I am not sure if this is the proper place for this but here we go.

I would like to take some scene from a vhs tape, put them on dv via my GL-2 and then log that footage and work with it in Vegas. Can I and, how is the easiest way to do this w/ my GL-2.


Thank you in advance for your replies.

Bradley

Hi Bradley,

You simply need to put your GL2 in VCR mode and select 'VCR set-up and DV OUT: ON' in the menu. Then, connect the 1/8 to RCA cables to the RCA output of your VCR (I mean the VHS player this time...). Press 'play' on the VCR and then capture the signal into your NLE. You might want to use the S-Video cable for a better signal but RCA should do fine.

Phil

Phil,

Thank you very much. I knew it would be relativley simple. Is that in the manual? I lent my manual to a friend but never asked him to look for me! Thank you again,

Bradley.

Yes, it's in the manual. See page 103, "Digitally Outputting Analog Video and Audio Signals (A-D Converter).

If using Vegas, you'll also need to change 2 of the CAPTURE settings in the Capture software:

#1 - Options > Preferences > General > UNCHECK "Enable DV Device Control" - you don;t want Vegas thinking it can control a "stream"!

#2 - Options > Preferences > Capture > UNCHECK "Enable DV Scene detection" - You don't want Vegas thinking it can detect scene/time+date changes of a converted stream of VHS, even though it IS a DV stream! Otherwise it WILL attempt to do so!

G

Be aware that if the VHS tape is copy protected (e.g., macrovision) you probably will not be able to run it through the analog inputs of the GL.

Better option: Save the step through the GL-2 and get a hardware box.

When I was looking to transfer over all my old VHS tapes, I researched and bought a Plextor M-402 USB2 converter. They run $100-150 and the newer ones can be used as a TIVO-type recorder too. They have built-in MPEG hardware so the files can be saves as avis or mpegs directly. Then I just opened them in Vegas for editing and burned my discs with DVDArchitect.

http://www.plextor.com/english/products/M402U.htm

Worked brilliantly....

Thanks guys,

Graham made it simple. Thanks for all of the other advice. I will not do this sort of thing again. It was a favor for a friend that had only one VHS tape, and wanted it to "live on". So I said I would try to help.

See what you get for trying to be nice people.! I guess I got to meet other nice people like you all!

Cheers! (As Graham would say!)

Bradley

Tim - How do you like the Plextor device?
I see Tigert Direct has reconditioned units for about $50 after rebate.

Well I wouldn't have posted the suggestion if I didn't like it!
:-))

It works great (although the bundled video editing software was crashing garbage - I switched over to Sony Vegas Studio and had zero problems after that. The capture utility they have is great tho.) Just make sure you use it on a USB2 plug, as USB1 wont work.

I copied over all my old VHS tapes to mpeg and put them on all on DVD. Made the wife VERY happy to have all the old baby tapes archived and safe!

Now that I've got a digital GL-2 I probably won't get too much use out of it, but I don't regret spending every penny on it.