Which Capture device? final choice

[jase31]

I am looking for a decent capture device to transfer VHS to DVD

I have read the forums, and now understand that devices can be software based (ie pc does the work) or hardware based.

A hardware based system seems to be the better option (less stress on pc), BUT if I want to edit the video/filter etc it looks like I need to process the raw file rather than an encoded video. Am I therefore better to stick to a basic card? or can hardware cards do both?

I have had a look at what is avaliable and come up with the following devices.

1) Dazzle 150 - Seems to be MPEG only
2) Hauppague PVR-250
3) Leadtek Winfast PVR2000

Which device would give the best quality? or should I be looking for something else (at a similar price level)

[proxyx99]

Dazzle is supposed to be good except for chronic driver issues, Hauppage got good reviewes overall, Leadtek is a tuner with soft encoder if I'm correct. Most versatile would be a USB2 or Firewire external box capturing to DV or MPEG2 format. ADS has lots to offer at lower prices (DV or MPEG2), Canopus, Datavideo. Used with Mainconcept Encoder you can either capture to DV or MPEG2 "on the fly" (needs > 2GHz CPU). Pleanty of info on all devices (reviews) in this forum or the net. New Hauppage 150 card is cheap and supposed to be good. But no recommendations here. Check capture cards in the LISTS menu (left side).

[jase31]

leadtek is a tuner, but according to the ebuyer site has Hardware MPEG II DVD Encoder (http://www.ebuyer.com/customer/products/index.html?rb=6253615910&action=c2hvd19wcm9kdW...duct_uid=66293)

[proxyx99]

That's new ver., previous was MPEG4. Thanks for correction.

[reboot]

Does the Dazzle have a tuner? (I don't think so)
The jury is still out on the Leadteck hardware one, it's too new.
I would get the Hauppauge PVR-250, no question.

[spiderman2k1]

If I was you get your self a Panasonic DVD recorder rget have TBC that will fix problem that capture cards on the PC have all the time.

[jase31]

Anyone seen the AVerMedia DVD EZMaker™ Pro PCI claims to be a capture care with TBC? Not sure of cost though.

http://www.aver.com/products/dvm_AVerDVD_ezMakerPro.shtml

[reboot]

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B0001PFQBM/002-8958381-9400009?v=glance
$80.74
The Haupauge PVR-250/350/500 are the same sort of thing, but have far more 3rd party support than the averthingy