We offer today to make a complete test of this analog video capture solution. Remember that VHS Saver consists of a USB device equipped with analog inputs that will allow you to digitize your videos directly to DVD with the included software Instant DVD Recorder.

Installation :

Insert the CD and wait for the automatic installation starts. If this is not the case in Windows Explorer, right-click on the CD and Autoplay. In case of further failure, right-click the CD drive, Explore and double-click Setup.exe.

First you have the choice of the installation language :

Followed by a window where you can click Next :

Then you will have to approve the License Agreement :

Two Nexts later and you start Installation :

Software is installing :

After a few minutes when everything is finished, click on Finish :

At first launch of Instant DVD Recorder, you'll have to register your license key :

Use of the software in Wizard mode :

At the launch of Instant DVD Recorder, the following window appears :

If you select Let the Wizard guide me (recommended), from there, let guide.
In the next window, choose Dazzle DVC 100 as video source :

Cliking Options, and you access several settings like :

• Brightness, Contrast and Saturation of the picture
• the choice of input type S-Video or Composite
• the standard of the video signal : SECAM, PAL or NTSC
• the audio level
• a checkbox VHS Input I recommend you to check if your source is a VHS

With Next you reach this window :

Here you choose if you want to directly burn a DVD or if you want the files to be stored on your hard drive and in which directory.

Then a window appears that lets you create or not a menu for your DVD :

If you choose to do so you will have access to a bunch of menus already created and a full editor that lets you configure the way you want all menu items.

We are nearing the end of the process. Next window :

Here you'll need to set the duration in minutes of recording and video quality :

• Auto : the video quality depends on the chosen duration
• Good : maximum 189 minutes of recording. Average bitrate 3900 Kbits/s
• Better : maximum 142 minutes of recording. Average bitrate 5900 Kbits/s
• Best : maximum 113 minutes of recording. Average bitrate 7800 Kbits/s

To start recording click Start Recording. This will stop at the end of the chosen duration, or when you press the Stop Recording button.

That is, after generating any menu and burning the DVD, the work is completed :

Use the software in Advanced mode :

At the launch of Instant DVD Recorder, the following window appears :

If you choose Go directly to advanced mode, there are all stages of the Wizard mode grouped in a single window :

I wonder why this Advanced mode exists since there are no more advanced settings than in the Wizard mode !

Trick :

Information taken from Pinnacle, the DVC 100 device is there only to digitize the video. Ie to switch from analog to digital. The MPEG2 encoding is not done by the USB device but by Instant DVD Recorder.
However, it is essential to install it because at the same time are installed the drivers for the USB box.

In fact we can use another software to do the job of capturing and encoding. You guess what I mean ?
Studio !

So the adjustment possibilities are much greater :

• file type choice : MPEG or AVI
• video codec type choice : MPEG 1 or 2, DV, MJPEG, DivX
• audio codec type choice : MP2, MP3, PCM
• video resolution choice
• accurate choice of video and audio bitrates
• audio oversampling frequency choice

For the more adventurous, you can even use good old Virtualdub and its almost infinite possibilities of encoding and filtering. I assure you, I tried !

See you soon for new adventures.