What do I need?

[uncleB]

Dear Friends
It’s down to crunch time for me. I need to make my purchases and get going. What I need (one last time) is your advice of hardware and software that has worked for you. I’d especially like it if there is someone out there with some of the specs that are similar to mine that have had good to excellent results with the products they’ve used. I’ll reiterate that I am one who does want the best results so please whatever you’ve used to achieve results you’re happy with let me know all involved. I also ask that you be as simple in your explanation as possible, for I am unfamiliar with many of the products and terms that you’ve been good enough to give me in the past. Here is the gist of my previous posts & again Thanks.

I want to be able to transfer some older family VHS & 8mm tapes to DVD and also to copy some DVD movies to DVD (Being able to duplicate the original of either so it’s hard to tell the difference). If it helps, looking at my systems properties it says that I have a AMD Anthlon™ XP 1800+ (processor), 256 megs of RAM, I use Windows 98SE, and have about 33 gigs (of 60 gig) available on my Hard Drive, a 3D fx Voodoo Banshee Display Driver, and I don’t know what else.
Thanks for all your help
& God Bless
Uncle Bob

[bugster]

What you need is to read the forum rules and refrain from cross-posting. Other topic closed.

/Moderator - Bugster

[snafu099]

I currently use ADS usb Instant Dvd-2, it has the ability to capture from any analog source with "audio lock' capability for perfect (my opinion)/near perfect sync..

The first choice will probably be to choose between hardware and software capture/encoding. I am not a professional, just a normal consumer, so I prefer a hardware encoding solution because:
1. that is the final format I desire.
2. mpg editing, while difficult in the past, is becomeing more practical as time passes.
3. if I ever find a suitable tuner/pvr/capture device, mpg format will still be my format of choice.

In reading the specs and reviews of capture devices, they use the teminology of "real time" to , IMHO, mis-lead us into thinking it is hardware encoding. THEY ARE NOT THE SAME.

Even within the "hardware" encoders, those that capture audio through/via the sound card are vulnable to sync problems. Those that encode BOTH audio and video via the primary inport, pci/usb/firewire, sholed be LESS prone to sync problems. SOME use a "lock' technology to ensure sync.

At this instant in time I recommend any but the orig IDVD from:
http://www.adstech.com depending on your needs and budget.

the current pinacalle usb movie box, and soon to be released products from ads and compro, giving added tv-tuner, pvr capability may be worth the wait.

[lordsmurf]

I know an ATI All In Wonder card works in a system with your specs. I've seen it.

[Kevin abq]

I agree with snafu099 that one box to avoid is the original IDVD. It's based on the Cirrus CS92210 chipset which is a video encoder only. It doesn't do hardware audio encoding. It uses the sound card for the audio portion and the design is a sync nightmare.

There are a lot of good products out there that use hardware encoding for both, and they've come way down in price since I started capping 2 years ago.

[BobV]

Uncle Bob, BobV here, I have about the same system and the same desire to convert VHS, super8. I've been looking into the Pennacle PCTV Deluxe for about $170 on line. In addition it will also capture TV and comes with schedualing software. I'm a little on the fence because of the lack of credable reviews. -- anyone here have an opinion?

Thanks BobV

[Will Hay]

I've never had a Pinnacle hardware product but when people start warning about them of them in heir dvdrhelp.com signatures, I tend to stay well clear.
Will Hay