Analogue recording with HVR-4000

[qu1rk]

I have a HVR-4000, and recently wanted to capture some VHS tapes through the external input.
However, the card will only capture at 640x480, 30 fps.
The card also does this on all 5 terrestrial analogue channels.
Obviously, this is no good to me, I need 720x576 at 25 fps (like my old HVR-1300).
How do I achieve this ?

[sykkes]

i have a hvr 4000 too, and was just about started searching online looking for the best way to capture from a vhs to my pc. by the looks of things i'm gonna have to install my old pvr-250 if i want something decent, as the hvr series appears to be made with digital tv a priority. i was reading http://forum.videohelp.com/threads/303967-Best-VHS-capture-device but didn't find anything useful as of yet.

i was also thinking it might be better to get some kind of vhs->pc device, whereby you would connect some sort of usb connector directly to your pc and the other end should connect to an electronic box which connects directly to your vhs box's scart output. i don't know if such a device actually exists, but it's surely better than having to put up with a limit resolution via a hvr 4000...?

[alanhewitt]

I have a DAC200 which connects via the firewire pc connection. This would do exactly what you require but only works successfully with new tapes. as they strech frames are dropped. The device cost over £100 a few years ago. When i questioned why this happened I was told that I needed another piece of kit as well, this was going to cost as much again. My hvr1110 gave acceptable, ie watchable results with no dropped frames. Maybe no of the same overall quality but at least watchable.

[qu1rk]

Thanks very much for your helpful comments Sykkes.
My old HVR-1300 would capture analogue as PAL, and very nicely too.
The VHS → PC device you are describing is a USB/RF Modulator.

HAUPPAUGE: are you reading this ?
Since in the UK we use PAL equipment, I need to be able to capture analogue signals as PAL.
Why can't I do that with an HVR-4000 ?

[qu1rk]

Thanks for your comments alanhewitt.

Good to hear you are pleased with your HVR-1110.
Likewise, I was happy with my HVR-1300, and I can thoroughly recommend it to anyone who wishes to capture high quality analogue signals as PAL.

I just want to be able to do the same with my HVR-4000.

[Mr X]

I'll try and check this out tommorow for you. It should do 720x576 as far as I remember.

[sykkes]

qu1rk, when setting up your composite/s-video channel on the hvr4000 did you leave it at 'AUTO'? maybe ntsc was selected automatically for your os locale...try forcing it to PAL from the dropdown (delete the channels and then set them up again)

[qu1rk]

Mr X
Thanks very much for looking into this for me

[qu1rk]

>sykkes
Already tried this with both AUTO and by selecting PAL I.
Seems to make no difference mate.

[qu1rk]

Mr X

Have you tried analogue recording with an HVR-4000 yet ?
If so, what did you find ?

BTW, installed an HVR-1300 alongside my HVR-4000 to solve this temporarily - it captures fine at 720x576, 25 fps...

[subminiature]

I have used the S-video and composite video input on the 4000 and 3000 card. I get 720x576 25 fps. Since then there have been several versions in the WinTV software. I have a Canopus ADVC 300 which works better, but costs a lot more. I would not use UHF channel 30-36 and even in analogue video to video would always use at least composite video if there was no S-connector. If your video machine has no SCART or composite video output and you have more than a couple of tapes to do it is worth looking for a deck with SCART connector. These are sold for very little money and often given away as Freecycle (Yahoo Groups). Although the deck that made the original recordings is likely to be better at play back than even a new top quality Super VHS deck. I found very old tapes to have drop outs and the stereo tracks would flick to mono and click. Selecting mono solved that but it might revert when pausing the play back. Drop out and tape separation where the magnetic layer wants to separate from the backing is a real problem. Baking the tapes at 50C (check that as too hot and the plastics melt) works on some, but not others.

[Mr X]

What was your system SPEC? CPU / RAM?

[subminiature]

The 3000 records at 768x576 25 fps, the 4000 at 640x480 30 frames

I plugged the same Hi8 deck into both cards, using the same S-connector lead. The 4000 is failing to detect the PAL source.

Under the options for S-video the only option is auto - no PAL or NTSC settings.

[qu1rk]

What about my problem Mr X ?

As the HVR-1300 I latterly installed records correctly, my hardware, OS, and software load cannot be the problem.

So, will anyone at Hauppauge be looking into this ?

[Mr X]

What was your system SPEC? CPU / RAM?

What Spec is your system?


What about my problem Mr X ?

As the HVR-1300 I latterly installed records correctly, my hardware, OS, and software load cannot be the problem.

So, will anyone at Hauppauge be looking into this ?

[MT350]

I use a VHS/DVD combo and copy the VHS to a DVD then can pull that onto the PC. Maplin and others were doing a range of units Cassette, VHS, and Record to USB. I think there were about £50 each.
I do find it frustrating that as technology seems to advance it gets harder and harder to do the 'simple' things and costs an arm and a leg. I remember doing video capture and watched tv on a Pentum (yes 1 up from a 486DX2 400!!)

Hope you get a resolve.

[subminiature]

The 4000 card, which only records S-video at 640x480 is running Win7 64 bit, 3.2GHz Core 2 Duo with 4Gb RAM with the application on one 1Tb drive and data recording on another 1.5Tb drive.

[Mr X]

if you have a 64-bit PC with 4gb+ RAM then it does record at 640x480 as it sets this registry key:

HKLM\Software\Hauppauge\TVServer
AnalogResolutionMode=1

change to 0 and reboot but it may not work then. You could also try setting it to 2 if not.

0=highest, 1=640x480, 2=dont set use driver default

It was set this way because there were some issues at that particular resolution on the Analogue side of the HVR-4000 with 4Gb+

[qu1rk]

Mr X

Running Windows 7 Ultimate x64 with 16GB RAM installed.

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Hauppauge\ TVServer
AnalogResolutionMode=0

Cured it for me.
So thanks very much, appreciate your help.

[Mr X]

glad it worked, this issue was found quite a long time ago, so it may not still be an issue in the current driver. I'll revisit if this patch is needed by default or not.

[sam_2012]

sorry to revive an old thread, but I have the exact same problem

I'm in the UK and my system is Windows 7 Ultimate x64 with 4gig of memory with a HVR-4000 card installed

from the s video connection all I'm getting is 640x480 30 frames
I've also made sure the connection is set as UK Pal ( several times )


I tried the reg entry fix at the end of this thread, but had no luck with that.

"Quote Mr X"
HKLM\Software\Hauppauge\TVServer
AnalogResolutionMode=1

change to 0 and reboot but it may not work then. You could also try setting it to 2 if not.

I ended up actually following qu1rk's info as that where the reg file was on my system also
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Hauppauge\ TVServer
AnalogResolutionMode=0

but it didnt work for me.
when I changed the reg settings this is what I got

at 1. I was getting the expected 640x480 30fps ( it's original setting )
at 0, all I got was a no signal message pop up
at 2, I got 320x240 30fps

so is there any other workaround or patch I can use to record the s-video signal at 720x576 25fps

Thanks
Sam

[sam_2012]

Still no luck fixing this 640x480 instead of 720z576 problem and have run out of ideas

I've removed and reinstalled all the software and changed the reg entries in just about every combination to no effect

am open to any suggestions or help guys

Thanks in advance
Sam

[sam_2012]

Last bump for some help or suggestions before I have to pull the card and find another alternative

anyone ?

[qu1rk]

I only got the HVR-4000 to record PAL a couple of times, then I got 'no signal' every time too.
I got another card Sam.

[sam_2012]

I only got the HVR-4000 to record PAL a couple of times, then I got 'no signal' every time too.
I got another card Sam.


Sorry to hear you had no luck either qu1rk, but thanks for posting and letting me know.
sounds like I may have to do the same as you and try a different card

Thanks again