Capture Card advice

[InSaNiTy]

Hi,

Currently I have no knowlege about these kinds of stuff but I'm looking to learn about it, so if you could help me with some stuff I would really appreciate it =)

1) I know there are a lot of guides in this site, but that my problem- there a lot of them and I got overwhelmed by it. If someone could point me in the right direction I would really appreciate it.

2) I need a recommendation about a capturing card, my main purpose is capturing (old) VHS (I'm aware one can't pull mirralce with them) and capturing from the cables (so I need it to support HDTV) if anyone can reccomand me of a good (no point in buying one and then needing to buy a better one later) device I would appreciate it. My budged is around 200$ and I can pull another 100$ or so if needed.


Thanks in advance for any kind of help

[zoobie]

I always recommend reading the Glossary first...you'll be glad you did. Then read up on capture cards.

[vico1]

If your "Main" purpose is capturing VHS...Have you considered a "stand-alone" DVD recorder?

[offline]

Please use a better description for your subject title. I have edited yours for now. Thanks

[InSaNiTy]

I always recommend reading the Glossary first...you'll be glad you did. Then read up on capture cards.

Will do, thanks =)

If your "Main" purpose is capturing VHS...Have you considered a "stand-alone" DVD recorder?

Actually I did considered it. However I would like to capture other things as well so I've realized a capture card might be a better solution.

Please use a better description for your subject title. I have edited yours for now. Thanks

Sorry for that, I'll use a better title next time.

[edDV]

"and capturing from the cables (so I need it to support HDTV)"

Describe your "HDTV" service. Is this over the air broadcast or cable TV or Satellite or ???

[jman98]

Hauppage makes what they call a hybrid video card that supports both analog TV (you'll need this for VHS capture) and digital TV. The only problem is that I can only see the models they sell in North America, which won't be very useful to you. I have their old PVR-350 analog card and it's a great card. I think some guy posted here not too long ago that Hauppage makes a hybrid video card for Europe, but maybe you'll have better luck than me getting info on it.

[TheFamilyMan]

This might be what you are looking for:
http://ati.amd.com/products/tvwonder650/index.html
Others around here really dislike the earlier 550 product, though I've had very good results with it for both analog AVI and live TV capture (though it's a VisionTek card). The few reviews I read of the 650 gave it good marks. Good Luck!

P.S. I've also read the ATI Media Control Center software (MCC, or what ever it's called now a days) is still junk, so beware.

[InSaNiTy]

This might be what you are looking for:
http://ati.amd.com/products/tvwonder650/index.html
Others around here really dislike the earlier 550 product, though I've had very good results with it for both analog AVI and live TV capture (though it's a VisionTek card). The few reviews I read of the 650 gave it good marks. Good Luck!

P.S. I've also read the ATI Media Control Center software (MCC, or what ever it's called now a days) is still junk, so beware.

I'll look for it, thanks =) I've also heard some poeple recommend the Canopus ADVC device, what do you think about it?

"and capturing from the cables (so I need it to support HDTV)"

Describe your "HDTV" service. Is this over the air broadcast or cable TV or Satellite or ???

Cable TV, it's not really that important to me, but it will be nice to have.

Hauppage makes what they call a hybrid video card that supports both analog TV (you'll need this for VHS capture) and digital TV. The only problem is that I can only see the models they sell in North America, which won't be very useful to you. I have their old PVR-350 analog card and it's a great card. I think some guy posted here not too long ago that Hauppage makes a hybrid video card for Europe, but maybe you'll have better luck than me getting info on it.

Will I get better result but using a card that support only analong TV? or these hybrid card are as good as the normal ones? I would also want a card that capture to DV not straight to DVD, so I can edit it.

[edDV]

"and capturing from the cables (so I need it to support HDTV)"

Describe your "HDTV" service. Is this over the air broadcast or cable TV or Satellite or ???

Cable TV, it's not really that important to me, but it will be nice to have.

Cable HD is almost always encrypted so you have limited to no options other than capturing the SD analog output of the cable box. In that case, the Canopus ADVC is a very good solution.

You need to get more specific on country and cable provider to get any more detail in response. These issues vary even by street block. That is what generation cable system feeds your house.

[InSaNiTy]

In that case (understanding that I will most probably capture the analong output) which card/device should I buy? the one I've read the most about are the Canopus ADVC, the ATI AIW Cards and DV DAC.

I've understand that working with with aDV device will be easier for the like of me but on the other hand a capture card like the AIW may result in a better quality (I hope I got it right, all this informaion got me litle confused).

I will also want to buy a new VCR, my current one is really old (JVC HR-J341EM) and isn't working very well. Any advice? althou I have rather a limited budget (100$-150$) so not many option here.

Thanks for all the help =)

[edDV]

For analog capture the choices sort of group this way. There is no best way.

1. Standalone DVD Recorder.

2. Traditional PCI Tuner card. Capture uncompressed or software compress with CPU.

3. ATI AIW (hardware assisted encoding when ATI MMC software is used)

4. PCI Tuner card with hardware MPeg2 encoding. (e.g. Hauppauge PVR series)

5. USB2 tuner (usually includes hardware MPeg2 encoder) with proprietary capture software.

6. DV format hardware encoding capture device (Canopus ADVC, ADC Pyro, DAC-100, etc.) Alternative is use a DV camcorder with "analog pass-through" feature to capture analog.

[InSaNiTy]

Well I want to capture in avi format so its either a DV device or capture card (probably AIW).

Thanks for all the help, it's really helped! =)

About a VCR, which one you think I should buy? will any VCR with TBC (I can't really afford to buy a seperate one for 200$) will do?

EDIT: I forgot to ask, does it matter if I buy it in the US or Europe? is a device/card bought in the US will work only with NTSC stuff or will it work with PAL as well?

[edDV]

Well I want to capture in avi format so its either a DV device or capture card (probably AIW).

Thanks for all the help, it's really helped! =)

About a VCR, which one you think I should buy? will any VCR with TBC (I can't really afford to buy a seperate one for 200$) will do?

EDIT: I forgot to ask, does it matter if I buy it in the US or Europe? is a device/card bought in the US will work only with NTSC stuff or will it work with PAL as well?

AVI can mean many things. The ADVC will capture in DV-AVI format (~13GB/hr).

Tuners are the one product that are highly localized. Research the model intended for your country. The ADVC has no tuner. It works with baseband NTSC or Euro PAL but not South American PAL-M or PAL-N.

[InSaNiTy]

Great, thank a lot =) and as I understand DV is a compression method but unlike MPEG and other methods all the frame are still there. Am I correct? so between MPEG and uncompressed (I really don't have the space for it) DV seem a nice choise.

Btw does JVC VCRs (or any other of the VCRs, like the Panasonic ones, there are reccomended in here) will work with PAL VHSs? like are they multisystem? because it hard - near to impossible to find one of thoese in Europe.