WinTV PCR250

[yowszer]

I have a few questions about this card. I am thinking about either this or the AverTV Studio. I will mainly use the card for high quality AVI capture in 720x480. Which card will be better? I am kinda scared with the hauppage card hearing that it only works with its own software and the avertv card is also cheaper.

[xsbs52x]

the pvr250 captures in ONLY MPEG1 AND MPEG2. if you want a card that can also do avi, i suggest the wintv pvr pci version, it is model 880. however, i am also looking for a new card and i have found that ati's all-in-wonder cards are better for me. they do mpeg1, mpeg2, avi, wmv, and dv. what source are you capturing from?

[yowszer]

im capturing from a VCR. DO the AIW cards have many issues? I currently have a ATI Tv Wonder and i am not pleased with it for high quality capture is horrible. Are the AIW different from the TV Wonder? Also many say stay away from ATI - any input would be helpful. I would also prefer a PCI card so I can upgrade the vid card in the furture wihtout loosing capture capability.

[Sulik]

Most TV-Wonders are limited to 640x240. AIWs do not have such limitation.

[yowszer]

i guess my question then is the avertv studio a good capture card?

[BKL]

Personally, I would recommend any of the analog to DV converters such as the Canopus units or the Dazzle DV Bridge (more problematic) or the ADS Tech unit. This should usually give a really good DV file for subsequent processing.
If you are using VHS as a source, some folks have recommended using the SIMA Video Enhancer to enhance the analog signal before converting it to DV. I have one on order, but haven't got it yet.

[SHS]

yowszer the WinTV-PVR 250 dose REALtime Hardware MPEG-1/2 encoding unlike min other capture card there base on YUV capture or Soft capture which be a pain to capturing the 2 Video Fields which make up 480 in must case few folks can even do 480 this why Hardware encoding are better.
If your want to do SVCD/CVD or even DVD then Hardware DV Encoding like the Canopus ADVC-50/100 best use for VHS and long soft re-encoding time or could go Hardware MPEG1/2 Encoder like the WinTV-PVR 250 for everthing rigth down to Tivo box setup with SageTV.

[yowszer]

about the All in Wonder Radeons: What graphics card is the 8500DV equal to? A geforce 2 or 3 or 4?

[SHS]

As for 8500DV the DV is nothing more reg Firewire card the rest of it is same as any other All in Wonder card.
nVidia GeForce 2,3,4 and same gose FX there all YUV base capture.

[yowszer]

no i meant the raw graphics speed and quality

[xsbs52x]

i dont suggest the 8500DV, it has some hardware problems. i have read that many people have problems with it and i know one person personally who said it is a good card IF you can get it to work.

if you want to see the opinion of a real expert, go to this forum topic:
https://www.videohelp.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=166929&highlight=

that is a topic that i recently started and i was asking a similar question to yours. so far there are 37 replies worth of information that i think you will find very useful in your desicion.