FOR CANOPUS ADVC-100 USERS:

[arvin]

or ADVC-1934, couple of main question but before let me explain what I want to do:

I want to capture video from analog devices and also DV devices, in order to author and burn them on DVD, so I have to convert them in MPEG 2.

The questions are:

1. Does anyone captured video 2 hours long with Canopus

2. Does the audio/video synch was OK during all 2 hours captured video.

3. In what format (avi,divx or MPEG, DV) Canopus can capture and what format you use for 2 hours capture

4. How big was that 2 hour video (Gb's?)

5. After capturing that video, do I have to convert it in MPEG 2 using TMPGEnc(I have that) then author and burn on DVD, or I cn just drag and drop that 2 hour video file in some DVD authorization program (UMF2) and it will do burning

6. What id it and why some of yours use some program I think the name is "Spectalizer" or something.

7. How "strong" computer must be to habdle this?


Thank you for all posts, i have to ask this because I found that Canopus ADVC is the best device for capturing with good quality, but no one told us how long and big was the captured files. I preffer good quality real time MPEG 2 capture card, becuase it will take double time to capture 2 hrs video, then TMPGEnc converting, authoriz. and DVD burning. If U have suggestion what MPEG 2 card exist and it will be able to keep the quality of MPEG2 real time captured video-say it please, if such card does not exist or Canopus will give me the better quality, then I will buy Canopus ADVC-100 or ADVC-1394-also want to know which is better.

Thanks you

[dilligaf]

I have the avdc 100, so may be able to answer some of your questions.

1...2. I have captured 120 mins+ from vhs source, the audio/video sync was spot on. (the advc has locked audio function)

3...4. I captured in DV which is 13Gb per hour, using Ulead Video Studio 6 I did a test capturing to vcd mpg1, good audio sync but blockier than capturing in DV then encode with tmpgenc. The bitrate you select in mpeg will determine the file size 4600 kbs is just on 4.2Gb. Divx would be possible if you have the codec installed.

5. you can do either, I use tmpgenc as I am more familiar with it.

6. Have'nt heard of this program.

7. I use an XP1800 with 256 ddr ram, which handles the capture/edit/encode with ease.

[skateni]

I have the AVDC-100 ( loved it ). To answer your questions

1. Yep ... no issues capturing more than 2 hours video

2. Yep .. audio locked no sync problems

3. AVI

4. About 13 Gb per hour of video

5. You can use TMPGEnc to encode it to MPEG2 ( TMPGenc encoding is rather slow as compared to CCE or mainConcept ). Ulead MovieFactory 2 accepts AVI so you could drag and drop to it and make a DVD from it.

6. If your referring to Scenalyzer, it's an application to capture the DV video from the firewire card. Some people swear by it but I am happy with DVIO ( Windows Movie Maker can do it too ). You do need a software to capture the video ( CANOPUS does not bundle any softwares with the unit ). You could alos use UMF2 to capture the video ( click on the Capture Video icon ).

7. You don't need a liquid cooled supercomputer to capture from the ADVC ( just a big and fast HD preferably running on it's own IDE channel and a decent Firewire card would do the trick ) but you do need some CPU power to encode the video ( the higher the better ).

There are a few hardware real time capture cards. The CANOPUS MVR-1000 is such a beast

http://www.canopus.com/US/products/MVR1000/pm_mvr1000.asp

but it is a little pricey. Software based real time encoding still not up to standard yet ( expect drop frames cause your CPU will encode the stream while trying to keep up with new incoming streams ). If you plan to do any editing, capture it as AVI, edit it then encode it to MPEG2 ( editing an MPEG2 file is getting better but still not there yet ).

Go for the ADVC-100 cause it is an external unit. You don't get hardware conflicts. As for the ADVC 1394, check the CANOPUS forums, seems quite a few people have problems with it ( black screen, no audio etc etc ).

[kmmoore]

I'm sure you are aware already, but don't forget, you will need to have your hard disk formatted in NTFS format otherwise you will not be able to capture a file larger than 4GB (FAT32 limit).

Kevin.

[dgraham]

I'm sure you are aware already, but don't forget, you will need to have your hard disk formatted in NTFS format otherwise you will not be able to capture a file larger than 4GB (FAT32 limit).

If you use Scenalyzer Live to do the capture, you can have it split the capture file before the 4gb limit (or whatever size you want). This will create multiple files.

-D

[kmmoore]

I have never used Scenalyzer, but does this have any effect on audio/video sysnc ? My experience with using split files is that often rejoining them causes a sync problem.

NTFS gets round that problem as you are only ever working with a single, contiguous file.

Kevin.

[dgraham]

Don't get me wrong. NTFS is the way to go. I've never tried joining files that were captured. I just wanted to let people know that you could capture with the right software even with a 2gb or 4gb limit.

[Bondiablo]

Splitting captures on Fat32 with Scenalyzer Live works just fine and cause no sync problems. With the lastest version of TMPGEnc you can even load all the files together and it's just like you're working with one big file again.

[arvin]

Yes I know for the file size limit so thats why I am using Win2000 NTFS, so I can capture 2 hours movie with CANOPUS in DV format and then just drag and drop in the Elead Movie factoru and it will convert it in the right format-MPEG2 before burning.

Just 2 questions, is the captured file same quality as original-no quality loss and can I adjust Ulead Movie factoru for PAL or NTSC DVD and how.

Thank you,all

[rhegedus]

I can't really add any more to this than what other Canopus users have written, however I advise you to use TMPGEnc to get your mpeg2 and then author with SpruceUP - I've had loads of problems with audio sync with Ulead products.

Regards,

Rob

[skateni]

Just 2 questions, is the captured file same quality as original-no quality loss and can I adjust Ulead Movie factoru for PAL or NTSC DVD and how.

Well, it's as good as your input ( also depends on the quality of your audio/video cables ).

In UMF2, press F6 and in the TV System, pick PAL/SECAM or NTSC. Start your project then press Alt-J and in your project settings, choose the bitrate you want or set up your own preferences.

[arvin]

Thank you