Pinnacle Dazzle Video Creator Platinum vs. Windows Movie Maker 2

cyclone47 · 18-12-2006

I recently loaded Pinnacle's Dazzle Video Creator Platinum onto my PC that
has the Microsoft XP Media Center operating system on it, which includes
Windows Movie Maker 2. With the Pinnacle/Dazzle hardware and built-in
software package, I can hook my analog VCR to my PC and do a direct analog to
digital transfer of VHS tapes onto my PC. Then I can edit with the software
program that came with Dazzle Video Creator Platinum. I was hoping I would
also be able to use Movie Maker 2 with the Pinnacle/Dazzle hardware to
capture and edit video if I chose to. When I try to "capture video" from my
VCR using Windows Movie Maker 2 then I get an error message telling me that
"The device is not responding. Close any other application that is using the
device and try capturing again." I can use the Dazzle software to transfer
and edit, but Windows Movie Maker 2 has some functions that I like and I was
hoping it would recognize my VCR via the Pinnacle/Dazzle hardware hook-up.
My emails to Pinnacle have gotten me nothing but dumb or brush- off
responses, so I think I have asked them something beyond their technical
knowledge of their own product. Maybe Windows Movie Maker 2 is not
technically advanced enough yet to recognize and handle another
analog-digital transfer device? But I guess I want somebody with a lot more
experience than mine to give me that bad news. Unless I ask, then I will
never know if there is an answer out there. Thanks for any responses.

Czakk · 18-12-2006

Hi Cyclone,

I have the same issue with the analog connections through WMM. If you get
your answer, please let me know.

Question for you: Does the Dazzle software let you "preview" your analog
feed before you actually have to capture it? In other words, could I use
that software to monitor a security cam connected to my PC with the analog
inputs?

Thanks

"cyclone47" wrote:

> I recently loaded Pinnacle's Dazzle Video Creator Platinum onto my PC that
> has the Microsoft XP Media Center operating system on it, which includes
> Windows Movie Maker 2. With the Pinnacle/Dazzle hardware and built-in
> software package, I can hook my analog VCR to my PC and do a direct analog to
> digital transfer of VHS tapes onto my PC. Then I can edit with the software
> program that came with Dazzle Video Creator Platinum. I was hoping I would
> also be able to use Movie Maker 2 with the Pinnacle/Dazzle hardware to
> capture and edit video if I chose to. When I try to "capture video" from my
> VCR using Windows Movie Maker 2 then I get an error message telling me that
> "The device is not responding. Close any other application that is using the
> device and try capturing again." I can use the Dazzle software to transfer
> and edit, but Windows Movie Maker 2 has some functions that I like and I was
> hoping it would recognize my VCR via the Pinnacle/Dazzle hardware hook-up.
> My emails to Pinnacle have gotten me nothing but dumb or brush- off
> responses, so I think I have asked them something beyond their technical
> knowledge of their own product. Maybe Windows Movie Maker 2 is not
> technically advanced enough yet to recognize and handle another
> analog-digital transfer device? But I guess I want somebody with a lot more
> experience than mine to give me that bad news. Unless I ask, then I will
> never know if there is an answer out there. Thanks for any responses.

John Inzer · 18-12-2006

cyclone47 wrote:
> I recently loaded Pinnacle's Dazzle Video Creator Platinum onto my PC
> that has the Microsoft XP Media Center operating system on it, which
> includes Windows Movie Maker 2. With the Pinnacle/Dazzle hardware
> and built-in software package, I can hook my analog VCR to my PC and
> do a direct analog to digital transfer of VHS tapes onto my PC. Then
> I can edit with the software program that came with Dazzle Video
> Creator Platinum. I was hoping I would also be able to use Movie
> Maker 2 with the Pinnacle/Dazzle hardware to capture and edit video
> if I chose to. When I try to "capture video" from my VCR using
> Windows Movie Maker 2 then I get an error message telling me that
> "The device is not responding. Close any other application that is
> using the device and try capturing again." I can use the Dazzle
> software to transfer and edit, but Windows Movie Maker 2 has some
> functions that I like and I was hoping it would recognize my VCR via
> the Pinnacle/Dazzle hardware hook-up. My emails to Pinnacle have
> gotten me nothing but dumb or brush- off responses, so I think I have
> asked them something beyond their technical knowledge of their own
> product. Maybe Windows Movie Maker 2 is not technically advanced
> enough yet to recognize and handle another analog-digital transfer
> device? But I guess I want somebody with a lot more experience than
> mine to give me that bad news. Unless I ask, then I will never know
> if there is an answer out there. Thanks for any responses.
=======================================
Maybe the following link will offer some ideas:

Analog video capture
using a Dazzle DVC 80
http://tinyurl.com/9xgmk

--

John Inzer
MS Picture It! MVP

Digital Image
Highlights and FAQs
http://tinyurl.com/aczzp

Notice
This is not tech support
I am a volunteer

Solutions that work for
me may not work for you

Proceed at your own risk

cyclone47 · 18-12-2006

Hi Czakk. I can watch the VHS tape playing in my VCR without having to start
the actual "capture video" process. The capture section of the Dazzle
software includes a 3" x 4" video screen to watch what is playing in your
transfer device (in my case the VCR). I just open the capture section of the
software, hit the play button on my VCR, and I can watch the VHS tape without
doing any physical capture onto my PC hard drive. There is a separate button
on the same screen to do the actual "video capture" if you want to. I just
purchased this software over the weekend, but I am impressed with how well it
seems to work. Will know more when I get into transferring hours of VHC
tapes. Anyway, it looks like it might just work for your situation.

"Czakk" wrote:

> Hi Cyclone,
>
> I have the same issue with the analog connections through WMM. If you get
> your answer, please let me know.
>
> Question for you: Does the Dazzle software let you "preview" your analog
> feed before you actually have to capture it? In other words, could I use
> that software to monitor a security cam connected to my PC with the analog
> inputs?
>
> Thanks
>
> "cyclone47" wrote:
>
> > I recently loaded Pinnacle's Dazzle Video Creator Platinum onto my PC that
> > has the Microsoft XP Media Center operating system on it, which includes
> > Windows Movie Maker 2. With the Pinnacle/Dazzle hardware and built-in
> > software package, I can hook my analog VCR to my PC and do a direct analog to
> > digital transfer of VHS tapes onto my PC. Then I can edit with the software
> > program that came with Dazzle Video Creator Platinum. I was hoping I would
> > also be able to use Movie Maker 2 with the Pinnacle/Dazzle hardware to
> > capture and edit video if I chose to. When I try to "capture video" from my
> > VCR using Windows Movie Maker 2 then I get an error message telling me that
> > "The device is not responding. Close any other application that is using the
> > device and try capturing again." I can use the Dazzle software to transfer
> > and edit, but Windows Movie Maker 2 has some functions that I like and I was
> > hoping it would recognize my VCR via the Pinnacle/Dazzle hardware hook-up.
> > My emails to Pinnacle have gotten me nothing but dumb or brush- off
> > responses, so I think I have asked them something beyond their technical
> > knowledge of their own product. Maybe Windows Movie Maker 2 is not
> > technically advanced enough yet to recognize and handle another
> > analog-digital transfer device? But I guess I want somebody with a lot more
> > experience than mine to give me that bad news. Unless I ask, then I will
> > never know if there is an answer out there. Thanks for any responses.

cyclone47 · 18-12-2006

Hi John Inzer

After I get the error message I mentioned in my initial question, if I click
"ok" on that error message it brings up another error message over the top of
capture device window that tells me "The video device cannot be used at this
time because there was an error starting the device." The VCR is on. I
checked out your article about the Dazzle DVC 80, but it seems to pertain
more to using an analog video camera versus transferring directly from a VCR
hooked to the Dazzle hardware device. Unless somebody gives me further input
here, it looks like Windows Movie Maker 2 has trouble recognizing the newer
Dazzle DVC 170 hardware device, or, it has a problem handling input directly
from a VCR versus a video camera. For whatever reason.

Breadstick · 18-12-2006

Hi- I forgot to mention that I use the Dazzle device to capture from a vcr as
well as an analog camcorder.

"cyclone47" wrote:

> I recently loaded Pinnacle's Dazzle Video Creator Platinum onto my PC that
> has the Microsoft XP Media Center operating system on it, which includes
> Windows Movie Maker 2. With the Pinnacle/Dazzle hardware and built-in
> software package, I can hook my analog VCR to my PC and do a direct analog to
> digital transfer of VHS tapes onto my PC. Then I can edit with the software
> program that came with Dazzle Video Creator Platinum. I was hoping I would
> also be able to use Movie Maker 2 with the Pinnacle/Dazzle hardware to
> capture and edit video if I chose to. When I try to "capture video" from my
> VCR using Windows Movie Maker 2 then I get an error message telling me that
> "The device is not responding. Close any other application that is using the
> device and try capturing again." I can use the Dazzle software to transfer
> and edit, but Windows Movie Maker 2 has some functions that I like and I was
> hoping it would recognize my VCR via the Pinnacle/Dazzle hardware hook-up.
> My emails to Pinnacle have gotten me nothing but dumb or brush- off
> responses, so I think I have asked them something beyond their technical
> knowledge of their own product. Maybe Windows Movie Maker 2 is not
> technically advanced enough yet to recognize and handle another
> analog-digital transfer device? But I guess I want somebody with a lot more
> experience than mine to give me that bad news. Unless I ask, then I will
> never know if there is an answer out there. Thanks for any responses.

Tracey · 04-01-2007

I use Dazzle to capture video for editing from my DVD player and also from my VCR. For editing though sometimes I use Adobe Premiere Elements. I find that I have to upload with Pinnacle Dazzle. To use my other programs I have to use the feature "add media" to attach the files I've uploaded. I don't know if you tried that or not. My Adobe program will not recognize uploading video from my VCR so that's the route I have to take.

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