I was not aware of the pass-through capabilities.

I use Dazzle DVC-100 and it works great, I bought mine from Best Buy and there are 2 types the cheaper and a more expensive one around $50 or $60...I tried the cheaper one and returned it the quality was not good so I then bought the more expensive one and it works awesome when I convert analog just like my old PCI700 capture card. 

 

jjn:

I have a 700 PCI with breakout box, and it has forced me to stick with a 32-bit operating system.

You are not the only one.

First I had the predecessor of that card (with the breakout box), but it had a tendency to drop out and/or have out-of-sync problems and eventually they officially dropped support for it.  I bought the 700 PCI with breakout box and loved it.  I could reliably capture anywhere from 1 to 2 hours of VHS video flawlessly.  It had one bug in Studio but that was easily and reliably avoided.

I strongly recommended this hardware to many people on this forum over and over again.

But now it runs into a brick wall. 

Come on, all we need is an updated driver.  I do NOT want to buy another piece of hardware.  I do NOT need another camcorder.  And I absolutely will not buy another piece of Pinnacle/Avid hardware.  I've been burned by dropped support twice.

Problems with Windows 7 and more than 1GB of RAM.  Seriously?  Does ANYONE on the planet have Windows 7 with LESS than 1GB of RAM?  My new machine is running Windows 7 with 16GB of RAM, powered by an Intel i7-3770k processor.  (Frankly I have to struggle to use even 4GB of RAM.  Eight would be great plenty, 16 was probably silly.  But with 4, 4GB sticks, I don't even have the ability to run with 1GB of RAM, and certainly not less than that!!!)

I'm thinking about creating a VMWare virtual machine with WindowsXP and installing Studio 12 on it (allocate 3GB of RAM to the VM) and seeing if it will see the capture card.  Partly as a science experiment, and partly as an act of defiance.  Does anyone think I have more than a 5% chance of that working?

If all else fails, I still have my old Windows XP computer, but then I have to shuttle my hard drives back and forth.  And kick my son off "his" computer.

Yeah, it really annoys me.

Hey, Avid, is there ANY chance you'll EVER provide an updated driver for this hardware? 

Dennis - I've come to the conclusion that Pinnacle will never update the driver.

Personally, I've just changed my computing setup to sell off my noisy desktop and use my quiet laptop with an second monitor and keyboard, so I needed to move to a USB solution anyway. Pickked up a Moviebox quite cheaply on ebay and sold the PCI for a similar price..However I understand why anyone would want to keep the PCI as its a great piece of kit (and wasn't cheap).

The problem is that Pinnacle probably don't think there are enough people affected by this issue to warrant the expense of commisioning someone to repair the driver. It would be disingenious of me to make a huge fuss over this now I've sold my PCI (I tried my hardest in the past), but I applaud your comments and would encourgage anyone else affected to also make their voice heard.

I also feel your pain with the PCi card issue. When I built my new Win 7 64bit system last year I ran into the same issue as you. At first I made my system a dual boot, one HD 32 bit, the other 64. Both HD's were 2TB and I had plenty of room. It was just the hassle of booting into another system just to import analog video. Then I decided to go ahead and purchase the Moviebox USB version and be done with it. I had previous Pinnacle USB import devices that had issues with dropped frames and audio sync. But the latest Moviebox does not have that issue, on my system at least. And I had the PCI card for 5-6 years and figured I got my money's worth out of it.

Could Pinnacle provide a 64 bit driver for the PCI700? I'm no software engineer, but I'm assuming they probably could. But that wouldn't sell new capture devices, would it? And trust me, this corporate decision for dropping support for an older device is not limited to computers. I see this every day in the field in which I am employed.