| Magix Rescue Your Videotapes 2.0 (PC CD) | 
| From: Magix Entertainment Ltd
Category: Software
List Price: £59.99
Buy New: £39.52
as of 5/9/2010 23:14 CDT details
You Save: £20.47 (34%)
New (7) from £39.52
Seller: thebumperbook
Rating:  47 reviews
Format: CD-ROM
Platforms: Windows Vista, Windows XP, Windows 7
Media: CD-ROM
Operating System: Windows XP/Vista/Windows 7
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.7
Dimensions (in): 7.5 x 5.6 x 1.8
MPN: 4017218653856
EAN: 4017218653856
Release Date: August 31, 2009
Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days
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| Customer Reviews:
Showing reviews 1-5 of 47
 Done & dusted. Worked Perfectly First Time November 27, 2009
Rendition (Brighton, UK)
84 out of 85 found this review helpful
This time, I thought I'd write the review as proceed through the various steps. After all, saving sometimes invaluable video tapes is an important moment. In my case, I'm trying to rescue my wedding video. This tape is now 17 years old, and I haven't a clue in what shape it is. So here goes...
All the testing is being done on Windows 7, just to make it a little harder :)
The first thing is to plug in a decent video player. I still have the one I initially used, but it hasn't been plugged in for a while. I even find the remote that goes with it (wonders never cease)!
On opening the "Rescue Your Videotapes" box, you get the following:
- A USB Video dongle (looks like a USB Data stick)
- A USB Extension lead
- A Scart to USB cable
- A Scart to Video "Cinch" conversion cable (1.5m).
- Software DVD
- A short manual.
Unlike most times, I take time to read the manual to make sure I'm doing things in order. It's important to install the software BEFORE you connect anything so that the appropriate drivers can install first.
The installation runs fine, slightly marred by the musical accompaniment. Could be worse, I suppose, but why bother? I suggest to launch the thing and then read the rest of the manual, as it took quite a long time to launch. I elect NOT to install the photo manager (as I have Google Picassa) and I really don't need another media player, no matter how clever it is, so that goes too. I figure that if I want these, I can install them separately at a later stage.
Interestingly, although the manual states that you don't need the serial number, you will need it when you first launch the application (which starts automatically after installation), so don't throw it away, and keep it safe afterwards.
So now we need to install the drivers, so I relaunch the setup program and select USB from the main menu. Unlike most devices, and the manual, you need to plug the dongle into a spare USB port first, otherwise the installation fails. You will see that windows initially can't recognize it, but don't worry, after installation, all is well.
The connection to the VHS player is straightforward and colour coded. The manual is also very helpful here is you have problems.
In starting the application I installed earlier, the first screen lets you create a new video project and the next one, lets you import your video from tape. Providing you've used the supplied cables, you choose composite, and you're off. The video image appears immediately. The first time, I had no sound, but choosing the advanced button and choosing the right audio source (Line USB2861, in my case) everything worked like a dream.
There was one more online activation necessary to encode MP2 video format, but after that I just let the video run and it recorded the whole thing for me.
One inconvenience, is that there is no timer to tell the system to stop capturing video, so you have to stick around or be nearby to stop the capture (or fill up your hard disk when the tape runs out) as it does not recognize the end of the tape, but that can easily be fixed by setting an egg timer.
I the output, as I mentioned earlier is MP2 (MPEG) and it was easy to import it into my favourite editing software (although the application does have a range of editing features and effects), as I really didn't want to learn yet another video editing application.
It is rare these days that something just works the first time. It usually takes a lot of tinkering with the PC and video image sources which can be a nightmare for most people, and an irritation for the more technically minded. This product worked first time and I would venture that at this price, even if you only have a single precious video to convert, this is the product for you.
Well done Magix. 5 stars well deserved!
Essential item for anyone who has precious old videotapes! November 22, 2009
Sam (UK)
17 out of 18 found this review helpful
Although the preview video shown on the Amazon page for this product is ever so slightly over-dramatic, it does make a worthwhile point. Videotapes simply aren't very durable, already on many of my old home videos the quality has deteriorated markedly. Another point that this film doesn't make is that videotapes are becoming obsolete what with the introduction of digital recorders etc etc. So that's why this product is useful, but the next question is-is it any good?
Simple answer-yes! It works exactly as it says it will and whilst the process is lengthy, it is definitely worth it for the end result. The installation does take a little while, and it did involve installing two separate programs on the disc. When it is eventually installed then there is the process of entering the serial number and registering, although these are all of course only problems for the first time the product is used.
After that the leads (all included with the software) are attached to your video player and your computer and then you insert your video press play and wait until however much of what you want recorded has played out. Once recorded you can then edit the video, and this is particularly easy video-editing software to use in comparison to other comparable software I've used in the past. You can add titles to your home videos, get rid of any unnecessary bits, fade in and out scenes, insert photos and even a soundtrack! When you click on the 'finish video' button you get various options, for example exporting to Youtube or burning to DVD. I chose the burn to DVD option on my first project and the option then allows you to create a DVD menu with a variety of colourful backgrounds. The burning process took just under 3 hours, but that is probably more to do with the standard of my computer than anything else!! Once completed I was delighted with the quality of the DVD and the knowledge that my home video was safe.
Overall, while installation takes a while and the burning process may take a while depending on your computer, the results made it well worth while and this product greatly exceeded my expectations!!
easy to use and it works well March 21, 2010
C. Watts (UK)
5 out of 5 found this review helpful
For so many of us a major part of the eighties and nineties was the use of the video tape. Finding that special tape so we could re-watch our home movies became a regular activity back then. Now those video cassette days are over, and while we may still have the tapes, it is common for them to be gathering dust in a cupboard somewhere along with our video player. However, our tapes and players only have a limited lifespan so now is the time to blow the dust off these old memories and transfer them to a more useable format.
That is where MAGIX Rescue Your Videotapes comes in. With this software package, now on Version 2.0, you can back up your precious VHS cassette recordings and other tape formats to PC or DVD, or even publish them on the internet. The package comes with MAGIX Video easy software and a USB video converter. It is simply a matter of connecting the USB adaptor to the PC and video recorder, starting MAGIX Video Easy then you can record your videos onto your PC. The new USB video converter with this version is significantly smaller than the previous one. Also included is a SCART adapter, which many other packages don't include, so you can easily plug it into your VCR.
Installing the software was straightforward, as was connecting my video player to the PC. I had to spend a few minutes playing with the settings to get things right, but once I had figured this out it was very easy to import my videos. When I first started I had no audio at all, but changing the hardware device settings soon sorted this. Some users complain about audio sync problems. I found that with the audio device set to `USB 2861 Device' I had audio sync problems, but with it set to `USB Audio Device WDM' the audio sync was excellent.
There is the useful ability to clean up the picture and sound of poor-quality videos. You can also improve sharpness, brightness, contrast and colour intensity.
This colour management feature worked well. I didn't have any off colour videos to try and correct, but I managed to get some old adverts looking like a feature film! While there isn't the same amount of adjustment you might get with a professional editing tool, there is enough control here to correct the colour if you need to.
Editing the captured footage was simple. At the very least this allows you to clean-up the beginning and end of the video, so that when you export it you don't get any unwanted footage at the start, which can be distracting.
What I like about MAGIX software is that it is always easy to use. This is also the case with exporting your project. This can be done to a DVD, to your hard-drive or to the internet, such as You-Tube. The DVD burning includes all you need to produce a tidy menu driven disc.
This product has been tested for operational conformity and functional security in Windows 7 so if you have just purchased a new PC or will be switching to the new Windows 7 operating system, you will be able to continue to use this product as usual.
Rescue Your Videotapes does very much what it says on the box. It'll capture videotaped programmes and then enable you to clean them up and produce DVDs with professional-looking front ends. Although easy to use, the program still provides advanced features. Rescue Your Videotapes, then, is easy to use and it works well.
Easy to use and superb value November 23, 2009
S. P. Long (Cambridge)
10 out of 11 found this review helpful
I've been transferring videos to DVD using my PC for several years now, and have tried a variety of solutions. They have all had one thing in common - that they only work after a lot of sweat and tears. Yes, they will produce acceptable results, but they are awkward to install, awkward to get working, and awkward to use.
This package from Magix is not like that... First off, the package itself is excellent value - in addition to the capture and editing software, it includes a USB video and audio interface (which is tiny - the size of a USB memory stick), a USB extension cable and even a SCART-phono adaptor - everything you need to plug into either a composite or an S-video source. This is also the first device I've tried that integrates stereo audio capture with the video - no need to fiddle about with your sound card.
I installed the software and connected the USB interface. The only snag is having to install the drivers for the interface separately from the capture software, but the instructions are clear and well-written, and it's just a matter of running 2 installers rather than one. As a video source, I plugged in my iPod via its dock, and connected the audio and video cables. I ran the capture software - I did need to register online before I could use it - and it then detected the USB box and asked if I wanted to capture composite or S-video. I made the right settings, and was immediately presented with the picture and sound coming from my iPod - all I then needed to do was press "Capture".
It all worked first time, which is a first in my experience. No problems, no hassles, nothing - from opening the box to having video saved on my hard drive was less than 10 minutes. The resulting quality is fine - not superb, but good enough for scratchy old VHS, and it gets saved as a standard MPEG video file, so can be used in other editors if you prefer. The included editing software is easy to use - drag the time markers to where you want to cut, and press "Cut" - couldn't be simpler. There is an easy interface to add your own soundtrack, or add titles or photos, and you can output direct to recordable DVD or to YouTube.
I cannot praise this product highly enough - it is by far the easiest video capture and editing solution I've seen (and I've seen a few...) You can pay more than this for just video editing software - for a complete software and hardware package like this, it is exceptional value. Thoroughly recommended.
Great piece of kit September 28, 2009
Kathryn Smith
16 out of 18 found this review helpful
This is a great piece of kit. Its so easy to use, just plug it in and use the great software provided and away you go. Its easy to edit as well after you have transferred it onto the computer. I have loads of high 8 cassettes, so before my old camera gives up the ghost I need to copy them all onto disk. It works perfectly for this and for the old vhs videos as well. Highly recommended to 'rescue your videotape'!
Showing reviews 1-5 of 47
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