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  1. Let me start off by saying that I'm sticking to a Windows machine unless there is a great deal on a Mac.

    I have a JVC MiniDV camcorder.
    I have an Apex-1500 DVD player.
    I have a Maxtor 1394 Firewire card.
    I have two high quality hi-fi VHS machines already.
    I have an HP 9510 CD/RW drive.
    I'm getting a Sony DVMC-DA2 media converter.

    The question is what else should I get...CPU, mobo, capture card, etc. I have a budget of $1500.

    The plan is to have a system that can capture video from TV, camcoder, VHS, etc and convert to VCDs and SVCDs. My first project is converting my brother's WW2 video tape collection to VCD format. Quality is the key. If it takes a little longer to get better output, then fine. This machine will ONLY be used for capturing and encoding - no games, internet, etc.

    All replies will be appreciated!


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  2. Member holistic's Avatar
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    First of all STOP . The Sony DVMC-DA2 media converter is a needless expense.

    What is the model of the JVC? . If it has 'thru-put' capabilities you will not need the DVMC-DA2. Simply plug you VCR into the camcorder and camcorder into the firewire.

    Understand the following : VHS is a poor quality source - VCD or xVCD is your best output. I beleve SVCD to be overkill and a waste of good 'bits'. (more on that later)

    THE MACHINE - don't buy a prebuilt - HAVE IT MADE
    $1500 US ? - You will get a VERY GOOD machine for this.

    First choose the CPU - INTEL or AMD. The highend app's (Adobe's PREMIERE) seem faster on INTEL's hardware (just an observation) when it comes to ENCODING
    DO NOT get the top end CPU - waste of money - a 1 - 1.6 GHz will do fine.

    MOTHERBOARDS
    http://www.motherboards.org/
    http://www.tomshardware.com/
    There are quite a few good motherboard manufacturers out there : gigabyte, asus, abit ....
    The board you get will reflect your CPU choice - IE: the Intel 850 Chipset is for the Pentium4 series.

    If the CPU is the brains the the MOTHERBOARD is the heart and soul. Get a crappy board and you will have trouble.

    Start with 256Mb quality RAM (eg: micron)- It is cheap - about $40 or less a module

    The problem with most VHS tape (ANALOG) captures is the drive speed. An ATA100 , 60Gb (or bigger - name brand) drive should do for starters.
    The WesternDigital WD1000BB is a winner right now.
    http://www6.tomshardware.com/storage/01q3/010926/index.html
    For your needs a RAID setup is overkill.

    A good soundcard would be an asset. Nothing to fancy. The SoundBlaster LIVE value is just that good value.

    Assuming you JVC came doesn't have thruput then the StudioDC10+ by Pinnacle should suit your needs.
    http://www.pinnaclesys.com/ProductPage.asp?Product_ID=2

    The time to capture analoge VHS is the time it takes to play
    ENCODING will depend on your CPU mainly
    I do mine over night - YAWN !

    CAPTURE/ENCODING TOOLS
    Virtual Dub
    http://www.virtualdub.org/
    TMPGEnc
    http://www.tmpgenc.com/

    NUFF said here - read the HOW TO's

    A nice case with 300W power supply or better
    Good 17 or 19" monitor and you are in business
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  3. If you are spending that type of money make sure to buy a Hardware MPEG1/MPEG2 capture card like Huappauge PVR (Mine) $249 or a Dazzle II card $299, No encoding needed you can capture a 60min. show in 60min., demux it in 4min. then burn it right on a VCD or SVCD using NERO 5.5, no need to wait over night. I am capturing from a SVHS from a show a Taped from dishnet, each is 22min. without commericals and at the higher SVCD resolution I get 2 great looking shows on each SVCD.
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  4. Go Smp (Dual CPU)

    The Best for Video capture, Editing and Encoding combine this whit a 2 harddrives 7,200 rpm in Raid 0. for storage WD 100GB 7,200 rpm HD and very stable mobo like MSI go whit via chipset and sound blaster audigy. 1GB Ram, Intel CPU and Nvidia Geforce series not MX .Monitor 19" minimum.
    Feel my Power Flaming Black Dragon Wave!!!!
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  5. Member holistic's Avatar
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    JUST A LITTLE OVERKILL - Hiei

    After all it is only S Video ..............
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  6. I'm leaning towards a PV-256 card, so that I get a TV Tuner and MPEG-1/2 capture all on one card.

    The JVC model I have is the GR-DVL210U. Is it possible to plug in a VHS VCR into it and have it convert the video straight to the PC via Firewire? That would save some $$$ I had earmarked for the Sony DVMC-DA2. On a side note concerning the camcorder, I picked it up at a local pawn shop for $150. The guy there said, to quote, "It don't have no place to put a video tape (VHS) so I'll let it go cheap. It just sits here." Hehe the camcorder works like a charm ;^) I just need to buy the little power cable to connect the camcorder to the power supply so that camcorder can run off of it instead of the battery.

    It seems the most important step in all this is the capturing stage, yes?


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  7. Member
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    "Is it possible to plug in a VHS VCR into it and have it convert the video straight to the PC via Firewire? "

    I dunno about that camera but I do that from my vcr through my Sony TRV-120 (about $400) and it converts it to DV thru the Firewire. I then encode them all as VCD. My quality is now outstanding. I agree with holistic - SVCD is overkill. A good source of capture is paramount .
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