I KNOW I have done this before, but now it seems impossible for me to run old VHS tapes into my PC.
Previously, I had connected a VCR through a digital camcorder (Panasonic PV-DV200) into my PC (HP Media Center). I opened Studio DV, selected "capture", and was able to capture the running VHS tape, through the camcorder, on to my computer. For some unknown reason, this does not seem to be working for me now. I can, however, import any new video shot with my camcorder; not old VHS tapes.
Since this did not seem to work, I tried taping the old VHS tape onto a blank tape in my camcorder. I inserted the recorded tape into the VCR, put a blank tape in the camcorder. I pushed "play" on the VCR, and "Record" on the camcorder. The two devices were connected via an S-Video cable. NOTHING!!
I tested the S-Video cable by running the VCR to the TV and the camcorder to the TV. Both worked.
Apparently there is some issue between the camera and the VCR (I tried more than one VCR).
Having read the article on how to convert VHS tape to digital through the S-Video on the video capture card, I am now going to buy a longer cord to reach from the VCR to the back of my computer to the video capture card. I am under the gun to get a video done by 6/7 that includes stills and clips from old tapes.
However, I still am trying to figure out WHY I cannot run the tapes through the VCR via the camcorder to the PC.
There is no help on the Panasonic site. I have read the manual a number of times, and have not gotten a clue.
Any thoughts?
The most important question I have at the moment is whether or not you're talking about home movies or commercial VHS tapes. If the tapes are commercial, you may be running into a copy-guard issue.
Also, have you tried capturing the video using a different software package? Give Windows Movie Maker a try and see if that works.
These are 20 year old home movie VHS tapes.
I bought the longer S-Video cord and connected my digital VCR machine to my video capture card via S-Video on each side. Of course, Studio DV did not recognize it, but I used Win DVD Creator to import the home movie, used a third party converter to convert the clips to .avi, and then I was able to import to Studio!
Now I know I can get what I need, but the question that still plagues me is WHY can't I tape a home VHS tape onto a blank camcorder tape? Why can't I run a home VHS tape through a digital camcorder into my PC?
I will try it with Windows Movie Maker.
Yikes!