Any quick-pausable vid-to-disk software?

[ambushed19]

I've got a Pinnacle Dazzle 100 USB capture device which is good enough, but the software that comes with it is inadequate for what I want to do. The software -- which I use in direct-to-hard disk audio-video capturing -- works perfectly as far as it goes, but it takes a long time to start and stop recording and does not allow the user to pause a recording in progress.

That last is the feature I'm looking for: The ability to pause and "un-pause" recording quickly if not immediately, just as you can do with a VCR. I frequently just want to record short snippets rather than entire programs, and I have found no good software to do this. Note that I don't want to start a new file for each snippet, either. I don't mind paying for a good solution if necessary. The laptop I use for most recording runs Vista SP1.

The Pinnacle software requires you to create a new folder for each recording, and can take up to several minutes to start and stop recording. That is unacceptable.

I tried the freeware app Debut, which seemed to provide this feature, but not only wouldn't it record audio from the USB device (it didn't even provide the option!), the video it recorded was ridiculously jittery. A total failure!

Thanks for your help!

[ambushed19]

*bump*

[themaster1]

I know one but it's for capture cards based on the Philips saa713x chip it's called fly 2000 tv

Just like a vcr, you can pause the recording and then unpause so you can skip advertising.

Plus it's got a load of features i have rarely seen on others softwares like denoiser, zoom, precise audio sync etc..

But with your usb device, there is little to no chance it works i believe :/


edit:

I think iuvcr does it as well someone better confirm it though

It's been a while since i used it

[ambushed19]

Thanks for your reply!

I think you're probably right about fly 2000 tv not being applicable here, but iuvcr might. I'm going to try it the next half hour or so and report back.

[ambushed19]

I tried it, but iuVCR had similar problems to Debut, which is that it doesn't seem to provide any option to acquire audio from the USB device (Dazzle 100). It only allowed recording from the built-in microphone (I'm using a laptop for this). But there WAS an option to pause (though I'm not sure it worked right), but thanks again for your reply.

Any other suggestions?

[edDV]

USB capture devices are not designed to standard. Each manufacturer does its own thing and may or may not share the secret driver spec with others. Hence you deal only with the company that made the hardware.

The place to ask about alternatives and complain is in the Pinnacle Dazzle legacy forum. You will have much company there. Maybe some Linux guy has cracked the driver. They do it for the fun of it.

[ambushed19]

Thank you, edDV, for your informative reply.

You refer to the "Pinnacle Dazzle legacy forum". Could you help me find that? I registered and logged in at Pinnacle's Forums site, but could find nothing by that name or any other appropriate forum. (I couldn't find it here at VideoHelp either).

Thanks.

USB capture devices are not designed to standard. Each manufacturer does its own thing and may or may not share the secret driver spec with others. Hence you deal only with the company that made the hardware.

The place to ask about alternatives and complain is in the Pinnacle Dazzle legacy forum. You will have much company there. Maybe some Linux guy has cracked the driver. They do it for the fun of it.

[ambushed19]

edDV or anyone else: Maybe I'll replace the Dazzle. Does anyone have any suggestions for some other relatively inexpensive external hardware & software combination that will allow me to do what I want (i.e., pause and un-pause recording immediately)? A USB device is preferred but a cheap firewire device would be acceptable. The hardware and software don't have to be packaged together. The software must run under Vista SP1.

[Ethlred]

USB capture devices are mainly for converting old tapes. As such the makers may decide that niceties like a pause button are unneeded. After all they are assuming that you are grabbing a tape, sticking it in an ancient VHS player, hitting start and going to the end. Editing done afterward in the PC which would take care of any pause and restart via mark begin, mark end and cut.

[edDV]

The Pinnacle forums seem to be reorganized after Avid takeover. Pinnacle acquired Dazzle and used to have a Dazzle support forum. Try Google using your capture application name or the Dazzle hardware name.
http://forums.pinnaclesys.com/forums/default.aspx

Thank you, edDV, for your informative reply.

You refer to the "Pinnacle Dazzle legacy forum". Could you help me find that? I registered and logged in at Pinnacle's Forums site, but could find nothing by that name or any other appropriate forum. (I couldn't find it here at VideoHelp either).

Thanks.

USB capture devices are not designed to standard. Each manufacturer does its own thing and may or may not share the secret driver spec with others. Hence you deal only with the company that made the hardware.

The place to ask about alternatives and complain is in the Pinnacle Dazzle legacy forum. You will have much company there. Maybe some Linux guy has cracked the driver. They do it for the fun of it.

[edDV]

edDV or anyone else: Maybe I'll replace the Dazzle. Does anyone have any suggestions for some other relatively inexpensive external hardware & software combination that will allow me to do what I want (i.e., pause and un-pause recording immediately)? A USB device is preferred but a cheap firewire device would be acceptable. The hardware and software don't have to be packaged together. The software must run under Vista SP1.

Don't make the same mistake. If you want a USB capture device, verify the software features are adequate before you buy. These cards rarely get a software feature update, sometimes a bug fix update. Hauppauge makes the most popular line of USB capture products and is better covered in forums like this.

DV format transcoding devices like Canopus ADVC and ADS Pyro are more expensive, but are designed to standard and are supported by DirectShow. Therefore most capture-editing programs support them through DirectShow. No other software is needed. Most editing programs (including MS MovieMaker) has camcorder device control.

VCR device control is not standardized. Control methods include IR remote emulation, and various remore connectors on legacy decks. Pro VCRs are controlled over RS-232/RS-422 ports using specific proprietary control dialog. The Sony Betacam diaglog is most emulated. If your VCR lacks a hardware remote connector (most do), you need IR control.