ADS Instant DVD 2.0 X Pinnacle PCTV Deluxe

[Zetti]

Hi all,

How do you compare these ?

Which is the best in your opinion ?

Does Ulead Video Studio work with both ?

Thanks,

Zetti

[snafu099]

I have the ADS usb InstantDvd-2
This is an usb-2 hardware mpg-1/2 encoder
accepts any analog input -rca and s-vid; +dv add dv input
audio lock with vid to pc by usb
also output back thru unit to analog; dvdexpress lacks loopback
cap biterates 1 to 15 mb/s cbr or vbr
can create custum resolutions/biterats of choice, even non-compliant
by default locks audio/video, but can disable and cap split stream
bundled with ulead mf2 and vs7se
excellent quality and no sync problems with ntsc
some s/w issues with pal/seacam, need specal patches
For quality and ease of use can't be beat, may b matched by other hardware enders tho. These are "consumer" devices-no brainer use.
Do not need 5 or6 dif. programs and 10/20+steps.
Extensive editing/overlays/audio dubing etc are going to be time consumeing no matter what you use.

[Zetti]

Thanks Snafu, great review;

I admit I am more likely to the Pinnacle device cause of the TV tuner, let's see if other people throw in good commenrs as well;
Thanks,

Zetti

[snafu099]

Yes, great captures, but lacks tuner and pvr software at this time, althrough it uses a chipset that is capable of pvr. supposedly they are working on unit with tuner but not sure of rest as they have not responded to my quiery.

Also have radeon 7000 with tv out working with Leadtek tv2000 deluxe that I am trying to setup as HTPC but so far I am not happy with cap quality. The first idvd-1 ver did audio thru sound card like Leadtek and some others, absolutely do not want this again, very sussceptalbe to sync prob.

[Zetti]

Snaffu,

Can you capture audio as LPCM or does the drivers/software keep you stucked in MPEG audio with the ADS unit ?

Does anyone know if it's possible to capture audio in LPCM format with Pinnacle PCTV Deluxe ? Or does it keep you stucked in MPEG audio ?

I can get a good price for the PCTV Deluxe, and it contains a TV Tuner, but it lacks information about this card on this site (have checked user comments already)

Does anyone know if Pinnacle software keeps you stucked in capture presets or are there facilities to create capture customized profiles ?

For example, I like :

Video VBR 6000 - 6500 Mbps
Audio LPCM.

Thanks,

Zetti

[Phantom Of The Opera]

Snafu:

All your remarks are about the ADS Instant DVD unit, not the Pinnacle PCTV, right? And did I understand you to say you can feed digital data into the unit's USB port and get analog output at the other end, i.e. reverse the "normal" data path?

Thanks in advance for your help.

[snafu099]

Yes all my remarks are specificaly for the ADS usb IDVD-2.
You can select/change audio
The IDVD-2 does NOT support dv input, only analog
The IDVD +DV DOES support dv input plus analog
Input is hardware encoded to mpg and sent to pc via the usb cable, the output to analog is just the reverse except uses rca out jacks
Both support analog output (mpeg is decoded in box to rca out), feature I have not used.