Easycap usb 2.0 shows in black and white. Instructions for digitizing video using Easycap and VirtualDub without desynchronization of video and audio

EasyCAP USB 2.0 is a program that provides connection to a video source and allows you to record video from old VCRs. This software is a driver for devices that “capture” video and are connected via a USB cable. The utility works on new versions of OS Windows.

The program is distributed officially and serves as a driver for “video capture”. The standard set on the disk includes a “program” and a video capture adapter. After installing the driver, the video recording device recognizes the settings and starts working correctly. The utility has a simple and intuitive interface even for an inexperienced user.

Installation and purpose

Drivers for the EasyCAP video capture adapter are available for download online. Having downloaded the necessary “software”, you install it, and the adapter will begin to function.

Drivers for the device are installed automatically. To install the “auxiliary software” you need to click “Next” and “Install” a couple of times. Once the drivers are installed, your computer will recognize the video capture device. The next time you connect the adapter to the PC, the system produces sound.

Correct installation of drivers: first disconnect the device and install the software to it, and then connect it so that the system recognizes the equipment and starts working with it.

The adapter works on old and new operating systems. If necessary, you can install the software on new builds of OS Windows or on XP.

About the device itself

EasyCAP USB 2.0 "digitizes" tapes that are played on older VHS players. This adapter only costs a few dollars. Connect its “input” with “tulips” (RCA), and plug the second “output” into the USB port of the PC.

Digitizing cassettes is a process that requires official drivers and special software. Before digitizing video from tapes, download the necessary programs using the Google search. There are a lot of programs and utilities for working with video on the Internet, and many of them are distributed free of charge.

Key Features

• the driver ensures correct operation of the video capture adapter;
• the program works on old and new builds of OS Windows;
• installation occurs automatically;
• a disk with software is distributed along with the device (on a Mini-CD);
• The driver does not contain utilities or tools for digitizing video from cassettes.

The collection of recordings on video cassettes has become an increasing headache over the years - old films gradually dry out and demagnetize. Only digitization will help save records, and for this you will need equipment and software.

To process the video, you will need a camera or VCR from which the tape will be played. For capture - a computer with a card and a signal processing program. There are not many options for capture cards; there are both internal and external ones. First, I recommend taking a closer look at EasyCAP USB 2.0.

On one side of the EasyCAP USB there is a USB 2.0 port, on the other there are tulips for connecting audio and video cables. If you purchased a used adapter without a driver disk, you may have to carefully open the case and see what chip is installed inside. This will help you download the correct driver.

There are also internal capture cards. The picture shows an Ewclid brand board.

Alternatively, you can use a TV tuner for the same purposes. For example, a card produced by the Russian company Beholder.

After connecting and installing the drivers, you will need a program to process and encode the signal. The choice here is large: from a simple program from the disk included with EasyCAP, to Adobe Premiere Elements or a full-fledged Premiere.

What to choose is up to you: it’s best to try different options yourself. Free software from the disk often does not cope with its functions very well, and mastering Premiere is poorly compatible with the task of digitizing home footage of birthdays and proms. Personally, I like it best.

VirtualDub is a free utility for Windows that is great for capturing, editing, and editing video streams. It has a huge number of settings for video processing, so the output can be a much better picture than the input. To find your way around the settings, I recommend looking at one of the Russian-language instructions.

Don't forget that to digitize in good quality you will need a lot of free space on your hard drive. The file size varies depending on resolution, compression and a bunch of other parameters and sometimes reaches crazy numbers. For example, when recording at 640 × 480 resolution with the Microsoft Video 1 codec, one hour will be equal to 15 GB. So don't even think about specifying a FAT32 formatted drive as the save location - you'll quickly run into a 4GB file size limit.

And one last piece of advice: try not to load your computer while coding. Video processing requires computing resources, and if you decide to while away the time with some toy, you risk getting the picture and sound out of sync as a result.

1. Install the software from the kit

2. Connect your VCR/video player/camcorder/game console to the EasyCap device

3. Connect EasyCap to the USB port of your PC

4. Launch the included software

5. Set the default video standard in the program (PAL/NTSC/SECAM, etc.)

6. Start playback on VCR/Video Player/Video Camera/Game Console

7. Press the "REC" button in the program.

8. Alternative use of the device that you may not have thought of.

Introduction

The modern world is changing rapidly, and such a thing as video cassettes has long sunk into oblivion. But what to do if your favorite videos remain on tape? In this case, a device for digitizing video tapes at home called EasyCap USB 2.0 will help you. This device is designed for digitizing any analog signal - from 8 mm film to classic video cassettes.

First, let's figure out how it works. We will not delve into the difference between an analog signal and a digital signal; this is beyond the scope of our article. Let us only mention that modern recording formats are digital, that is, the image is encoded using a combination of zeros and ones. The format used on video cassettes is analog. Analogue signals are produced by VCRs, camcorders, video players and similar devices. The computer works with numbers. Therefore, we are faced with the task of converting one into the other. To do this, you need a so-called “digitization board”, which, in fact, is our EasyCap device.

EasyCap device overview

The Easy Cap device is a small box with a USB connector on one side and the familiar “tulips” or, scientifically, RCA on the other. In addition, there is another “S-Video in” connector.

Fig.1.

“Tulips” have different colors - yellow is used to connect video, red and white are used to connect audio.

Connecting and using EasyCap - instructions

There is nothing complicated in connecting the device - just connect it to the USB connector of your computer. The LED on the device body should light up. Then connect the signal source using Tulip cables (RCA). This can be any device - a VCR, video player, 8 mm video camera, any camera with an analog output, and even a game console. The author of this review successfully uses EasyCap to connect his Play Station to a computer, which allows him not only to display the image on the monitor screen, but also to record his favorite games at any time!
Now the device is almost ready for use, there are only a few steps left to complete, or rather, install the driver and a special program for digitizing. Both are available on the disc included with the device. Just install the disk into your computer or laptop, the installation menu will launch automatically.

Fig.2.

Click the "Install" button and install all software following the on-screen instructions (or simply click the "Next" button as needed).

Fig.3.

The device for digitizing video is equipped with the Honestech TVR program. This program is extremely simple, has a minimum of settings and is easy to work with. After installation, the following icon will appear on your desktop:

Rice. 4.

Launch the program by clicking on the icon. If the program displays the error “Could not initialize the capture device”, it means that you forgot to connect the device itself to the computer.
Now press the “Play” button on your video player, and your favorite cassette will start playing in the program window!
Attention! You will almost certainly see that the image is cloudy and dirty, in addition, it is transmitted in the wrong colors. For example, like in the picture.

Rice. 5.

To fix this, you need to set the video standard with which your video player or video camera works. To do this, click the “Settings” button:


Rice. 6.

A window with settings will appear. Select the first tab “Video Settings”, and in the “Video Standard” window select what your signal source works with - a player, video camera or set-top box. If you are not sure what exactly to set, switch one by one until the image becomes clear and crisp.

Rice. 7.

Now you can press the record button in the program and enjoy your old recordings!

Alternative uses for the Easy Cap video capture device

This device can be used not only for digitizing old videotapes at home. It displays real-time images from any connected source on the screen. What does it mean? To connect a game console, you no longer need a separate TV; you can use a monitor. Connect, launch the program and play - no delays! Using exactly the same principle, you can use an old VCR, turning it into a TV tuner with a control panel (if you remember, all old VCRs supported this feature - in order to record channels through them, they had to be configured inside the tape recorder itself, duplicating the settings TV). You can also connect any set-top boxes that have a “tulip” type output. And also - you can connect an analog video camera to this device, which can be hung in the entrance - thus, you will protect your home.

P.S

Please note! This device cannot miraculously improve a damaged video or restore lost pieces! There are no means in the world that would be capable of this. All this device can do is transfer your recordings to a computer with virtually no loss of quality. Then, of course, you can try to improve them a little by using special filters in programs such as Adobe Premier, but you still won’t achieve DVD-like quality. This is due to a number of points:
1. Objective moment. Any films deteriorate over time. This results in image deterioration. That is, if a cassette has been lying on a shelf for twenty years, the quality of the recording has noticeably dropped.
2. The moment is subjective. Everything is relative. Remember the first digital cameras. Now open your old photos. They haven't changed. Only your perception of quality has changed, because now any cheap phone takes better pictures than the most expensive camera of that time. It's the same with your recordings - now monitors can display billions of colors, they are bright, saturated, and, most importantly, large. They simply clearly show all the shortcomings of the equipment of that time.

So, let's summarize. The EasyCap device not only can convert all your records into digital format. It can also be used as an alternative to a TV when connecting any devices that produce an analog signal - for example, television receivers, game consoles or portable video players. We also do not recommend delaying the digitization of old video cassettes and 8 mm films, especially since now this can be easily done at home. Cassettes deteriorate over time!

Review

EasyCAPvideo adapter with audio allows you to capture high quality video and audio using USB 2.0 without using a computer sound card.

Installing the software is very simple, the card works without the use of additional power.

This card is an excellent solution for a laptop; we supply a professional video editing program, Ulead Video Studio 8.0 SE DVD, which provides excellent video quality.

The new Video Studio Movie Wizard allows beginners to make professional movies in just three steps. You can burn the finished video to DVD, post it online, or adapt it for mobile devices.

High transfer speeds and productivity allow you to spend more time creating, rather than waiting! In addition, you can use a lot of effects in your films and video clips.

Key Features

• Contains a professional and easy-to-use video editor: Ulead Video Studio 8.0 SE DVD
• Popular USB 2.0 interface does not require additional power
• Capture audio and video via USB 2.0 interface
• It is possible to capture audio without a sound card
• Plug and play support
• Supports all formats: recording to DVD +/-R/RW, DVD+/-VR and DVD-Video
• Possibility of use for Internet conferences

Specifications

• Fully USB 2.0 compatible
• Support NTSC, PAL, Video format
• Video inputs: One RCA (tulip), one S-Video
• Audio input: Stereo RCA input (two tulips)
• Size (L) 88 mm x (W) 28 mm x (H) 18 mm
• High Definition Video Support

NTSC: 720 x 480 @ 30 fps

PAL: 720 x 576 @ 25 fps

System requirements

• USB: free USB 2.0 port
• OS: Windows 2000, XP, Vista, 7, 8
• CPU: Pentium 3 800 MHz or higher
• Hard disk: 600 MB
• RAM: 256 MB
• Display: minimum resolution 1024 x 768
• Sound card: Windows compatible (for audio playback)

Package Contents:

• Easy CAP USB 2.0 video adapter
• USB cable
• Instructions
• CD-ROM (includes drivers and professional video editor)

Driver installation instructions

Note: if you have an antivirus installed, disable it while installing the software.

Before connecting the Easy CAP device to your computer for the first time, please insert the “Software Disc” into your CD drive.

In the autorun window that appears, select “Install Driver”

If prompted, select "No, not this time" and then "Next". Select the "Install the software automatically" option and click "Next".

A window with the message “Syntek STK 1150” may appear, do not close this window, select “Continue Anyway”.

When the message “New hardware is installed and ready to use” appears in the lower right corner of the monitor, click the “Finish” button to complete the driver installation process.

Note: If the hardware is not found, please repeat the installation process until the message: “New hardware found. Your equipment is installed and ready to go.”

You need to check whether the drivers were installed correctly. Connect EasyCAP USB 2.0 to your computer, click on the “Start” button, then “Control Panel”, in the control panel select “Device Manager”, select “Sound, video and game devices”. If the drivers are installed correctly, you will see the name of the equipment “Syntek STK1160 or SMI Grabber Device”; if you see a yellow question mark, then the drivers are not installed or installed incorrectly. You need to reinstall the drivers by first disconnecting the device from the computer and then connecting it again.

Software installation

Please insert the supplied software disc into the drive. Click "Install Video Studio 8" and click "Next" and/or "Install".

You need to provide your username and serial number (you can find it on the disc packaging and on the software disc itself).

Click "Finish" to complete the installation and restart your computer if required. Launch Video Studio 8 and enjoy your digital life using our products.

Ulead Video Studio 8.0

This document contains basic information about the program UleadVideoStudio 8.0. Please read these terms before using the program.

1. 1. ReviewUleadVideoStudio 8.0

UleadVideoStudio 8.0 – is a consumer video editor that allows the user to quickly and easily create their home videos with attractive titles, video filters, transitions and sound effects. Unlike other programs UleadVideoStudio 8.0 has an intuitive interface that allows you to start using the program right away. By following the steps, you'll have your video created before J knows it.

1. 2. System requirements

Minimum requirements:

Intel Pentium III 800 Mhz or higher

Microsoft Windows 2000, XP, Vista, 7, 8

256 MB RAM (preferably 512 MB for editing)

600 MB required for installing software and 4 GB for comfortable work when capturing video

minimum display resolution 1024 x 768 pixels.

Windows compatible sound card

CD/DVD drive

Processor Intel Pentium 4 2 GHz

512 MB RAM

1. 3. InstallationUleadVideoStudio8.0 and additional components

For installation UleadVideoStudio 8.0 insert the software disc into the computer drive, click " InstallUleadVideoStudio8.0" and just follow the instructions.

What are the installed components?

Quick Time 6.5 is a video format from Apple for creating and playing video files such as MOV and QT formats. You should install Quick Time 6.5 or higher to use the "Auto music" feature. For more information about Quick Time 6.5, please visit their website: http://www.apple.com/quicktime

Smart Sound Quicktracks is a plugin from Smart Sound integrated into Ulead Video Studio 8.0. This will give you a library of high-quality sound tracks that you can add to your project.

Real Player 8.0 is a player designed to play video and audio from the Internet. It is recommended to install this software if you do not have a later version installed. Product website www.real.com/products

Microsoft DirectX is a driver from Microsoft that will increase performance when playing video files. You need to install this driver if it is not already installed. You can find it on the software disc.

Note: If you have a previous version installed UleadVideoStudio it is recommended to install first UleadVideoStudio 8.0, and then uninstall the older version. During installation, the new version will retain all previous installations.

1. 4. Registering your copyUleadVideoStudio 8.0

Don't forget to register your version UleadVideoStudio. You can do this during the installation process of the program or simply by filling out and sending the registration card by e-mail. It is important to register your version of the program as this will allow you to receive technical support and important updates. You will also have the opportunity to win prizes in the drawing, as well as an advantage when purchasing other Ulead Sistem products.

1. 5. Information related to the program

5.1 When capturing video from an analog source, make sure that it supports RGB and YUV color rendering.

5.2 Capture tab

To select the MPEG format for capture, click the “Options” button then select “Video and Audio Capture Property Setting” in the dialog box that opens, select the “Capture” tab. Select MPEG and click "Advanced".

5.3 Edit Tab

In the “Edit” tab, the video size corresponds to the setting from the “Capture” tab, if you want to restore the original video size, apply “Pan and Zoom” to the video clip, select the “Pan and Zoom” option at 100%.

5.4 Effects

Before using effects from the library in your video, make sure you have the latest video driver installed.

5.5 Movie output (Share step)

To create an MPEG video file or DVD/VCD/SVCD compatible MPEG file:

Click the “Create Video File” button and select one of the video formats from the pop-up menu or leave the “Same as Project Setting” option (the same settings as in the project), the parameters of the output MPEG file will be the same as in the project. Or click “Create Video Fail” and select “Custom”, then you need to select the MPEG file and click the “Options” button and change the settings in the window that appears.

1. 6. DV-compatibility

6.1 Please make sure that the drivers for the DV IEEE-1394 card are installed correctly. Connect your DV camera to the DV connector using an IEEE-1394 cable. Turn on the power to your DV camera.

6.2 If you notice a large number of frames when capturing, make sure your computer meets the minimum requirements and try defragmenting your hard drive.

6.3 Some DV boards do not support PAL standard. Please refer to the device manual for more detailed information.

6.4 If you have difficulty recording video from your computer to your camera, please make sure that the minimum computer specifications (especially the hard drive) meet the required requirements.

6.5 To record or play back the finished video on your DV camera, you need to open the “Edit” or “Share” tab. Select a DV AVI clip from the library, then click “Export”. Follow the instructions to record or play the video.

6.6 While capturing video from the DV camera, please do not disconnect the power from it or turn it off.

6.7 Microsoft distinguishes two methods for storing DV video in AVI files: type-1 and type – 2. Ulead video Studio supports both. If you would like to learn more about these formats, please visit the website: www.microsoft.com

6.8 All capture cards support the so-called PAPI interface and will capture type-2 DV AVI, while IEEE-1394 cards can also capture video in type-1 DV AVI when using the DirectShow video capture driver.

1. 7. Possible problems

If you are having problems getting started using the program UleadVideoStudio refer to online help or this manual.

The video capture card does not support Quick Time files.

If you plan to use the created files not only on your computer, make sure that you use standard codecs for encoding, such as Cinepak, Indeo, MPEG. If you are using a hardware codec such as MJPEG, you may not be able to use it on another computer.

There may be some problems when playing Quick Time files. In such cases, change the security module in the Quick Time video settings (you can do this by clicking on the Quick Time icon in the control panel).

Some cameras (especially Panasonic models) have minor problems that prevent them from being recorded from a computer. With this problem VideoStudio may make short pauses while recording on the camera. Find the msdevctl.ini file in your programs folder, open the file in Notepad and change the following line (where 1 second = 1000):

RecordDelay=1000

Sizes supported by Hitachi cameras:

352 x 480 (NTSC)

704 x 480 (NTSC)

352 x 576 (PAL)

704 x 576 (PAL)

Conflict between MicroMV and BT878 video capture cards.

The conflict occurs when the drivers of both Sony MicroMV and BT878 cards are installed at the same time. Capture functionality will be lost for the driver that was installed last.

MPEG is not supported when Adobe Premiere 6.5 and Ulead Video Studio are installed on the same system.

The solution to the problem could be:

a) Reinstalling the Ulead Video Studio program

b) Copy all MPEG files from the folder C:\Program Files\Common Files\Ulead Systems\MPEG

in C:\WINNT\system

Also install the latest version of Direct X

After this, restart your computer.

Official software for EasyCAP USB 2.0 video capture device. These are drivers that are distributed on a disk included as standard with the device. They ensure recognition of the connected device and its correct functioning.

Installation and purpose

So, let’s imagine that you are the happy owner of EasyCAP, but that same “complete” CD is lost somewhere, and when you plug the device into the USB port, the computer does not react to it at all. In this case, you need to download and install software for it from the network. In general, writing drivers to optical discs is an extremely bad practice. Modern PCs and laptops often do not have a disk drive. Nowadays, files are exchanged via cloud storage, or, in extreme cases, via flash drives.

EasyCAP USB 2.0 drivers are installed completely automatically. The user only needs to click on the “Next” and “Install” buttons a couple of times. Upon completion of the installation, your computer will learn to recognize the video capture device, so when it is connected, the system should play a special notification sound. In general, it is recommended to install drivers before connecting the device. This software does not experience any compatibility problems. It works correctly both on the old Windows XP and on the latest (at the time of writing this review) Windows 10.

About the device itself

EasyCAP USB 2.0 is used to digitize cassettes played on VHS players. This is a small adapter that costs a couple of dollars, which at one end connects to tulip connectors (RCA), and the other to the USB port of a computer/laptop. Let us immediately note that digitizing cassettes requires not only the presence of an official driver, but also specialized programs. So if you don't have any, then turn to Google. In general, there are quite a lot of programs that perform similar operations, and some of them are completely free for non-commercial use.

Key Features

• serve for the correct operation of the EasyCAP USB 2.0 video capture device;
• compatible with all modern Windows systems;
• installed automatically;
• included in the standard delivery package of the device (on Mini-CD);
• do not provide tools for digitizing VHS tapes.