Poll: Which PVR program do you use or like better?

[telemike]

Which PVR proggie?

[Gazorgan]

IUVCR is pretty nice, it still a bit PAL bugged(it's programmers hail from PAL land). It's great for captuing any resolution/any format. The scheduler isnt' so good, not very user friendly.

PowerVCR is a very nice application!! I'd use it exclusively if it captured in anything other than MPEG1 or MPEG2. Even 720x480 MPEG2 at 8000 Mbps can have quality issues if you are ultimately going to convert it to another format. The scheduler is pretty good.

Both my choices aren't free, hint hint. Some of the other (free) vcr programs either don't work very well, or don't schedule worth a dam. I've tried them all and I use the 2 that cost $$$, go figure?

[telemike]

I keep going back and forth between windvr and powervcr2.......

[telemike]

It would be nice if Windvr or Powervcr supported recording to Divx. I could capture in avi, but the freeware stuff is not titantv friendly. I could used a krkd powervcr2 or my paid-for windvr.

[mrdisky]

IUVCR is my favorite, works well for me

[ImaWeTodd]

I use virtual VCR (free)
Then with a little batch file hack I use a little progie called "PVR Advanced Scheduler". This lets me schedule with 1 click on TitanTV.

I have an aver card (so i have the aver app), never really used it.
I happen to have powerVCR, but I really don't like big apps with too many windows. I guess it scares me.

nice little programs that let you do what ever you want are amazing.

[Nicklas]

I have tested them all. And the winner is...

Showshifter! It's excellent!

www.showshifter.com

/Nicklas

[Fozzee]

It would be nice if Windvr or Powervcr supported recording to Divx. I could capture in avi.

Hey telemike with Cyberlink PowerDirector Pro 2.5 u can capture avi too.
Including DivX and Xvid. It's interface includes editing, authoring and burning. Although I havent used that part yet it's wizard looks good.
Unlike PowerVCR2 it captures Mpeg2 at CBR rather than VBR making it easier to edit.

Fozzee

[telemike]

I use virtual VCR (free)
Then with a little batch file hack I use a little progie called "PVR Advanced Scheduler". This lets me schedule with 1 click on TitanTV.

I have an aver card (so i have the aver app), never really used it.
I happen to have powerVCR, but I really don't like big apps with too many windows. I guess it scares me.

nice little programs that let you do what ever you want are amazing.

Where is this batch file?

[ImaWeTodd]

I did not know dos bat syntax, but I managed to put it together.
Here is a version I have not been actively using but have tested. It has all the bells I want, and some comments.

The short story is:
- I did everything to install PVRAS (see instructions at http://hoocanhelp.com/pvras/intro.html

- Except; Instead of pointing to WinTV2K.exe I point to my 'fixup.bat'

- From TitanTv you then click the red dot, up pops PVRAS, it knows the channel and how long the show is. I can then set some options (not all will work)

- It then schedules a task which runs 'fixup.bat' giving the output file name with show,date,time the channel, a vvcr properties file, and how long to run.

I'd be happy to help with more details if this is not clear. My only problem has been forgettin to turn the pc on before I go to work. (I've been doing some electrical work on the house at night, and I seem to forget flikin all the breakers kills my pc.)

echo off 
rem 
rem ** Convert pvras command line to virtual_vcr command line  ** 
rem 
rem From: -c20 -ntod -mute -startr:WYYY--Simply_Painting--20030229--1430.mpg -qvcd -limit:1920 
rem 
rem To: -capture -channel "20" -profile "c:\video\test.vcr" -runfor "1920" 
rem     -output "d:\WYYY--Simply_Painting--20030229--1430.mpg.avi" 

setlocal 

rem ** Some installation specific variables ** 
set $profile="c:\video\test.vcr" 
set $outDir=c:\caps\ 
set $vvcr="C:\Program Files\Virtual VCR\VirtualVCR.exe" 

:getParms 
shift 
if "%0"=="" goto end 
for /F "Tokens=1-2 Delims=:" %%a in ("%0") do if "%%a"=="-startr" set $out=%%b.avi 
for /F "Tokens=1-2 Delims=:" %%a in ("%0") do if "%%a"=="-limit" set $secs=%%b 

echo %0 | Find/i "-c" >nul 
if errorlevel 1 goto getParms 
for /F "Tokens=1-2 Delims=c" %%a in ("%0")  do set $chan=%%b 

goto getParms 

:end 

rem ** May add code to use different profiles for different channels due to reception  *** 
rem if "%$chan%"=="54" set $profile="c:\blah\blah\blah.vcr" 

%$vvcr% -capture -channel "%$chan%" -profile %$profile%  -runfor "%$secs%" -output "%$outDir%%$out%"

[ryanreko]

Virtual dub vcr is pretty good.... plus most of us won't need to install other usless programs...

[telemike]

Tried Powervcr again last night. Quality just doesn't compare with Windvr. Too blocky and doesn't do motion as well.

[Fozzee]

What setting do you use for PowerVCR2 Telemike?
Do you select video smoothing??

Fozzee

P.S. PowerDirector Pro 2.5 does the best captures. It de-interlaces too if u want. And you can do avi and mpeg1 or 2.
Although it doesn't have a timer function. It is a all in one package with authoring and burning too.

[telemike]

I was comparing apples to apples plain jane VCD resolution and WinDVR2 just kicks powervcr's butt in quality

[Fozzee]

Oh
All VCD capture is poor.
I always capture high bitrate high resolution and encode down.

Fozzee

[stecj]

I am currently using WinDvr2 (which overcame some audio glitches from v1.8) but am still not happy with the video quality. Recording at the default DVD setting (or beeter customized), I still get some pixelation. Is there a setting I'm missing or a better PVR out there for me? Powerdirector 2.0 would not work for me because this is a dedicated computer/TV system and it says it requires 1024X768 and the TV only gets me to 800X600.

Any suggestions or thoughts appreciated. My primary goal is to record at highest possible quality and burn to DVD. Would prefer ~ 2hr per DVD at least.

Thanks,

Stecj

[NYPlayer]

Showshifter hands down simply da best.

[Fozzee]

I am currently using WinDvr2 (which overcame some audio glitches from v1.8) but am still not happy with the video quality. Recording at the default DVD setting (or beeter customized), I still get some pixelation. Is there a setting I'm missing or a better PVR out there for me? Powerdirector 2.0 would not work for me because this is a dedicated computer/TV system and it says it requires 1024X768 and the TV only gets me to 800X600.

Any suggestions or thoughts appreciated. My primary goal is to record at highest possible quality and burn to DVD. Would prefer ~ 2hr per DVD at least.

Thanks,

Stecj

Hi I just got your private message and replied before reading this.
Have you tried PowerVCR2???

Fozzee

[stecj]

I like showshifters GUI, but the capture settings sure seem limited for someone trying to capture at high quality and burn to DVD. I'm looking for as close to DVD quality as I can get. Do you have some custom settings in showshifter that approach this that I could try?

Thanks,

Stecj

[medievil]

WinDVD Recorder all the way....Top notch Mpeg1 or 2 capture all the way up to dvd quality, you can even timeshift straight to DVD-RW.

[Fozzee]

WinDVR2 is more or less exactly the same as WinDVD Recorder except you get WinDVD with the recorder.
I use PowerDVD anyway.
And WinDVR2 has a better interface.

Personally the cleanest captures I've achieved were from PowerDirector Pro 2.5. But I am using WinDVR2 at the momment because of it's 1/2 DVD profile.
The best interface is PowerVCR2.

"Only My Humble Opinion"

Fozzee