dvd Capture informed!

[visionman]

Hi everyone,
Can anyone recommend a tried and tested video capture card ,or USB device that is a sound piece of equipment. Able to capture in VCD.SVCD. and DVD I have a Dell 2.50Ghz CPU, 513 Ram XP sp2. Was thinking of buying a (Kworld USB2.0 Video Capture Device & DVD Maker) but have read some horror stories regarding this item. Recommendation can be old or new equipment , I just want something that is easy to install and work with, I do not want to spend endless hours working with it. Cheers
visionman

[Baldrick]

I liked my happuage usb2 card. Worked perfect and was easy to use.
http://hauppauge.co.uk/
http://www.shspvr.com/smf/

[jameshgross]

I use my happuage usb2 card every day. I am very pleased with it.

[visionman]

Hi,Baldrick /jameshgross,
thanks for the feedback and links. Can you specify the model code for happuage usb2 card. There appears to be a few usb devices there. I am not familar with capture cards. Thanks again for your help guys.
Cheers visionman

[Baldrick]

WHAT are you going to capture? Analogue or digital tv(dvb-terestrial,dvb-satelite)? from VCR or other stuff?

[visionman]

VHS tapes from the VCR (TV shows and the like, and editing) , other vhs tapes and in the future probably Dv tapes from a camcorder.

If the USB 2.0 device can (easily) capture analogue or digital TV , ( I have a cable connection for TV which I am thinking of installing along with an nternet bundle) then I would probably use this added functionallity, although my first requirements would be the first paragraph.

I have at present a Pinnacle Studio PCTV card version 1.0, its so old I cant find it on their website it only works on Win 98 , I cant get the TV part to work, the machine its on is only 1GHz CPU, the CD RW, and software is only good for VCD discs

Hope this explanation is not too long winded
visionman

[sanlyn]

VHS tapes from the VCR (TV shows and the like, and editing) , other vhs tapes and in the future probably Dv tapes from a camcorder.

If the USB 2.0 device can (easily) capture analogue or digital TV , ( I have a cable connection for TV which I am thinking of installing along with an nternet bundle) then I would probably use this added functionallity, although my first requirements would be the first paragraph.

I have at present a Pinnacle Studio PCTV card version 1.0, its so old I cant find it on their website it only works on Win 98 , I cant get the TV part to work, the machine its on is only 1GHz CPU, the CD RW, and software is only good for VCD discs

Hope this explanation is not too long winded
visionman

Unfortunately, you won't get far with the PC you've described. Most editing and processing software today (including freeware) works mostly with Windows XP, although a scant few can still make do with Win2000. A 1GHz CPU just ain't gonna work, unless you have LOTS of time to sit and wait.

The world of PC capture cards is still available in some quarters, but the best of the AGP consumer-grade cards is no longer made, and they used AGP slots. My own setup is old ATI 9600XT/7500 All-In-Wonders, probably the best budget cards around for PC captures, but you'll search to the end of the earth for a used one. I had to build two PC's myself that let me use those cards today. There are some Nvidia cards around at shops like TigerDirect, but the video quality is second-rate and Nvidia has never addressed their black-level problems. BHphotovideo in NY has a pro video department that sells capture cards, if you want to spend plenty (and I mean PLENTY!).

Frankly, your best bet is to start with a DVD recorder. In the USA there are very few really good ones being sold, Panasonics being the only decent choice. Going with a capture card alone would mean getting a better PC -- which, ultimately, you're going to need anyway. In your case, you can save a lot and accomplish much with a better PC, some budget (but very good) video software from TMPGenc, a DVD recorder, and freeware such as VirtualDub for serious editing and filtering. With a new PC, or by building your own (probably the best way, and sometime the cheapest when it comes to custom gear) check newegg.com and tigerdirect for really good prices on components ($80 DVD burners at BestBuy sell for $30 elsewhere). You can custom make an Athlon 2.4 or 3 GHz PC nowadays for less than $600 with a couple of big hard drives. WinXP is still being sold in discounted OEM editions -- get 'em while you can, or you'll get stuck with that godawful Vista.

I'd say you have a way to go. That's not to say your 1GHz PC isn't worthless; I still have my old 1.5 GHz Gateway and a 1.2 GHz Dell. But I'd never try to process video on them again. Filtering a 5-minute video clip in VirtualDub on the old Gateway took over 20 minutes. I can filter that same video on my new Athlons in less than 3 minutes. I don't know of anyone who makes DVD authoring software that would work with a 1GHz machine or Win98.

[visionman]

Hi sanlyn , Im going to have to refer you to the first post in this thread, which will explain things fully. the post I think you are referring to is a full explaination of my current circumstances in response to Baldricks post of useage and purpose. However, your comments are very welcome and informative as are your software links, Im looking at a Hauppage USB 2.0 but as Im only really going to be using it for video capture from analogue VCR , homemade VHS tapes, VHS tapes and digital Camcorder tapes, Im looking for the best device for value for money and purpose. Just bought an LG DVD recorder last Mon 12th, and I have Nero 7.0 ready to install on the P4 2.50 Ghz. I had the Nero 7.0 for ages it just wouldnt work on the other machine , ( Ive just got the P4 3 weeks ago). Will be taking on board what your saying about the Studio PCTV rendering times Ive captured video with it but never actually created any discs with it. Cheers and Im all ears
visionman

[INFRATOM]

I was also going to buy a capture device, what I need is to have component in and be able to be detected by most programs meaning for example be able to record with windows media player and also mpeg2 with one of these good software. I checked the one Baldrick suggested it doesn't seem be for sale anymore.
http://www.hauppauge.com/site/products/data_hdpvr.html if this HD PVR would also capture mpeg2 thats what I need but apparently it doesn't. If AVCHD can be converted to mpeg2 that would be fine too. Please if anyone knows let us know.
Sorry to barge in to this thread but it is my question too and it not off the subject.

[edDV]

This thread is so typical and we can identify so immediately with visionman's situation and wishes.

For most of us this has been a 10-20 year journey in quest of a solution for VCR, camcorder and broadcast media processing to a usable archive result. We have invested thousands and have a garage full of useless hardware and software discs that never panned out or were obsoleted.

I'm convinced that a new convert isn't really looking for an informed solution but an introduction to the quest? Most need to relive history to gain understanding.

Welcome visionman, prepare your finances, make space in the garage for the debris and dive in for the experience.

[INFRATOM]

.

[sanlyn]

Hi sanlyn , Im going to have to refer you to the first post in this thread, which will explain things fully. the post I think you are referring to is a full explaination of my current circumstances in response to Baldricks post of useage and purpose. However, your comments are very welcome and informative as are your software links, Im looking at a Hauppage USB 2.0 but as Im only really going to be using it for video capture from analogue VCR , homemade VHS tapes, VHS tapes and digital Camcorder tapes, Im looking for the best device for value for money and purpose. Just bought an LG DVD recorder last Mon 12th, and I have Nero 7.0 ready to install on the P4 2.50 Ghz. I had the Nero 7.0 for ages it just wouldnt work on the other machine , ( Ive just got the P4 3 weeks ago). Will be taking on board what your saying about the Studio PCTV rendering times Ive captured video with it but never actually created any discs with it. Cheers and Im all ears
visionman

oops . Sorry I got criss-crossed on the gear you're using (musta been too early in the A.M. for me!).
The Dell PC you mention should be OK, but you're a bit short of RAM at 513MB. I'd say that's the absolute minimum, as XP is going to eat up most of it before you even run your capture. A while back I was using .75GB; it was barely enough when it came to filtering for cleaning up VHS, but oh-so-slow. A 1-GB minimum is what most people recognize around here. I'm using 2-GB and 2.4 MHz on old Biostar AMD motherboards with no problems at all.

As for the capture device itself, I'm afraid I have little experience with USB devices, so others may have to help here. There are a great many posts in the Capture Forum along with countless reviews. I used a USB device some years back, a Pinnacle (can't recall the model) but was not satisfied and found it didn't interface with several other tools I wanted to use.

I'll relate two methods I use for VHS capture. One of them might no longer be possible (Ati cards), the other is within reach. But your quote about not spending countless hours on each project is rather optimistic. To begin, if you have 90 minutes of VHS video it'll take at least 90 minutes to record it, not to mention setup time, and that doesn't include cleanup or editing.

The first obstacle is the imperfect nature of VHS playback. I'll refer you to the website where almost everyone here has started their trek:
http://www.digitalfaq.com/
lordsmurf has graciously provided most of the info on this site. It looks intimidating, but believe me you'll find more useful and revealing info about VHS-to-DVD in one place here than you'll find in any other. Don't be dismayed if some of the gear mentioned isn't available; I've seen many posts in this forum by people who've found workarounds. In any case, digitalfaq is the essential starting-point and can save you no end of heartache and headache. If yo're really ambitious, take a look at www.doom9.org .

I made my first VHS-to-DVD recordings with the earliest Ati Rage All-In-Wonder cards in the 1990's. You'll need uncommon luck finding one, and it won't work with XP. Later I bought more modern versions, which I still use. These are AGP cards and nearly impossible to find. The nearest equivalents (which IMO don't offer the same quality) are today's USB capture devices. My first recordings were directly to MPEG2 via the Ati card. While they were serviceable and of "decent" quality, VHS noise was a real problem, and most of those tapes had poor color or other defects. It soon became apparent that most of those tapes required serious repair -- you will immediately notice those same problems with your first recordings. There must be thousands of posts in the Restoral forums and many in digitalfaq about how people address those problems.

I solved many of those direct-to-MPEG2 problems by converting from MPEG to huffyuv-compressed or sometimes uncompressed AVI. The conversion wasn't all that difficult: I used VirtualDubMPEG to do it. Problem: All versions of VirtualDub work with Video For Windows (VFW). Any Ati TV or capture card will install VFW in XP. If VFW isn't available, you'll be using DirectShow. Each has its own problems and its own methods and software. I'm sticking with VFW methods; it might be old, but with the equipment I own it works beautifully. DirectShow is more problematic IMHO, but the Conversion Forum is yet another source of info that will take time to digest. I found my life was greatly simplified by shopping in Newegg.com and tigerdirect.com and building my own AGP-equipped PC. I've yet to find a modern PCi-Express graphics setup that compared to the old AGP and VFW cards...but that's another tale in itself.

Anyway, recording to MPEG was replaced by recording to AVI. I capture via VirtualDub thru my Ati cards; whether your current device can be used with VirtualDub is uncertain (likely not), but other software is available or your current software might work just fine. Using avi, I had literally hundreds of free and paid software that could be used to clean-up VHS in myriad ways. I use VirtualDub for almost all of that work. You'll need at least a 250-GB drive for this kind of work, maybe more, and lots of DVD-R's to store your work for future reference or re-use (again, newegg.com is a priceless source of DVD discs at good prices). I've also used AviSynth, which is essential if you don't have VFW for VirtualDub, and is cheaper and often more competent in some regards than pricey stuff from Adobe or Sony (although you'll find plenty of info on those products in these forums and plenty of posts about using them).

My second method is to play a VHS tape into a DVD recorder using a high bitrate -- up to 8K, but not exceeding that (anything beyond 8000 mbps is a waste of data. It's not likely to look any better at 9000). At high bitrates you'll likely have to split your video onto 2 discs. Then copy the discs to a PC and start your clean-up with whatever software you'd like to use. Lacking a good capture card, recording to disc is practically the only option. Remember that your recorder likely uses Digital audio, so for PC work you need either an AC3 converter or some other means of converting your audio portion to whatever your processing software uses. Because I sometimes use Audacity freeware to clean up audio, I convert my Digital audio to PCM (.wav). Eventually, your final DVD product is going to use Dolby Digital audio.

A third method is probably the quickest and easiest, even if it doesn't give you as much flexibility in thorough restoral or cleanup. You can record to DVD, copy the DVD to your PC, and use TMPGenc editors and authoring software to create your final archive. TMPGenc isn't the only outfit that offers good editing/authoring software, but I find it gives above-par results and is affordable. Believe it or not, there's a so-called "legacy" MPEG encoder that has some good cleanup and editing filters, and accepts either AVI or MPEG2 input. I still use it -- in fact, I've worked all 3 of my copies of TMPGenc 2.5 Encoder to death! Go to http://www.tmpgenc.net/en/download.html . TMPGenc no longer offers updates or detailed tech support for this product (the newer versions aren't nearly as competent, but demand for this oldie is so great that TMPGenc still sells it). You import an MPGE2 directly into it and use its filters to make a new and cleaner MPEG, or you can work AVI-to-AVi or AVI-to-MPEG.

You can also use TMPEGenc's authoring program to "edit", but its editor is highly limited and works only on key frames. The Genuine TMPGenc MPEG Editor is far better equipped, and has a builtin Dolby decoder/encoder.

I'm absolutely certain that this post will be followed by a great many vociferous others (or maybe not) and countless suggestions of other methods, but these have worked flawlessly for me and for many others since 1996.

[visionman]

Hi sanlyn, fascinating post , I did not know there was so much to DVD creation. Great link to http://www.digitalfaq.com/ very interesting site. I can see you are right into your digital video . The AIW cards are an interesting feature ,and I will send you a PP regarding these cards. I think option (3) looks good to me , Im going to stay with the easy option. Cheers, and thank you very much for a considerable contribution to my enlightenment in digital video creation.
visionman

[sanlyn]

Cheers, and thank you very much for a considerable contribution to my enlightenment in digital video creation.
visionman

Shucks, visionman. Yer welcome.

[hech54]

Just get a Hauppauge PVR-350 (or 250) card and be done with it. No muss, no fuss, no strain on the CPU, and all you need is adequate hard drive space.
I'll never regret my PVR-350 purchase....I even bought it used, had no cables and no remote....brilliant piece of "kit".