Need recommendation for a simple analog to digital converter

[labBat]

I realize that since no actual capturing is needed in the following configuration, this is allegedly not the right forum for the question - however, I searched the forums quite thoroughly about this subject and it is apparent that this one is the best place to ask it in. you could always say I'm capturing to /dev/null

In any case, like I said - I have no need to capture - just watch the converted analog input, which in my case is the S-VIDEO OUT of a Radeon X800 PRO of another computer, in realtime. I need the video feed to be transferred via the standard "AVC compliant" video input of WinXP. One more thing, the computer on which I want to watch the feed is a laptop (900mhz Intel cpu, 700 ram, winXP SP1) so a PCI card won't help me

Seeing as these are the requirements, I figured I didn't need a hardware encoder (no encoding needs to take place anywhere) and as such the following options came to mid:

* AverMedia DVD EZMaker USB2
* Plextor Convertx PX-AV100U (USB2)
* Hauppauge WINTV-USB2

I gather FireWire cards are supposed to better suited for this job, especially when realtime is a major concern, but I actually haven't found a firewire converter that doesn't include a hardware encoder - a feature that both makes the converter costlier and is unnesessary (or perhaps even un-preferred), if my assessment is correct. Feel free to correct me if I'm wrong in any account.

Currently, I'm leaning towards the AverMedia since it's the cheaper of the bunch and seems to do exactly what I need, nothing more and nothing less (for example, the Hauppauge contains a tuner which i don't need). I have also encountered some positive reviews about it around here.

The Plextor also seems like a reasonable choice (I'd be willing to pay more for it if it would do the job better, and/or more reliably), barring one strange thing - the system requirements mention "Monitor Resolution: 1024 x 768" which I can't accommodate. I was hoping this was a mistake, but if anyone can confirm this, I'd appreciate it.

Lastly, Hauppauge seem to have a great reputation in this field, I was just wondering if in my case they'd be worth the price , which is twice the AverMedia's (albeit still not extremely expensive). Keep in mind reliability and stability is a *major* concern for me.

I am not limited to these products nor to their price range, so feel free to suggest the product you think is the most appropriate for this scenario if I have been mistaken to favor these three

Thanks in advance

*edit - I forgot to say, I don't care about audio at all, much less about it being synched or not. As far as I'm concerned no audio needs to be transferred*

[yoda313]

Ok I'm trying to figure out what you're doing here. You don't need to encode it so you're just WATCHING the feed on the laptop?? Are you doing anything with the signal? Are you going to make screen shots of it or something????

If your main task is to monitor the actual input during capture to see what the end result will look like why not output the feed to a tv? I would think that would be far simpler and MUCH cheaper. EDIT - *Also - the viewer included on the capturing computer gives a very realistic depiction of what you're final output will look like (assuming no compression or alteration afterwards of course). *

Most capture programs have a screen shot feature if you want to make a snapshot of the recording.

I guess what I'm asking is why you're going through the hassle in the first place. If you're "output" computer is actually doing the capture I guess I don't understand the need for sending the signal out simultaneously.

Maybe if you'd describe what you're planning to do with the video we could offer a simpler plan that might not cost anything.

But I still think sending the svideo out from the "main" computer to a tv would be a more desirable way to view the recording.

[labBat]

You don't need to encode it so you're just WATCHING the feed on the laptop

Exactly. I have a program on the laptop that displays the feed it gets from the standart WinXP "AVC compliand DV camcorder" device. and I just want it to be displayed in realtime.

Are you doing anything with the signal? Are you going to make screen shots of it or something????

There is no capturing, no screenshots, nothing - on either computer.

I simply have a PC whose video output I want transferred to the laptop via said device. That is, whatever is to be displayed on the monitor of the PC I want transferred to the laptop through that device. both computers can't be changed- it's a specific system that has to work exactly this way. No changing to a tv, no running the PC app directly on the laptop or anything else. A laptop getting the visual of a PC through the "AVC compliand DV camcorder" device, that's it.

I hope I explained myself better this time and regardless I thank you for your help (nice avatar BTW )

[FulciLives]

Most hardware MPEG encoding capture cards have a slight delay ... we are talking about 2 seconds or so here. Not the end of the world but people that like to use a capture card to play video games (say a PS2 hooked up to the computer) find any delay to be unacceptable.

I know this delay applies to the Hauppauge cards (USB and PCI). As far as I know it pretty much applies to all the USB capture devices (since all of these seem to have hardware MPEG capture built-in and this internal processing caues the delay).

Truth be told you probably really just need a simple PCI type capture card like the Avermedia DVD EZMaker PCI which is about $50 U.S. Dollars but in reality can often be found on sale for $20 - $30

It has excellent image quality. Sometimes keeping the audio perfectly in sync (when capturing) can be a trick with this type of capture card but for live preview / watching it should be A-OK.

The trick is finding a freeware capture program that has a full screen preview capture mode with excellent de-interlacing. There was a thread about this recently and some options were listed which I don't remember but in the past I have used TheFlyDS which is not freeware but cheap enough and it has full screen preview with the best built-in on-the-fly de-interlacing I have seen.

- John "FulciLives" Coleman

[labBat]

All three devices I mentioned don't have hardware encoders, so I take it from you it's a good thing ? does the delay apply to the hauppauge WinTV-USB2 as well, even though it has no hardware encoder ?

Also, like I said I am watching the feed on a laptop so I can't use a PCI card... was my choice of the AverMedia USB educated, seeing as its PCI counterpart does the job well ?

Lastly, I appreciate your recommendations for software, but it is irrelevant. I use a specific program that listens to the video device and can't be changed. Also, I forgot to mention that the audio is irrelevant (whether it is synched or even exists, I don't need it)

[FulciLives]

All three devices I mentioned don't have hardware encoders, so I take it from you it's a good thing ? does the delay apply to the hauppauge WinTV-USB2 as well, even though it has no hardware encoder ?

Also, like I said I am watching the feed on a laptop so I can't use a PCI card... was my choice of the AverMedia USB educated, seeing as its PCI counterpart does the job well ?

Lastly, I appreciate your recommendations for software, but it is irrelevant. I use a specific program that listens to the video device and can't be changed. Also, I forgot to mention that the audio is irrelevant (whether it is synched or even exists, I don't need it)

I'm not really all that familiar with the devices you listed so if they have a delay or not ... I do not know.

I know you can buy the WinTV USB 2.0 at Circuit City so if it doesn't work at least it can be easily returned.

- John "FulciLives" Coleman

[labBat]

well, In any case, thank you for your insights

and anyone who is familiar with either of these devices or believes a different device might do a better job, please feel free to enlighten me