Problem capturing via firewire with VirtualDub 1.5.10

[bdoughty_sa]

I'm capturing directly from a Sony TVR350 to Audigy 2 card w/firewire. OS is XP Pro w/o SP2.

This setup works perfectly with Scenalyzer Live, but I wanted to try capturing directly to MPEG-2 and bypass AVI...

VirtualDub apparently does not see the vidcam (I've also tried using my ADVC-100 as the input device with the same results) I go to the Files menu and go successfully to Capture page. I set the Source to MS DV Cam & VCR (actually VD defaults to this as this is the only input device).

The preview screen opens, but only displays a brown background. I begin playback, but there is no capture info displayed and no image from the vidcam.

I figure the problem is something incredibly simple (stupid?), but I can sure use some help...

TIA

Bill

[Tommyknocker]

Sorry, Virtual Dub can't capture fire wire. Best to use anpther program, then run the DV AVI through Virtual Dub if you like its filters that much.

[redwudz]

You might look into Mainconcept encoder. You can convert the DV stream to MPEG-2 directly. Works well if you don't need to edit. The quality isn't as good as TMPGEnc but it will work in close to real time. (It has a buffer)

[SatStorm]

Mainconcept is the choice you have, I second that.

The quality is excellent, for realtime mpeg 2 captures.

[bdoughty_sa]

OK. Thanks all... Saved me a lot of time. I'll try MainConcept....
Bill

[DVFun]

I have NEVER had decent picture quality by capturing directly into MPEG2 with MainConcept MPEG Enc. Always blocky pictures, redgardless of what seetings I used.
Eventually I gave up.
If picture quality is a concern, IMO you cannot excape from capturing AVI and then encode to Mpeg2 using a deccent encoder (I use Canopus Procoder Express, which I believe is both Great and reasonable priced).
By the way, I remember having tried WinDVD Creator to capture directly to Mpeg2 ready for authoring and that was the closest I could get to Canopus Procoder, in terms of the quality.
That's my 2 cents if it's worth anything!

[ZippyP.]

I have NEVER had decent picture quality by capturing directly into MPEG2 with MainConcept MPEG Enc. Always blocky pictures, redgardless of what seetings I used.

No offense, but if redwudz and Satstorm say that you can capture and convert with good results using Mainconcept then I would believe them. They have some experience behind them.

[DVFun]

I was talking about MY experience )