EzCap Driver for VHS to PC digitization

[IanDSamson]

Does anyone know from where I can obtain the latest working drivers for Windows Vista 64-bit Ultimate for the EzCap device, RCA to USB through digital converter so that both video and audio can be seen and heard? It's an integral part of Cyberlink PowerDirector10 64 bit. Some drivers show only the video but no audio, others don't work at all. It's for EM2861 video/audio and even eMPIA Technology's site does not have working drivers.

I keep on getting a BSOD in USBPORT.SYS

Otherwise I will be forced into buying another device.

 

[Digerati]

I am finding a lot of frustrated users out there seeking driver support for these devices, without much luck. I did find where Dennis C. put a lot of effort helping someone with this issue here that you might find useful.

Otherwise, you may have better luck asking your question on the EZCAP Forums.

 

[Corrine]

Hi, Ian.

Yes, I saw you here. Do you think I'd miss your visit?

I also noted your post in the topic Bill linked where you replied that the solution doesn't work with Linux. Checking, for the record, you indicated elsewhere that you have Windows Vista (on "Brutus") but 99% of the time you use Linux Mint 17 'Qiana' 64 bit Cinnamon. Are you dual-booting Windows Vista and Linux or is Linux installed on your old Windows XP computer?

From what I'm understanding, it wounds as though regardless of your efforts, you get a BSOD with Windows Vista. It may be helpful if you provided the logs requested at Blue Screen of Death (BSOD) Posting Instructions since they may point to something else causing the BSOD.

 

[Digerati]

I also noted your post in the topic Bill linked where you replied that the solution doesn't work with Linux.

Hmmm, I guess I am confused. Assuming that Ian S is you, it seems you replied to that 3 year old Yahoo Answers thread after I linked to it. But what confuses me is your opening post here at Sysnative says nothing about Linux, only Windows and in that Yahoo Answers reply you say it is "great for Windows". :confused2:

So, in terms of this thread here where you ask about Windows Vista , is your problem resolved?

 

[Corrine]

Hi, Bill. Ian posted here at Sysnative based on my suggestion in a Microsoft Facebook group. As I understand the problem, Ian has 40 video tapes to be digitized to DVD and is having issues trying to get the recently reinstalled Microsoft Windows Vista Ultimate 64-bit system to

recognize the eMPIA Technology, Inc. em28xx drivers for that specific hardware that no longer functions on Vista Ultimate, except for an updated version (which my age-related amnesia is not co-operating where its exact filename was that worked)

None of the six drivers he tried worked with 1440x900 HD LG Flatron W1934S monitor resolution for video excellence in production.

(I hope I got that right, Ian.)

 

[Digerati]

Well, I think I am even more confused now. I thought this was an audio problem.

BTW, the native resolution for that monitor is 1366x768 (16:9). 1440x900 is 16:10 and may not be supported by that monitor.

That said, the monitor used should have nothing to do with this. Windows does not communicate with monitors - that's the job of the graphics solution. Windows can be chugging along without a care in the world, totally oblivious to the fact nothing is being displayed on the monitor because the graphics card is not communicating with the monitor. Same with sounds and the audio card/integrated audio. That is, Windows does not communicate with the speakers - only the sound card.

The driver to get this converter working needs to be a driver for the EzCap EM2861 device, not the monitor. And finding that seems to be a common issue. And the PowerDirector software must be able to communicate with that device too.

I think if me, I would see if I could get that device to work on another system - preferably a Windows 7 system. I would also verify the tape player is actually outputting audio by connecting the Audio L/R cable to a HT receiver and see (listen) if it works.

USBPORT.SYS errors are often associated with high DPC latency issues. I wonder if a look by one of our DPC latency experts would do some good? It sure could not hurt.

 

[IanDSamson]

@Digerati, sigh! Assuming "Digerati" is an actual human in Nebraska ... look up all the SAMSONs in Lincoln, they're ALL my cousins!

We're NOT talking LINUX. If I can get it to work under Linux Mint 17 'Qiana' 64 Cinnamon, so much the better. But on reboot, I load Windows Vista Ultimate 64-bit (hello???) and use Cyberlink's PowerDirector 10 64 bit to communicate with my VCR. Up to now I have had NO PROBLEMS until a hard disk crash that wiped 1.5TB data. HELLO again!

NO, my problem is most certainly NOT resolved. Windows does not recognize the EM2861 VIDEO device - EzCap RCA to converter to USB - that previously worked before the crash, but now no longer function since I reinstalled and updated to the very latest Windows releases for Vista Ultimate 64 bit.

I have ordered an S/PDIF device from my local computer shop. The salesman says because my VCR has S/PDIF OUTPUT, it can be wired to a USB device, then wired directly onto the S/PDIF INPUT on my motherboard. Then does it matter whether I use Windows or Linux? That's irrelevant. As to the 1440x900 (16:10) resolution I am using, that is also irrelevant since is has worked and I can prove it with numerous references should you wish to call South African cellphone numbers!

As Corrine mentioned, I have 40 VHS cassette tapes in my office awaiting digitization to DVD. These are all self-made "home videos" and there is ZERO copyright infringement on any of them. I also have prospective clients waiting in the wings for their work to be digitized to DVD too. The work is coming in, at last, the Studio has been quiet to dead for the past 3 years. Imagine living 3 years with no income, Digerati?

 

[IanDSamson]

Corrine, forget Linux for the moment - I am in Mint 17 right now as I type this, but I can reboot and load Windows and no one would know the difference. Web browsers are web browsers. Cross-platform. One tip for Microsoft is that if they want to regain their lost XP market, start writing Linux code. Microsoft Windows for Linux. Windows 7 was the beginning of the change to sluggish operating systems. I beta-tested a very early release of Windows 7 kindly donated to me by Microsoft South Africa. I'm no novice!

I am, though, extraordinarily vacant when it comes to theoretical understanding of computer science. I'm an operator, not a programmer. I did PC Support & Training, Network Administration (Banyan VINES and Novell NetWare 3), I learned dBASE III PLUS, wrote application-specific databases in dBASE long before Windows ever existed!!

I have been connected to this "Internet" since LONG BEFORE it was commercially available, before 1990!

My OS experience commenced in 1983 with IBM twin-floppy disk, 512k RAM, CGA!

Linux LXLE is installed where Windows XP was formerly. The machine purrs, it's a little slow on 768MB RAM, the really antique RAM cards, the machine is so old!

I dual-boot. Next time I log into Windows Vista, I will check the syslog for BSOD events in the Event Viewer, and then come back here and post the results. If that's allowed. I see there's a special place to post BSOD events. https://www.sysnative.com/forums/bs...ctions-windows-8-1-8-7-and-windows-vista.html

 

[IanDSamson]

Completely correct, Corrine. Thank you. But now to throw another spanner in your worx, I have, as mentioned elsewhere, ordered a device for S/PDIF DIGITAL VIDEO and DIGITAL AUDIO as my VCR and my motherboard both support S/PDIF. Now to find whether Microsoft or Linux Mint get the contract. The OS that works with S/PDIF will win.

 

[Tekno Venus]

Sorry if this sounds like a dumb question, but have you re-installed PowerDirector 10?

Does EzCap have its own software for getting the video, or are you using PowerDirector solely for the video recording?

Did you originally just use the drivers that came with PowerDirector for this?

I don't think any hardware purchases are required, since it worked before the crash. This implies that there is some kind of software issue, as I'm sure you guessed.

Any error messages or similar from PowerDirector or Windows? Anything showing up in Event Viewer related to EzCap?

Sorry for the barrage of questions, just trying to get a better handle on your issue :)

-Stephen

---

Expanding on my original post...

Did your EzCap come with any kind of software DVD with drivers on? What OS did those drivers support and have you tried using them?

Connect the device and check Device Manager. Look for any yellow exclamation marks - if there is one, right click the device and see what it is. If it's the EzCap, then stop and let me know.

If the device is at least recognised by Windows (no exclamation marks in Device Manager), download and install VLC Media Player if you don't have it already: VideoLAN - Official page for VLC media player, the Open Source video framework!

Open VLC -> Media -> Open Capture Device. See if the EzCap appears there, and click Play. See if anything appears on the screen, you may have to change some settings to get it to work.

Research notes:

[h=3]Empia EasyCAP[/h] The Empia EasyCAP is based on the EM2860 chip from Empia.

[h=4]Components Used[/h]

• Empia EM2860 (EM2861 (Device in Original Post) ?) (USB video bridge)
• Silan SC8113 (Philips SAA7113 compatible video decoder)
• AC'97 audio processor

[h=4]Indentification[/h] # lsusb
Bus XXX Device XXX: ID eb1a:2861 eMPIA Technology, Inc.
[h=4]Making it work[/h] EM2860 (EM2861) based devices are supported in Linux by the em28xx kernle module. More information on this wiki: Em28xx_devices
[h=5]Audio support[/h] The em28xx kernel module should create a Em28xx Audio ALSA soundcard which can be used for sound capturing.

 

[IanDSamson]

Had there been any "error messages", I would have posted the graphics.

 

[Tekno Venus]

Had there been any "error messages", I would have posted the graphics.

I was only asking since people often neglect to post such information. Since I am only going by what you tell me and I don't actually have physical access to the system (and we do not allow that here since we keep all help public and on the forums), I have to make sure all my bases are covered by asking.

How about all my other questions and ideas?

 

[IanDSamson]

EzCap comes with a CD of drivers that require immediate updating due to age. Even before the crash, i had to search for and install a different driver to make the interface EzCap (PowerNation) speak to each other. It worked, now I have tried all 6 but not one connects the PC to the VCR. Possibly a broken device? No obvious pop-up error messages, the package's VCR screen just does not show the snow, stays put on a black monitor signifying no communication to the device - audio or video - neither are there. as they should be.
I have VLC Media Player installed, same story, I click record and i can see no video nor hear any audio.

 

[Digerati]

@Digerati, sigh! Assuming "Digerati" is an actual human in Nebraska ...

Yeah, I am real - and only 45 miles (as the crow flies) to the northeast from Lincoln. Don't know any Samsons however.

Up to now I have had NO PROBLEMS until a hard disk crash

That would have been good to know from the start - so this hardware did work and was fully recognized by 64-bit Vista prior to the disk crash. Where was your current disk backup? Hello??? Did you end up reformatting and doing a fresh install?

Then does it matter whether I use Windows or Linux? That's irrelevant.

Of course it matters so it is definitely relevant. Your hardware is just a big paperweight without an operating system. As for the resolution being irrelevant, that may be. Please note I said it "may not be supported" and I don't need proof, your word will do - but again, this (the fact it did work before the disk crash) is something that would have been nice to know in your opening post.

I also have prospective clients waiting in the wings for their work to be digitized to DVD too.

If this is something you are doing professionally, then maybe you should consider a stand-alone product designed specifically for this task. I note there are several DVD & VHS Recorders in several price ranges to choose from. Then you will never need to worry about drivers, disk crashes, or which OS to use.

I have been connected to this "Internet" since LONG BEFORE it was commercially available, before 1990!
My OS experience commenced in 1983 with IBM twin-floppy disk, 512k RAM, CGA!

Ah! So you are still a pup then. Don't worry, I won't use your youth and lack of experience against you. :grin1:

 

[IanDSamson]

A pup indeed ... in the Linux field. An aged cantankerous former-PC Support Help Desk individual who migrated to Systems Administration and Data Technology. My first PC was DOS 2.1, 512k RAM, Mono Display (green on black), and took way too long to start.

 

[Digerati]

512K of RAM? Geesh - I remember when 64Kb was twice more than we would EVER need! My first computer had a whopping 4K of RAM - an Altair. I was fortunate to be stationed at Kirtland AFB in Albuquerque in the mid 70s. It used BASIC - just developed by a couple young punks - Paul Allen and Bill Gates - before they formed "Micro-soft".