ABSOLUTE BEST analog-digital converter?

[onetrueday]

I had previously owned a JVC GR-920u miniDV camcorder and LOVED how it converted analog to digital.

I actually saw an IMPROVEMENT in quality.

However, the fireport port died on me. I've tried both a dazzle hollywoodDV and an ati radeon9800pro AIW, both of which disappointed me compared to what I was used to. The quality was just so-so.

I just purchased a canon miniDV, but that was almost 500 and I'm ONLY using it for analog to digital conversion.

Is there a better solution? I'd love to spend less then 300 and have amazing results.

thanks!

[Tommyknocker]

In the three hundred dollar range, may I suggest the ADVC-100 from Caopus?

[antonv]

Ati cards are very good in terms of capture. Also, You just can buy ATI AIW 7500 for $115 ( it has the same capture chip as ATI AIW 9800 Pro). Try to read the guides for capture using ATI cards and you will get 1 to 1 quality. All ATI cards have potential to capture 1 to 1 (without loosing quality).
You said:

I actually saw an IMPROVEMENT in quality.

You can not IMPROVE the quality of video. It is physicly impossible. You can change brightness or something else improving the view, but not the quality.

[onetrueday]

It really did improve, something that was verified by a number of people. I still find it impossible to believe, although I believe it was auto-correcting the white balance.

I picked up a this for 139 oem from newegg, think I'll be happy?

Canopus ADVC1394 Advanced Digital Video Converter & OHCI PCI interface
In one easy to install PCI card the ADVC-1394 features:
> Analog video to DV conversion and capture through OHCI in realtime.
> VideoCD, Super Video CD and DVD authoring.*
> Capture to MPEG-1*, MPEG-2*, and DV.
> Powerful editing and content creation applications:
Vegas Video LE 3.0* and WinProducer 3 DVD*.
> Adjustable brightness, contrast, saturation, hue and sharpness controls for analog input.*
> Easy connectivity of high-speed storage devices, scanners, CD-RW drives and more.
> Locked audio support.
> NTSC and PAL video compatible.
> Simple Plug and Play installation with native OS driver support.
> Windows and Mac compatible.

Proven DV CODEC Technology
Canopus's proprietary DV codec technologies provide ADVC-1394 with the best picture quality preservation during analog to DV conversion.

Locked Audio Support
Other converters can lose audio/video sync when capturing longer clips of analog video. ADVC-1394 is the first inexpensive OHCI card that supports locked audio when capturing from analog to DV, ensuring perfect audio and video synchronization

Digital Video in/out
> 4-pin IEEE 1394 connector

IEEE 1394 Input/Output
> 6-pin IEEE 1394 connector

Analog Video Input
> S-Video and Composite combined(mini DIN 7-pin)

Analog Audio Input
> 1 x Stereo in (RCA)

OHCI specification
> Link layer complies with 1394 Open Host Controller Interface Specification release 1.1
> Physical layer complies with IEEE1394a-2000 (Data rate : 100/200/400 Mbps)
> Modular 32-bit host interface complies with PCI Specification release 2.2

ADVC-1394 Front Bay (optional)
> 4-pin IEEE 1394 connector
> S-Video (mini DIN 4-pin)**
> Composite (RCA)**
> Stereo Audio (RCA)**

[Tommyknocker]

You are the only one to decide whether or not you are happy. I hope you have great success with it, though.

[onetrueday]

the original video was HORRIBLE. I was only able to convert two movies to dvdr before the firewire port died on me.

[Metaluna]

Ati cards are very good in terms of capture. Also, You just can buy ATI AIW 7500 for $115 ( it has the same capture chip as ATI AIW 9800 Pro).

Actually the AIW 9x00 boards (and the AIW VE) all have a new generation of capture chip, the Rage Theater 200, while the 7500, 8500DV, etc. use the older Rage Theater chip. The Theater 200 has higher precision ADCs (12 vs. 10 bits), as well as a new stereo audio processor and adaptive comb filter for the composite input. The older AIW's are still good though. But you can get an AIW 9000 Pro for $139 so I would go for the newer technology as it will probably be better supported for longer into the future, plus it has a much better 3D graphics engine.

[bearfx]

I have tried several video capture solutions, but always had some sort of problem with them. With the cheaper ones, the audio always went out of sync, and even with the good ones, I would have sync issues, or quality issues. If nothing else, it limited the use of my PC during the capture.

Then I purchased a Canopus ADVC-100. I paid 250 for it, and have never regretted it. I have never had ANY quality or sync problems since I started using it. Plus, since it is external, it is easy for me to move from system to system.

I also purchased an external hard drive. Now I can capture from my tivo with my laptop and just move the hard drive to my main system for processing/conversion/burning.

sdf

[actvlsnr]

Hello, onetrueday.

in re to your capture question.

Use an external box from ADS, the Pyro A/V Link.

It has inputs: S-Video, Component, Composite, DV
and spits out a DV AVI stream out the back firewire port. I capture this stream through my PC firewire port or the 4pin port on my DV Camera for a non-computer capture configuration. Of course I put a TBC between my analog source and the Capture box.

It has s-video and composite out for an external monitor/TV w/out even using PC resources. It also converts from a digital source to analog tape.


cost was $200 at circuit city.

actvlsnr.

[bmiller]

ads 2.0 used 6 hrs.
bonnieheath@sympatico.ca

[ruckus1]

hey onetrueday, i dont understand, you say the original video was horrible, do you mean after using the Canopus ADVC1394 ? meaning the card gave you bad results?

did you use it yet? is it better than an ATI card? you said you didnt get good results when you used an ATI9000 before.