Question about capturing from VHS.

[dont24]

System is a PIII 800e, with a ATI 9200. Capturing with a Leadtek tv2000 deluxe to a WD 80GB 7200 8M cache drive. I realize the limitations of my hardware. I have no problem capturing 352x240 using DivX compression. However when I try to capture uncompressed a higher resolution, the video is very choppy, when I start the capture . CPU usage is low, so that's not the problem. Is there anything I can do? I'm currently using VirtualVCR. I tried VirtualDUB, but I have the issue with resolutions higher than 320x240 with the WDM drivers. Is it a problem with the capture software?

[Will Hay]

System is a PIII 800e, with a ATI 9200. Capturing with a Leadtek tv2000 deluxe to a WD 80GB 7200 8M cache drive. I realize the limitations of my hardware. I have no problem capturing 352x240 using DivX compression. However when I try to capture uncompressed a higher resolution, the video is very choppy, when I start the capture . CPU usage is low, so that's not the problem. Is there anything I can do? I'm currently using VirtualVCR. I tried VirtualDUB, but I have the issue with resolutions higher than 320x240 with the WDM drivers. Is it a problem with the capture software?

Regrettably I have no knowledge of your capture card bu tI doubt it's the softare.
I can't fault Virtualdub.
I'd suggest you try a codec rather than try uncompressed, something like PicVideo MJPEG, maybe at a setting of 16/20 to start, and increase as you test?
Will

[tw1965a]

Suggestion : Capture to a separate drive

Please refer to this topic
"Is it better to capture to the system drive or a separate":
https://www.videohelp.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=202167

[UkF1]

Separate drive is recommended yes, or at least a partition just for capturing.

Turn off background programs including virus protection etc.

Try capturing with software that came with the TV card (if any).

You also might want to consider a bigger processor too as 800Mhz isn't the fastest, though it shouldn't really be a problem, it came be in some cases.

Tweak things and test if you still have the same problem. Like Will said lower quality settings etc, and see if it makes a difference.

[FulciLives]

Well your system is FAST enough to do Full D1 captures if you use a MJPEG codec. This is if you are using a WDM driver with a program that works well with it such as VirtualVCR, iuVCR or TheFlyDS.

I suggest you try installing the BTwincap driver. This is probably an improvement over the driver you are using if it is from LeadTek.

Also the BTwincap driver will allow you to capture at ANY resolution with VirtualDub although VirtualDub uses the VFW/WDM wrapper which makes it more CPU intensive than using the other 3 capture programs I listed meaning that on your system you may be stuck capturing at Half D1 with VirtualDub or risk dropping frames due to lack of CPU power.

I have a P3 650Mhz 256MB RAM WinXP Pro machine and I can capture at Full D1 with the big 3 I mentioned using PICVideo MJPEG at the 19 quality setting (20 is the highest) or if using VirtualDub then I can only do 352x480 (actually I do 368x480 and resize to 352x480 ... it's an "odd" quirk with Half D1 captures that the BTwincap driver has).

So if I can do all that on my system I am sure that your system is fast enough.

Please note I do have 2 physcial HDD drives with my 2nd non-system drive being the drive I capture too and it is 80GB (though typically I never have more than maybe 35GB to 40GB free prior to capture).

- John "FulciLives" Coleman

[dont24]

Thanks for the feedback. my 80GB drive is my secondary. I installed the MJPEG codec and can capture 640x480 using Virtual vcr. Worth the $28, IMHO. What do you guys usually convert to? This is where I'll see that my cpu is in the slow category. I just want to archive the footage to cd, until I get a dvd burner.

[FulciLives]

Thanks for the feedback. my 80GB drive is my secondary. I installed the MJPEG codec and can capture 640x480 using Virtual vcr. Worth the $28, IMHO. What do you guys usually convert to? This is where I'll see that my cpu is in the slow category. I just want to archive the footage to cd, until I get a dvd burner.

CCE BASIC is much faster than TMPGEnc Plus

I only do DVD encoding these days. I hate VCD quality (it blows chunks) and SVCD is close to being decent (it's more than fine resolution wise) but the bitrate restriction of SVCD is a killer ... it's just too low to get a really good image ... especially from captures which aren't as "clean" video wise as a DVD to SVCD conversion.

You can get a 4x speed dual format DVD burner for like $99 now you know.

- John "FulciLives" Coleman

[SatStorm]

I do CVDs and DVDs.