AIW 9700 PRO owners

[cifcap]

If anyone here owns this card, what is your verdict thus far? My system specs are as follows:

AMD Athlon XP (1.453GHZ)
Gigabyte GA-7DX
512MB Crucial RAM
(2) Western Digital 80GB HDD
Soundblaster Audigy (game version)
16MB ATI AIW 128 (currently)
Terratec Cinergy TV400 (for PAL capture)
TDK Velo-CD CD burner (16x12x32)
Windows XP (pre SP1)
Antec 1030SX case with 300W power supply

Thanks,

Cifcap

[crahak]

What do you want to capture anyways, and encode to what, and how? Because, for 99% of the analog capturing, the main limitation is the source itself... So even a 500$ card does hardly any better than a el-cheapo bt8x8 card... There is better out there, but if someone grabs a old and worn VHS tape to make a low bitrate VCD... y'know? Also, I have tried the ATI Rage Fury Pro, and the AIW 7500, NTSC from a few different srouces, and from my opinion, ATI cards are a lil blurry... Never tried this specific one, and it's just my own opinion anyways...

[cifcap]

Crahak,

Two of my goals is to do live capture with my 8MM camcorder and grab some TV episodes. I like capturing AVIs as I like to edit video. I have compared the quality of editing say an I-frame only MPEG2 to an AVI compressed with Huffy; there's no comparison. The Huffy file wins hands down. Either way I like the all in one solution even if it may take some time to get it working correctly. Thanks for your rely though!

Cifcap

[patrickm]

Crahak,

Two of my goals is to do live capture with my 8MM camcorder and grab some TV episodes. I like capturing AVIs as I like to edit video. I have compared the quality of editing say an I-frame only MPEG2 to an AVI compressed with Huffy; there's no comparison. The Huffy file wins hands down. Either way I like the all in one solution even if it may take some time to get it working correctly. Thanks for your rely though!

Cifcap

if you have the AGP AIW 128, (or any PCI version with the Rage Theater capture chip) the captures from the 8500, 9700, ... will be 100% the same. the capture chip's been the same since '99, only the graphics engine changes. get MMC 7.7.0.1, and even an AIW 128 Pro (AGP, 16 or 32 Mb) and that should solve your capturing problem and save you a ton of cash.

www.compuvest.com has the 16Mb AGP 128 Pro for $38, but i don't know if i'd trust the company.

[crahak]

I'm no expert of 8mm, but TV epsidoes wise, even with a cheaper card, your actual limitation is the broadcast, and not the card itself. Don't waste tons of money on a AIW 9700 for that

[omnicronx]

uh.. i you are difinatly wrong about that one, the rage theatre chip in the aiw 128 isnt the same as the old radeon aiw 32drr, i have both and its the difference is like night and day. im pretty sure that although it has the same name, its a different chip

[cifcap]

Omnicronx,

You're correct! I tried to install MMC 7.7 and it asked for a Radeon class card. One of my primary reasons for inquiring about this card is that it can do so much! It can play games and capture video! Plus it's fairly new technology. Sure I could get a GeForce 4600 and a BT8x8 card, but then I'm losing a PCI slot. I don't have many to lose, and I hate dealing with IRQ hassles! Anyways I appreciate everyone's feedback one this!
I didn't answer Crahak's question about encoding. Eventually I will encode most of these videos into DVD complaiant MPEG-2 files. Some will become VCD compliant MPEG-1 files, and others will live their lives as Quicktime and Windows Media files. I am waiting to purchase a burner due to potential compatability problems. I'm going to let the technology mature a bit before I take the plunge. Afterall I was a guy that waited nealry three years before prchasing a CD burner. Take care folks and have a safe and happy Monday!

Cifcap