pixedv / ads instant dvd usb..

[bilestyle]

i got one of these units about a year ago and havent seen a single update to pixedv past 1.0 in english, and even if i did know japanese the japanese versions on their site only work with the japanese hardware apparently... does anyone else have the instant dvd and bought it later so possible have later version.. or is there a way to get any type of update from pixela? if so PLEASE let me know.. thanx.

[NoCalME]

I purchased the ADS Instant DVD a couple of weeks ago. It has PixeDV Version 1.1.

[AntnyMD]

Whats wrong with your current version? I just checked the CD that came with my unit, and it says version 1.2.

[Frobozz]

The folder says 1.2 but PixeDV with the ADS unit is at 1.1.0. CaptyDVD is at 1.1.4 and that is from the update available at the ADS support site. You're right that the other versions at the Pixela site are not for use with the ADS unit.

[bilestyle]

i just want a new version i feel like there are some missing features.. a deinterlace while encoding or changing the field order or something like that.. i feel like its pretty weak on the tweaking side for an mpeg-1/2 encoder.

[AntnyMD]

I think its works well for what it does at its pricepoint. Interlaced output is a perfectly suitable format for television (even certain aspects of ATSC digital television is interlaced).

Is your final destination your computer? Whenever I capture things intended for the computer, I always end up converting them to 3ivx anyway so I deinterlace at that step. If my goal is to play something back on television, TV has supported interlaced material since the 1950s.

Are you seeing interlacing artifacts on your TV from the capture?

[mlongenb]

If you go to the Pixela website http://www.pixela.co.jp and go to the english language page you can download the the latest update for CaptyDVD which is 1.1.4 . It works great!! You must have the older version already loaded on your machine to install the update.

Marty

[bilestyle]

lol.. i dont use captydvd im ONLY talking about PixeDV that is the program im dying for an update to

[brett]

see if your serial for pixedv works with capty mpeg edit

http://www.pixela.co.jp/products/mpeg/download_captympegedit.html

get version 1.0.2. i do believe it is more current than pixedv. for one, it doesn't "take over" your whole screen.

caveat -- cme is japanese-only, but it's really quite easy to figger out (there's not alot of buttons and you can host the help files somewhere and translate with babelfish to find out what they do)

[bilestyle]

i got it to serialize but it wont open any mpeg-1 or 2 files i have on my comp

[brett]

demux them with jvalliant's demux and remux with mmt or whatever -- works for my replay tv mpgs (.m2v/.mp2) -- they go right in -- should work on anything, i'd think, but perhaps not -- let us know

http://homepage.mac.com/jvaillant/.cv/jvaillant/Public/demuxR5K.v03.dmg-link.dmg

[brett]

btw, i have the help files hosted here

http://homepage.mac.com/brettduxbury/cmehelp/index.html

just enter that url into babelfish for a crude translation

[AntnyMD]

lol.. i dont use captydvd im ONLY talking about PixeDV that is the program im dying for an update to

Whats all this CaptyDVD advice about? I thought we were jonesing for a PixeDV update.

[bilestyle]

nah it doesnt work with ANY of the mpegs i have and some of them were even capped with pixedv so i mean i dont know what the deal is i dont need some demuxing tool (thanks for the offering of help) i can do it all in the terminal where i prefer to do all my work. its definitely just not accepting my mpegs, i didnt really NEED a better mpeg editor i wanted an updated version of pixedv for better control of the stream it encodes. Hell its not even vcd compliant mpeg-1 half of the time, it needs alot of work for the capture process.

[Frobozz]

I don't know if this tip is what you're looking for, but the MPEG files that PixeDV creates have some problems in their structure that makes them unusable in anything but CaptyDVD. The way to fix the problem is to use the MPEG Cutter in PixeDV to trim at least one second off the end of the video (it doesn't hurt to trim at least one second off the start). PixeDV then saves the cut MPEG correctly. That is how I've been able to use them in Toast.

I also have had problems with PixeDV MPEGs when I used the 6.0 mbs setting. The video would end up shorter than the audio if I demuxed the MPEG. I don't have this problem when recording at 5.5 mbs or less. Incidentally, I'm using a 933 mhz G4 iBook. It's possible the hard drive wasn't keeping up with the higher encoding rate.

[mhar4]

I have found that if you demux the .mpgs with PixeDV you get an m2v and an aif which seem very compliant. If you convert the aif to mp2 using ffmpeg or similar, you can then author the whole thing with Sizzle, and the results are excellent. Recoding the audio is an annoying step, but the CaptyDVD authoring program is just unnecessarily complicated.

I have noticed that if you demux with anything other than PixeDV, then you get an m2v and an mp1. If you author those in Sizzle, then the video and audio are always out of sync.

[AntnyMD]

I admit I'm a bit surprised to see the kinds of problems you guys have experienced with PixeDV. I havent had any of these issues ... I am capturing tons of stuff and not one problem.

I did note from a previous thread by Frobozz about the trim thing. I think thats a Toast issue, though, not liking any MPEG1 files without it first being "Toast ready". I've seen other software that works with MPEG1 files, and having an option to make an otherwise compliant file "Toast ready". What is it about Toast I wonder that it needs something extra in those files?

I've made several DVDs and SVCDs from PixeDV captures and the process went off without a hitch.

The only thing I think maybe I'm doing differently from you guys is I'm launching PixeDV from a file thats within the .app container, called Encoder.ROM. I discovered this file in there when I was attempting to re-digitize some content that was Macrovision protected. When I launched it, PixeDV started but the splash screen was animated, and suddenly the ADS box ignored Macrovision.

[bilestyle]

lol why is everyone answering questions that im not asking... first off pixedv doesnt cap my mpeg with aiff audio it caps it with mp2... second im not asking how to author in to a dvd, im not stupid all i said was no mpegs i was trying whether made in pixedv or made in any other mpeg-1 or mpeg-2 encoder on the mac (yes i have tried an mpeg from EVERY encoder) will work in the japanese mpeg cutter on pixela's site, but at the same time i dont reallly care that much cuz the mpeg cutter in pixedv is good enough.... the basic point of this thread was answered when i asked if there was a newer english version... oh well guess ill just have to wait for pixela to stop leaving their US customers out in the cold update wise.

[Frobozz]

Bilestile, although this thread quickly ceased to be about your interest in a new version of PixeDV, I do appreciate that you stimulated a few folks to write about some of their experiences and tips with PixeDV. Yes, you are not stupid, but you do seem a bit grouchy this morning.

[brett]

"hence, 'bile'"

[mhar4]

The only thing I think maybe I'm doing differently from you guys is I'm launching PixeDV from a file thats within the .app container, called Encoder.ROM. I discovered this file in there when I was attempting to re-digitize some content that was Macrovision protected. When I launched it, PixeDV started but the splash screen was animated, and suddenly the ADS box ignored Macrovision.

Do you have more details of this trick? I tried it as you suggested but PixeDV worked as "normal". (i.e. it still noticed the Macrovision)

[Frobozz]

At first when I tried this the capture window reported that no capture device was connected. I unplugged the ADS box power supply and plugged it back in. That caused the screen to recognize the box. Sure enough, I am able to capture a Macrovision encoded VHS tape. Also it's interesting to see the cool animated startup screen and the better looking Pixela logo. You do get the feeling you're using a more up-to-date version. How strange.

[AntnyMD]

Do you have more details of this trick? I tried it as you suggested but PixeDV worked as "normal". (i.e. it still noticed the Macrovision)

Copy the Encoder.ROM file and paste it outside of the pixedv.app package (your desktop, etc). Then launch it.

Also as Frobozz noted, after you've launched the encoder.rom, unplug then replug the power from your box. Should work...

[Frobozz]

I've done more snooping regarding AntnyMD's discovery about the Encoder.Rom file in the PixeDV package. It turns out that clicking this actually launches version 2.2 of PixeDV that's hidden away in the Help folder that gets copied from the install CD. The actual path starting from your folder that holds the PixeDV and CaptyDVD apps is Help > Tech Support > Version 1 > PixeDV for Mac. It's odd that it is there at all and even more odd that version 2 is in the folder titled version 1. Launching this version directly makes it unnecessary to do the trick with the Encoder.Rom file in order to record Macrovision protected videos.

[mhar4]

I found this version of the PixeDV program where you suggested, and indeed it gives the extended startup animation. But, it won't run the capture box: if gives an error saying please turn the power on an off, but after doing that, it just gives the error again. Hmm... something to work on though, thanks for these suggestions.

[AntnyMD]

lol.. i dont use captydvd im ONLY talking about PixeDV that is the program im dying for an update to

Looks like Frobozz found your update.

[mhar4]

Looks like Frobozz found your update.

Indeed, and I got it to work after deleting the preferences from the older version. But... it's NTSC only and I live in the PAL half of the world. Pity.

[AntnyMD]

Really? I remember once trying to use it to capture something as PAL and it said it couldn't because it detected the signal was NTSC. It makes sense, though, that its NTSC-only ... it's from Japan after all (an NTSC country).

I've recently used it to capture some PAL VCDs into NTSC DVDs. I was very pleased with the result, much better than anything I've managed to do via software conversion.

[Frobozz]

NTSC only? That's odd. It still has the PAL setting option in the capture settings window. What happens when you select that? Did you also set the resolution to a PAL aspect ratio?

[AntnyMD]

Yes, great suggestions ... I think it needs all of its settings to agree to PAL expectations ... For example, you can't have it set to PAL then try to cap at 720x480.