Best video grab program?

[cd637299]

Hi

My TV DX has been great so far this year, but there's a catch....

I discarded my old Snappy months ago, when I found that even though I had a gadget that converted a 25-pin cable to USB (since I bought a laptop), it required a CD-ROM, & the guy at the store did not tell me that.

I have no qualms about the Win TV HVR 950 for watching TV or DX (especially DTV).....but.....grabbing video (running F-cable from VCR to the WinTV port( is like catching a frog with greased hands......the picture rolls way too wildly, not to mention quite a loss of signal upon playback. The Snappy of course lost a *lil* signal, but not like this thing.

Those pix I send, especially ch 2....I go over & over & over, frame by frame, until I get it right. I know for sure that my Caracol 2 catch was in color originally & much better than what I displayed (that was the BEST I could get)....

Can anyone recommend a better video grab program? Should I go to eBay & sheepishly get another Snappy? <shrug>

cd

[Scott-OKC]

cd,
I'd like to offer a little help...if I could...because of all the help and advice you've been kind enough to give me lately. I just use my old hand-me-down 1 megapixel digital camera until I can figure out a better way. I do have some sort of video card(s) in my computer, don't recall what they are, and signal strength does decrease from what external tuner shows...so...until later...I'll forget about using them. Sorry couldn't be of more help. Hopefully, some others will post 'casue I'm anxious to know also.
Regards, Scott.

[cd637299]

Hi Scott, actually I do have a nice digital camera, with sound & motion too....here's the problem-----these DX sessions are all outdoors, and the glare on the TV causes a problem. Even when there is no glare, I point the cam @ the TV & get a dark bar across the screen.

When I partially close the hatch (which is tinted), then when I try to take a pic, it makes a "geyser effect" on the screen.

A co-worker tonight showed me a 4" x 4" vinyl tint sheet....I'd love to get a 9" x 9" one and lay it on the screen and try it that way (does anybody remember Winky Dink? ha ha) I could cut it to screen size with a razor blade.

I also have a traditional 35mm camera, and I know that ASA 100 film generally works (another DXer told me that long ago), but the last pics I took were too fuzzy.

Thanks for the info. Believe me, a live snap is what I want....it may take days or weeks to have developed, but it'll be worth it.

cd

[Scott-OKC]

A couple more thoughts, thought maybe you'd be running tape during your outdoor sessions which would allow you to snap photos inside, later. Another thought, the problem I have w/my digital camera is that the shutter delay is soooo long. I think the newer digital cams are a little better, but still they have this delay...
Regards, Scott

[dlp85x]

Hey Chris, you mentioned that you use an F-type cable to hook up the signal to your WinTV card, so I assume you mean a coaxial cable. Does your WinTV card have RCA inputs? Try those. It should get rid of the 'rolling screen' problem, and make the signal look better too.

[cd637299]

Sorry, no it doesn't. However....I have RCA jacks on my Funai TV, but that's only input.

cd

[cd637299]

For now, my best bet would be, upon return home, to play it back on the same TV & snap the picture. I have tested 3 or 4 VCRs here, and all have a different characteristic.

The WInTV grabs are so that I can post them ASAP.

cd

[Scott-OKC]

Well, what conclusion have we reached, what's the best video grab program?
For me, I guess I don't really use one...yet. Still trying to learn the basics.

Regards, Scott

[cd637299]

Well guess what? I have been cleaning this house, because my brother & his family plan to move in about 3 months & they need one of my rooms to store stuff.....so......

Was cleaning my boxes.....lo and behold, I did NOT chuck my Snappy! I still have it, and, I have a 25-pin-to-USB cable....however I still need a proper CD ROM apparently, and will need to download possibly another driver. There's a good site outta South Africa in which these are available. I may need to e-mail them on what I need to get.

I feel the ol' Snappy beats the new Win hands-down, of course only for analog. We shall see what happens.... :D

cd

[Danny]

Christopher, I'm glad you found the Snappy. You made a lot of nice grabs with it over the years.

As for the bar in the photos, you may already know this, but that has to do with shutter speed. I know very little about digital cameras. However, the shutter speed for shooting DX with an old fashioned camera is 15-30.

The best film for DX photos is 400. The 100 doesn't work as well.

Danny

[cd637299]

Well YMMV, but I have tried both.....it was the 100 which always did the trick for me. However, I have had fuzzy pictures AND sharp ones using 100....so it could be the brand of film I was using.

cd

[Danny]

I was obviously wrong. Different cameras probably work best with different film. I must say, however, that our old Canon AE1 35mm camera made good DX pictures.

Danny