Starting out need advice on a system for Capturing

[B00T]

How you all doin. Long time follower first time poster.

I have been wanting for awhile to being doing TV Captures. I was planning to buy a new system that wont drop any frames, and possibly do some DVD Authoring in the process. For the time being I was using a P3 450 with a Voodoo 3500TV out card. I have been looking at this system, and basically wanted to know if it is capable of capturing without dropping frames. I dont play many PC games, so a huge 3D card is not of any importance to me.

I dont know what exactly this video card is and if it has the ability to capture off of a TV feed, or if I have to buy a seperate capture card and install it on the computer. I liked the whole package with the DVD-RW and such. I just wanted to know if this will get the job done when trying to start out in the Capture scene. I will worry about software, and codecs etc. once I get something capable of doing such.

http://www.sonystyle.com/is-bin/INTERSHOP.enfinity/eCS/Store/en/-/USD/SY_DisplayProduc...6Wy0H&Dept=cpu

Dont worry about the price of it, I can get it cheaper through someone I know, just want to know if I can get the job done. Basically just want to know if this system will be good enough to get me started on captures.

Thank you for your time! 8)

[CauCauCau]

Dont worry about the price of it, I can get it cheaper through someone I know, just want to know if I can get the job done. Basically just want to know if this system will be good enough to get me started on captures.

Thank you for your time! 8)

Well, the link didn't work, so I can't really tell you for sure. I capture at 640x480 with dropping no frames on an Athlon 700 with a slowish harddrive (5400 rpm) and a cheapo BT878 based capture card. Can you give the specifics of the system you're looking at instead of the link?

[B00T]

Ugh, the link was working when I posted they took it down.

Intel® Pentium® 4 processor 2.4BGHz, with 533MHz frontside bus
512KB L2 cache memory

512MB PC2100 DDR RAM

80.0GB Ultra ATA/100 hard drive

DVD-RW/CD-RW combo drive (2x1x4 DVD-RW, 8x4x24 CD-RW)

40x maximum speed CD-ROM drive

SiS650 integrated graphics, with Real256 3D/2D graphics accelerator and 32MB shared memory (64MB maximum)


I have no idea what that graphics card is. I am assuming I would have to go out and buy a seperate Capture card. If thats the case I will just read the other 5000 "What card should I get?" threads. I dont know exactly what I need. I will work on getting what I need on my own, but dont know where to even start.

Thanks for the reply.

Or try this one

http://www.bestbuy.com/detail.asp?e=11181969&m=488&cat=490&scat=491

[The village idiot]

That machine should work well for capturing and encoding, etc. Not the best for gaming though, if that concerns you at all. I would put more memory in it, and maybe a second hard drive. If you can option it with the new "all" format Sony DVD burner go for that too.

I would suggest using one of the analog to DV capture solutions. They use firewire (iLINK).

recommendations would be:

Canopus ADVC-100, or ADVC-50
Datavideo DAC-100, or DAC-2
there is a Sony A to DV converter that is also very good, but I can't remember the model number (just in case you have a connection for Sony goods at cheap prices).

[B00T]

Thanks for the advice. I have no interest in PC gaming, I am more into console so the video card doesnt really concern me. No matter where I have looked I cant find any info as to what DVD-RW drive is in there.

I have read the other threads and I am leaning towards the ADVC-100 card. I saw this computer has an ILINK port but I dont know anything about what firewire actually is/means

I assume this computer can use that card. Depending on the DVD burner it actually has, I plan on buying that and the ADVC-100 card provided everything is compatabile. Thanks again for your input.

[The village idiot]

As far as I know, iLINK is firewire. Just that Sony, in their usual "we are better than you" thoughts, puts a different connector on it. Hopefully it will come with a normal 6 pin connection. Or at least a 4 pin connection. you can at least find adaptor cables in places like Comp USA.

[vhelp]

if you don't have the patiance, and the time to encode, encode, encode, then
my recommend would be to get one of those Hardware Capture cards/devices.

Quality from those devices will vary according to degree of source
dificulty level.

But, for ultimate quality, at tipicle user cost $$ a $39 to $59 capture
card is all you'll need for the capturing part. The next toughest part
is the actual capturing and encoding and authoring, which will take quite
a bit of time learning. Its not for the faint at heart, but if you
are willing to go the stretch, than this is probably gonna be your
best bet solution.

Now, your current system is another story. But, you did say that
you are in the process of getting a faster CPU setup. So, as far as
your other concirn, frame drops. THAT WILL DEPEND... on a number of
issues: motherboard, chipset, i/o slots, IRQs, Audio card, Graphics
card, Network connects, Source to captured's quality level. etc., etc.

It took me a while to get my 2nd pc setup to become a ZERO frame drop
machine. Took me months to figure out, but in the end, it was worth it.
I do other testings w/ it, and as such, I on occation, have to reinstall
drivers in order to return to ZERO frame drops, else I tend to get
frame drops if I'm not careful or watchful.

My current Capture/Encode pc setup has a $49 WTVGO capture card and
a $59 DC10+ HW MJPEG captured card. Both give me ZERO frame drops,
except for the DC10+ at times, it drops a handful or so of frames
every now and then, and that depends on source and if source changes,
ie Surfing channels, as this upset my TBC and Audio, causing frame drops.
So, to rememdy this, I try not to use my TBC, since the DC10+ card is
already equip w/ a TBC in the first place. Great for VHS source, but
still drops hanful of frames on these.

I've ben given a new function (from friends at work) using my DV cam,
I make quick small-size VCD's. For this, I use deinterlace, since the
DV cam is interlaced. These I've ben doing for the last couple of
months now. But, since these peoples don't know what to really
expect, and they are just plain happy, I leave it at that. Course,
I could make better enocdes out of those DV cams for them, like
SVCD's, and utilize the Interlace and all, but they don't deserve
that much from me. he, he...

Anyways, so, if you go w/ the Hardware Encodes, you'll save a lot
of headackes, but suffer slitely in quality, if bitrate are low.
If you want the best that a capture can produce, than the old
capture to AVI will do, but requires lots of headackes.
Here are some "basic" things you'll need:
* Source: Satalite, Cable, VHS, Camcorder etc.
* Capture: AVI_IO or vdub or iuVCR or VirtualVCR
* MPEG Encoder: TMPGEnc or Panasonic or Mainconcepts all under $100
* AVI editer: vdub
* scripter: AVISynth
* CD Authoring: Nero or VCDImager or others
* CDRs/CDWRs/DVDR etc.
* Firewire card: any will do
* memory: 512 or more for the editing part (does do much for encoding speed)
* Coffee - lots

A firewier card is not that import, just so long as it is standard
and matches your capture/transfer device's connection. So, a $19 one
will do.

You'll also need an software MPEG encoder
Lots of learning. Lots.
I don't know what you're level of Video endeavors
are, but if you don't know anything, I'd just give up and watch
cartoons while D/L'ing. Nah, just kidding

So much more info, but I could bust a vessel if I go any further then
here.

Good luck so far.
-vhelp

[gll99]

2 points:

1) with those specs, I suspect your board would accept PC2700 333 DDR ram so go for it if you can. You may feel that you should have if you go with the middle pc2100 especially when you buy more mem.

2) the HD is a ata 100 but again it is possible that your board would support ata133. My suggestion since you are starting fresh is to ask for ata133 and if the board they offer does not support it ask them for the model up.

The fact that that board supports a 2.4 CPU 533 fsb means that it has some room for upwards growth currently up to a 2.83a cpu (but at twice the price) so that's good. Its also very good that the L2 cache is 512.


These are base items that will make sure you are very satisfied with your system for a longer time. Although that feeling won't last long just look what's around the corner next with Intel.

This system will capture and edit with no problems. The choice of video card or capture card is something you can err with. If you don't like them they are easy to dump and replace but the base system board/type of mem/cpu ...You should make sure that these meet all your needs.

[sumibas]

hi,

i have a sony pcvrx462 ds 1.3 P4 with 512 RDRAM. i do capturing via Firewire thru my cam coder. I never get any droped frames so far. the Spead of conversion i also good. i have CCE. i get real time conversion for CBR. I would say go for it or if you can spend little more go for a Giga pocket model from sony. ans sony comes with both 6 pin and 4 pin fire wire connectors.

Baskaran