Hardware vs Software Capture

[DGD0352]

Sorry this turned out so long. I'm a newbie to video capture (pretty computer literate though) so I like to do my homework. Basically what I want to do is copy home videos from VHS to DVD, with only minor editing (mostly removing badly recorded spots and possibly enhancing the color). I've spent the better part of the last two weeks reading reviews and searching forums on this site and others trying to discern the subtleties and differences between the various cards and devices.

I am on a fairly limited budget, so price will play a major factor in my decision followed by features, flexibility, and compatibility. I think I have narrowed my selection down to the following:

Turtle Beach Video Advantage PCI
http://www.turtlebeach.com/site/products/videocapture/vidadv/
AVerMedia DVD EZMaker Pro PCI
http://www.aver.com/products/dvm_AVerDVD_ezMakerPro.shtml
Aleratec DV Cruiser
http://store.aleratec.com/aldvcrredivi.html
TDK IndiCAPTURE
http://www.tdk.com/videocapture/indicapture.html

It is my understanding that the software is as important as the device itself. And that hardware encoding is "better" than software encoding especially from a overall time to finished project standpoint. My concern with USB devices is whether they have their on power supply or depend on the USB port for their power. Several users have mentioned that some devices overload the USB because of the power requirements.

Turtle Beach Video Advantage PCI
- capture bitrate set to 10 bits (can't be changed)
- hardware encoding in AVI format only - all others thru software
- AD Fullcap application uses MainConcept DV codec (but only captures in AVI, DV-1,DV-2)
- Convenient front bay panel for easy access

AVerMedia DVD EZMaker Pro PCI
- built-in Hardware MPEG2 Encoder - capture only to this format
- TBC to stabilize the frame rate

Aleratec DV Cruiser
- appears similar to Datavision DAC-100
- hardware encoding
- powered by USB

TDK IndiCAPTURE
- hardware encoding to MPEG2 only
- separate power supply
- lousy/mediocre reviews
- can be had for $50

Thanks

[jdizzy40]

Your choices don't include what I consider to be your best option. A Hauppauge PVR 250 and TDA. I have been using this combo for the last 4 years and have never had a bad result.

[yoda313]

Your choices don't include what I consider to be your best option. A Hauppauge PVR 250 and TDA. I have been using this combo for the last 4 years and have never had a bad result.

Ditto on that. Though if you want to record in avi try an ati capture card.

[winifreid]

How limited is your budget and how likely is it that you will decide that you want to do more editing, like adding transitions and titles? I am not sure, but you might be better off filtering (color enhancing) an avi capture which means that a hardware capture card is out. Your machine is plenty fast to do software mpeg2 captures, so why limit yourself with a hardware mpeg card?

[victoriabears]

How much vhs material do you have?

If you are happy to "capture" in two hour lengthes, get a dvd recorder, pioneer/jvc, and take the recorded RW dvd to your PC and edit from that.

I have used almost everything and for ease this cannot be beaten, and for quality unless you are a fuss budget then it is fine.

In my efforts I have come down to the canopus MVR1000 is great, but as has always been mentioned, a good sourec VCR and TBC are almost essential.

[DGD0352]

Thanks to those who replied. Another thing I forgot to mention was my aging commercial VHS library and possible Macrovision issues if I want to transfer them to DVD.

jdizzy40 & yoda313

Did look briefly look at the PVR-250 as well as the Compro VideoMate TV Gold+ http://www.comprousa.com/New/en/product/vmtvm500-Specifications.html
Didn't really want to go the PVR route due to having to split/share the cable signal with my modem. And don't record that much TV programming anyway.

winifreid

My main concern with AVI captures is the large file size and then the time required to re-convert them back to MPEG for burning to DVD. The Turtle Beach Video Advantage PCI is about the limit ($150) of my budget. I really like the Front Bay Panel option and appears like it will meet my needs. How much more "CPU intensive" is software mpeg2 capture as opposed to hardware capture? Assuming of course that I'm not doing anything else on the PC.

[winifreid]

It depends upon the software. I use windvr and winfast pvr. Windvr is the best and easiest, but isn't free. Most cards will come with recording software. I can surf the internet will I capture, but I wouldn't play a game or much else. Again, if yo are sure you do not want to edit much, just cut and burn, then hardware may be the way to go. But my experience is that I want titles, filters and transitions, and avi is the way to go. As I said, if you pick a hardware card, you are stuck with mpeg. An avi card can do both. Encoding can take some time, but I ususally just batch it at night. You can always just software capture to mpeg for the tapes you do not want to edit.

[redwudz]

I think it would come down to how much editing or more likely how much filtering you would have to do on 'aging VHS tapes'. If they are anything like mine, a lot.

If they are clean and you have a TBC for your VHS player, MPEG-2 hardware capture would be one choice and a DVD recorder would be another. The PVR-250 has a good hardware MPEG-2 encoder, you wouldn't need to use the tuner section for your purpose, just the video inputs.

If you have to do extensive editing, color correction, noise filtering and the like, AVI capture would be better. I use a ADVC-100 converter. The resulting DV is easy to edit with programs like VirtualDub, but you do have the time it takes to encode to MPEG-2.

AVI capture with software is possibly the best way for quality, but it takes a fast computer and a lot of drive space for consistent quality results.

Consider your source quality and how much time and effort you want to spend and how much quality you want to end up with to decide the method to use. Just my opinion.

[wwjd]

I have no experience with the specific options you listed and from the replies to your post not many here have either.

My suggestions;

1. Make sure you have read all of the reviews from this site pertaining to you list of capture cards.
2. Go with hardware encoding when ever possible. Using your CPU, even with your setup can be problematic.
3. If these tapes really mean anything to you then wait until you have the money to do it right.
4. All in one solutions usually have at least one flaw.
5. Try to know up front what you really want to accomplish.
6. You do not have to use the PVR part of the PVR250, just hook up your vcr to the 250 and go. The 250 is well documented for performing very well. It is known for doing a good job of mpeg encoding, which many capture cards do not do well. I also thought I would not be interested in recording TV but I was wrong, I do it all the time now. With the PVR250 and the on board hardware encode I can use my computer while it is capturing.
7. This bears repeating again, if your personal videos mean anything to you then do them right the first time.


I have blathered enough.

Good luck!

[dvautier]

I did a VHS to DVD project several months ago with all my old VHS stuff. If you are computer literate my suggestion is to go with a software solution. Anyway you can click on my web page at:

http://dvautier.home.comcast.net/video/video.htm

good luck.