Orca Innovations, Inc. - KWORLD MPEGTV

[lineber]

Hi,

I am having difficulty finding a website for Orca Innovations, Inc. who it appears makes TV Tuner capturing devices. TigerDirect's catalog, has two items listed as TV Tuners by Orca Innovations, Inc. - KWORLD MPEGTV but I can't seem to find either the PCI or USB devices in VCDHELP's "Capture Cards" section.

The cards can be seen at TigerDirect website (or in their latest catalog):

The PCI TV Tuner and Recorder item# O38-1000 www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?sku=O38-1000

The USB TV Tuner and Recorder item# O38-1002 www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?sku=O38-1002


The closes TV Tuner I can find in the "Capture Cards" section is the Kworld KW-TV878 www.vcdhelp.com/capturecards.php?CaptureCardRead=Kworld%20KW-TV878&Search=Search which may be made by Orca or is KWorld?

Anyhow, I am wondering if anyone has either one of these cards? If so, is it worth the money? Notice that they are near in price to other available TV Tuners. Can someone post the link to their website?

thanks,
-lineber

[hwoodwar]

I personally don't think they are worth the money based on the specifications given. In particular:

"Supports resizable video window size up to 640 x 480 pixels at VGA mode." Up to implies it is the maximum. At times I want to view TV at full screen, since my screen resolution is at 800 x 600 or 1024 x 768, this will not provide a full screen image.

"Capture rate up to 30 frames per sec at CIF format (352 x 288 pixels) " I'm really not sure what "CIF format" is but if it is the way we normally capture, then there is that "up to" again, which implies max of 352 x 288 resolution. That is VCD resolution. You would not even be able to capture at SVCD resolution.

I'd suggest you try looking at the "Top Rated Capture Cards list" at:

http://www.vcdhelp.com/capturecards.php?CaptureCard=&Search=Search&toprate=Top+User+Rated

and please read the user comments also as they provide a wealth of additional information.
se

[telemike]

I bought the avermedia tv stereo for $48. I prefer stereo sound vs. mono.

[vcd4me]

LOL
I have been doing some research on this card recently, and I made post a few days ago. I am looking for usb and there are not many options for me, so I have been really looking into this. You never said which you were looking to buy usb or pci/agp. I personally think that KWORLD is the manufacturer of all 3 of these cards. After doing some research I think the WINSONIC (on ebay)as well as the ORCA (at tiger direct)are just renamed KWORLD, because KWORLD is the only one that I have found a website for

well here is the link to my post
http://www.vcdhelp.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=136634&highlight=

hwoodwar wrote

and please read the user comments also as they provide a wealth of additional information.

It looks like lineber did just that he made this statement

The closes TV Tuner I can find in the "Capture Cards" section is the Kworld KW-TV878 www.vcdhelp.com/capturecards.php?CaptureCardRead=Kworld%20KW-TV878&Search=Search which may be made by Orca or is KWorld?

I think lineber did beter than me when I looked in the capture card list a few days ago I overlooked that one because it was only on the list as a pci card not usb.

So if hwood if you had read the link he gave to kworld ( the capture card section)you would know that you can capture at a higher rate than 352x288 especially if you are using some other programs like the people who posted reviews of this card in the capture card user comments

After reading the reviews I think I am going to give serious consideration to the usb version.I think I may buy kworld usb version (also on ebay for around $60) two of the features I liked about this is that it has an antena so I can watch non cable tv as well as listen to fm radio whenI 'm on the road. the other good thing is it has a remote, which ATI and Happauge Wintv don't have.

Let me know what you do lineber especially if you are buying the usb version.

Talk to you later
VCD4ME

[telemike]

www.newegg.com has good prices on kworld cards

[Anonymous65]

The two devices are basically identical to Hauppauge WinTV cards and USB capture (and tuner) devices. The PCI card use the a BT8x8 chip (or similar) and is used for AVI captures, and mpeg software captures. The USB, as all USB devices without a hardware encoder, gives poor quality video at 320x240 (30 frames) during capture. Both devices can give full screen video on your monitor for viewing (no matter what your monitor scan resolution is). If you want to capture high quality video, then the PCI card is the only device that will do the trick. If you have to use USB, then get a hardware encoder like the ADS Instant DVD.

[vcd4me]

skittlesen wrote

The USB, as all USB devices without a hardware encoder, gives poor quality video at 320x240 (30 frames) during capture

can't you get higher than 320x240 if you use a diffrent capturing program?
then you wrote

If you have to use USB, then get a hardware encoder like the ADS Instant DVD

I personally have to use usb because of it being a laptop. why do you recommend the ads it has mostly bad reviews just like all the usb devices.
every usb capture device that I have read about has mixed reviews.

Skittlesen can you answer these questions then
1.Can you explain why usb is not so good for capturing?
2.Is it because there are no ram built into them?
3.What if my laptop is 1600amd and has 512 ram will it still be bad?
4. Are there any usb "hardware encoders"that also have tv tuner?

Thanks in advance
VCD4ME

[vcdforme]

I have one of these puppies. (pci)
I'd say its pretty good for the price. $44.
If you want to make on the fly mpg
captures, I think its great.
If you want vcd compliance, then
you'll have to mux, remux, and then
you may be missing a few frames.

The remote seems to work, but I don't have a use for it, so I deleted it from the start-up menu
because it wastes computer resources while its sitting there waiting for you to do something.

I did record some tv, just for the
heck of it by hanging a wire on the
tv input, seems to work. An antenna
I'm sure would have been better.

The capture rates are very flexible. mpg 1 or 2.
selectable Stereo from your sound card line in.

For a cheapo card, I think its OK,
and probably better than alot of the cheapo's. But I want to make
perfect VCD's, and I'm still not
there. Granted I'm pretty new at this game. But I believe a bunch
of new, better cards, are just around the corner. I'll probably
get a Canopus to hold me over til
then. $$$ouch!

I want a card that will cook me up a true, compliant ready, vcd file.
Alot of you out there are probably younger than me, but I hope the day
will come that we will all get to
the promised land of vcd.

Meanwhile the Kworld website seems
to have gone into the land of lost
domains.

[vcdforme]

duplicate post

[vcd4me]

LOL
So its a west coat east coast shoot out....

In this corner from the west coast it's vcdforme and
In this corner from the east coast it's VCD4ME

You do realize vcdforme that there may be some confusion when other people read this post.

Thanks fot the post and glad to see you like the kworld card

BTW their website is www.kworld.com.tw
I'm sure the tw at the end means TiaWan

Nice name vcdforme and nice to have got the chance to know you and I can exist on the same site. Now if you tell me your first name is ED I will definetly start laughing.

Talk to soon
Signed VCD4ME

[Anonymous65]

>Skittlesen can you answer these questions then
>1.Can you explain why usb is not so good for capturing?

Uncompressed video has a bit rate of over 200Mb/sec at full resolution. The USB connection can support about 5Mb/sec, far, far less then what is needed to transfer video. So, what USB devices does is to use much lower resolution and heavy compression. In other words, the video looks bad!

>2.Is it because there are no ram built into them?

No, it has nothing to do with memory.

>3.What if my laptop is 1600amd and has 512 ram will it still be bad?

That will have no effect on the USB speed.

>4. Are there any usb "hardware encoders"that also have tv tuner?

The Pinnacle Bungee, Pinnale PCTV Deluxe, Hauppauge WinTV PVR USB to mention the most common ones with a hardware encoder and TV tuner.

[MikeV]

Picked up the Kworld DVD Maker(TV Version)(PCI Card) about a month ago. Have not had a chance to install it yet, here are the specs from the manual.
Real time Mpeg1 and Mpeg2
Supports CBR and VBR
NTSC: 704x480, 480x480, 352x480, 352x240
PAL: 704x576, 480x576, 352x576, 352x288
Drivers: 98, 2000, ME, XP
10Mbps at VBR
15Mbps at CBR
S-Video in/out
AV in/out
Antenna in 125 channels
Remote control with remote sensor
Encoder chipset: Stream Machine SM2210

[vcd4me]

Thanks Steve,

All your advice has been great. I noticed your link and went to your site great job by the way.

I have one more question
You say get a usb with hardware decoder, What is the diffrence from that and a software encoder like tmpegenc?

Thanks in advance I really appreciate your help

Signed VCD4ME

[Anonymous65]

The above card with the Stream Machine encoder ship is a hardware encoder. However, you will not find this card for under $100 (if you can, buy it!) Most PCI and USB devices with a hardware encoder costs close to $200.

A USB device with a hardware encoder has a powerful processor that will encode, or compress the video to mpeg video, that can pass on the USB port. The USB port can't handle full DVD video bitrate, but it gets close. Normally, it can handle up to 6 Mb/sec. Full DVD quality video is 9.8Mb/sec, however 5-6Mb/sec is fine for DVD quality video. A USB device without a mpeg encoder, will use a cheap compression chip and lower image resolution. When this video is later encoded to mpeg, the quality will suffer.

When you use TMPGEnc or any other software encoder, the CPU of your PC is doing all the work. A hardware encoder USB device is almost like it has its own cpu, and does the encoding inside the USB device. The computer does then not have to do any processing. When you use the PC to get quality mpeg video, you first have to capture high quality video on your PC before you can software encode it. To capture this video, you need a PCI capture card, or a firewire connection to a DV source. Also, you need a fast and large hard drive to capture uncompressed video.

[lineber]

LOL
You never said which you were looking to buy usb or pci/agp. [...]
Let me know what you do lineber especially if you are buying the usb version.

Talk to you later
VCD4ME

I am torn between the two products. Despite the fact that the USB seems to be the better of the two products; I will probably buy the PCI card tuner because I have way too many devices already on my desk. The PCI card has a remote control, which is something usually left for the more expensive TV tuners. This is a major plus, but not the selling point.

I figure I will get the ORCA (KWORLD) PCI tuner or the Averymedia Studio (PCI card). Averymedia's card is highly recommended, in a similar price range, with similar features. I have been looking at both these products for the past few days. I soon will decide. I do want to use this device to record TV shows to SVCD format. I follow at least three or four shows a season and because of my work schedule I always have to miss some of the shows (like last night I missed the Shield).

[lineber]

I have one of these puppies. (pci) I'd say its pretty good for the price. $44. If you want to make on the fly mpg captures, I think its great. If you want vcd compliance, then you'll have to mux, remux, and then you may be missing a few frames.
[...]
I want a card that will cook me up a true, compliant ready, vcd file. Alot of you out there are probably younger than me, but I hope the day will come that we will all get to the promised land of vcd.

Meanwhile the Kworld website seems to have gone into the land of lost domains.

That sounds like more work than I want to do. I have downloaded shows and recorded them to VCD with VCDEasy (and it wasn't that easy) fortunately the files were already in perfect MPEG format for VCD creation.

I tried to visit the KWORLD website and I keep getting an error message too. In modern times, I don't feel very comfortable with products that don't have a website.

Oh well, the Averymedia Studio card is sounding much better. I wish that someone would add the Kworld cards the to Capturing Cards database, so I could get more user feedbacks and see how users rated the product.

-Lineber

[telemike]

I am using the Avermedia TV Stereo with Intervideo WinDVR software to record with. I like the MTS stereo capability of the avermedia. The Intervideo software (extra cost) makes good MPEG-1 video @ 1400K.

[Anonymous65]

For making VCD's, the real-time software encoders are marginal. One reason for this is that the capture card is in 352x240 mode, and is only capturing one field. To get a good looking VCD, you have to capture both fields, however, you cannot set the capture card to 352x480 and let the real-time encoder software reduce it to 352x240. However, you can do this if you capture to AVI first and then software encode later to VCD. Some real-time hardware encoders will capture both fields and then reduce it to VCD size, like the PV231 card. Also, the ATI All in Wonder (NOT Wonder (VE) cards) will do the 2 field reduction in x240 mode. For SVCD captures, you're fine because you always have to capture both fields.

[vcd4me]

Linber
I think when I jumped into this post and started asking skittlesen some questions you may have gotten confused. I am sorry for doing this I shouldn't have hi-jacked your post with my own questions. I think your confused because of one of your comments.
Linber wrote

I am torn between the two products. Despite the fact that the USB seems to be the better of the two products; I will probably buy the PCI card tuner because I have way too many devices already on my desk. The PCI card has a remote control, which is something usually left for the more expensive TV tuners. This is a major plus, but not the selling point.

I don't think skittlesen was saying usb was better than pci. I think he was trying to say that if have to use a usb (like me for a laptop)you should buy one that has a built in "hardware encoder"
Then you said this

I tried to visit the KWORLD website and I keep getting an error message too. In modern times, I don't feel very comfortable with products that don't have a website

I gave you the website already and it always works for me

their website is www.kworld.com.tw
I'm sure the tw at the end means TiaWan

Then you said this

Oh well, the Averymedia Studio card is sounding much better. I wish that someone would add the Kworld cards the to Capturing Cards database, so I could get more user feedbacks and see how users rated the product.

It is in the capture card base , you even posted a direct link in your original post?
That is how I actually was able to read it because when I went to the capture card list I didn't even see it.

AGain lineber I am sorry for the confusion
Good Luck
Signed VCD4ME

P.S. skittlesen can I send you a PM , I have some more questions

[Anonymous65]

Send any private mail to skittelsen@yahoo.com

[lineber]

I gave you the website already and it always works for me their website is www.kworld.com.tw
I'm sure the tw at the end means TiaWan
[...]
It is in the capture card base , you even posted a direct link in your original post? That is how I actually was able to read it because when I went to the capture card list I didn't even see it.

The website www.kworld.com.tw does not work for me, I get a DNS error. I found this website the first night I saw the tv tuner. But it doesn't work!

BTW, the capturecard listing (that I posted) for the Kworld device is called the TV878 www.vcdhelp.com/capturecards.php?CaptureCardRead=Kworld%20KW-TV878&Search=Search
at the time I posted that reply I was not sure Kworld and Orca Innovations Inc. were the same company. And I still would like to findout about the USB version called the USB506PRO (not in the database).

-lineber

[vcdforme]

VCDFORME coming to you live here,
from the west coast. LOL

VCD4ME.
I managed to visit the KWORLD site
last night. I even see they have
some new items.
But I swear two weeks ago it wasn't
there. And yet, tonight I can access it, but its acting very strange. AND....there's more new
products that weren't there last night.

http://www.kworld.com.tw/

I have a question.
Kworld to mpeg1. File looks great
on my monitor.
De-mux, Mux, in TMPGENC to make VCD ready. Then I get
a message. Something like...
"3 s packets may cause buffer underrun"
sometimes its 7 s packets.
Once it was even 2107!!!Yikes.

anyone know the cause, or whats going on?


P.S. VCD4Me, don't worry about us
getting confused. I'm the
Ed Norton of the bunch.

[vcd4me]

what does this mean vcdforme

P.S. VCD4Me, don't worry about us
getting confused. I'm the
Ed Norton of the bunch.

Please don't tell me you look like Ed Norton

I personally have never captured before so I can't comment on your question

Wow your right there is new stuff there I just went to the kworld site and they now have a usb with a built in hardware encoder as the first item. Maybe the folks over at that site are moitoring are conversations here at vcdhelp, that first item is exactly what skittlesen was recommending to me. LOL

Talk to you soon

Signed the Original VCD4ME

[lineber]

The website www.kworld.com.tw does not work for me, I get a DNS error. I found this website the first night I saw the tv tuner. But it doesn't work!

Strangly enough, the website is working for me tonight! I've been trying the site for days and now I'm able to see it.

-lineber

[vcdforme]

To VCD4Me:

Sorry,
ED Norton, was a goofy character on old TV show called the Honeymooners.
Some of my so-called friends compare me to him.

Cheers!

[vcdforme]

To VCD4ME:

You may be right. I do have a funny feeling like Kworld is watching.
And if its true, let me take this opportunity to make a request....

Dear Kworld,
Please make your capture-cards record to proper VCD compliance.
Padding is not right.

And your preset settings for SVCD???
4000 kbit bitrate???
Shouldn't it be 2600kbit maximum?


Thanks Kworld,
and please keep up your website.

[lineber]

Thanks for the information on the Kworld MpegTV, it seems like a great tv-tuner. But I've decided to purchase the AveryMedia Studio instead. Only because it is rated higher, and seems to be very easy to use and install.

-lineber