ADVC-100 is really hardware encoder

[nimco]

I just got it. This thing is awesome!
No dropped frames, no problems with installation.
I am convinced ADVC-100 is great.
I use 600MHz PIII, 7200rpm HD and ATA66 controller, Win 98SE.
I bought a Swann 3port Fire Wire card; it comes with Ulead Videostudio 5 DVD edition.
Win 98SE already had FireWire card drivers, not sure are they the best for it.
The ADVC-100 is really hardware encoder. I just captured a piece of videotape. I am using Scenalyzer for capturing as AVI type 2 files.
It takes approx. 3.6MB/s space on my HD. During the capturing CPU load was just 40%.
Now I may convert DV PAL to MPG2 NTSC with TMPGEnc, but for that I do not need fast CPU.
May someone explain a couple things:
1. For some reason I cannot use a VirtualDub for DV AVI type 2 files. I cannot even open the file. It says, "Error, cannot find filters for ....." Or something like that. I do not have DV codec in the VFW format; do I need it, where can I get it?
2. I am not sure why is it necessary to demux the audio before it goes to TMPGEnc and mux it back, what is the idea of this? What is the frame serving idea? I just encode AVI with TMPGENc to mpg2 and it works fine.
3. What is the best sequence or combination of using VirtualDub, Ulead Video Studio 5.0 and TMPGEnc, if I need to edit slightly a sound and video and encode those AVI type 2 files to MPG2 for burning SVCD?

Thanks again to all who helped!

[TheSeven7hSon]

TMPGEnc is capable of reading Canopus AVI Refernce files (straight I believe). But you will need a codec to read their files any other way. Use one of their cards or their DV codec.

The direct link for the "DVcodec.exe" is: http://www.canopus.com/US/support/drivers/drivers_dvcodec.php . You may have to log in.

Seven

[nimco]

OK, but I have seen on the VCDHelp forums that VirtualDub reads those files if they are AVI type 2. Should I install "DVcodec.exe" to get VirtualDub working?

Thanks for response.

[TheSeven7hSon]

I never used VirtualDub so I don't know what's it's capable of. But if loading it *may* allow WinMediaPlayer to read the files then it may be needed for VirtualDub. I never used it because I have a DVRaptorRT. Once, I rebuilt my computer and wasn't able to read Canopus AVIs until reinstalled the card.

I forgot... it's also in the Tools/Codecs section. Same one I believe.

Edit:
It may be a Type 2 but the file is still a Canopus proprietary format - Canopus DV Codec AVI.

[ajp]

In Scenalyzer you can chose which type of DV you want to capture to, just because it's a Canopus device doesn't mean it has to capture to Canopus DV format. Unless you set Scenalyzer to capture to Canopus format you don't need the Canopus codec for Windows. Just wanted to make that clear. You need a VfW codec like the Canopus one or Mainconcept's if you want Vdub to load it however.

AFAIK VirtualDub can read type-2 DV files but it can't smartrender them back to disk. It can't capture from your ADVC-100 either since it requires a VfW capture driver and most (all?) firewire devices come with a WDM driver...

If you want to mess with filters and stuff you can always try Avisynth, it's one of my favourite toys. Check it out at forum.doom9.org. It also requires a VfW DV codec if you want to load type-2 files.

There's really no need to extract the audio before encoding with Tmpgenc, unless you want to encode the audio with some other software.

The way I use is is I capture using Scenalyzer, edit if needed and smartrender it (save) back to disk. Then I encode it with whatever encoder I want to use. If I want to play with filters etc I make an Avisynth script first and load that into the encoder instead...

[dgraham]

I thought Canopus made a PAL version of the advc-100. Is that not the case?

[nimco]

If I right understood, if I like to play with the filters and stuff I need use Avisynth, but I still need a VfW DV codec. And the Canpus codec will work for it as well. Right?
How may I learn about making Avisynth script and loading that into the encoder like TMPGenc. Is it on VCDHelp in somewhere?
And finally it is no way use VirtualDub to read type-2 DV files and smartrender them back to disk. I need forget about VirtualDub if want use ADVC-100. Correct?

[ajp]

Yupp, you got it right...

I really think you should forget about Vdub when it comes to DV, others may think different however...

You can learn about Avisynth at www.doom9.org and at the forums at doom9. Lots of talented people over there, making new filters etc. I especially recommend the filter called "Convolution3D" for cleaning up noisy sources and increasing compressability...

[nimco]

Thanks a lot.

Just the last question, OK I will try use an Avisynth. May I use a Canopus DVcodec as VfW Dv codec or I need use something different? Should I still use AVI type-2 files, or type-1 will be ok, what is the difference?

[ajp]

First of all, you don't HAVE to use Avisynth. If I were you I'd get the basics working first. Just some friendly advice...

You can use the Canopus codec as a VfW codec, it will do fine. Another popular VfW codec is the one from Mainconcept.

A type-1 file has audio and video interleaved and a type-2 file has an additional copy of the audio in a separate track to make editing easier. Type-1 files will take less CPU to write when capturing but type-2 files will probably be faster to edit. I think most editors work with type-2 and type-2 works better with Avisynth as well. You also have to consider if you want to capture in 2GB chunks or if you want to capture in one big file and hope all programs you use has support for AVI 2.0 spec... confusing isn't it?

[nimco]

Ajp,

Thanks a lot for your help.
I will try to follow your advise.