The Compro C200 Plus is a quirky device that scratches an increasingly irritating itch: it allows you to capture and digitise analogue video from a variety of analogue sources.
There's now more content on YouTube than has ever been broadcast in the history of traditional television, but many millions more hours of footage lies unused in analgue devices. It's a similar story in audio: you may have ripped all of your CDs, but what about the mix-tapes you so lovingly crafted when listening to the chart rundown was still a meaningful, X-Factor-free experience? The Compro C200 Plus provides one, simple solution.
See also: How to transfer movies from VHS to DVD
Slightly larger than the USB flash drive or TV tuner card it closely resembles, the Compro C200 Plus has a prominent USB connector - it comes with a USB extension cable - and a cable adaptor that supports S-Video, composite video and RCA stereo audio. This allows you to connect it up to camcorders, DVD players, games consoles and even tape decks and VHS recorders. The provided cables are pretty short, however, so you may be better off purchasing your own.
Installation is a cinch. Simply plug the Compro C200 Plus into an available USB port and the device installs the necessary drivers. Using it is even easier, once you've grasped the basic video-editing tenant that first you capture, then you edit. Simply attach the device to your source to capture content, and hook it up to your PC via USB to download it. There's only a single button, so you really can't go wrong. You can then convert and edit the captured material using the supplied CyberLink PowerDirector software.
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