Getting EasyCap to work in Windows XP

What’s an EasyCap? It’s a cheap USB video capture device that is often found being sold on eBay. It is SUPPOSEDLY Mac and Windows compatible, but a LOT of people have trouble getting video and/or sound to work and so it has earned the alternate name of “EasyCrap.” Well, I was not about to let my $25 go to waste, so I had to wrestle this thing into working order.

My working set up: An EasyCap with device instance ID USB\VID_05E1&PID_0408&blahblahbunchanumbers (look this up in Device Manager > Imaging Devices > double-click the EasyCap > Properties… obviously, only the first part needs to match), and a MacBook Pro (Core 2 Duo, 2.4Ghz) running Windows XP SP2. Note that I was UNABLE to get the EasyCap to work under OS X using VideoGlide… that was just a bucket of fail. UPDATE (4/17/2009): I had read that the drivers were incompatible with Windows xp SP3, but someone in the comments below was able to get them to work in SP3… your mileage may vary, however.

What was wrong: Automatically installing the drivers resulted in sound, but no video (once in a while, I got a garbled black and white screen). Same results on both my Pentium 4 desktop and the MacBook Pro.

How to do EXACTLY like I did:

1. Download and extract drivers for Syntek stk1160. Note that it is 1160 we want and NOT 1150. UPDATE (4/17/2009): The original site housing the drivers no longer works so I have uploaded them myself. The driver inside the package says “1150” but it is indeed 1160.
2. Followed step 5 (and ONLY step 5) of Ashleigh’s instructions for editing the oem17 file.  NOTE: do NOT use the files off the CD and do NOT run the setup EXE file from the CD! I did the first time and had to do a System Restore to undo the damage.
3. Connect the EasyCap and wait for the “Install new hardware” dialogue to pop up.
4. Select the option to select the drivers from a list.
5. Select “Imaging device.” Windows might not agree with you… whatever, you’re smarter than it.
6. When Windows has given up installing drivers, say you have a disc, then select the folder where you’ve extracted the stk1160 drivers.
7. Windows may not like this, stating the hardware won’t be compatible blahblahblah… just install it anyway.
8. After it’s all happily installed, go to the stk1160 driver folder. There will be a program called “StkATVAp” with the icon of a little camcorder. Open it.
9. “Syntek STK1160” should show up under “Devices”… make sure it’s selected. Under “Options,” make sure both “Preview” and “Audio Preview” are checked.
10. Hook up the EasyCap to your source and start playing a video off of the source (if you’re using a camcorder like I am and have speakers hooked up to your computer, put the camcorder in VCR mode and play off a tape… you’ll get some annoying feedback from your PC speakers if you attempt to capture live footage/sound).
11. Go to “Video Capture Filter” under “Options.” In the first tab, make sure the correct video standard is selected (for me, this was NTSC_M)… you will know it is correct because “Signal Detected” should change from 0 to 1. Then go to the last tab and make sure the left check box is identical to what you’ve just selected, and select the proper hookup method (for me: Composite video). Click OK.
12. I got video/sound at this point. If it’s still not working for you, go down to “Video Capture Filter” in “Options” and make sure you’ve got the right video standard (NTSC_M for me).

If you don’t have video/sound at this point… I’m plumb out of ideas for you. If you’ve got both video and sound, it’s now time to go wrestle with your video import program of choice. Godspeed.

UPDATE: Just discovered this website dedicated to fixing people’s EasyCap woes. Check it out if the post above or comments below doesn’t work!