Software capture encoders....

[underwurlde]

First off, hello all.

I posed this question to the afterdawn forum...
"Correct me if I'm wrong but there is no way on planet earth that any PC out there will be able to encode your digital video stream on the fly using software alone! I mean, how long does it take to encode any video file stored on your PC & you'll know what i'm getting at... My 3Ghz Intel PC isn't up to the job!"

And got this (slapped back of the hand) reponse...
There are Many Software Capture programs that will encode to Mpeg2 in Real time from any Capture device, Like CCE, WinDVR or PowerDirector and a Million more and you dont need a 3ghz PC to do it but at least 2ghz is needed....
On my 2.53ghz P-4 I can encode to Mpeg2 DVD in more than twice real time speed useing CCE so i think you have just been useing the wrong encoders....

=========================================

So I thought I'd come here as you guys seem more geared up towards video capture etc:

I want to capture DV from my panasonic NVGS4B camera. Simple - that's wot it says on the box so that's wot I want to bloody-well do. SIMPLE.
I did not get the NVGS5B version with MPEG because I thought a-ha! My PC can do that for me!
Yeah, right! Last time I'm going to be a cheapskake!

After much dicking about I have leant that USB is fine for printers & scanners but don't bother when trying to stream video, so I am now trying to use the firewire option.

To date I have had little success: I have not managed to find any SIMPLE programs out there THAT JUST CAPTURE THE VIDEO. I don't want to piss about (I can do that later) I just want to capture the damn thing. Instead I end up trying things like Adobe Premier (aka endless Mb's of bloat-ware) just to find out that I can't be bothered to wade through endless help files just to work out how to use the damn thing!

I have been informed (by posting / reading various forums) that in order to capture you need a fast PC, bags of RAM and a fast HDD, perferably dedicated to just capturing video (i.e. 2nd HDD) etc. etc. blah blah blah
OR
A video capture card that compresses (to mpeg) on the fly thus avoiding bandwidth problems associated with streaming huge amounts of video data and hence problems above.

This was about 6 months ago after which I gave up because the whole issue was sodding well winding me up!...
That is until I got the 'response' above.

CCE states that it is faster at encoding in software on a PC than many hardware dedicated products. WooHoo! Prayers answered. I have not tried this yet though....

This seems too good to be true so my question to you guys is....
IF this is indeed the case, then why bother getting a dedicated MPEG encoder card when it can be done (supposedly) faster (better?) in software.
Have any of you tried CCE? I think the chap/ess who responded to me must have been talking about CCE-basic because CCE SP is nigh on 2000-friggin-dollars-worth (HOW bloody much!) God only knows how much they are sticking their mitts out for the Pro version!
Finally, what are the other "Many Software Capture programs" that you guys know of that can capture & encode-on-the-fly video streams?

Thanks!!!!
(& apologies for coming across as a doom n' gloom merchant)

Andy

PS
What's a TBC

[jameshgross]

There isnt really any software that will do "on the fly" encoding.
Most "realtime" encoding is done in hardware such as the Hauppauge WINTV PVR and 250-350 series. Even then there is a small noticable delay.

[holistic]

Straight to MPEG2 can be done. I do it on occasion for (timeshifting) Tv/Sat shows that i want to watch.
Of course it is CBR (constant bitrate) @ about 5000.
No problems at all. !

MainConcepts MPEG2 encoder has this capability.

[bugster]

To 'capture' from your DV cam, use a firewire card, cable and DVIO or WinDV (bothe freeware). This is not truly a capture, simply a copy of data from tape to HD, and than placed in an avi wrapper.

To encode to mpeg, there are many solutions. Different encoders offer differn options, different quality and different speed.

CCE is very good, but twice realtime is probably only achievable with a fairl fast PC, CBR and low(ish) quality. Use VBR and higher quality settings will soon increase the encoding time.

TmpGenc produces excellent quality and has lots of options and filters. It is also great value but is not for the impatient (SLOOOOW!).

Mainconcept is popular and I have heard of some using it successfully for 'on the fly' encoding.

Take your pick.