Capture stops after mouse click

[Anto]

Hello,

I have a Pinnacle DV 500Plus, which I started using a few days ago. To try it out, I used a VCR connectd via RCA to the blue box. I started capturing, and all goes OK (I get no droped frames) until I click with the mouse anywhere on the screen. I'd like the capture to be performed in the background, while I do other non- CPU intensive tasks, like surfing the net or using office applications. Sometimes the capture also stops after using the keyboard in other applications, although most times I can use the CTRL-TAB to use another application.
This happens when capturing either with Premiere 6 or the included DVTools (I haven't yet tried VirtuaDub). In the manual, it is said that the capture will continue until the stop button is clicked, and mentions nothing about the capture in the background not being possible.

Another question: What is the best codec to capture from analog sources through the DV 500 Plus? The supplied pinnacle one or the famous Huffyuv?

Thanks for the help.

[Xtasy2002]

My advice: Even with todays most powerful computer (unless it's dual cpu) capturing while using the computer at the same time is a bad idea. If you want to keep what you are capturing, you should just let the computer rest after it starts.

Aside from that check the preferences of the program. Many have a setting that will let you choose what event stops the capture. VirtualDub has it, you can select escape, mouse click etc..

[King Dick]

Hello Anto,

I have been using the DV500 for over two years. There are two things you should be aware of :-

1. The DV500 with any driver set before version 4.5 uses an onboard chip which encodes in real time to DV2 - as such it is not codec controlled. This means that most other capture programmes will not recognize it as a capture card and it is not possible to use an alternative codec.

2. The version 4.5 drivers allow the card to also be operated in generic OHCI compliant mode using other capture programmes. Be advised that updating the drivers to this version is not easy, and you would do well to visit the Pinnacle web site, and especially the DV500 forum, before attempting this task.

In my opinion you will not find a better DV encoding option than the onboard hardware.

The preferred way to capture is by using the provided Pinnacle Tools, as the Premiere 6.0 capture module has some problems. The capture in this case is stopped by using the escape button.

As Xtasy2002 pointed out, trying to do other things whilst capturing will cause problems. With most normal capture programmes doing other things will almost certainly lead to dropped frames - in the case of the DV500 it will just switch off. I use a dual processor system and never do anything else whilst capturing.

Regards, Dick.