WhatWare?

digitizing analog video

In this blog post I'll be going over how I digitize analog video using a WinTV card, from multiple sources including VHS tapes and game systems.

required equipment

• Video source (VHS tapes and VCR, game console, etc)
  • When recording VHS tapes, I use a high quality JVC VCR, but then pass the video through a cheap Funai VCR/DVD recorder combo deck as it has a built in time-base corrector (TBC)
• RCA cables
• Optional - Digital TBC (time-base corrector, you can either use a standalone one, or pass the video through a DVD recorder/VCR combo deck)
• Windows PC
  • I would have liked to use Linux, but sadly the state of recording video on Linux is quite sad at the moment
• Recording software (WinTV software, OBS, etc)
• VLC media player to view finished videos
• Capture device - I use a WinTV card

hardware setup

1. Ensure your analog source is properly outputting video by connecting it to a TV or monitor
2. Connect the source to the time-base corrector with RCA cables (optional)
3. Install the capture device into the PC
4. Connect the output of the TBC to the input of the capture device, or if not using a TBC, connect the source directly
5. If your TBC has a second output, it may be helpful to connect that to a second monitor for testing and/or lower-latency viewing as capture devices often have significant latency

software setup

1. Install VLC media player as well as the capture software of your preference
   • If you're using a WinTV card, the WinTV software is recommended as it properly configures deinterlacing of the output of the card
2. Configure your software to record from your card
   • if you're using the WinTV software, you can right click on the main screen of the program, click on Settings, and go to the channel setup, where you can select S-video and/or composite
3. Configure the software to record in the highest quality. WinTV software records in MPEG-2, so the highest quality available should be a little higher than DVD quality.
4. Make a test recording using a source you would like to record, and play it back in VLC.
   • If your video appears shaky, you may need to use a TBC.
   • If your video does not have correct colors, you may have selected the wrong video format. The standard video format in the USA is NTSC.
   • If your video appears blurrier than you would expect, you may need to change the resolution. The recommended resolution is 720x480 (anamorphic).

conclusion

This guide should be the easiest way to record high-quality composite capture in a digital format. The WinTV cards generally offer the easiest way to record high-quality analog video, and the software takes all the hassle in configuring for the best quality possible.

One issue that you may encounter is that the WinTV software records in MPEG-2. While this is a standard video format, many programs do not support it, so you may want to convert to another format. HandBrake is one of the best pieces of software to do this, and it's free and open-source.