Attempting to connect VCR to PC

[ostarella]

I have Windows XP Home on an eMachine T1120. I recently added AVerMedia DVD EZMaker PCI card, and connected my Hitachi VCR according to instructions. However, neither EZMaker or Windows Movie Maker can find the VCR. I've tried to add it in Device Manager, but Hitachi is not among any of the listed companies for imaging devices. I'm not a technical person, which makes it all the more frustrating. Any help on getting this recognized so I can use it would be *greatly* appreciated.

[ChrisXPPro]

I know nothing about that PCI card but - what connections are you using?  If you go RCA from VCR then you need to plugging in to not only audio input but a suitable video input for 1V Vid signal - or even an ''S'' video option.

I'd expect you to need either - a video card with options for a video input or - a ''grabber'' to use in a USB port to achieve same result.

So for now - expand on what you have re hardware and - how you connect your video cable to computer etc.

[ostarella]

The new PCI card had slots for both RCA and S-Video - I'm using the RCA composite video and have the audio plugged into the "line in" slot (also RCA). The PCI card is supposed to be a capture card.

Hardware - 1.2 GHz Celeron processor, 512 mb SDram, 3D AGP Graphics Intel Direct AGP, 40 GB harddrive. I've also updated XP automatically, so that should be current.

I hope that answers your questions - I'm sorry I'm not sure what information you'd need. As I say, I'm not a technical person (this was supposed to be easy to do  )

[ChrisXPPro]

Ah OK - this was main thing I was wondering - whether the card was indeed a capture card.

Hmmm - I guess next question might be - was the card installation trouble-free, with Win seeing it and accepting it with no glitches?  I assume that was the case.

So - leaving aside VCR as the input device ..... this means by sound of things that the card is not showing up as a capture device.  Doubt if it'd make any difference at all but - can you try and feed output to this from a DVD player?  Probably get same result I suspect - a vid signal is a vid signal.

I would expect that you shoul see the card as an option in Movie Maker - where it should show as itself rather than the VCR or any other input source.

It should have installed to show in Device manager - so am wondering whether you could try again - remove card and try another install - long shot here but - try another PCI slot.  I only mention that because i had prob's adding an old SCSI card to my newer machine and it failed - removed card and tried another slot - that one worked....  otherwise so far - sorry no easy fix comes to mind.

[ostarella]

I was afraid you would say that    I was thinking that I should be able to see the card itself *somewhere* in the system, but thought maybe it was just because I didn't know where to look. Will try another slot and keep my fingers crossed (at least *that* part is easy  ).

Thanks so much for suggestions - and patience