Advice on improving video capture quality please

[RSC]

I am new to video and dvd and would like some advice on achieving better quality capture using my particular PC set up and compatible software recommendations. I would like to back-up various analogue tape to dvd (both pal and nstc format) for protection and portable viewing. I would also like to be able to edit and make into sections to make viewing more convenient.

I have an Asus based PC: P4P800 board, 3.0GHz, 512Mb, two hard drives. Display card is a V9520 Video Suite with GeForce FX5200 chip, 128Mb

I have tried connecting my video player via s-video, capturing using the Asus digital VCR in MPEG2 at 720x480 but the results were not very good with the playback quality significantly down on the image while recording.

Is this down to using software that came ‘free’ with the board ? If so, what would be a good alternative that would work with the PC ? People keep telling me of problems with compatibility when it comes to video on PC

In the future, I would like to capture digital video from my own camera, back-up copy dvds, edit etc.

Any help would be much appreciated to prevent me wasting my money.

Thanks

[sacajaweeda]

What software are you using?
Which codecs are you using?
What settings are you using?
Post more specific info please.

[RSC]

Sorry if being vague it isn't intentional, just showing how new I am to this and doing my best with the info I have derived from my pc interface etc.

I am only using the Asus Digital VCR software that came with the board which was installed by the people that put the pc together. It is very basic and just mimics a vcr where you select a source and have limited options for capture settings.

Settings for capture were:
Format: mpeg2
Size : 720x480
Frame rate: 25
Captured time length 3600 seconds

Device settings were:
Video Device:
Video Capture device: NVidia WDM video capture (universal)
Audio Device:
SoundMax digital audio

The software doesn't give any clues to codec. Its all Asus own software that came on the disks with the board and was installed on manufacture of the PC.

So its all very basic, that I just tried to see how it went. There doesn't seem to be much in the way of options and flexibility. So I just guessed quality could be down to the giveaway software and that I need to invest in some dedicated 3rd party software ?

Sorry if not enough info, I am not sure how to source any more

Thanks

[sacajaweeda]

https://www.videohelp.com/capturecards.php?CaptureCardRead=300#comments

Looks like you can use that card for capture with some applications like Pinnacle Studio 8, Adobe Premiere & Sonic My DVD but none of them are free.

Good luck.

[guns1inger]

Silly question, I know, but why are you capturing to NTSC resolution and PAL framerate ? Surely you would be grabbing at 720 x 576 in the UK ?