how to import analog video

[Guest]

I didn't think it would be this hard. Honest, I really did read the
instructions!

I just want to record clips of analog video (and audio) output from my DVD
player. If possible, I'd like to watch as I record. I'm using Windows Movie
Maker -- I guess that's the right thing to use, though I'm not sure.

I've also installed Camtasia Studio 3. When I try to "capture from video
device," Camtasia's video capture wizard comes up. I've tried exploring
around the interface but I can't make this work.

Please, throw me a few clues! What am I doing wrong?

Thanks in advance,

SNAT

 

[Cari \(MS-MVP\)]

Windows Movie Maker was never designed for analog video capture.

Camtasia's hardware and software should work... providing, of course, the
DVD(s) in question do not have copy protection on them.

 

[Guest]

It's me again, the original poster.

I should add that I'm using a relatively new Sony laptop, Pentium IV.
Instead of a video card, it has a multimedia chip that emulates a video card.
It seems to have input jacks for analog video and audio -- 1/8 inch mini
jacks over on the left side.

I see a soundbar in the Camtasia interface indicating analog audio is coming
in from the DVD player.

Thanks,

SNAT

:

 

[Guest]

I suggest you go here where the experts in video related stuff are:

http://www.doom9.org/

 

[Guest]

Windows Movie Maker was never designed for analog video capture.

Camtasia's hardware and software should work... providing, of course, the
DVD(s) in question do not have copy protection on them.

Thank you, Cari,

If I'm not mistaken, I'll need an external hardware device, such as "Dazzle"
or other similar products. If I had a desktop machine, I could install a
video capture card. I sort of figured this out after I posted my first
message.

I hoped that I could record the analog video by capturing the screen display
with Camtasia. That doesn't seem realistic, now.

Yes, I am trying to record clips from a copy-protected video, which I paid
for, for personal use. Nothing wrong with that...

It seems like the Windows Movie Maker documentation tries hard to avoid
mentioning that extra hardware is needed to import analog video. The
documentation goes on and on about a "video capture device" but never really
says what a video capture device is.

I suppose Micrsoft worries that users will record copyrighted analog video
from their DVD players and then make free DVDs for all their friends, or
distribute movies free on the Internet. Micrsoft is probably working with the
Motion Picture Association and other such groups to completely lock users out
of copyrighted content, even when the users' intentions are ethical and legal.

Thank goodness for third party manufacturers and software publishers!

Cheers,


SNAT

 

[Guest]

I suggest you go here where the experts in video related stuff are:

http://www.doom9.org/

That's helpful, though the information about the necessity of a non-standard
hardware capture device is still a bit vague. That's obvious to the authors,
but not to newbies.

It's possible to hijack the internal audio stream, at least on a Macintosh,
without extra hardware. I thought that might be possible with video, also,
but I guess it's not.

Thanks for your help.

SNAT

 

[Kenneth J. Harris]

Go to forum at: > http://www.cdfreaks.com/
and visit these public newsgroups: alt.video.dvr, alt.video.dvdauthoring

Ken

 

[INQUIRING MIND]

Windows Movie Maker was never designed for analog video capture.

Camtasia's hardware and software should work... providing, of course, the
DVD(s) in question do not have copy protection on them.

 

[INQUIRING MIND]

I BOUGHT A MEDIA HOME ENTERTAINMENT COMPUTER (hp) IN 2005. I JUST RECENTLY
(YESTERDAY) I RECEIVED A COMPUTER THAT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE OF EQUAL OR GREATER
IN PERFORMANCE BECAUSE THE FIRST COMPUTER WAS JUNKED OUT AS A LEMON FOR
CONTINUOUS HARDWARE FAILURES. BUT WHEN WHEN I HAD THE FIRST COOMPUTER IT
RECORDED VIDEO ANALOG FROM MY VCR IN WINDOWS MOVIE MAKER. I JUST CLICKED ON
CAPTURE VIDEO AND MY HAUPAGE VIDEO CAPTURE DEVICE WAS LISTED AS AN OPTION.
(MY OPERATING SYSTEM WAS WINDOWS XP HOME). THIS NEW COMPUTER DOES NOT GIVE ME
THE OPTION OF RECORDING ANALOG FROM WINDOWS MOVIE MAKER. ONLY DIGITAL CAPTURE
IS AN OPTION. WHATS UP WITH THAT? ONE MORE THING. MY NEW COMPUTER SYSTEM IS
WINDOWS VISTA.