Analog video Capture cards

[glenpinn]

hi there.
maybe its been asked b4, but i cant find much help on this one.
i have been capturing/transferring vhs tapes to my pc and processing/burning them to dvd. i currently use either of the following methods.
1. connect my jvc vcr recorder to a canopus ADVC-110 digital convertor (via s-video) and in turn connect the canopus to my pc with firewire, capturing video with WinDV, encode with tmpgenc 3.0 xpress, author/burn with tmpgenc dvd author or dvd lab pro onto ritek GO5 dvd-r disc (and now use a TBC-1000 image stabiliser between the vcr and the canopus)
2. connect vcr to my NV-GS400 with s-video (dv passthru) and using firewire from dv cam to my pc, then processing as in method 1.

i do a lot of this work and get (or seem to get) very similar results using either method.

QUESTION, any thoughts from other readers about thier preferences and why, and would a better option be to buy an internal capture card like a WINFAST DV2000 - TV2000 XP - TDV1000 or even a HAUPPAUGE WinTV PVR150 just to name a few that seem to get good reviews.
ive never used these internal cards b4, the methods i use digitise the analog video b4 its transferred onto my hard drive.
is it preferrable to digitise it first, or just capture with one of these internal cards that dont digitise the video first.

cheers and thanks.....GLEN

[harley2ride]

Your capture device to me, is better than the alternatives you list. I don't use the Canopus, but I do use the ADS PYRO AV/Link, and I'm very happy with it.

I would suggest that you change the media that you are using. Ritek G05's are very questionable media. Sometimes great, and sometimes crap. I would suggest Verbatim (MCC03 or MCC04), or Taiyo Yuden media.

As for capturing as AVI or MPEG2 (and letting the device encode the media), it depends. If you want to edit the media, and you don't have Non Linear Editing software, you need to capture as AVI. If you don't need to edit the media, then go ahead and capture it as MPEG2.

[glenpinn]

hi harley.

thanks for your thoughts and firstly, re the RITEK G05 dvd media, ive been down this road in all these forums and theres too much stuff written about dvd media to listen to most of it. i have used nearly all brands available here in aust and still go back to the ritek G05 because i believe them to be the absolute best quality for money u can get and ill not use anythings else. ive been using G04 and now GO5 and never ever ever had 1 single coaster out of many thousands ive used over the past 2 years doing video processing and they do get very good reviews when put up against other well known brands. dvd media is like comparing dvd burners, some prefer one over another, the thing being that most are made in the same factory and branded differently, but in most cases they all share common componants so a liteon is no better than a samsung, a pioneer is no different to a sony, i had 2 liteon dvd burners in 1 of my computers, they stuffed up (due to over use) so replaced 2 of them with a samsung and the other a toshiba dvd burner (apparently identical burners from the same factory) and so far all ok, the other pc i put 2 asus dvd burners to replace the 2 liteons and they are beautiful.
BTW, i tried taiyo yuden dvd media and cant print on the surface on the ones we get here in australia (they are silver, not white) the ritek G05 has a nice glossy white printable surface and uses a brilliant quality organic die on the other side, i luv them and will never use anything else, got a new shipment of 2000 arriving next tuesday. i also use an epsom stylus R210 to print my dvd disc labels directly to the face, i dont use those crazy sticky labels everyone seeems to use, supposedly not good for the disc and the players they are used in, i dont know about that but who cares.

about the vhs capture, ive posted in other sites the same question and im now convinced the canopus ADVC-110 and the TBC-1000 is the way to go, my jvc vcr recorder apparently has line stabiliser built in but it doesnt do what the TBC-1000 does, so ill stick with this for now, and i like the image/audio lock on the canopus, a feature not available on any other models ive been reading about, including the pyro range (but i could be wrong)

thanks for the comments and will await for any other thoughts on my thread.

cheers and have a nice day.....GLEN

[thecoalman]

i do a lot of this work and get (or seem to get) very similar results using either method.

Unless you want to convert directly MPEG2 I'd stick with the ADVC. You can sucessfully edit mpeg2 with the correct software. If direct MPEG2 capture is your goal to speed things up a bit I'd suggest the Hauppage 250, I don't have one but I've read enough great reviews on this site from people that do. The 150 apparently has audio issues which from what I have read has been fixed.

There's other options as well. Currently I'm looking into purchasing either a Matrox or a Canopus card for real time editing. If your doing a lot of editing such as adding affects and overlays these cards will allow you to preview in real time. No waiting.

[The_Doman]

The 150 apparently has audio issues which from what I have read has been fixed.

It has NOT been properly fixed yet..
And if you are PAL user there are lot's of other problems with that card....

[glenpinn]

yeah guys, im sticking to my canopus ADVC-110 and TBC-1000, im still reading some probs with other cards and most stuff im reading points to the canopus devices as being as good as u can get, i like the audio/image sync lock thats not available on many other devices like these, got to be a bonus even for the extra $$$ that u pay.

i also have the option of dv passthru using my panny GS400 camera and simply attach the TBC-1000 to the jvc vcr and im away.

thanks all for the input.....GLEN