MPEG capture whats your choice

[Liquidant]

I'm looking at capturing straight to MPEG2 but i'm having trouble finding a decent software.

I have a few trial versions like Power VCR2 and Mainconcept PVR

the only reason i want to do this is because my laptop is limited on space only having a 20gig HDD and my DAC-100 is not always pluged into my Main PC which most of the time is encoding.

what i am trying to capture are some of the old tv shows from UKgold and i'm don't want to end up with 10 gig dv files on my laptop.

any sugestions????

thanks Liquid

[anubis13]

try MainConcept MPEG Encoder
it does capturing

[Stormz]

Mainconcept, even though it doesn`t have a working timer (so don`t leave it for hours thinking it stopped capturing after 5900 seconds).

[DVD_Ripper]

try MainConcept MPEG Encoder
it does capturing

Ditto... very, very good application for DV --> to MPEG xfer / conversion.

[anubis13]

yeah its ok for capturing from a device straight to mpeg but for avi to mpeg conversion I like Canopus Procoder 2.0 much better.

[gshelley61]

I use a DVD recorder. Capture MPEG2 on DVD-RW's, then edit and author the final DVD-R with my computer. Fast, easy and very good results.

[SatStorm]

@anubis13: Yes, you are NTSC, that's why you like procoder. PAL users don't benefit from anything using procoder. Mainconcept produce better PAL results than procoder IMO (captured stuff / mpeg 2 - not DV (I didn't test DV yet))

@Liquidant: Mainconcept 1.4.2 is the tool you need to capture straight to mpeg 2 realtime. But:

1- You need a 1200Ghz + machine to succeed it (at least)
2- There is a "statering" problem sometimes, at the bottom of the picture. The only way to solve it, is to capture 720 x 576/480 and using mainconcept's engine to encode to whatever you wish (let say 352 x 576/480). Unfortunatelly, this need even more powerfull CPU. I would say you need at least an athlon 1700+ so to be able to use mainconcept realtime mpeg 2 capture 100% - And with many set up adjustments, a second HD and lot's of trial and error.

There is an option on mainconcept to split files and to stop capturing after the hours you determine to capture. For example, you can set it up start capturing a VHS tape and stop after 4.15 min, when the tape gonna end.

Mainconcept PVR is an alpha program and works only for PAL users as it should.
Power VCR2 is a OK program, but you gonna have to hack it so to be able to set it up the way you wish and also you gona have to re-encode the audio

[lordsmurf]

I've had good PAL experience in Procoder.

Anyway, ATI MMC for ATI AIW cards.
Or DVD recorder as capture device.
Or try your luck at PowerVCRII or MainConcept 1.4 (good luck!)

[Moonstomp]

Try this guide for Power VCRII capture optimisation:

http://www.digitalfaq.com/capture/nonatimpeg/nonatimpeg.htm

[Liquidant]

Well looks like the laptop is out of the question as it's only a 700mhz processor.


I gave power VCR II a go but for some reason it won't capture and keeps coming up with some unexpected program fault.


I'll give the mainconcept mpeg encoder a blast tonight see how i get on with that.

thanks guys

[lordsmurf]

700mhz + MC = never gonna happen

[SatStorm]

700Mhz? Only VCD (and de-activate anything on the settings!)

I was able to capture to VCD using mainconcept 1.4.1 (earlier version) on a 700Mhz Duron.

PowerVCR is also difficult to make it work, but possible if you don't have a via motherboard chipset...

[anubis13]

didn't know about the pal thing with procoder. i've never had the need to work in pal but its nice to know

[SatStorm]

Let me clearify it, because it seems that I sound a bit wrong in English.

Procoder does PAL very good.
Mainconcept does PAL better Procoder.

The reason I keep state this, is because when a PAL user search the question "which is the best encoder" in our forum, has always the change to end up to a post stating "Procoder is the best", from a NTSC user.
He has right, but from a NTSC point of view, not a PAL one.

And those things change over the time: Next version of mainconcept might be better Procoders for NTSC and next version of Procoder could be better mainconcepts and so on. But for this moment now, Augost 2004, Mainconcept 1.4.2 IMO produce better results procoder for PAL projects and Procoder produce better results mainconcept 1.4.2 for NTSC projects.