Best capture software? What do you use?

[stormx19]

I use Canopus's ADVC-100 to capture Tivo and vhs tapes, and I'm constantly trying to find better ways to do things. My latest kick is trying to find better capture programs, I've used a lot of different ones, but currently I'm using Ulead DVD Workshop, mainly because it tells me if there is any dropped frames, and allows me to set how long I want to record so I can set it and walk away. What do you use? And if money is no option, what would be the best? Also, is Canopus the best way for me to capture Tivo Series 2? Or do you have any other suggestions to backup my tv shows to my comp? I've done a lot of research on this site, but I though I would just see what you all have to say. Thanks

[Will Hay]

Having just bought an ADVC-100 myself, and having the limited knowledge I have...
...I was under the impression the software you use to transfer the footage from the ADVC to the computer via firewire will not affect the final quality, as you're not capturing at all, you're simply transferring footage (pretty much like dragging and dropping folders in explorer).
Stick with what you know, you won't see a benefit in your final file.
I use Pinnacle Studio 8 and love it, its flawless.
Saying that, if money is no object then buy the most expensive you can find.
If money is no object why did you buy the ADVC-100?
Good luck.
Will

[stormx19]

Thanks for your reply, actually money is an option, but I'm just curious, xmas comming up and all. I got the ADVC-100 because of all the raves about it on this site. Its worked very very well for me.

[daamon]

Hi stormx19,

I use Adobe Premiere from a DV camcorder - but that's coz I want to do loads of editing and effects etc.

I've just read this morning that WinDV (in the Tools section) is good for capture (reports of no frames being dropped) from a DV source into .avi.

Hope that's of interest...

[akbor75]

i used uiVCR, but that can't to svcd/dvd res without frame loss.
now i'm using pinnacle studio 8, which can capture to mpeg2 at svcd/dvd res and hi bitrate.

[Will Hay]

now i'm using pinnacle studio 8, which can capture to mpeg2

from the ADVC-100?
Will

[akbor75]

Will Hay: i don't know what ADVC is, but i can capture from any analogue or dv source, cos i got a firewire input and a tv/composite input card.

[amarok80]

I use uVCR, with the Morgan MJPEG codec to capture from my digibox at DVD resolution, 25fps - perfectly, no dropped frames.
I am only using a Pinnacle PCTV RAVE card, on an Athlon 1300, so it's not a powerfull system.

I tried capture to MPEG2, but I don't like the results (maybe it's just the cheap tv card), but capture to MJPEG gives much better quality - shame it takes so long to convert to MPEG2.

[Will Hay]

Will Hay: i don't know what ADVC is, but i can capture from any analogue or dv source, cos i got a firewire input and a tv/composite input card.

The ADVC is effectively an analogue to digital converter, and as the original poster uses it (and assumed you did too) I didn't know you could capture directly to mpeg2 with it.

I use uVCR, with the Morgan MJPEG codec to capture from my digibox at DVD resolution, 25fps - perfectly, no dropped frames.
I am only using a Pinnacle PCTV RAVE card, on an Athlon 1300, so it's not a powerfull system.

I tried capture to MPEG2, but I don't like the results (maybe it's just the cheap tv card), but capture to MJPEG gives much better quality - shame it takes so long to convert to MPEG2.

Hey, I'm a Yorkshireman too.
Hello!
Will

[housepig]

another iuVCR fan here - I tried various other capture apps, but iuVCR gives me the tightest sync and most flexibility with settings.

I capture 720x480, 29.97fps with either Huffyuv (8> dropped frames / hour) or PicVideo MJPEG at quality=19 (1> dropped frames / hour).

[spiderman2k1]

Dazzle 2 best capture card for MPEG 2 and there are two timer to record show when your not home. www.dazzlegeek.com

[courtrrb]

I do all my video capture (Windvr3) right to svcd or dvd across a network to a linux box with no droped frames at all. I'am running a Athlon 1.4ghz with a 3,9G hd running WinXP(A spare pc). I do all video editing and authoring under linux. The DVD's I've been making from my Vhs tapes look as good and no worse than the tape themselves. So you can get relativity good quality without using large amounts of disk space or a superfast cpu.

[stormx19]

Thank you everyone, I've downloaded the trials of a few of the programs you have suggested, I'm going to check them out and see if they work better than the one I'm using, any other suggestions keep em comming!

[johns0]

I use virtualdub,does the best job for me with perfect sync.