MyGica iGrabber Nano USB 2.0 Video Capture

I have vhs home movies that I want to digitalize and have on my computer for keepsake. I was so excited to see this product priced so well. With research, I found the reviews to be both ways, so I tried it. It was obviously too good to be true. I have a 2011 macbook pro running iOS 10.7 and thought this would be plenty good enough for this. Initially it took literally 4-5hrs to upload 1 T-120 VHS tape and I cannot get sound to work. The instructions are only set for PC, although it raves that it works for MAC. It also does not easily download from the disc.

This being said, there are other genius' on the internet nice enough to write reviews and give very good info to make it work without having to pay more. Here is what I learned to make it work for mac:

1. When putting the software disc in, a window will pop up (if it doesn't pop up, just double click on the CD icon titled "video capture"). A window will pop up with 3 choices: auto run, mac os x, windows. Double click on "mac os x." Another window will pop up showing 2 choices: iGrabber instructions and iGrabber OS X. DO NOT click it, instead RIGHT CLICK. A pop up window will show and choose "show package contents." Another window will pop up with "iGrabber OS X 1.4.6.pkg." Double click this and it should begin the process of being downloaded onto your mac.

2. Once done, it should place a "iGrabber" folder in your Applications folder in your finder. Click this and a choice called "iGrabber Capture" should be in the folder. Double click this. It will most likely open a blue window or start your iCamera and will pop up another window asking for a "serial number." On the back of the sleeve the CD came in, are two stickers. The bottom sticker should say "mac os x igrabber." Use the code under that... this is the serial number.

3. Since I am doing this for VHS, I connect the black RCA cables to the VCR (any VCR will do, you do not have to get a recordable one). Then place the other side into the white "male end" iGrabber cable. The white cable then connects into the actual iGrabber remote with the USB cable. The USB cable then goes into your computer (duh). :)

4. Once iGrabber Capture is open, MAKE SURE to change these settings!!! First, go to "digitizers" on the menu line and choose "iGrabber." Then, go to "Record" on the menu line and choose "video settings." A window will pop up. Click "source" and make sure the DV Video is set appropriately (aka. if you are using the RCA cables for sound use "composite" or if you are using the larger round s-video click that. Hit "OK." Then, click "record" again on the menu line. Click "sound settings" and another window will pop up. If you are doing the sound through the USB cable, MAKE SURE you go to "source" and click "USB Device." IF YOU DON'T THE SOUND WILL NOT BE RECORDED with the video!!! I wasted so much time figuring this one out!!

5. Be ready, however long the video is, is about how long (or even a little longer) it will take to record the video onto your computer.

6. Now you are ready to record!! So, a blue window should now be up. If you hit "play" on your VCR, a picture and sound should show. (yeah!!!). In order to record, make sure the VHS is set to where you want it to start and hit pause. Hold the iGrabber in your one hand and have the VCR remote close. When you are ready to record, hit the big round button on the white iGrabber connected to your USB. This should pop up a window saying something like "double-click here to stop recording" (not exactly what it says). This means the computer is recording. Hit play on your VCR and it will start to "stutter" (for lack of a better word) and you will not hear sound anymore. This is okay. It will not be like this once it is all done. Now, you can leave your computer and let it keep recording until the VHS stops. Make sure to double click that window when it is done or you will have a lot of nothing at the end of this recording.

7. The program is set to automatically put the recording directly onto your desktop when done. If this is not where you want it to go, click "snapshot" on the menu line and then "snapshot auto-name setup." Here you can choose where you want it to go.

8. Sometimes when finishing one tape, the iGrabber Capture App will freeze or stop recording the next tape correctly. If this happens, just "quit" the program. Give it a few minutes and then reopen it. It should work again.

Hope this helps... if these steps are followed... it should work!!! Good luck!!