Help needed: Capturing analog signal (of live performance)

[amour]

I've been studying for days, and I am not getting anywhere . . . .

Capturing analog video output from the camcorder is easy, but I need to capture a live performance directly to HDD. When I do this using my DVraptor, the video appears fine so long as the camera doesn't move. When I pan the camera, the image becomes very blocky.

What hardware do I need to record 720 x 480 29.97 FPS and look good? Where can I find a list of devices, or a guide, that will help me search for something on eBay that I can afford?

I believe that I need something that will handle 83Mbps because of this formula: 720 * 480 * 8 (bits per pixel) * 30 FPS -- is that right AND how can I find out if an analog capture device can handle that? If it has 100Mbps firewire capability, does that mean it can handle my analog signal without making it blocky?

I am desparately seeking advice from those who know. Please, no guesses -- this is really important to me. I don't want to throw away any more money.

Forever in someone's debt,
Michael

[mikiem]

You're bitrate is going to be somewhere around 30 for mjpeg, up to 20 for mpg2, & DV I think is around 25.

Capturing analog, should be able to do whatever you want -- all the analog hardware sees is a continuous stream of data that shouldn't change much if you've got the lens cap on or taping a dance show.

On the other hand, this is from a PC Mag review of the DVRaptor RT: "The only major gaps are the lack of analog capture, standard on all other real-time cards, and real-time DV output, available only on more expensive Canopus siblings like the DV Storm."

If that is the case, you'll want to look at other hardware, consider staying in DV instead of analog, that sort of thing.

[amour]

Thanks for the speedy reply, mikiem.

I wish I better understood what you have clearly stated. I think you are saying to me that I simply bought a bad card. (The card I bought was not the DVraptor RT, but the very old DVraptor.)

I believe you are telling me that I could get most any other Canopus card and it would do what I want. I wasn't able to find this bad news about the DVraptor RT. Do you know of a low cost alternative that will do what I want? How about an external analog-to-digital converter? Would that be a wise thing? (I would prefer an internal capture card, but only if I can afford it.)

Thanks again. I'll keep checking for replies.