capture directly to mpeg2

[humbleboy]

I have a couple of minidv tapes that I need to capture directly to mpeg2 dvd compliant so I can author with tmpgenc dvd author and then burn with Nero. No edit is needed.
I looked in tools section but cannot choose any suitable one.
Any software recommended please?
Thank you

[mats.hogberg]

No. DV isn't "captured", it's transferred, just like any other date file. Once in the computer, it has to be reencoded from DV AVI to mpeg. Software to use is "any" mpeg encoder - TMPGEnc, CCE, MainConcept, Canopus Procoder, QuEnc - there are many!

/Mats

[humbleboy]

I've seem many posts capturing to mpeg2 directly
there should be a way to aviod encoding!

[redwudz]

You could use Mainconcept encoder. It can transfer in DV and encode on the fly to MPEG-2 if you have a fast computer. It does use a buffer to keep up.

[mats.hogberg]

I've seem many posts capturing to mpeg2 directly

Yes, from a video signal. Of course, you could have a capture card (let's say Hauppage PVR250) and output from camera to video in on the card, encoding to mpeg in realtime. This will however not be the optimal route, as it involves a digital to analog to digital conversion.

there should be a way to aviod encoding!

Not if you'd like to get an mpeg2 from a DV AVI, no there isn't.

/Mats

[gshelley61]

Standalone DVD recorders capture to DVD compliant MPEG2 in real time, too. That's what I use... I capture to DVD-RW then edit and author on the computer. Excellent results, fast and easy to use. Many units have firewire input these days (for DV streams).

[mats.hogberg]

That's an excellent idea (but it still has to be reencoded - in this case done with a DVD Recorder instead of a computer)!

/Mats

[gshelley61]

That's an excellent idea (but it still has to be reencoded - in this case done with a DVD Recorder instead of a computer)!

/Mats

I meant after the DV is converted (encoded) to MPEG2. You can do simple editing and authoring of MPEG2 without re-encoding.

[mats.hogberg]

Yes, yes, yes, but my point is, no matter how you go about it, if you have a DV AVI and want mpeg2, somewhere somehow you have to reencode it.

/Mats

[edDV]

I've seem many posts capturing to mpeg2 directly
there should be a way to aviod encoding!

There are 2 steps to be done, DV transfer and MPeg2 encode.
This shows the 2 pass technique.

DV camcorder -> DV transfer over IEEE-1394 -> DV stream to DV-AVI file (done in realtime)
DV-AVI file -> Mpeg2 encoder-> Mpeg2 file (non-realtime)

You can also do it in one pass with either a hardware MPeg2 encoder (e.g. PVR-250) or a software MPeg2 encoder running on a sufficiently fast computer (min 2.4 GHz Pentium, more usually needed).

DV camcorder -> DV transfer over IEEE-1394 -> Mpeg2 encoder-> Mpeg2 file (done in realtime)

The software encoder approach is a bit tricky to get done without buffer overflows that result in gaps in the MPeg2 file. When the CPU can't keep up, the buffer fills, the encoder stops accepting new data until it emplies the buffer and then it resumes. The DV stream during this "rebuffer flush" is ignored creating a gap in the MPeg2.

Here is a performance test I did using the version of Mainconcept encoder that comes in ULead Video Studio 8 using a Celeron 2.4 (no hyperthreading), 512MB RAM. Performance with Nero 6 Ultra was very similar.

Realtime MPeg2 (DVD) mode at 8,000Kbps with LPCM audio. CPU usage averaged 90%.
It choked with with 6,000Kbps compression or anytime MPeg audio encoding was used. Adding memory made no difference. Using a Pentium 4 in place of the Celeron made no difference.

A faster CPU will get you either more video compression or audio compression in realtime. Sufficient safety margin should be used to avoid buffer flush gaps.

[tducar]

Please teach this newbie. Do people use mpeg and mpeg2 interchangably? If I can convert from a .vob file to an .mpeg file, should I be just a happy as if I converted to a .mpeg2 file?

[gshelley61]

VOB's contain MPEG2 files already. They don't have to be converted.

[mats.hogberg]

Please teach this newbie. Do people use mpeg and mpeg2 interchangably? If I can convert from a .vob file to an .mpeg file, should I be just a happy as if I converted to a .mpeg2 file?

Don't hijack threads. Start a new thread for a new question!
mpeg2 video files, that is, AKA m2v. A VOB may also contain audio in AC3, mp2 (mpeg1 layer 2) and/or LPCM format. And subtitle streams.

/Mats

[alebertaz]

I tryed many cards, used many software encoders but nothing beat Ati All in Wonder 128 Pro with Theather chip.

Hear me: buy a Theater chip card (ATI) and you'll be impressed.
Excellent quality. I thinks these are best capture cards.
I can capture into VCD,SVCD,DVD (!) format (VIDEO SOAP NONE) with an AMD Duron 750 MHz 512 MB Ram. NO dropped frames!!!

[mats.hogberg]

I hear you alebertaz, but what does this have to do with getting DV AVI from a MINIDV tape to DVD format?

/Mats

[alebertaz]

I tryed many cards, used many software encoders but nothing beat Ati All in Wonder 128 Pro with Theather chip.

Hear me: buy a Theater chip card (ATI) and you'll be impressed.
Excellent quality. I thinks these are best capture cards.
I can capture into VCD,SVCD,DVD (!) format (VIDEO SOAP NONE) with an AMD Duron 750 MHz 512 MB Ram. NO dropped frames!!!

I'm really sorry: I posted in the wrong topic!!!!!

This is the right one:https://www.videohelp.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=257466