capture TV in avi format

[kitzj0]

Is there anyway to capture TV in avi format? I know it is possible to do it in mpeg-2 format. I have a Sony digital 8 camcorder, is there anyway to capture tv using the vcr function?

Thanks!

[hwoodwar]

The most common way is with a TV capture card, as they almost always have composite input, and some also have S-Video input.

Sorry, I'm not really familiar with camcorders. If you are saying that your camcorder has a VCR function and you can already get a video signal into your computer from the camcorder, then capturing with the VCR function of the camcorder into your PC should be doable.

[kitzj0]

The problem I have is that I bought a Pinnacle PCTV Deluxe which captures in MPEG-2 format. The quality is ok but I cannot edit the MPEG-2 in Studio 8. Studio 8 locks up all the time. When I use the software that came with the card I have video and audio out of sync when I burn to DVD-R. Unfortunately Pinnacle doesn't offer any support for this device.

What TV cards would give me the option to capture in avi format instead of MPEG-2 format. I am relatively new to all of this so am a bit ignorant, although I have followed this forum for a couple of months. I have tried capturing in MPEG-2 format and then converting to avi format using the TRex program which came with the USB device and then burning using Studio 8 the quality is not very good, probably from recording in a lossy format and the re encoding and then back to mpeg-2 for the DVD format.

Thanks

[photohap]

your pctv will capture in avi format with virtual dub,,, you may have to dump you pctv drivers and go with generic drivers.. thats what I use and it works great..

[kitzj0]

Thanks phothab.

How would I go about dumping the drivers for the PCTV deluxe and getting the generic? Where do I get the generic drivers and how do I install them. I heard that it is hard to do that with pinnacle products.

[photohap]

ya need the btwin drivers, can be found at http://btwincap.sourceforge.net/download.html

then on pinnacles site you can get a program that clears pinnacles drivers from your registry http://www.pinnaclesys.com/support/display.asp?ProductID=428

after all is said and done you will be able to capture avi's, hope this helps some...