Canopus ADVC-100 Capture Problems

[captbics]

neo,

What a horror story you have...at least Canopus took it back and (finally!) gave you a new one. Clearly their support people need to actually test the unit under the same OS before they return it. Sounds like the 1st time they did a quick reflash and sent it back.

captbics

[neo]

Yes, it has taken a long time and a lot of money with postage and long distance phone calls.

I think they need to look at their testing procedure. Windows recognized the old unit but none of the capture programs did.

[nickerous]

Man, that was a rough scene.....

I got my ADVC-100 last Nov. and tried to use it with my old computer (1997 specs). It captured about 2 minutes before popping up a window telling me, basically, that my computer was too slow for the capture operation. I went to Dell and bought a new computer. The 100 worked like a charm.

Since last Nov, I've used 3 software programs with the 100. Windows Movie Maker, Scenalyzer, and iuVCR. WMM was ok, but I didn't like the output I was getting. Scenalyzer was a little better. I used it to make 90% of my svcds. When I moved to DVD, I wanted something that would give me higher res captures. IUVCR is the ticket. I first started with uncompressed avi captures (took up way too much space and gave me dropped frame problems). I installed the Huffyuv codec and have been capturing with it ever since.

The point of all this ramble: I've tried other software programs and while there are sure to be others that are better than iuVCR, I am getting excellent results using it with my 100. There is a demo available, as is one with Scenalyzer.

[neo]

Man, that was a rough scene.....

I got my ADVC-100 last Nov. and tried to use it with my old computer (1997 specs). It captured about 2 minutes before popping up a window telling me, basically, that my computer was too slow for the capture operation. I went to Dell and bought a new computer. The 100 worked like a charm.

Since last Nov, I've used 3 software programs with the 100. Windows Movie Maker, Scenalyzer, and iuVCR. WMM was ok, but I didn't like the output I was getting. Scenalyzer was a little better. I used it to make 90% of my svcds. When I moved to DVD, I wanted something that would give me higher res captures. IUVCR is the ticket. I first started with uncompressed avi captures (took up way too much space and gave me dropped frame problems). I installed the Huffyuv codec and have been capturing with it ever since.

The point of all this ramble: I've tried other software programs and while there are sure to be others that are better than iuVCR, I am getting excellent results using it with my 100. There is a demo available, as is one with Scenalyzer.

Thank you for the information. Before myADVC-100 stopped working I was working with some free software and the DivX codec. I tried just about every parameter and could not get high quality captures.

I have a copy of ULead's Video Studio 6 (last version) and thought I would give it a try. It captures to DV with 0 dropped frames. It has what looks like very easy editing features. I just discoved the Custom write settings. By writing in MPEG-2 640x480 2000 kbps variable I was able to capture the equivalent of 135 minutes in only 2.1 GB with no loss of quality from my satellite dish movies. How does this compare with the software you are using?

(Anyone know if VS 7 is worth buying over 6?)

Thanks

[Tommyknocker]

I do know the VS 7 can do motion menus. I found what I hated about VS6 was that it could not crop video. Then I found a frameserving utility that lets me frameserve Video Studio files to TMPGEnc. Can you imagine both of these working in tandem? So I still have not pegged out the usefulness of these two programs working together. Just my opinion, though.

[neo]

I would really like to download UL VS7 but the download always stops about halfway.

[neo]

I believe I understand the overscan problem now. The dark areas are just on the sides. Since the ADVC-100 captures at 720x480 and the TV is 640x480 (4:3 aspect ratio), I believe this is the overscan area.

neo

[ZenZen]

Neo
Here in Australia the Canopus support is not so bad. My ADVC-100 was locked in a situation where it displayed the two blue lights and the red light, and nothing you could do would change it. So I phoned Canopus support, got through straight away, and they exchanged the unit within 4 days (which included postage from Brisbane to Melbourne and back again..A distance of 2000km).

As for software, download and try Scenalyzer. It is not free, but very cheap, and the program is brilliant. You can even set it up to capture something during the night, start-end, and then Scenalyzer will then turn the computer off for you while you sleep

[neo]

Neo
Here in Australia the Canopus support is not so bad. My ADVC-100 was locked in a situation where it displayed the two blue lights and the red light, and nothing you could do would change it. So I phoned Canopus support, got through straight away, and they exchanged the unit within 4 days (which included postage from Brisbane to Melbourne and back again..A distance of 2000km).

As for software, download and try Scenalyzer. It is not free, but very cheap, and the program is brilliant. You can even set it up to capture something during the night, start-end, and then Scenalyzer will then turn the computer off for you while you sleep

I am very pleased with Ulead Video Studeo 6 but do not like 7 at all because of the resolution requirement of over 800x600 and it crashes. Unfortunately VS 6 will not crop the over scan.

I heard Scenalyzer produced poor quality?

I am looking into Vegas - Sonic Foundary - Screenblast Movie Studio - new version3.

I would like to hear more about Scenalyzer. Does it crop?

Thanks, neo

[presto]

Redd Said

Magic rule of life 101: You get what you pay for.

This statement is never helpful. It is just something that some people enjoy saying whenever someone has trouble with a free or inexpensive item. "Nyah, Nyah, you made a mistake and I'm smarter than you".

It is not at all true. Sometimes you get what you pay for, sometimes you get less, sometimes you get more. Anyone who really believes you always get what you pay for is just a sucker waiting to be taken.

Always buying the most expensive is no smarter than always choosing the cheapest.

[ZenZen]

Neo said >>I heard Scenalyzer produced poor quality?

Not in my experience. Download a free trial version from
www.scenalyzer.com
and let me know what you think of it.

[Tommyknocker]

I am very pleased with Ulead Video Studeo 6 but do not like 7 at all because of the resolution requirement of over 800x600 and it crashes. Unfortunately VS 6 will not crop the over scan.

I really think you should get Ulead Video Server. You use Video Studio 6, but frameserve to TMPGEnc. Now you have crop available, along with the rest of the power of TMPGEnc.

[neo]

I am very pleased with Ulead Video Studeo 6 but do not like 7 at all because of the resolution requirement of over 800x600 and it crashes. Unfortunately VS 6 will not crop the over scan.

I really think you should get Ulead Video Server. You use Video Studio 6, but frameserve to TMPGEnc. Now you have crop available, along with the rest of the power of TMPGEnc.

What does Ulead Video Server do? How do one transfer between VS 6 and TMPGEnc? In DV?

Thanks

[neo]

Neo said >>I heard Scenalyzer produced poor quality?

Not in my experience. Download a free trial version from
www.scenalyzer.com
and let me know what you think of it.

I mean no disrespect but I downloaded Scenalyer. I found it to be crude and do little more than capture. Ulead Video 6 captures, edits, and saves with high compression and high quality to a file (which is what I want) or CD or DVD or whatever. VS 6 is the standard I am trying to beat. The only problem is that it does not have cropping.

Will look into TMPGenic as well as Movie Studeo (they make the more expensive Vegas line and are owned by Sony).

[neo]

I am very pleased with Ulead Video Studeo 6 but do not like 7 at all because of the resolution requirement of over 800x600 and it crashes. Unfortunately VS 6 will not crop the over scan.

I really think you should get Ulead Video Server. You use Video Studio 6, but frameserve to TMPGEnc. Now you have crop available, along with the rest of the power of TMPGEnc.

I am looking for no quality loss so I wish to do all of my editing in DV and then do the final compression. It appears that TMPGenc works in MPEG. I have tried that with VS6 and the quality is just not there.

It is beginning to look like I need to just order Sony's Movie Studeo and keep my fingers crossed.

[Tommyknocker]

What does Ulead Video Server do? How do one transfer between VS 6 and TMPGEnc? In DV?

Well, when you have captured into VS 6, you edit normally, ytransitions, effects, Overlays, etc. Then save the file to Custom-->IPCServer. Then load TMPGEnc. Load the IPCServer file and TMPGEnc brings up the VS 6 project, ready for whatever you want to do with it there.