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  1. Member
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    Need advice on process for getting Hi8 tapes to computer for editing then to DVD:

    All my tapes (about 30 total) are analog. Camcorder Sony TRV-328 is analog with one A/V jack and one S-video jack. Computer has multiple USB 2.0, but no firewire ports. Back-up external hard drive is 160 G, but with only USB 2.0 connectivity.
    Have read much; trying no to get confused. Looked at installing capture cards or firewire ports, Canopus devices, digital8 camcorder pass-through option, even off-loading to a service providers. Have time to transfer, edit and burn. Would something like this USB video capture adapter work: http://www.usbvideoadapter.com/ ? Any thoughts on best solution? Thanks.
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    Originally Posted by j jasper
    Need advice on process for getting Hi8 tapes to computer for editing then to DVD:

    All my tapes (about 30 total) are analog. Camcorder Sony TRV-328 is analog with one A/V jack and one S-video jack. Computer has multiple USB 2.0, but no firewire ports. Back-up external hard drive is 160 G, but with only USB 2.0 connectivity.
    Have read much; trying no to get confused. Looked at installing capture cards or firewire ports, Canopus devices, digital8 camcorder pass-through option, even off-loading to a service providers. Have time to transfer, edit and burn. Would something like this USB video capture adapter work: http://www.usbvideoadapter.com/ ? Any thoughts on best solution? Thanks.
    All the options that you mentioned would work. If you can install Firewire through a PCI card and borrow a Digital8 cam from relatives/friends to capture the videos in AVI format and use a DVD authoring software to create DVDs, that would be a good option especially if you do lots of editing. I am not familiar with the EasyCAP program. I had a project similar to yours some years back (16 hrs of Hi8 tapes, Sony cam with composite and S-Video out, PC with both Firewire and USB 2.0). I used an external capture device called DVD EZMaker USB

    https://www.videohelp.com/capturecards/avermedia-dvd-ezmaker-usb2-0/333

    It costs about $40 a few years back (the listed price $150 seems to be incorrect). It worked fairly well for me, easy capture process and a simple authoring software (NeoDVD). The captured videos are in MPG2 format which is rather compact and readily encoded to DVD. If you do lots of editing then MPG2 is not a good format.

    Other users would offer more opinions and you can also find plenty of info by searching for guides on this site.
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  3. Member thecoalman's Avatar
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    You're taking a risk with anything like that...

    IMHO there's really only four ways to go about this,

    2 for DV-AVI ------> ADVC or passthough on digital DV cam

    2 for MPEG --------> DVD Recorder or PCI card with hardware encoder like the Hauupage cards.

    ----------------

    For editing go with DVAVI, more reading here: www.nepadigital.com/articles/analog-capture.php
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    Originally Posted by thecoalman
    You're taking a risk with anything like that...

    IMHO there's really only four ways to go about this,

    2 for DV-AVI ------> ADVC or passthough on digital DV cam

    2 for MPEG --------> DVD Recorder or PCI card with hardware encoder like the Hauupage cards.

    ----------------

    For editing go with DVAVI, more reading here: www.nepadigital.com/articles/analog-capture.php
    Hi - I apologize if it is clearly stated somewhere else but it seems that most of you advocate a capture device with hardware encoding - to AVI if editing is needed or MPEG if no editing is needed. Although a response to one of my earlier posts did tout the flexibility benefit of software encoding.

    https://forum.videohelp.com/topic344231.html

    I currently have a software encoding USB device and from the statement above, it seems that I should probably get the ADVC-110 device as I do like to do edits. So does this means capture from hw encode in AVI format, edit, then encode to MPEG for DVD burn? Just making sure I understand correctly. If there are any other devices than the ADVC that would be as good, please comment (I have just seen a lot of reference to this one on this forum and am assuming it is one of the best). Please comment on any of my assumptions. Thanks in advance.
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  5. Member edDV's Avatar
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    Did you say you bought this? Are you happy with the result?

    I can't see where this device has hardware encoding. What did I miss?

    Uncompressed capture needs a fairly fast disk system.
    Recommends: Kiva.org - Loans that change lives.
    http://www.kiva.org/about
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    I haven't bought the ADVC yet. Maybe I am misunderstanding it - does it just do passthru of AVI format? No encoding? I was thinking I need to as I think I could improve my quality if I capture as AVI (uncompressed, right?) then did my edits and convert to MPEG.
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  7. Member edDV's Avatar
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    Originally Posted by barkingcat
    I haven't bought the ADVC yet. Maybe I am misunderstanding it - does it just do passthru of AVI format? No encoding? I was thinking I need to as I think I could improve my quality if I capture as AVI (uncompressed, right?) then did my edits and convert to MPEG.
    The computer in your profile (Celeron 2.0 GHz) looks weak for uncompressed capture although it would be possible to a second drive (other than the OS drive) using huffyuv realtime compression to reduce bit rates into the single drive sustained rate. The files will still be large. You would need an editor to load these files, edit and output to an MPeg2 encoder. With a smallish drive, you would do best to capture in small chunks (10-15 min) and edit pieces in sequence to MPeg2 and then combine MPeg2 sequences in the DVD authoring program. This is all very labor intensive.

    The USB2 uncompressed capture device you listed is questionable for quality. There are many ways they could be cutting corners. They don't list any serious specs.

    A Celeron 2GHz isn't powerful enough for quality realtime software MPeg2 encoding. You will get better results encoding non-realtime as described above.

    Option1: MPeg2 hardware encoding capture device (e.g. Hauppauge PVR USB2 or PVR-250).
    This allows you to capture direct to MPeg2 at DVD quality. This method puts very low demands on the computer. MPeg2 files are small compared to huffyuv or DV format. If you cut edit with an editor that does not recode, a quality result is possible. You would assemble the MPeg2 sequence in the DVD authoring program.

    Option2: Capture video with DV camcorder or ADVC type device to DV format over IEEE-1394 port.
    This gives a quality capture in a format that contains all frames and is easily edited with high level editors (correction filters, special effects, etc.) with low generation loss. This option, like huffyuv, has higher demands on the computer and requires a final non-realtime encode to MPeg2 before DVD authoring. A modern Core2 computer is up to the task. A Celeron 2GHz machine will struggle but get the job done.
    Recommends: Kiva.org - Loans that change lives.
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    Thanks edTV. I am questioning the USB device I have been using. I asked their support if they do hardware or software encoding and it is all software. It can capture to MPEG2 or AVI - but I have only really used MPEG2. I am not really sure how they do it.

    My PC does seem to keep up okay although I just close all the processes and go away when capturing. I do have another hard drive - but unfortunately it is an external, usb so I don't think that is a lot of help when capturing to it.

    I think I will get the hauppauge PVR-150 - I saw ratings on this site and users seemed to rate it pretty good:
    https://www.videohelp.com/capturecards?CaptureCard=hauppauge&mpeg1=1&searchconnection=A...&Search=Search

    It is supposed to be a lower cost version of the 250. I will start with that and then maybe get an ADVC type device later. note that the celeron is a 2.93 GHz - a little more horsepower than a 2GHz. I guess it doesn't matter but I upgraded my RAM to 2G. I have considered getting a new computer but I really don't want to get a Vista computer until more software is compatible - I keep reading horror stories about drivers that are not compatible, etc.

    I don't have a problem letting my computer single task while capturing - I use a little laptop for internet and other stuff while it is busy

    Thanks again for all the help!
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  9. Member
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    oops - I mean edDV
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  10. Member edDV's Avatar
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    The PVR-150 should do what you want for simple cuts editing. The fight is to prevent any step in the process recode the MPeg2.
    Recommends: Kiva.org - Loans that change lives.
    http://www.kiva.org/about
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  11. Member yoda313's Avatar
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    Just my two cents try finding a 250 or 350 if you can. At least initial reviews of the 150 wern't red hot. Now they probably have improved a lot through software upgrades. However the 250 I had and then sold was very excellent at mpeg2 captures.

    But if you can't find a 250 or 350 then a 150 will probably be more than sufficient.
    Donatello - The Shredder? Michelangelo - Maybe all that hardware is for making coleslaw?
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