Hauppauge WinTV-PVR-250 (Model 980) question

[kilovolt3]

I need to capture some video from an 8mm tape on a camcorder. I have heard good things about the PVR-250.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16815116602

I was wondering how you capture the audio/video from the tape when using the PVR-250. My camcorder has the yellow video out and the white audio out, that's it. Is there an adapter that I need to connect to the [s-video in] and [line in] ports from my camcorder?

 

[Gamingphreek]

First off the 250 is older than the 150. The 150 is cheaper and newer, therefore i would recommend that.

As for your camcorder, i dont believe any of the Haupaugge cards support RCA/Component Inputs. Therefore you would need to connect to a TV and then use the TV's ports to connect it. Crude way of doing it but it works.

The other way would be to use the TV out feature on a Video Card, and/or get an RCA -> SVIDEO adapter.

-Kevin

 

[kilovolt3]

What is the main difference between the 150 and the 250? There must be a reason why one is more expensive.

My TV doesn't have video outputs, so I can't use that option.

I found an RCA to S-Video adapter:

http://www.svideo.com/rcatosvideo.html

Do they make RCA audio adapters to connect to the line in for the audio? I am having trouble finding anything.

 

[Matthias99]

Originally posted by: kilovolt3
What is the main difference between the 150 and the 250? There must be a reason why one is more expensive.

The 150 is newer and cheaper. It uses a newer encoder chip that is cheaper to produce, which is why it costs less. There is little reason to buy the 250 right now.

My TV doesn't have video outputs, so I can't use that option.

I'm not sure why Kevin suggested running the video through the TV (which makes no sense at all). You could go through a VCR like that, but not a TV.

I found an RCA to S-Video adapter:

http://www.svideo.com/rcatosvideo.html

Do they make RCA audio adapters to connect to the line in for the audio? I am having trouble finding anything.

Um, the 250 and 150 have both S-Video and RCA video in. You don't need any adapters.

And yes, they make RCA->minijack audio adapters. You can get them at Radio Shack (or most places that sell audio equipment). Also, the PVR-150MCE has RCA audio inputs, so you wouldn't need the adapter cables. But the MCE versions don't come with software.

Also, if all you want to do is video capture, the PVR cards are overkill. You can get a cheap software tuner card and do the capture with that. Hardware encoders are nice for an HTPC, since they don't use much CPU power while capturing, but they don't really work any better than a software encoder chip in terms of output quality.

 

[kilovolt3]

Thanks. I think I will get the PVR 150. I plan on using it later for recording TV shows too.

 

[kilovolt3]

Is the audio in jack a mono or a stereo jack or can it be both?

I found two different kinds of RCA to mini jack adapters at Radio Shack. One is mono:

http://www.radioshack.com/product/index...32058&kw=rca+adapter&parentPage=search

The other is stereo:

http://www.radioshack.com/product/index...32058&kw=rca+adapter&parentPage=search

Which should I get? Will these adapters work if I only use one of the connections? I want to have the option of using two if I ever need them both.