13.04 - usb, transfer vhs tapes to a format usable by xbmc

**squakie** · June 13th, 2013

Well, before I got rid of my Windows machines (I *HATED* Windows 8) I had purchased a Roxio VHS To DVD kit that came with a USB dongle to connect to the VCR. Well, that little adapter doesn't appear to be supported nor does anyone seem to have a driver for Linux for it. So, I'm looking for ideas. I'm sure Roxio/Corel won't release any technical details for the device, so I can't write a driver for it. To that end, I'm looking for a replacement device that will work without much hassle in Ubuntu. I'd like the video and audio to be the closest they can to the original tape.

I've been loading my DVDs to disk for use with my desktop running Samba to share the videos and running XBMC to use as an entertainment center, so I'd need the resulting files not to be huge but at least reasonalbe and of a type that can play in XBMC.

So if anyone can give me ideas on an adapter that works either "out of the box" or with very little hassle and provides quality output files, I'd sure be interested!

I've look at the HD-PVR on Ebay, but it is rather pricey - I was hoping for something not so expensive.

**Bucky Ball** · June 13th, 2013

Thread moved to Multimedia & Video.

Not sure why this was in Absolute Beginners, squakie.

Anyways, good luck.

**squakie** · June 13th, 2013

Sorry - I didn't know where to ask for suggestions. Thanks for moving it.

**Thee** · June 13th, 2013

Maybe you should look here for a list of compatible devices:
http://linuxtv.org/wiki/index.php/Special:Categories

**squakie** · June 14th, 2013

I looked at that list, and it lets you search by device type. I told it USB and it returned nothing. This is a small ZBox, so there aren't any slots for internal cards.

Going to try XP in a VM and see if it works then. The only problem might be that the CPU is not fast -> it's a dual core 1.9 ghz Atom processor, so leaving 1 for the host (Ubuntu) and 1 for the guest (XP) doesn't give either one much to talk about - when they're split like that things get pretty slow, so I don't know if it will cleanly capture any video. Time will tell.

**Bucky Ball** · June 14th, 2013

How much RAM? That might more likely be your stumbling block.

**squakie** · June 16th, 2013

well, this is interesting. set up the vm with the additions pack, put in an empty usb filter (don't know if that's required anymore or not), ran the device software installation which completed normally. running the software results in it not thinking the device is there. windows sees it but no driver - which the installation was supposed to have done.

going to play with this more next week -just finishing up the last of a weekend in the woods - listening to loons on the lake right now.

it seems a little odd now not doing this natively, so i'm going to try to find a nice gui'd front for mencoder and ffmpeg, then next month buy an adapter compatible with linux.

**Bucky Ball** · June 16th, 2013

Originally Posted by squakie

it seems a little odd now not doing this natively, so i'm going to try to find a nice gui'd front for mencoder and ffmpeg, then next month buy an adapter compatible with linux.

Sounds like a plan, unless you're thinking of giving up Linux anytime soon ...

**squakie** · June 17th, 2013

Yeah, I went that way 2 times - once when there was someone who didn't like my comments regarding wikileaks (the user thought I was talking about just wikilinks, etc.) and the mods at that time didn't stop the political discussion, and once when I went to a new laptop a few months ago and just couldn't get Ubuntu running worth a darn because of Windows 8. I just got rid of that laptop because I (ok folks - a personal opinion here only!) *HATE* Windows 8. I actually got rid of all things computer except my printer, use my tablet for easy things, bought a Zbox and loaded Ubuntu (no more Windows for me again ever), and then started getting these little Raspberry Pi's and having a blast with them so far.

I suppose when I get ambitious again and decided to do some more programming, etc., I may want to step up from this cheapest version ZBox, but I still like the idea of a super small computer, wireless keyboard and mouse, and just using my HDTV as the monitor. I have to admit my old eyes could really do with a larger TV (it's only 24 inches and I sit about 8 feet away) as I just can't read things worth a dang anymore

So at any rate, yep - keeping Linux for good this time - no more Windows. Tried the Windows vm, doesn't find the device, so deleted the vm and the manager and just waiting until next month to get one supported by Linux (HINT HINT: ANYONE HAVE ANY SUGGESTIONS? MUST BE USB ONLY! )

Later!

**squakie** · June 26th, 2013

Closing this thread, as the Roxio Easy VHS To DVD hardware is not compatible with Linux. I have another more generic thread opened on my experiences so far on device(s) from Ebay as well. Hopefully SOME DAY I'll be able to post a solution to my problem there.