Recommendations for capture device with filters

[G_guy]

I'm looking for recommendations on capture devices that will capture to MPEG2 and apply noise reduction filters at the same time. Currently, I'm capturing from VHS to an ATI TV Wonder card and I use Win DVR to create the MPEG 2 file (since the ATI MMC software sucks). I then take the completed MPEG 2 file and have to run it through TMPGEnc to shrink it and to apply a noise reduction filter. The huge problem with this approach is, it takes 14 hours for TMPGEnc to finish cleaning up and re-encoding the video; which has basically ground my video conversion project to a halt. I'm sick of it.

I'm running an Athlon 1 GHz board with 500 Megs of RAM, so external devices might be my best bet (feel free to disabuse me of that notion). I'm looking at the Dazzle 150 or the Plextor Convert X devices, but I keep hearing too many bad things on the product review boards for me to go out and spend the kind of money these things require. I'm really not looking to spend $300 or $400 on one of these things, and both the Dazzle and the Plextor are retailing for around $150. That's about the very upper limit of what I'm willing to spend.

[lordsmurf]

The ATI All In Wonder cards would not have trouble, not like those cheap ATI cards. ATI MMC is great software, works perfectly. VideoSoap is nice, as are the active color and gamma corrections.

VirtualDub is decent too, for capturing AVI on many cards. It has some level of filtering that can be done.

You don't have enough money. You need TBCs, good VCRs, etc... not just a capture card. Not to clean up video. Sorry.

Try Vdub with your current card.

[G_guy]

ATI MMC[/url] is great software, works perfectly. VideoSoap is nice, as are the active color and gamma corrections.

VideoSoap would be great to use, but the problem is, the MMC software will only let me capture at pre-determined rates. I can't tell it to capture MPEG 2 at 352X480 at 4500 Mbps, like I can with Win DVR. If I try to upgrade the MMC software, I've run into the same problems and it gives my TV Wonder card fits.

Maybe it's a software problem. Are there any good capture programs that will do noise reduction, also? I didn't think I could capture video with Virtual Dub. If I can, then it will save me a lot of time, because there are noise reduction filters in the sofware (well, at least the Virtual Dub Mod). I'm not interested in capturing to AVI. It's a hard-drive hog (I do have about 60 Gigs of space free, though), and I have to go through another step to convert it to MPEG 2, which probably leaves me no better off than I am now.

[junkmalle]

The Hauppauge WinTV PVR 250 can apply noise reduction and edge sharpening filters while capturing directly to DVD compatible MPG files. The included software doesn't allow you to adjust the filter settings but there are registry hacks and 3rd party programs. The cards cost less than US$150.

[lordsmurf]

I can capture with VirtualDub sometimes. It's nice.
ATI MMC only does x240 with BT8x8 chip cards. It's a driver issue.

[pepegot1]

I cannot capture with Virtual Dub. I have a AIW 9800 Pro. The computer locks up-running in XP. Any ideas would be appreciated?