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How to Perform a Video Capture in Premiere

Contributor
By eHow Contributing Writer
(7 Ratings)

You can use Adobe Premiere 4 to capture (digitize) analog video that is recorded on a camcorder tape or a video tape. Once you have captured the video, you can use it to create your own digital movies or to export individual frames as still images. You will need a video capture card, a fast hard disk with plenty of free space, video cables, Adobe Premiere, a video playback device (such as a camcorder or VCR) and a source of analog video (such as a tape).

Difficulty: Moderately challenging
Instructions

Things You'll Need:

  1. Step 1

    Connect your video playback device to the computer, using the same type of cables that you use to connect your VCR to your television. Connect the Audio Out (or similarly named) port from the playback device to the Audio In (or similarly named) port on the computer. Connect the Video Out port from the video source to the Video In port on the computer.

  2. Step 2

    Open or create a project in Adobe Premiere.

  3. Step 3

    Open the MovieCapture menu, and then choose your settings for each area. Click OK.

  4. Step 4

    Select Capture and then MovieCapture from the File menu. A black Recording window opens.

  5. Step 5

    Begin playing your tape on the VCR or camcorder, with the Recording window activated.

  6. Step 6

    Check the Recording window for brightness, contrast, saturation and hue. If you want to make adjustments, click on the MovieCapture menu and then on Video Source. A window appears with sliding markers to adjust your color settings.

  7. Step 7

    Slide the markers back and forth, while the video is playing, until you achieve the color quality that you want. Click OK to keep those settings.

  8. Step 8

    Rewind your tape to a few seconds before the place where you want to begin the capture.

  9. Step 9

    Play your tape.

  10. Step 10

    Click Record on the Recording window. The recording begins.

  11. Step 11

    Click Stop Recording when you have recorded the clip you want.

  12. Step 12

    Preview your clip.

  13. Step 13

    Name and save your clip if you are satisfied.

Tips & Warnings
  • If you want to capture video but not audio, you need to connect only the video cables. Similarly, if you want to capture only audio, then you can ignore the video connectors.
  • You can trim your clip and remove unwanted frames later (see the Related eHows for more).
  • If your video capture card and video playback device have higher quality video ports, such as S-video, use those ports to connect the devices. Most home users will capture a lower quality video called "composite" video.
  • Selecting MovieCapture settings is the most complex task here. Consult your manual for specific information regarding capture formats. You may need to experiment with various settings to find the best options for your system and for your project. Save the settings once you get them with the Save Settings command on the MovieCapture menu.
  • Analog tape wears out with use. If you are experimenting with settings, it is a good idea to make a master tape and do your experimenting from a copy.

Comments  

davster78 said

Flag This Comment

on 10/14/2008 Video transfer is a time consuming and complicated process indeed.

Plus the professional software and hardware costs thousands of dollars. Of course, many people do it at home, but the effects are sometimes less than satisfactory. Not to mention blocking the computer for hours when the analog video is being transferred/captured/edited/enhanced/remastered/recompressed and finally burned onto DVD. Perhaps you could visit our website and see how we may be of assistance - from simple Videotape-2-DVD conversion to complex video editing jobs - with no hassle and satisfaction guaranteed.

We are located in Hong Kong, but operate worldwide. Please visit us at

www.digitize-all.com

for more information.

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