ATI All-IN Wonder help encoding to SVCD format

[cypherwolf]

Need some help seeing a custom capture from a VCR. I want to convert come VHS tapes into SVCDs using my ATI-7500 All-In-Wonder card.

I can't seem to get the custom settings right to encode to MPEG format.

Basically I've got 3 problems (ok I've got more but let's just deal with the computer stuff

1. When encoding, it captures to *.mp2 format even though I set it to encode directly to *.mpg (MPEG-2) so I need to be able to change the output file type

2. Setting the correct bit rates (constant or variable)

3. Not drop so many frames.

My system is a Compaq Presario 700MHZ with 40GB and 64MB.

I know the system is a bit low on the resources side but I did have the setting correct and working fine but had to re-install some of the new files/drivers for MMC 7.6 and lost my custom setting.

Is there a built in setting (DVD low or something) in the Digital VCR tab that I can start with and make small changes ?

Any help would be great.
Thanks in advance.
Paolo

[hwoodwar]

The older versions of the ATI MMC encoded to some sort of proprietory MPEG-2(*.mp2) format. I believe the cure was to remux into standard MPEG-2 format. Do some searches through the forums and you can probably find out how to do this. However, there is an easier way now. MMC 7.7 now encodes to "standard" MPEG-2(*.mpg) format. You can download it from ATI. I'm pretty sure you must uninstall the old MMC first, then install MMC 7.7. Be advised although capturing strait to MPEG-2 (or MPEG-1 format) is much faster, in general capturing to avi format and then re-encoding to MPEG-2 in CCE or TMPGenc produce a higher quality end product.

You can copy any of the templates in the MMC, save as a different name and customize them. I used to do that, until I gave up on the MMC. Now I no longer have the MMC loaded at all.

There should be many messages and possibly some user guides on this website as to reducing the number of dropped frames. There is a guide on how to optimize a system for capture with ATI cards here: http://www.vcdhelp.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=81808&highlight=ati . In general you should shut down any unneeded programs, processes and services (you can use msconfig to do that.) Adding memory can also help. Also, as far as getting a new system get the fastest system you can afford with as much memory and hard drive space.