mjpeg or mpeg? Realtime or not to realtime?

[Msd]

Ok Im lost now. Was just about to buy a wintv PVR card and then most people say to get a wintv PCI and spend more on hardware.

Problem with this is that Ive used the HUYFF codec (spelt wrongly I know) and I get poor results. It looks blocky. Ive used WinDVR the software version and NanoDvr for capturing and again they look ok when grabbing.

Im after a hardware solution so I've come down to the following

- Matrox G450 e tv. Capture in Mjpeg and convert to mpeg

- Hauppage WinTv PVR - mpeg 2 capturing but unsure about quality

- Hauppauge wintv NOVA. Little known about this but having it plugged into a spare satellite I have would be handy (in the uk) and then use it for internet access.

- Wintv PCI with mjpeg software codec. Its ok but not brilliant and the colors seem to be very dark.

finally

- Some ati solution.

The desired result should be something that captures in a nice clean way that can be made into an mpeg or a divx created so would need to be a clean source.

Any help appreciated.

[boldmax]

hello.
if you got a fast enough CPU you can capture in a good quality for VCD in MPEG1 with an ATI AIW128. I'm capturing at about 300 kb/sec mpeg1 352x288 and tthe quality is good
enough to be reencoded in mpeg1 VCD compliant film.
no blocks this way, and no jpeg noise too...............
bye

[moderntimes99]

If what you want to create is VCD's then I really recommend you a realtime mpeg-1 encoder. They have been pretty expensive, but have been coming down in price recently. Some cards to mention are the Vitec RT6 and the VideoOne Recorder Vf100. It is also possible to find Optibase cards for reasonable prices nowadays, but these are really picky on what hardware you have in your box, only consider one if you are willing to spend time trying to find a motherboard that works with it...

[Msd]

<TABLE BORDER=0 ALIGN=CENTER WIDTH=85%><TR><TD><font size=-1>Quote:</font><HR size=1 color=black></TD></TR><TR><TD><FONT SIZE=-1><BLOCKQUOTE>
On 2001-08-02 09:56:28, boldmax wrote:
hello.
if you got a fast enough CPU you can capture in a good quality for VCD in MPEG1 with an ATI AIW128. I'm capturing at about 300 kb/sec mpeg1 352x288 and tthe quality is good
enough to be reencoded in mpeg1 VCD compliant film.
no blocks this way, and no jpeg noise too...............
bye
</BLOCKQUOTE></FONT></TD></TR><TR><TD><HR size=1 color=black></TD></TR></TABLE>

I tried this card before on a windows 2k machine and it simply sucked. ATI are incapable of providing any support for their cards in any way shape or form and were a big disapointment for the 4 months that I owned the Ati All in wonder. Isnt it a software capture as well?

[boldmax]

i don't know any mpeg 1 software program but i can ensure you that i did not have any problem with my AIW 128.
describe me what kind of problem you got.
bye

[TIbrO]

The G450 eTV captures in MPEG-1 and MPEG-2 as well as in PICVideo (only if you get it, though). Matrox doesn't make their MJPEG cards anymore.

[Msd]

The ati card is protected by macrovision. Hence when i want to watch somethin on the tv it goes bright and dark bright and dark. V annoying esp that its supposably aimed for watching tv.

The matrox cards are now out of the running I would say because the 3d performance isnt there at all and if they arent making it I dont want a soon to be non suported product.

What about pinnacle stuff? Anyone reading this tried that?

[Msd]

The ati card is protected by macrovision. Hence when i want to watch somethin on the tv it goes bright and dark bright and dark. V annoying esp that its supposably aimed for watching tv.

The matrox cards are now out of the running I would say because the 3d performance isnt there at all and if they arent making it I dont want a soon to be non suported product.

What about pinnacle stuff? Anyone reading this tried that?

[boldmax]

i think i'm lucky but i haven't got any macrovision protection and i capture with the mmc 6.3 by ati.
What version of mmc have you got?
antway i heard about little cracks that can solve the macrovision protection.try to look for them...
bye