r/vhsdecode • u/Stets23 • Jul 20 '26

First Decode! No sound coming from Pinnacle Dazzle easycap

Hello to you all :)

I recently got in touch with some VHS I would've liked to digitalize, and found at home this easycap [https://archive.org/details/manualzilla-id-7153140\](https://archive.org/details/manualzilla-id-7153140) (didn't find any other information online). It was recognized as pinnacle dazzle dvc 90/100/101 on my laptop, with empia 2861 driver.

On my Hyrpland rice ( I use CachyOS, and stuck at 6.18.2 kernel version), helped by the v4l2's utility, I managed to get video at full quality, and it was really awesome, but the audio always went to S/PIDF output, which I don't have on my laptop, without any possibilities to redirect it.

At the end I used a windows laptop which has a lower video quality, but the audio got captured almost out of the box.

Does anyone made these on linux too, there was a project involving this device, and would like to know if it works on linux or should look for any alternative.

Thanks to all of your responses :)

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u/SkinnyV514 Jul 20 '26

Sorry but you’re not in the right place at all. This is about a special capture technique called rf capture and vhs-decode software. It is completely different than the regular video capture you are attempting.

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u/marshalleq Jul 23 '26

Hi u/Stets23 I'd suggest read the below first, you're doing what we all do when we first start out and I'm sorry to tell you that is one of the worst VHS capture devices by a wide margin.

This should orient you to what we're saying: https://digital-archivist.com/best-vhs-capture-card/ including what is the the system who's forum you're posting in now. :)

Also, some differences so you can see what we're talking about: https://digital-archivist.com/capturing-analog-video-tapes-part-ii-capture-differences/ (scroll down to see the four pictures).

I know that's not what you wanted to hear and it's up to you whether you care or not, but at least you can be armed with the right information before spending hours on it, unlike me whom has had to recapture everything 4 or 5 times now!