Using OBS to Capture Videotapes with a USB Capture Device on Windows

[@cryptomaniac2]

I appreciate you giving the "If you're going to make it into a DVD, use these settings." tips in this tutorial.

[@fft2020]

your video is a work of art ! I had so many headaches with the bloody resolutions and sources and outputs... THANK YOU FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART !

[@ladysaedie3468]

First, thank you, thank you, thank you. There is no way I could've got all those settings by myself. I am deeply indebted. I am digitising family video tapes for my mother (she's 87) and I know she'll be over the moon. Thank you.

[@gibson724]

I went on a deep dive trying to find the right settings. Yours is literally the most useful one thanks bud.

[@angelachristopher9592]

Agree! the most useful video out there!

[@henryfardell7842]

What a fantastic teaching video! Thank you so very much! I found that having a second screen working enabled me to pause the teaching while trying out the OBS software on the second screen.

[@JLees_96]

Thanks Tim, really appreciate the video. I have used it to convert my parents old VHS tapes to hopefully bring back some good memories

[@TheDrut666]

This would save me so much time, I have been recording from a vhs into a hdd recorder then transferring it to dvd , putting dvd into laptop and laptop doesn’t recognise the format and won’t play it. I have now downloaded the OBS program and am ordering the device you use in this tutorial. Thank you very much for producing such a perfect lesson.

[@roncurry2891]

Want to thank you for your video setting up OSB for recording. Followed your settings and worked the first time. Wish I had found your channel before spending hours with other channels.

[@OhDaddy2011]

Hey Tim, you are a great Instructor. with your Help I was able to get my system up and running in a very short time. thanks

[@chrisdonahue5309]

"Resize Overscan Area"...... I've been trying to figure out how to do this forever!!! Thanks so much!

[@Allan-]

One of the best tutorials, Ive seen on OBS and a suitable Video card. Ive just ordered one of the StarTech adapters and looking forward to doing some transferring.

[@tomschmidt381]

I'm late to the party, your guide was a great help selecting the myriad of options in OBS. As an aside I had problems getting OBS to recognize the video source.. I am using a HDMI upscaler and a HDMI to USB converter. It turned out many moons ago I had disable the camera option on my desktop, as it does not have a built in camera. Reenabling the camera for OBS resolved the problem.

[@prayash]

Thanks for the perfect walkthrough! Was able to mimic these settings (with some slight variations) to extract footage from my old Sony DCR-SR42 Camcorder.

[@justdesi86]

Thank you for this! I wouldn't have gotten it set up without your help. Currently capturing. Now let's just hope everything's fine with the captured file.

[@markmarz]

What an excellent tutorial! Well done, thank you!

[@MichaelWongW]

Tim, you saved me so much time! I was able to get this up and capturing quickly. Appreciate it. :)

[@geraldoakley7688]

Just used this video to get myself sorted and it all works so Thanks for the great video and easy to follow directions and instructions.

[@anthonyb.269]

Thank you so much!!! I had to digitize some tapes for my job and I used the default software it came with which simply was just atrocious (would randomly stop recording and had no option to prevent upscaling or aspect ratio and absolutely no audio adjustments) but OBS has been wonderful. Much appreciated.

[@bigvancrush]

Dear Mr. Ford this is a great guide!

[@MaxTaverna]

EXCELLENT! Thank you VERY much! Even using PAL the tutorial was thorough and free from useless hype. Bravo!

[@kurtisca]

Awesome, video - Very specific and just what I was looking for. Thanks for sharing!!

[@michaelchittock]

Would not have had a clue without this - thanks so much

[@timfordphoto]

NOTE: FOR PAL RECORDINGS - In the Settings menu in OBS, click on the “Video” tab and type in "720X576" as the "Base (Canvas) Resolution". In your device capture settings, change the "Resolution" setting to "720X576" and change the FPS setting to 25. IF YOU ARE NOT GETTING ANY AUDIO (NTSC AND PAL) - check the following settings in Windows: Make sure your privacy settings are configured properly. Select Start > Settings > Privacy & security. Under App permissions, select Microphone. Make sure that the Microphone access and Let apps access your microphone toggles are turned On. Lastly, scroll down under Let apps access your microphone and make sure that the toggle next to OBS is turned on.

[@StilltheOneTCF]

60fps for my computer

[@JackieShroffFan]

Hi Tim , thank you for the tutorial . I still can't get the audio to work.

[@timfordphoto]

​@@JackieShroffFanWhich capture device are you using?

[@TTVEaGMXde]

OBS cannot output interlaced SD video👎

[@busy905]

i can hear audio but i can't see the video, how can i fix it? (PAL) I cant open the crossbar settings for some reason

[@kotezstudio]

Mr Tim Ford, thank you. what a legend

[@sensesproduction8456]

Great work, Much info from you well vested and educated. Keep it up.

[@aaprods]

Excellent. Just excellent. If I could slip you a donation I would. Clear, concise, no BS. Well done.

[@lambornfamilyvideos]

YOU'RE A HERO sorry my caps lock was on but you deserve a shout!

[@KamranDodhy]

Thanks buddy. Your video was super helpful for me to start going.

[@KorbalKludgeWise]

I'm getting green bars that flicker on my screen how do I fix this problem?

[@timfordphoto]

Which USB capture device are you using?

[@gavsmith1980]

Very useful video, taken me hours tweaking various settings and there's no way I'd have stumbled on that combination any time soon! One thing I did find, bearing in mind I'm using a different USB device which probably doesn't capture whole frames like yours does, plus I'm using PAL, I found it's better to set your FPS to double the standard, since setting mine to normal PAL (25) resulted in a capture of only half the frames, because each frame was being sent interleaved, ie, two scans per frame, requiring a capture of 50 FPS, then the recording played 25fps smoothly, albeit with one new frame and one repeated frame due to being a 50fps recording, but if I didnt set it that way, I was only getting 12.5 FPS recordings, and with terrible resolution, presumably cos it was only half as many discrete pixels vertically per frame captured. My Video settings in OBS are Base resolution 720x576 Output Resolution 768x576 FPS 50 PAL The reason for the different base & output resolutions is that old cathode ray TVs had the equivalent of slightly rectangular pixels, so if you want to make the same pixelated image look the same aspect ratio on a modern video screen, you have to stretch the pixels a bit.

[@timfordphoto]

I wonder if it is your capture device causing issues. Even without deinterlacing, the video playback on recorded files should be 25 fps without any issues with choppiness. I usually recommend doubling the frame rate after you've recorded your initial file if you are doing more advanced deinterlacing (using a tool like AVISynth, for example), but with a more "all in one" solution like the one I teach in the tutorial, there shouldn't be an issue with choppy playback. But, if doubling the framerate worked for you with the capture device you are using, great! Which capture device is it that you are using if you don't mind me asking?

[@alexslusher16]

@@timfordphoto A few questions. 1: Why 720x480? Why not 640x480? 2: Why 29.97 FPS? Isn't all media shot at 24 FPS?

[@timfordphoto]

@@alexslusher16 720x480 and 29.97 fps are industry standards for digitizing standard definition NTSC video. 24 fps is generally used for film production.

[@allanchalmers9359]

Fantastic well presented and easy to follow thank you so much for the share

[@steeliewheelies]

thanks so much, going to have a lot of fun creating visual art

[@mawelsh]

Thanks for the recommendation on the capture device from StarTech. I returned a junky one that used default driver vs their own. Huge quality difference.

[@nathalievancutsem4035]

Thank you so much for this !!! Very very clear and helpfull

[@Wrestlelesson]

I followed the steps after buying a new computer where OBS didn't picked up the signal of my new PC this video saved me for continue my VHS record tapes thank you verry much well done 👍🏽

[@tobroken1965]

Thank you, this is more help than OBSs tutorial.

[@phildxyz]

Brilliant - this made it so clear and I got there first time!

[@RodrigoSilva-tp9ux]

straight to the point, TY sir.

[@genericguy5783]

I Convert MP4 files to VHS And digitize them for Retro VHS content. I use PAL also and i selected mono because my VCR is Older, This Tutorial Helped me Setting up my Startech Capture card Thank you!

[@chuckcelano5605]

Trying to record audio from my capture card from a vhs tape

[@georgepistikoudis]

its a great video, with all the necessary information. Thank you for sharing!

[@markthompson1713]

Thanks, The video was a great help. First time user of OBS. Thanks again.

[@PlanetEarthTeam]

Thank you for this 'how to' video. Big help!

[@theredneckgeordie]

Brilliant presentation and educational!

[@funkydmunky1]

Wow! Great job dude. You helped me out so much. Thanks for your time and effort it is appreciated.

[@vidsinthecloud]

Excellent tutorial. So helpful. Thank you.

[@DaveAMcLaughlin]

Great video, thank you, TIM 👍

[@kasetflix]

Many many thanks! It's like a lesson at all. I found answers of all my questions. Cheers! :)

[@Azam_Pakistan]

Wonderful video.

[@Creepazoid]

YOU JUST SAVED MY LIFE THANK YOU

[@AlexSalikan]

At 9:30 it only gives me "Video Proc Amp" and "Camera Control" tabs, is that because I'm using a cheap Redgo device? My videos are coming out in black and white with occasional color.

[@timfordphoto]

Probably, yeah. There are so many of those capture devices out there. I tested three of them and liked the StarTech.com one the best because it played well with OBS and captured audio in stereo.

[@AlexSalikan]

Any idea how to get the color working? Everything else is set to your recommendations. The tapes work in color on a TV, just not in OBS.

[@timfordphoto]

@@AlexSalikan Hard to say without having the device to play around with, but you could close OBS, then open the Windows "Camera" app (just type in "camera" after hitting the Windows key on your keyboard) and see if Windows recognizes the device as a camera. You'll see a little icon in the top right that lets you switch from your webcam to the capture device if Windows sees it. I'm assuming you have a webcam. If not, Windows might just automatically recognize the device as the default "camera." If the device is working in there, see if the signal is showing up as being in full color. If not, the device itself might have issues.

[@AlexSalikan]

@@timfordphoto Yeah, it’s still in black and white when I do that. Is there anything I can do to fix this device, or is it garbage?

[@timfordphoto]

@@AlexSalikan Doesn't sound very promising. You could try a couple more things - try a different USB port, or try deleting the device from the Windows Device Manager, then have Windows re-install it. You could also maybe try a different playback device just to see if it's an issue with your VCR (or whatever you are using to playback the content). I think it's an issue with the device though, honestly.

[@gashtape]

tim youre an absolute legend! thank you so much!

[@SteveMassine]

Thanks for this useful video. It was very well done, with complete and accurate instructions. One thing I encountered at about the 9:15 time marker when you clicked on "Configure Video". In my case, the dialog box has the VCR Input greyed out. I cannot click to check this box. Any ideas why?

[@timfordphoto]

Which USB adapter are you using?

[@SteveMassine]

@@timfordphoto It's a VGB100 from August International. It works on Windows 10 with the Honestech VHS to DVD software they sent. I don't believe they've updated their drivers in quite awhile.

[@timfordphoto]

Yeah, that's the issue then. Not all of these USB capture devices work the same way. As long as everything else works though you should be fine.

[@SteveMassine]

@@timfordphoto I'm able to record video, but presently I'm not getting audio.

[@timfordphoto]

Can you look at your Microphone settings and make sure that Microphone access is turned on, as well as "let apps access your microphone"? I know your input isn't technically a microphone but Windows often doesn't know the difference.

[@Redvox57]

Genuinely wonderful, i dont think ive ever had a better video tutorial than this, got everything mostly working, however for some reason it refuses to read audio, video is fine, but no audio, nor does it pickup in obs EDIT: found out why, in my microphone settings it was disabled to be able to be used for desktop apps. That fixed it instantly

[@ilovealbundy]

Great instructions, thank you very much! 👍

[@borderbreakers9635]

I'm using a Easy Cap USB 2.0 to capture Pal VCR and I have an issue with the audio. With music recording - Its' picking up the singing but not the music. It's like some kind of noise suppression. The configure Crossbar does nothing and the Configure Video brings up greyed out options which can't be changed.

[@ginger4368]

I appreciate your step-by-step directions. I was using OBS to transfer from my camcorder hi8 to my computer but I needed to understand how to set up and use OBS settings and this was absolutely perfect! Thank you for posting this very helpful guided tutorial. 🙌

[@Nysoupla]

Still good today!!! Wonderful job.

[@mplarkvideo]

In your very helpful video, you set 720x480 / 720x540, the latter for "square pixels." The entire resolution thing, and overscan, are very confusing. Have you considered making a tutorial that explains just that? I've been operating under the assumption that my Hi8 camcorder puts out a 4:3, ratio, but the final result cuts a bit off each side. 720x480 might fix that. I'll try it. As for final product, we'll be sharing the output files for viewing on _whatever_ and our primary concern is archiving the videotapes. So 720x480 / 720x540 is good general purpose setting?

[@timfordphoto]

Good idea on a video explaining resolution and overscan. Overscan literally varies from tape to tape depending on the source, so it can be confusing. You can handle it either by cropping it out during the capture process, or you can crop it out later if you plan to do any video editing. 720x480 is a 4:3, non square pixel aspect ratio that is intended to be viewed on older standard definition equipment, which nowadays most people no longer have - the result being that the captured video looks a bit stretched out when viewed on a modern device. If you are capturing your tapes with the intent being to be able to watch them on any type of modern device (even an HD TV), then 720x540 is the way to go in order for them to display with a correct aspect ratio. The only time I'd stick with 720x480 is if you plan to either burn the files to a DVD (for use in a DVD player) or if you want a more "pure" source that you are going to be performing further video editing on at a later time. If you plan to do some video editing in a tool like Premiere, you can do your aspect ratio adjustment and cropping in the software rather than during the capture process. I put this tutorial together as more of a "one stop shop" kind of solution, but you might consider keeping the files at 720x480 for archival purposes if you have access to video editing software. I also have a written tutorial on lossless capture using OBS on my website if that's something you might be interested in. The resulting files using that method are pretty massive though. Hope this helps.

[@mplarkvideo]

@@timfordphoto Thank you for replying. I tried the 720x480 / 720x540 setting and it looks like what I got was that many pixels carved out of the full 1920x?? available pixels in the monitor area of OBS -- I probably sound like a clueless idiot here -- and only a portion of the image from the Hi8 camera. I'm using the ClearClick Video2USB capture device, FWIW. I'm a pretty savvy computer user, photo editor, photographer, but this has me stymied.

[@mplarkvideo]

@@timfordphoto Also, I've noticed the stretched-out that you mentioned in the output...

[@timfordphoto]

Is this the device you are using? amzn.to/46RpSUM If so, it looks like it's trying to upscale your video to a 1080p resolution, which would explain the somewhat strange results you are getting in OBS. Are there any settings you can change on the device?

[@mplarkvideo]

Yes, that's the device. Looks like it wants to give me 1440x960, or 720x480 x2. What output ratio would I select with that to get square pixels?@@timfordphoto

[@ObiWanBillKenobi]

Speaking for recording to a computer video file, to get the full 60 fps that the VHS is providing, you need to set the framerate to 59.94, not 29.97. I also use a canvas and recording resolution of 1440x1080.

[@timfordphoto]

Interlaced NTSC video is 29.97 fps. There are methods to deinterlace the video into a 59.94 fps clip, but that's not the purpose of my video. 1440x1080 is upscaling of the video, which I generally do in post processing. I tried to keep this tutorial as simple as possible and not introduce concepts that were too advanced for most folks.

[@ObiWanBillKenobi]

@@timfordphoto I see. Thanks for the video! It taught me some settings I did not know before, like the rate, control bitrate, and tune.

[@PedroChehoud]

Thank you bro, u are legit!! I am using a VCR in a DVD Recorder, DVD is using composite to hdmi, then a hdmi capture card then OBS

[@ErinHouselander]

Thank you Tim for this instructional video. I have an issue as well, but not sure if it's a video setting or something wrong with the cord or machine? When I play my PAL VHS into a Mac computer via the Easier CAP converter using OBS program there is red and green banding across the screen along with the image jumping/left and right. I followed the deinterlacing steps and various settings but nothing fixes it. I've plugged the VHS player straight into the TV and the playback is fine. Only once I plug into the computer and playback with the Easier CAP converter this issue arrises. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

[@timfordphoto]

Unfortunately I don't have a Mac or the EasyCap device. Did the EasyCap device come with any software you can use to at least verify that it's working correctly? It's possible that it's not compatible with OBS, I had that happen with a Diamond Multimedia capture device on Windows. OBS just didn't like it for some reason.

[@jst19600]

Great video explaining initial settings.My issue is when i open my mp4 file saved on my computer there is no audio.Ive double checked all my windows settings and they are good.Any ideas?

[@timfordphoto]

Do you see levels moving in OBS when you are recording?

[@miecionoz]

Is there a way to setup a horizontal and vertical position of the input. I'm trying to record picture from an analog device via VGA (my setup is a VGA to HDMI adaprer whitch is connected to an HDMI capture dongle) the picture I get is of center in the horisontal position

[@peepeepoo419]

sir I’m using this video capture thru my hi8 handycam, but why’s mine has no colors? the output in OBS just black and white, but in my handycam screen it’s has colors, and I’m using S-Video (Sony CCD TRV98E) hope you reply this!

[@timfordphoto]

Which USB adapter are you using to digitize from your camera?

[@peepeepoo419]

@@timfordphoto It’s solved by asking my local, it seems like S-Video only convert black and white thru my easycap, and then I bought a/v out and it works!

[@LifeWithLeggs]

What settings for Hi-8 cassette transfer?

[@timfordphoto]

Hi-8 is NTSC (can also be PAL) so the settings are the same as they are for VHS.

[@thejaredev]

So far I been recording my Videotapes and followed your steps with the DVD settings. I am having a problem where the audio just stops recording in the middle of recording. The video capture is all there but not all audio. Help please? 😊

[@timfordphoto]

Which USB adapter are you using?

[@vangoghoff5521]

A big THANK YOU!! TIM :)

[@chuckcelano5605]

Hey I have a question. I’ve been able to record audio from my vhs to my laptop using obs and now for some reason the audio is picking up all the noise in the living room and in the background but not from my vcr which is connected by a video capture card to my laptop. How do I just capture audio from my capture card and not background audio?

[@timfordphoto]

Go to "Settings" and then choose "Audio" from the list of options on the left. In the Audio options, under "Global Audio Devices", click on the dropdown for "Desktop Audio" and select "Disabled". Do the same for "Desktop Audio 2" if it's listed. Alternately, if "Desktop Audio" is shown in your Audio Mixer (in the main interface) just drag the level slider all the way to the left. You should only have one input device showing levels in your Audio Mixer when digitizing from a VHS tape.

[@chuckcelano5605]

@@timfordphoto thank you! And should the mic auxiliary be clicked under global audio or the usb link?

[@timfordphoto]

@@chuckcelano5605 Mic/Auxiliary audio should be disabled. I'm not sure what you mean by USB link though.

[@zoemorn]

6:03 i cant get my base or scaled resolution to be anything but 16:9 resolution, no options for a 4:3 resolution

[@zoemorn]

doh.. have to type it in, i didnt have audio on the first time viewing ha. thanks

[@michaelsih2490]

Thanks for the great video Tim. I am still getting a stuttering in the bottom third of the screen of my recording/playback. Any other settings that I should be checking or setting besides what you mentioned in your video? Thanks.

[@timfordphoto]

Very strange. Which adapter are you using?

[@michaelsih2490]

@@timfordphoto Roxio Video Capture USB. It seems to work fine in the Roxio software but the recording is not as sharp.

[@timfordphoto]

I haven't used that adapter. Maybe there's a compatibility issue between it and OBS. Does it show up as a "camera" in the Windows Camera app?

[@michaelsih2490]

@@timfordphoto No, it showed up as a game card and video card. I went ahead and used the Roxio software instead of OBS. Thanks for your help anyways. Your video was great!

[@RonKarim]

Excellent instructional video, articulated for all levels and professionally presented. I have a question on this : What would be the settings for recording a video from a video source that is high quality, for example, recording a video higher resolution and quality than an analog 4:3 resolution video source as here. What would the settings be for a movie that is 1920x1080 resolution, I would want a high quality output but the smallest size MP4 video file ?

[@nawidr.3783]

Hey, Tim, thank you for this detailed tutorial. I followed your instructions with a Diamond VC500 but that device is not the best option with OBS. I have since purchased a StarTech SVID2USB232. There is a recent video called "How to convert VHS videotape to 60p digital video (2023)" on a KZbin channel called The Oldskool PC. Have you watched that one? Although I don't think it's necessary to use a higher resolution for VHS captures as he does, I have noticed that choosing 59.94 FPS for the frame rate results in smoother video. At the 13-minute mark of his video, he mentions that the StarTech capture device defaults to a contrast level that is too high. Have you noticed this? I've adjusted the contrast level to 20 and it seems to be accurate. Lastly, is it important to set the scale filtering to Lanczos as shown at the 20-minute mark of that video or is it okay to leave that setting disabled? Your video doesn't include that step and my settings are a combination of yours and his.

[@timfordphoto]

I've not seen the video on converting VHS to 60p. My video was mainly meant to be a fairly simplified version of how to reliably digitize standard definition source material using OBS, so I didn't want to get into anything too in-depth like changing frame rates. I do hope to be able to record another video on lossless capture of standard definition material via OBS, in which I hope to discuss my preferred method for deinterlacing, which results in a 60 fps file. Even in that case though, I prefer to capture the source material at it's native frame rate. If you like the look of your captures at 60 fps though, I don't see any reason why it's a problem. I didn't really notice an issue with the contrast using the Startech.com device. I believe that device is introducing its own type of compression, so it's definitely possible that some adjustments could be necessary. I can take another look at it when I get a moment. For the resize filter, it might depend on your source. I usually use filters like those when postprocessing using AviSynth after capturing the video, and even then I'll mess around to see which one does the best job for the particular tape I'm working with. But again, if you like the results you are getting out of using Lanczos, go for it! Things like resizing are often trial and error in terms of what works best, which is why I kept my tutorial as simple as possible. Hope this helps!

[@RobertDeloyd]

Wow! That's a lot of settings... glad I found this channel or I'd be crazy confused 😱 I Subscribed and clicked All 🤗

[@ribz4lunch]

I'm using a RCA to HDMI converter which converts the signal to Any recommendations on how to set aspect ratio to 4:3 without a dip in quality?

[@OceanKelly]

configure crossbar on OBS doesnt work on mine . i click it and nothing comes up . anybody had this issue ?

[@timfordphoto]

Which USB adapter are you using?

[@OceanKelly]

@@timfordphoto one from amazon. just says USB Audio Video Converter and on OBS it shows it as “AV TO USB2.0” . im also using a handicam instead of a VCR . I can get audio on other capture software but no video even using the RCA to HDMI that i have :/

[@timfordphoto]

@@OceanKelly Okay, I have that adapter as well and it'll still work for capturing video, but the "Configure Corssbar" button doesn't work with it. Are you seeing video in OBS currently?

[@OceanKelly]

@@timfordphoto unfortunately no . haven’t been able to see video at all . whats weird is when i close the camcorder thats the only way i can hear sound on my pc thru any capture software . but the video is still playing through the eye piece on the camcorder and i assumed maybe that’s why its not reading it on the screen? Super weird

[@timfordphoto]

@@OceanKelly Could be a setting on the camcorder somewhere regarding video out options. How are you connecting the camera to the computer, RCA or S-video?

[@curtisnicotra]

Hey mate, great video. I can see my usb device showing up in the source section but im not getting any video signal when I click it. Do you know the fix for this?

[@timfordphoto]

Which device are you using? Sometimes it helps to try different USB ports and/or reinstall the driver for the device.

[@curtisnicotra]

@@timfordphoto I have a Sony hi8 camcorder with AV out port connected to a capture device, (similar to the elgato video capture device but not that brand). Then plugged into my MacBook Pro running obs. What is a driver and how do I restart it?

[@timfordphoto]

@@curtisnicotra Oh, on a Mac I'm not entirely sure how to reinstall a driver. I'm a Windows user. Do you know the specifics of the USB capture device, such as brand and model? Also, are you getting any audio at all?

[@curtisnicotra]

@@timfordphotoThe capture device brand is DIAMOND and model number is VC500MAC Rev2. And yes Im getting audio just no visual

[@timfordphoto]

@@curtisnicotra I had a lot of trouble with the Diamond capture device on Windows. It would work maybe one time, then the video would just turn black. Does yours work with the capture software that they provided? That was the only way mine would work.

[@nasserlukmani1012]

Thanks for the video. Please share settings for lossless capture. Best.

[@timfordphoto]

I still need to make a video but here’s the write up on my website - timfordphoto.com/lossless-422-digitizing-of-video-tapes-using-obs/

[@rternowski]

seems the settings are different in the current version, either named different of missing

[@timfordphoto]

Yeah, I need to create an updated version of this video. My webpage has written instructions with updated OBS settings though - timfordphoto.com/digitizing-vhs-tapes-using-obs/

[@KidAMRadio]

What are your thoughts in making the resolution 1440x1080 (Still 4:3 aspect ratio)? Is this worth doing and in your experience does it make a difference in quality? I've seen it recommended elsewhere.

[@timfordphoto]

I prefer to do upscaling after capturing, I think you can get better results with several other programs. You might also have performance issues depending on your computer. But it might still be worth giving it a shot just to see if you like the results. I've personally been doing that using Topaz Video AI.

[@UndyingEDM]

What is different on a lossless capture?

[@timfordphoto]

File size will be much larger but you'll have a superior quality video as well as the ability to do further post processing.

[@AmericanSoldierLakotaSioux1969]

Thank you, but unfortunately mine is still only showing "OBS Virtual Camera" in Video Capture Device, even after I did all the settings to your tutorial, it's still not recognizing the USB source for unknown reason. When I connected the USB to my computer it did recognize the driver and software but still not showing USB on OBS. I updated the driver and refreshed the hardware but still nothing. I am currently using the j5create USB to HDMI adapter (Model JUA254), downloaded their driver/software, made sure all connections are connected, but still nothing recognized for OBS. Using Windows 10, all updates are updated and OBS is also updated. Restarted my computer, still not working. Disconnected the USB, tried another USB port, still nothing. The odd thing is, it sure is working for my old Dazzle device, the piece of crap that only works for 480 video....works for that though. It's almost like Windows is telling not to use 1080 or 720 for copyright reasons or whatever. If worse comes to worse, I'll go and buy an old DVD Video Recorder component to connect to my VCR if I have to. Use to own one and I know they work, shouldn't have got rid of mine if I'd known this would happen. Now it's a matter trying to find one online without paying a million dollars for one, lol. If there was something I overlooked, please let me know. But I'm pretty sure I did everything by the book......I think.

[@timfordphoto]

OBS is finicky with what devices it will accept. I've never used the setup you are describing. Before you spend money on an old DVD recorder though, I'd consider picking up one of the two USB adapters that I know will work with OBS. Here are the links: StarTech.com USB Video Capture Adapter Cable - amzn.to/3UWZxil ($36.99 - good quality but not perfect). StarTech.com HDMI Video Capture Device (also has RCA and S-Video inputs) - amzn.to/3Xj6gF0 ($157.99 - very good quality. Worth the money). I went the route you did a couple of years ago and bought a used DVD recorder from Amazon. It worked just long enough to get past the return window, then completely failed. I went with the used option on the recorder because those things are outrageously priced if you want to get a brand new one.

[@AmericanSoldierLakotaSioux1969]

@@timfordphoto thanks Tim. Yep, I'm starting to think the one I have only works for TV sets, not computers. My mind is turning into mush, I used to be so good at this stuff awhile back, my age is catching up with me, lol. I'm definitely gonna look into buying the 157.99 product. Thanks for that link, this way it's right there without me wondering if I'm getting the right one. That Dazzle I had connected earlier quit working on me anyway, and I don't think it was compatible with windows 10. That DVD recorder I had I bought for only 5 bucks at a yard sale, in fact they had about 10 of them for 5 bucks each, wish I would've bought all 10. It worked for a good 5 years until it finally died, got my moneys worth, and then some. Anyway, I appreciate your "kind"reply instead of the crappy sarcastic replies I've been getting when I ask a simple question. Moody folks lately. lol

[@AmericanSoldierLakotaSioux1969]

I bought and just received the 157.99 device you mentioned below and it's still not showing anything USB related on OBS, just OBS Virtual Camera, nothing else. However, the USB is connected and showing "StarTech" on the USB Port. driver and software is installed and updated, but still having issues. I'm not a pro at computers but know the basics. What am I doing wrong?

[@timfordphoto]

@@AmericanSoldierLakotaSioux1969 Did you download and install the specific driver from the startech.com website? I'm sure you must have but I thought I'd ask that first.

[@AmericanSoldierLakotaSioux1969]

@@timfordphoto OK FINALLY FIGURED IT OUT. I DIDN'T HAVE THE CAMERA SETTINGS "ON" IN WINDOWS 10. INFACT NONE OF THE CAMERA SETTINGS WERE ON FOR ANYTHING. I TURNED THEM OFF RECENTLY BECAUSE I QUIT USING A WEBCAM, TOO CHOPPY. ANYWAY, GOT THE SETTINGS YOU INSTRUCTED IN OBS AND NOW IT'S FINALLY WORKING. THANKS TIM FOR YOUR PATIENCE AND ASSITANCE. THOUGHT I WAS GONNA HAVE TO TAKE BACK THE STARTECH CAPTURE DEVICE TO AMAZON. 😁👍

[@curtisnicotra]

Hey Tim, I got mine to work using vidbox capture card. I’m using AV out into the red, white, yellow cords to transfer. I followed all the steps for PAL recordings. My footage file still seems slightly pixelated compared to the OBS preview window. Do you know if there might be a fix for this or is it the best I can do?

[@timfordphoto]

Not sure, maybe you could try raising the Kbps to something higher than the 3500 that I suggested? The files will be larger but it should improve the quality. Maybe go as high as 5000 and see if it helps.

[@curtisnicotra]

@@timfordphoto thanks mate!! I’ll give it a crack

[@gavsmith1980]

See my comment, I had the same problem

[@adamcarterfavorites6971]

Hi mine is showing like color lines on OBS Studio that I just connect the VCR into the Computer but it's showing the Color lines on it. Is there away to work to see the VCR screen?

[@timfordphoto]

Which USB adapter are you using?

[@adamcarterfavorites6971]

@@timfordphoto Video Capture.

[@adamcarterfavorites6971]

@@timfordphoto Here's why kzbin.info/www/bejne/e6WyYndtid-UfMk

[@timfordphoto]

@@adamcarterfavorites6971 Elgato? How old is the device?

[@adamcarterfavorites6971]

@timfordphoto It's my HDMI Video Capture I actually got it for the mail last view month ago right after Christmas. it was the first time I use HDMI Video Capture.

[@thecassetteconverter]

Hi - Excellent stuff - just got one issue - video is working other than no sound. I clicked on 'Monitor and Output' for my Audio Capture but no sound - Even the volume bar is not moving. If I changed the Audio Capture to 'Built in Analog Stereo' I get massive feedback Am using a RCA AV2HDMI Converter box connected to HDMI port on a HDMI USB Video Capture device plugged into the USB of my laptop. Any ideas please..am stumped! Thanks...

[@timfordphoto]

Would you be willing to try using a separate device altogether for the audio capture portion?

[@PeterDickow1]

Tim - apologize if you have covered this elsewhere but - wondering about process to use a Canopus ADVC 110 capture device with OBS. Program is not seeing my VCR feed - though it has worked in a direct capture in Premiere Pro. Thanks

[@timfordphoto]

OBS doesn't work with FireWire devices. I use Scenalyzer Live for FireWire capture (it's free - www.videohelp.com/software/ScenalyzerLive)

[@PeterDickow1]

Thanks for the quick reply! @@timfordphoto

[@missshmollie7166]

Thank you for this, it helped me a lot. Although I still got stuck, my video is lagging in the final result while the audio goes on. I tried to adjust that setting that lists from very fast down to placebo and went one by one down to placebo. Nothing stopped that lag...any suggestions? I'm using ucec all in one usb 2.0 video converter with OBS. *the video converter came with an installation disc that I don't have a drive for

[@timfordphoto]

Does the lag only occur on the recordings or are you seeing a lag in the preview in OBS as well?

[@missshmollie7166]

@@timfordphoto I saw a very slight lag on the recording screen but the finished recording has extreme lag. Like more than not it just changes from one screenshot to another.

[@bulletproof8321]

I'm having an issue with a jumpy/choppy image both when previewing and recording. I was hoping the settings you walked through in the tutorial would solve it, but the example footage you used was even choppier than mine (Lars and Carson Daly are popping across the screen🙂). Any idea how to fix?

[@timfordphoto]

A few things to try first - turn off "Game Mode" in Windows (Just type in "game mode" in the Windows search bar and the setting should come up). Under "Encoder Settings" (in the "Output - Recording" setting) try using CRF for rate control instead of CBR. The default value of 23 is a good starting point. Then (in the same menu) change your "CPU Usage Preset" to one of the faster settings like "veryfast". The reason my footage looked choppy is because I used Camtasia to record the tutorial and it doesn't handle recording me recording a video very well. It's basically trying to do a screen capture of a computer that's simultaneously doing a video recording. The actual file that I recorded had smooth playback.

[@bulletproof8321]

@@timfordphoto Much appreciated, Tim, but no change. The problem appears before recording--choppy when just playing the tape, and the settings seem unable to improve on the original signal but can make it worse (e.g., setting to "veryslow"). It's the same across multiple setups...PC, Mac, different capture devices, different tapes, different VCRs. The only common element is OBS.

[@timfordphoto]

Which capture device are you using?

[@bulletproof8321]

@@timfordphoto Digitnow Capture Card, HDMI upscaler + Guermok Capture Card, and ADS Pyro A/V Link...all choppy

[@timfordphoto]

I've used the Digitnow capture card with success, so that one should work. Are you capturing to a network drive or some kind of shared (or cloud) storage? Also, if you look in your settings, then go to the Audio tab, are all of those inputs disabled? I've seen audio inputs create lag in other programs like VirtualDub, so that could be happening in OBS as well if you have multiple inputs enabled.

[@ping3488]

Amaysing to see all these setting just to copy a video..!

[@chuckcelano5605]

But it’s recording all the sound in the room an not from the video I must’ve clicked something wrong

[@timfordphoto]

Make sure all of your microphones are disabled in OBS. You should only have one audio source showing levels. Click the “Audio” tab (on the left in the settings menu) and look for "Global Audio Devices". Use the dropdown next to all of your listed audio sources and choose “Disabled”.

[@HenPapirman]

Not sure why but whenever I open a new PAL video, it shows as a FUL hd, and it stretches it, I can change it to 640x480, but then it's still smaller than what it really is.

[@timfordphoto]

Which capture device are you using?

[@johanlobel5231]

Hi, really good video. I was using another capture device (August VGB 100) but didn't work. So I bought the same device from StarTech. I now have the video and sound but the picture is in black and white or in Magenta tone depending of the format I choose (NTSC, PAL, SECAM...) I don't know how to have the real color ?

[@timfordphoto]

What kind of equipment are you trying to capture from? VHS or something else?

[@johanlobel5231]

I’m using a Toshiba VHS/DVD recorder. And it’s old French VHS so I suppose it’s Secam or Pal

[@timfordphoto]

Are you using an s-video or a composite cable?

[@johanlobel5231]

Composite cable

[@timfordphoto]

Is there a way for you to connect the VCR to another device like a TV just to verify that it's working properly? You can also use an app like Zoom and choose the Startech device as the "camera" just to see if the issue is with OBS or if it's an issue with the device itself.

[@jjg2753]

how to capture the videotapes if no VHS player?

[@Slademanxx]

I have just downloaded the latest OBS and it is totally different than what you are showing, and this is the 5th video i have tried all without success

[@timfordphoto]

Sorry, this video is pretty dated. I'll try to update it soon. In the meantime, you can check out my website which has up to date info. timfordphoto.com/digitizing-vhs-tapes-using-obs/

[@mtcastro4]

Hi Tim, i am following tour instructions and i can see the videotape but i have not sound. I have obs 29.0.0asy cap usb 2.0. In properties for vhs capture i see AV to usb2.0 not usb 2828x device as you show, but i can see the videotape from a vhs. The real problem is that i cant hear sound. Cay you help me? Thank you and have a nice week. (sorry for my bad english)

[@timfordphoto]

Okay, that adapter should still work. Do you see any audio levels showing up in your audio mixer when you play your tape? You might just need to set your audio device to "Monitor and Output" in the Advanced Audio Properties so that you can hear the sound.

[@PepeAA]

Hi Tim, i have the opositve problem, im able to hear sound but i cant see the video, i have a kaiping capture usb. you have any idea to fix it? 😅

[@timfordphoto]

@@PepeAA Sometimes you can use the Windows Camera app to test whether or not you are getting a signal from the adapter. If you hit the Windows key on your keyboard, then type in "Camera" the Camera app will open. In the upper right corner you might have a button that allows you to swap sources. If so, see if it works. That will at least rule out if the device is sending a video signal to Windows or not. You can also check the Windows security settings. Select Start > Settings > Privacy & security > Camera, then make sure Camera access is turned on. Sometimes it's turned off. Those at least give you a couple of options to try.

[@mtcastro4]

@@timfordphoto Thank you very much , now it works well.

[@billb295]

Great video but I assume it's only for analog sources. Do you happen to have a video to set up for capture from a Digital Video camera via Firewire? I just installed a Firewire input card and trying to get a live video feed from my DV camera. I followed these steps and there were several settings in OBS that were not in the current version and I had already selected one of the options on the splash screen when OBS opened the 1st time. I did not hit cancel and don't remember what option I selected. thanks

[@timfordphoto]

OBS doesn't work with FireWire sources. I use the free Scenalyzer to capture from FireWire. www.scenalyzer.com/

[@ronalddavis]

in the tools menu you can set a recording time

[@JoseyHikari]

This was great, thank you! But I dont have a video. There is only a blue screen :( What did i do wrong?

[@timfordphoto]

What kind of playback device are you using (VCR, camera, etc.)?

[@JoseyHikari]

@@timfordphoto Its a VCR. It works (testet it on TV with a HDMI-adapter).

[@timfordphoto]

@@JoseyHikari Which USB adapter are you using?

[@minnesotom]

Doesn't deinterlaced video need to output at 59.94 fps?

[@timfordphoto]

There are a few methods for deinterlacing 29.97 video. Yadif in OBS does a pretty good job of deinterlacing video without having to double the frame rate, so I kept the entire digitization process as straightforward as possible throughout this video. But yeah, the best way to properly deinterlace video would be to digitize the footage using a lossless method at 29.97, then use the resulting file with an AVISynth script and use the QTGMC deinterlacing filter. Then run that script in a program like VirtualDub. I wrote a tutorial on lossless capture using OBS on my website (timfordphoto.com/lossless-422-digitizing-of-video-tapes-using-obs/) but the AVISynth/QTGMC method gets a bit complicated. There are tutorials here on KZbin that'll get you there though (I used this one - kzbin.info/www/bejne/eWWzqqyHpN9pm9E). Hope this helps!

[@minnesotom]

@@timfordphoto I found that when choosing to deinterlace in OBS, like you showed that you did in this video, my outputed video is a bit stuttering/choppy. Not deinterlacing solves that problem for me. And like you say, I then can take that video and deinterlace in another program.

[@King-vl8by]

When I go to the “configure video” setting under the device properties, it doesn’t give me the option to check vcr input. It’s there it’s just grayed out, I don’t know where to go from here.

[@timfordphoto]

Not all of the USB devices will have that as an option. You'll be fine with it grayed out.

[@King-vl8by]

So what was wrong is: I had to change the audio setting in the properties of the device to the avermedia video card I was using, still though all the tips in the video are much appreciated, and the video and audio I’m getting is as clear as it can be with tape. Thank you and everyone in the comments for all the help