Canopus ADVC-50/100 questions

[fakesky]

Im thinking about getting a Canopus capture card(or whatever you call it);
but I have some questions.

1) As I only care about the capture quality, not extra gatgets or whatnot,
will the 50 model suffice?
Its like 100 bucks cheaper where Im getting it.

2)
Can it capture PAL and NTSC? (PAL60?)

3)
Ive fiddled with waay too many crappy capture cards (Hauppauge wintv pvr was the latest), will I finally get something good, and something that works?

4) What do I need besides the Canopus, that I dont already have?
(have vhs, computer and cables.) A Firewire card?
Which?


Thanks for any answers you can give.

[pippas]

1) 50 has no 'output to analogue' capability, only 'analogue in - DV out to firewire' - capture quality - same on both.

2) yup -(not sure about PAL60)

3) ADVC50 captures only as DV - hardware conversion - no drivers!

I use the 50 and find the capture quality excellent (plus the bonus perfect audio sync.)

you might like to check out their new ADVC55 - its cheaper than the 50 here in the UK, and they say the quality is as good as the others.

[lacywest]

I use the ADVC-50 but ... after getting the PANASONIC DMR-E50 DVD VIDEO RECORDER ... my reasons for using the ADVC 50 are not very often.

I can use DVD-RAM and have the same results.

My Toshiba SD-M1712 DVD reader ... reads DVD-RAM.

I use Womble mpeg-vcr to snip snip out the commercials from TV Shows.

But I had no problems with ADVC-50. Scenalyzer Live works well.

I use a Belkin FireWire card from Staples ... no problems.

Check my computer details.

[redwudz]

An external box like the ADVC-100 has some advantage, in that it blocks Macrovision if you are backing up commercial tapes and it is portable between computers and operating systems. I use the 100 and never had problems, no complaints.

[budz]

Same here no problems using ADVC-100. Get a dedicated firewire pci card for your pc if you're going to purchase a ADVC-100. There have been reports of problems using a firewire from a sound card or one from the motherboard. I use Scenalyzer Live to capture which allows you to time record what you want to capture.

[lordsmurf]

If you're calling the Hauppauge 250/350 series cards crap, then the Canopus isn't for you either.

[axolotls]

I am using the advc50.. pretty happy with it. you have to use jumpers to switch to PAL from NTSC (vice versa), which is a pain in the butt