Searching for card

[jmr2004]

So I've come to the conclusion that I need an nvidia based card and the older (1.08) driver for a good quality macro free capture but I'm having trouble finding one.

I'd like to buy something off Ebay right away.

I've been using search terms like "nvidia and vivo" but other than a couple specific model numbers I know of it's hard to find what I'm after because so many of the "nvidia" cards don't have inputs or capture at all.

Could I get some model numbers or other search words I can use so I can buy something?

I know of Leadtek A280 a couple of Gainward numbers and that's about it.

THANKS very much.

[SatStorm]

Asus 6800 and Asus 7700 are nvidia based cards, with excellent picture.

Also search the alternative of the bt8xxx cards. For this specific task (macrovision) there are among the best and cheaper solutions (IMHO)

[jmr2004]

Ok...I see a V7700 on Ebay.

Why are the BT8* cards better? What driver do you use?...(I need macro free operation.)

I see this is a Brooktree chip? What suffix do I look for (I see 889...848?) What cards use it?

I'd like to spend 100 bucks or under and get the best for the money.

Just use this computer for DVD and video dubbing....no games or nonsense.

[spiderman2k1]

ATI AIW there is patch to make them macrovision free

[SatStorm]

878A is the latest and best I believe of the so called bt8xx(x) family.
General speaking, those bt cards, are outdated , but they have excellent 3rd party support, they can capture everything and cost virtual nothing (~30 - 40 $/Euro )
There are macrovision free with the btwincap drivers.

So, you can buy an ass kicking card for your general needs (like those older nvidia ones, or a second hand matrox for example) and one of those bt based ones for those special needs (de macrovision)
You end up with 2 cards that way, but again it is cheaper that way.

IMO always. As you already see, there are other opinions about this.

[jmr2004]

I seem to be at a fork in the road and I'm just standing here.

From everything I gather, it's either the Nvidia with the 1.08 driver OR
the ATI all in wonder with the btwincap driver.

So, push me down one road or the other because all I want to do is get the best card for captures for under 100 bucks. (Much under if possible).

???

Do all the AIW cards ignore macro with this "btwincap" driver?
Where can I download it?



Confucious.

[SatStorm]

Only the old ATI cards based on bt8xx chip. The later ones based on ATI technology

Do yourself a favor: Search here: https://www.videohelp.com/capturecards for capture cards and here: https://www.videohelp.com/tools for the tools and drivers you need.

I won't tell you what to buy, you have to choose. What is good for me is bad for someone else and so on.

The only thing I can tell you, is what I did: I bought an asus 7700 (nvidia) and a kworld bt8xx based card. I install them both on my dedicated for capture PC and I use them depending the source I have to handle.
Both cost less 100 Euros nowdays second hand and they work great. For avi capture I use the freeware virtualdub and virtualvcr programs and for reatime mpeg 2 capture I use mainconcept 1.4.2. For encoding my projects I use TMPGenc plus 2.5 and for Authoring I use TMPGEnc Author.
For cut / edit I use womble mpeg2vcr. Sometimes, I need also the freeware application called dvd2avi
This is my setup for my PAL projects. I like the quality, the results I have and the time I have to spent for making them.

Others here do it a totally different way. Nobody can judge or say "my way is better your way" or "my solution is better your solution". You are the one to judge. And don't expect to find the perfect solution with the first hit. Just start "smart" and low profile, so later to choose what exactly you need. Don't allow others to determine for you what you need.... Expecially on this hobby.

[jmr2004]

Well thanks, but my needs are simple....

(1) Capturing VHS video with "best possible fidelity"

(2) Defeating macrovision


Screw it.

I'm going to get one of those Sima SCC boxes.

[meringone]

I own a pixelview xcapture pci, based on Conexant cx881, recently changed from avermedia ezmaker, based on older BT878; they're cheap (50$) because there's no tv decoder. Never had trouble with macrovision from Disney, but I own a relatively good, even if old, vcr s-vhs: JVC 7600 with TBC and DNR (lordsmurf teaches...) bought on ebay, about 130 $; I own a samsung vcr vhs, no TBC, no DNR but no problem with macrovision: only worse quality; very important, I think, good VCR (s-vhs with TBC), acquiring with mjpeg or huffyuv (a lot of HD space) and then trascoding to mpeg with CCE or tmpgenc (a lot of time), NOT capturing directly to mpg