Best Capture Card?

[yeaulman]

Please help and post some of the better cards

[Baldrick]

https://www.videohelp.com/capturecards.php?&orderby=Rating

and PLEASE include more information.
what are you going to capture, tv, vhs, dv.....
what are you going make, divx, dvd.....

[yeaulman]

Ok I am going to hook up my PVR receiver with s-video to capture mpeg 2 video files. All I am going to use this for is for taping off of the dish receiver. I want a pci card for inside my computer.

[lordsmurf]

PCI card .... MPEG2 ... s-video

some ATI AIW cards (RADEON ones)
some Hauppauge PVR cards (250 is good)

There are more, but price is 4-digits

[yeaulman]

I have a 9800pro and dont really want to buy a new AIW. I am thinking of a TV WOnder Pro? Any good

[tipstir]

WinTV PVR-150! (250 is being replaced by 150)

[edDV]

TV WOnder Pro has a S-Video in and will work. Audio will come from line in on the audio card.

Potential problem is audio going non-sync depending on your system. AIW and PVR-150 handle audio and video. Alternative is a dedicated capture device that manages video and audio sync like the Canopus ADVC 50 or 55.

http://www.canopus.us/US/products/Index/product_index.asp

[SatStorm]

For your case, a WinTV PVR 150 or an later ATI can do the job done excellent.

[lordsmurf]

TV Wonder uses crappy BT8x8 chipset. NO!
PVR 150 has apparent hardware audio errors. NO!

[SatStorm]

PVR 150 has a hardware error (some revisions) so the audio is too loud.
You can bypass that if you don't use motherboard built in audio devices (it is a conflict with the AC97 codec from what I read, it is difficult for hauppauge to fix it)
latest PVR 150 cards don't have this problem

BT8x8 are not crappy. They are outdated. But they have 2 benefits: No macrovision and they can capture (with the correct drivers) all the exotic analogue formats, including PAL60 and NTSC50!
Of course, they can't catch up to todays solutions (the philips chips or the latest conexant ones) in terms of picture quality. But when your source is VHS, you won't notice a difference (plus you dont' need a TBC for anything, as most ATI cards do..)

[lordsmurf]

Thanks for heads up on Hauppauge.

For me, BT8x8 quality was never good enough.
That's the only reason I cannot suggest it.
They do work well, after tweaked a lot.

[SHS]

SatStorm where read this at about the conflict with the AC97 codec

[wwjd]

SatStorm,

I have the loud audio problem reported with the PVR-150. When I first
installed the card I had my AC97 disabled and was using my SoundBlaster Audigy card. I then un-installed the soundblaster card and enabled AC97. The result was still loud recorded audio.

I too would be interested to know where you heard about the conflict with the AC97 codec.

[The_Doman]

SatStorm,
I too would be interested to know where you heard about the conflict with the AC97 codec.

Forget that!, That can't be the source of the problems!. It's just the PVR hardware which is faulty. The audio of the PC has NO influence on the recording levels of the PVR-150.

[SatStorm]

I explain it here
https://www.videohelp.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=257627&highlight=

[alebertaz]

I tryed many cards, used many software encoders but nothing beat Ati All in Wonder 128 Pro with Theather chip.

Hear me: buy a Theater chip card (ATI) and you'll be impressed.
Excellent quality. I thinks these are best capture cards.
I can capture into VCD,SVCD,DVD (!) format (VIDEO SOAP NONE) with an AMD Duron 750 MHz 512 MB Ram. NO dropped frames!!!

[SHS]

I see SatStorm I wish I had time to talk Hauppauge about this problem but I have run out town due family member got hurt so first thing in moning I'm on road for 800mile trip ekk what fun so I guest I have do this when I get back, But I'm wonder why AC97 is a problem.

[SatStorm]

Basicly, I also wonder why AC97 is a problem...

The only thing I can imagine, is a map conflict or something. But that means conflicts with certain mobo chipsets, or even certain CPUs. The reports are about any case!

I start to believe that it is a lie: ALL modern motherboards have AC97, so only few can really test if the problem is a conflict between AC97 and PVR150...


It is the second time that someone tries to "use" me (as an editor, my presence to videohelp.com is unknown to them) to "explain" (lie that is) issues of a product. Last time was last summer: An official distributor told me a DVD player hack for a well known pioneer model (that can't be unlocked without hardware modification...) just to write it to my magazine so to point it to costumers and sell the units...

I pissed of for well now! First because he tried to use me and second because I bypass the info in the board (here), without checking it myself first.

The only thing I checked is that the new PVRs are a new revision. Again based on his words, those new imported cards don't have this hardware bug anymore.
I won't buy one to test it myself. Neither I have the authority to call him so to send it and test it officially in my job.
I have to wait for someone else to report the results...

[proxyx99]

Just get the USB2 of FW external box (encoder) either to MPEG or DV (ADS Instant DVD+DV, ADS PYRO AV Link Pro) Canopus advc-100 etc etc. That is the best quality/bang for your buck. Otherwise look into Matrox RT line (and above) as well as Canopus DV Storm series (lot more money).

[SHS]

The word was they are getting close to release a new version of the WinTV-PVR 150/500 driver which will allow the audio settings to be individually set.
It is a software fix, and does not require new PVR card.
Any way I be out town and the fix should be out sometime next week so just keep out on Hauppauge support page for it see all when I get back around feb 27.

[LCSHG]

SatStorm

Your reference to the Bt 8x8 chipset, that while it is outdated it is Macrovision free. Does this meen that any capture card with this chipset will copy a copy protected VHS tape to a DVD. I just want to transfer My VHS to DVD. I don't care if the DVD is also copy protected, just as long as it will play ok. I was thinking of a Hauppauge card, the older ones for just this purpose, that most likely have this chipset or the 848.

[SatStorm]

bt8xx cards and the first conexant ones can use the btwincap drivers. Those drivers are Macrovision free and also support exotic formats, like NTSC50 and PAL60 (the ones you have to deal one way or other when you convert VHS tapes).
So, any card based on this chipset, can do this job excellent but not perfect.
bt848 is old, better search for a card with bt878a

[LCSHG]

SatStorm

Thanks for the reply. For this purpose. I gather that any chipset either BT ot Conextant is ok, as long as it has an 878 number. I would think that when converting VHS to DVD the max capture resolution is not a proplem. Would you recommend VCD? When you say excellent but not perfect. I thought. not perfect what do I look for? Can you recommend a procidure and software to use

[LCSHG]

SatStorm

Forgot. Sounds like the answer to copy protection problem is in the ability of the chipset to handle the proper drivers that ignore copy protection. Does this mean that any such protection is pased on to a DVD or other media

[ima2hd]

I have the latest AIW 9600XT it is a pretty good card it is ATI's latest AIW, but no component in or dvi/hdmi input. I had a AIw 9800 before had some problems with it circuit city took care of it & let me swap it for the AIW 9600XT right now CC is offering a rebate on it for liek $80 if you hurry.