Which capturing software should I use?

[AuroEdge]

My friend has some home videos (still on the special camcorder tapes) that he wants to backup on his computer. His video card is a Geforce 6800 128MB DDR 256bit Dual DVI. I know that generally ATI All-In-Wonder is what is usually supported, so I don't know where to turn. He's willing to buy software, but free isn't ruled out . Thanks.

[edDV]

What format are the camcorder tapes?

[AuroEdge]

What format are the camcorder tapes?

They're (analog) NTSC 30Hz AFAIK. For some reason my friend was thinking the camcorder was digital, but I thought since it's 3-4 years old and uses tapes that it isn't.

[thecoalman]

What format are the camcorder tapes?

They're (analog) NTSC 30Hz AFAIK. For some reason my friend was thinking the camcorder was digital, but I thought since it's 3-4 years old and uses tapes that it isn't.

Digital 8 has been around for longer than that and they record to tape. Look on the cam. If it's a digital 8 then all you need is a firewire card and a firewire cable for capture.

Don't confuse digital 8 with hi-8 which is analog, don't look at the tapes but the cam as they use the same ones.

[AuroEdge]

What format are the camcorder tapes?

They're (analog) NTSC 30Hz AFAIK. For some reason my friend was thinking the camcorder was digital, but I thought since it's 3-4 years old and uses tapes that it isn't.

Digital 8 has been around for longer than that and they record to tape. Look on the cam. If it's a digital 8 then all you need is a firewire card and a firewire cable for capture.

Don't confuse digital 8 with hi-8 which is analog, don't look at the tapes but the cam as they use the same ones.

Assuming it's Digital-8 (it's a Sony camcorder), what software do I use to capture on Windows with firewire?

[thecoalman]

Any really, you can even use Windows Movie Maker. there's other listed in the tools section. You don't capture but transfer digital video. It's lossless, almost like copying a file from one folder to another.

If it's analog though it's a whole other ballgame. :P

Once on the computer you still need to convert to MPEG2 and author it to disc.

[HARRYSPADGE]

Give WinDV a try. It's free

[thecoalman]

Once on the computer you still need to convert to MPEG2 and author it to disc.

Just to elaborate a little more, if it's digital and he wants to backup the "captured" file it will require about 1 regular 4.7 GB per 20 minutes roughly.

That's why they use tape, currently it has the highest capacity at the cheapest price. It can be converted to mpeg2 at a slight loss in quality allowing you to fit about 1 hour or more per DVD and will need to be if you want to view on a standalone DVD player.

[AuroEdge]

Once on the computer you still need to convert to MPEG2 and author it to disc.

Just to elaborate a little more, if it's digital and he wants to backup the "captured" file it will require about 1 regular 4.7 GB per 20 minutes roughly.

That's why they use tape, currently it has the highest capacity at the cheapest price. It can be converted to mpeg2 at a slight loss in quality and will need to be if you want to view on a standalone DVD player.

Can TMPGEnc convert to mpeg2 adequately?

[thecoalman]

Can TMPGEnc convert to mpeg2 adequately?

I don't use it myself but many others do.... It's one of the prefferred encoders here. That only converts the video though, you still need an authoring app if you want to play it on most standalone DVD players. Some will play just a regular file burned to DVD but there are not very many. :P