Bring Back Video Capture

[cjfenner]

This morning when I opened Premiere Pro 24 for the first time, I was dismayed at not being able to find the Capture option in the File menu. Upon contacting customer support, I was told that feature had been retired, and I was directed to the following page:

https://helpx.adobe.com/in/premiere-pro/kb/retiring-tape-based-workflows.html#sa_src=web-messaging

Here's my problem. As a professional media archivist, I used the capture system frequently in the process of digitizing old video tapes (mostly VHS and U-Matic, sometimes DVCPro) for digital access and storage. The article above seems to think tape-based capture is only for transferring tape-to-tape, which is wrong. There are professional archivists and media professionals all over the country, or all over the world, whose job it is to preserve tape-based media via digitization. Adobe has now effectively abandoned an entire industry because it thinks people don't need this feature anymore. Adobe is wrong. As I write this, I have several dozen VHS tapes at my desk waiting to be digitized, and now I have to come up with another software solution because Adobe evidently does not care about customers like me who do this for a living. 

Dear Adobe, this was a poorly researched decision, potentially affecting a lot more of your customers than you realize. I am asking for the tape-to-digital capture feature to be restored to the software for video professionals like me who were using it faithfully.

Mod note: Title changed slightly.

[Alexander330623692rbc]

Can we see about getting this back? I was literally capturing a video when my computer forced me to upgrade... and the capture was gone.

Are there other programs that work for this?

[Warren Heaton]

Use Creative Cloud Desktop to install an older version.

Creative Cloud Desktop showing "Older Versions" option for Premiere Pro v24 

You do not need to uninstall version 24.

Disable "Remove Old Versions" for future updates.

[R4949]

This may be a "correct" answer but it's the "wrong" answer for those of us who still use tape daily for documentary and archive work. That's how I earn my living!!!!  And reinstalling an earlier version to capture won't exactly enhance my work flow rate.... I think this is a terrible decision by Adobe and it needs to be reinstated asap!

[Warren Heaton]

I would like to see video capture remain as well.

While text-based editing is one of the greatest things to happen in a significant NLE for documentaries in a long time (but a quick shout out to Lumberjack), losing video capture may be one of the worst.  If a documentary filmmaker has archival footage on Digital 8, MicroMV, MiniDV, DVCAM or DVCPro, this poses a real challenge.  

If not maintaining an older version or Premiere Pro alongside the current version, FireWire-based tape capture is still supported in Final Cut Pro X ($299) and iMovie (included with macOS-based computers).

If capturing via SDI or other video connectors, BlackMagic Design Media Express is included with BlackMagic Design hardware.

While I do not do as much documentary work as I used to, I keep my 2013 Mac Pro and 2013 13-inch MacBook Pro running for capturing from FireWire-based tape formats via Premiere Pro CS6 or Premiere Pro CC2014.

[cinemanfilm]

I've been using Premiere since 1998. Been a paid, professional filmmaker for the last 10. I often wonder whether Adobe employs ANYONE in developing its software who's an actual filmmaker. Just opened the 2024 update today and tape capture is gone. So much for making documentaries using old tape from the 80's and 90's and ingesting it directly into Premiere. I mean, are you OUT of your minds? Many serious film editing jobs involve old or archival footage that is ANALOG. Come on, guys. Bring this back immediately.

[Warren Heaton]

Did you vote for this at the top (to the left of the original post)?

The Premiere Pro team pays close attention to that number when it comes to prioritizing feature requests.

[mr_okk]

I do a lot of on-set editing and need to capture directly from camera to have a fast workflow. I know I can just use PrPro 23 but having to run two seperate systems is anoying and who knows when the MacOs wont launch PrPro 23

[Warren Heaton]

Right now, Premiere Pro 22.6.4, 23.6, and 24 should run as expected under macOS 12.6 Monterey and macOS 13.5.2 Ventura.

I'd hold off on macOS Sonoma 14 until it gets to 14.4 unless it came pre-installed.

[lauriej24226234]

I 100% agree. Who and why would they do this? It makes no sense. No I have to roll back to a previous version and keep the new version as well.  All the while if Blackmagic Davinci 18 added capture I think I'd be leaving Adobe. It wasn't like I do a ton of DVD but they could have left the app up?? They did for a while and I guess they thought they were being to kind to people? I didn't want updates! So I had to find my old CS6 disks and install only Encore and find the librairies etc. And an old version I had of Quicktime!!

[jefjaeger]

This is absolutely ridiculous and unacceptable.  I am a one-man business, and about 75% of my business is converting analog and tape-based digital video to digital and doing various repairs and enhancements.  I have been a customer for many years.  First Adobe started calling paid software 'not genuine' a number of years ago and official software that I paid hunderds of dollars was no longer useable.  Then the forced subscription model which for many of us is not the best choice.  Then Encore, which was discontinued, but still offered with the Premier Pro CC subscription, was suddenly taken away.  Then there is the workaround stuff for MTS importing without audio.  Then a week or so ago, I open up my app to do some captures and - no capture.  Just gone.  The solution is apparently to install the previous old version 23.6 to capture - because 24.0 - supposedly a professional app - cannot capture video any more.  Unacceptable.  I keep feeling betrayed by Adobe.  Over and over again.  Very angry.  I will of course be using 23.6, but as I continue to pay my subscription fee, I do not enjoy any of the upgrades.  Unless I try to bounce between capturing video with 23.6 and then doing the project in 24.0.  Pretty cumbersome workflow for something I do for a living every damn day!  Very frustrated.  I am going to start looking for alternatives to Premiere Pro.  I already ditched Photoshop for Affinity becuase of how expensive it is to subscribe to only a few apps. 

[leightong62146308]

Hi There. 

I just ran into this and the "Capture" feature is still present and working in version 23. 

https://helpx.adobe.com/download-install/using/install-previous-version.html

Totally agree and it's hard to imagine it's actually costing Adobe anything to keep that functionality. 

Good luck. 

[SpielbergRules24x7x365]

Absolutely RIDICULOUS. After I lost my company to the pandemic like so many others, I started a business digitizing analog tapes. Now I can't even do THAT anymore. Wonderful. I guess Adobe is just another virus. Will go find something else I don't have to pay for every month just to put me out of business. DISGUSTING.

[Warren Heaton]

Premiere Pro 2023 which still has the capture option is likely to remain available until Premiere Pro 2026 gets released.

Anything captured in 2023 will import into a newer version.

There is plenty of time to find another option for video capture.

[lauriej24226234]

The only workaround aside having two versions of Premiere Pro on your computer is: record with OBS. I ended up buying Davinci 18 Studio in hopes of switching totally over and import that recorded video. Resolve is great but I’m used to Premiere Pro for years. I’m closer to the end of my career than the beginning. It was bad enough when they yanked Encore. Luckily I found a couple workarounds. Also, they yanked the templates one release. To me it seems like they’ve been giving me a 12 year prostate exam.
Quite sick of it. Just hanging on till I can somehow retire or die!

Get Outlook for iOS<>

[Warren Heaton]

I do not believe that OBS replaces what has been removed from Premiere, namely DV and HDV capture via an IEEE-1394 (FireWire) port.

If someone was using Blackmagic or AJA hardware with Premiere Pro, they can switch to using the Blackmagic or AJA software which has always been an option prior to this change in Premiere Pro. 

[lauriej24226234]

No, it doesn't help the firewire and hit "Tape" recording of a DV firewire device. In the past years the firewire was iffy to me also. I used to have a really old Sony piece of software to ingest DV cam stuff. It worked with a few brands actually. The problem is everything inserts another step. If you have an old MacBook pro 2013 with an old Mac OS you can run firewire cams. Or Adobe cam just add back the capture option to make it easier.  I don't know. Is it a hard thing to put it back in? Curious.

[lauriej24226234]

I've tried 3 versions of Blackmagic Intensity Pro cards and external devices. Media Express when it works is insane. None of the input options make sense. No simple 720 x 480 30fps usually. You have to add it using legacy versions. Well, at least I did.. I use old Canopus firewire modules. Its all I need to do what I want. Even a garbage passthrough works if you capture to Adobe Premiere. 

[Yes My Lord Ltd]

I can't see a reason to remove this part of the software.  There must be billions of DV tapes out there that families and professionals alike haven't thought about capturing to a current format.  People are still telecining old film for modern viewers, why not just keep DV capture?  It's not like Adobe ever rewrote it or updated it.

You have my vote for DV capture to remain in Premiere.  I use Windows, so FCP is not an option.

[jdmack01]

I agree that it is more than annoying when Adobe *removes* a feature from the "upgrade."  Fortunately, I still have older versions of Premiere on my systems (yes, systems plural) that can capture through firewire, but it is a pain to have to capture in one program and edit in another.  Adobe, stop removing features without asking your users if they'd mind!

[mortenf123456]

Hi I'm TOTAL agree.

I'm also a professionel arhivist, and also making tape-to-fil...for archive and broadcast...and I'm in a middel op a project, where I now have to backroll to a earlier version of Premiere...Adobe have forgot to ask the users, that pay for a professionel product what the user uses before making a BIG change like that!!!! 😞

[Alberto_B]

Adobe has deleted the CAPTURE OPTION.
Sorry to say that, but it is Riiiiiidiculous!
The excuse of a modern and contemporary workflow is an absurd, there are thousands of situations where you need to capture a video signal, so in fact is a downgrade of a fine editing system.

[SpielbergRules24x7x365]

Anyone know a free (or one-time purchase) of something comparable to this subscription-based waste of money that I can't use anymore because it just put me out of business?

[SpielbergRules24x7x365]

After seeing all these posts and replies, I didn't see ONE response from an Adobe employee. Gee, I wonder why. 

[SpielbergRules24x7x365]

Thanks for that and no need to apologive. I should have figured that they never would nee this... But also thanks fr the idea to post in "Bugs and Ideas". Think they'll actually give a ___ about this issue?

[Kevin-Monahan]

I'll move these posts into a post on Ideas asking to bring back the function. Be sure to upvote, @SpielbergRules24x7x365.

Thanks,
Kevin