[query] - _converting RF to RCA video/audio signals_

well, my CED player only has RF output,

which is fine, so i can watch it on TV..

how do i convert it to RCA output, so i can digitize it?

i've read that i need some kind of demodulator, and most responses

say just get an old VCR...... ok, if i do that, do i need to buy a blank

tape, and act like i'm recording something to get it to output video?

i've never owned a vcr, so i have no idea what to do with one....

i take it they work something like a cassette deck? (except with video?)

thanks for any advice...

later

-1

What about a tv-card/tv-grabber for the computer?

satanika said:

What about a tv-card/tv-grabber for the computer?

 any ideas on one that has RF input?

later

-1

Something like this?
http://www.terratec.net/en/products/Cinergy_HT_PCI_1828.html

Really it should be easy to find a cheap tv tuner card at any computer store.

satanika said:

Something like this?
http://www.terratec.net/en/products/Cinergy_HT_PCI_1828.html

Really it should be easy to find a cheap tv tuner card at any computer store.

 thanks for the help,

i'll look into it, and hopefully have some kind of transfer by next week.

later

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Cool, there is just something about these old outdated formats.. :)

Now, someone preserve this please:
http://theswca.com/index.php?action=disp_item&item_id=22504

(more here http://theswca.com/index.php?action=disp_category&category_id=407 )

;)

ok,

i got this pinnacle pctv hd stick (mine is silver)....it should do the job...will

let you know how it turns out..

later

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satanika said:

Cool, there is just something about these old outdated formats.. :)

Now, someone preserve this please:
http://theswca.com/index.php?action=disp_item&item_id=22504

I have that, plus 3 movie cartridges. ;-)

bad news, that pinnacle device only captures from tv/cable,

so its a no go..

back to the drawing board,

i guess i might have to get a vcr after all.

i don't want to get another capture card.

i have one already, it just doesn't have rf inputs.

oh well..

later

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Erm, what was the problem?

Sorry, I don't understand, doesn't the device output a tv signal in effect??

satanika said:

Erm, what was the problem?

Sorry, I don't understand, doesn't the device output a tv signal in effect??

 this device is basically a tv tuner/cable/hdtv capture in a USB stick...

i thought it would take rf inputs as a passthrough... and convert it to be captured

through usb.. but it doesn't.

its software only lets you choose tv channels/analog tv channels/cable/hdtv,

it does not have an option for 'analog (input)', so it doesn't help...

i need a  pass through/conversion device for the signal..

later

-1

Did you try the analog tv signal option and try to tune to the signal?
It should have it's own channel somewhere?

ok,

i found a vcr, that someone was getting rid of, for free..

went home, hooked it up, figured out something about switching to

to channel 4... and it works,we have video...

i can't get any sound out though..

will post some samples (they are very poor quality, with stuttering, dropouts, etc)..

later

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satanika said:

Did you try the analog tv signal option and try to tune to the signal?
It should have it's own channel somewhere?

 no, hmm.... i don't think it had the option... well its a moot point anyways,

since i found a vcr..

later

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heres a link to 10 seconds of video (no sound);

-------------------------------------------------------------

http://rapidshare.com/files/143267321/sw-ced10sec.avi.html

it actually looks decent, so now i need a new disc, or a new player,

or both... you'll see some dropout and skipping at the end..

heres some images:

---------------------------

noisy image:

rainbow color:

color dropout:

distortion:

skipping:

later

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ok,  i got the sound working now, but i think its one channel..

also i captured over a minute of ESB with sound, will post shortly..

later

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well,

been doing a lot of captures:

========================

ep 4 star wars- 95% done

ep 5 the empire strikes back- 95%  done

ep 6 return of the jedi- 95% done

heres a sample of images from 'star wars'

i'll post the video shortly.. there are still glitches in it, and missing

segments at the beginning and ends of each disc (so the crawl/credits)

are affected... i'll try other discs, and see if i can get it to work...

also, i'll try getting a better player..... i still need to mess around with the

sound... but the CED trilogy should be done shortly .. barring any complications..

there is a speedup issue to make the movies fit on the discs:'

2.54% for star wars, 3.33% for the empire strikes back, and 1.51% for return of the jedi,

not quite pal speedup, but noticeable..

--------------------------------------------------

i would like 3 versions of each - 1) raw uncut footage 2) 'fixed' footage with all the missing

gaps/glitches fixed 3) time corrected version with correct audio

lets see how it goes..

later

-1

here's a 7 minute preview of episode 4:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gBtPDAbAkPE note the opening and crawl have the dropouts every so often..

the second scene with the ship members smuggling themselves is much much better.

later

-1

 

i found a vcr, that someone was getting rid of, for free..

 

went home, hooked it up, figured out something about switching to

to channel 4... and it works,we have video...

Then I gotta tell ya, it should work without the VCR as well (which is good, because the fewer electronics you have between the source and computer, the less noise you will get.)

The LD player should be outputting at either channel 3 or 4 (there might be a switch on the back of the player). Connect the RF cable to your Pinnacle, and try those two channels.

MeBeJedi said:

 

i found a vcr, that someone was getting rid of, for free..

 

went home, hooked it up, figured out something about switching to

to channel 4... and it works,we have video...

 

Then I gotta tell ya, it should work without the VCR as well (which is good, because the fewer electronics you have between the source and computer, the less noise you will get.)

 

The LD player should be outputting at either channel 3 or 4 (there might be a switch on the back of the player). Connect the RF cable to your Pinnacle, and try those two channels.

actually, the problem is not hooking up the CED player to the TV,

that works fine,....

my video capture unit only has rca inputs, or s-video..

i would have to buy a modified CED player, with outputs..

but for now, it looks like the issue was the disc, and not

the player..

later

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I meant to your pinnacle pctv hd stick.

MeBeJedi said:

I meant to your pinnacle pctv hd stick.

 oh, yeah, i should try that again...

but honestly, the low quality of the source material

is not really worth the effort of trying to get more out of it..

if it was a laserdisc, then yes, i would go to a much better way

of preserving this..

CED was better than VHS , but lower than Laserdisc, so i don't

think there's a whole lot more, the MPG captures are pretty huge

as it is, and there's plenty there, to master to DVD once i get it going..

i'm in the middle of recovering my files from a disc crash, so once its

done, i can get back onto this project..

thanks again..

later

-1

Have you considered getting one of these:

http://cgi.ebay.com/MCE-TV-Philips-7135-PCI-TV-Capture-Tuner-Card-XP-Vista_W0QQitemZ310087941005QQihZ021QQcategoryZ3761QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

OK, so probably not the best quality capture card on the market, but they do have the necessary built in tuner and they're as 'cheap as chips'.

... just a thought.

EDIT: Have a look here to see how the cheap MCE compares to the PDI/Sweetspot.  I'm certain that you'll get a much better quality capture going directly into the RF on the MCE card as opposed to using a VCR to do the RF conversion.

please refer to my signature

for updates on this project.

later

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