MPEG2 Hardware Capture Card

[porigromus]

I have two quick questions regarding hardware MPEG2 encoding cards/external devices. I am thinking about going this route because I don't plan on doing any fancy editing after capturing video but was curious if going this route, are you still able to break the final video into segments without having to decode it?

Also what MPEG2 cards produce good results? I looked over some of them in the capture cards section but was hoping to get some tips from you pros. Thanks!

[redwudz]

You can edit the video with a MPEG editor like the freeware Cuttermaran or payware ones like MPEG-VCR or other ones here: https://www.videohelp.com/tools?s=107#107

The Hauppauge WinTV PVR-250 seems to be one of the more popular hardware encoder cards.

[edDV]

Also what MPEG2 cards produce good results? I looked over some of them in the capture cards section but was hoping to get some tips from you pros. Thanks!

Not many or any hardware encoder comparison reviews out there. I hope somebody has links.

[Epicurus8a]

I tried the same route a couple of years ago and decided a Pioneer DVD recorder was the best bet for me. (It's about the same price as a good MPEG2 card.) The quality is high, and my computer is free for other things while the DVD recorder is busy. If I ever feel the need to customize a DVD I'll rip it to my computer with DVD Decrypter or TMPGEnc DVD Author. When I need to edit, Womble MPEG Video Wizard does the job well. After that I re-author it with TMPGEnc DVD Author or Ulead DVD Workshop 2.

[porigromus]

Thank you guys.

[olyteddy]

I have a Hauppauge USB2 PVR and it works pretty well. It uses an encoder from Conexant (http://www.conexant.com/products/entry.jsp?id=9) and I would assume any card that uses one of these two chips would probably do a pretty good job. Mine came with uLead DVD Movie factory, which does an acceptable job of making VCDs (don't have a DVD burner). I also tried the trial of VideoReDo and when I want to archive video VirtualDub Mod and transcode to MP4.

[davideck]

I have a PVR-250. It works great, but if you plan to capture analog tapes, you'll probably need an external TBC / Frame Synchronizer to keep audio and video in sync. I use a DataVideo TBC-3000.

The DVD Recorders that I have tested all have built-in Frame Synchronizers, so they may be a lower cost solution for tape transfers (if MV is not an issue).

[FulciLives]

The best hardware MPEG capture cards/devices for the computer:

Hauppauge WinTV PVR 250 (PCI)
Hauppauge WinTV PVR 350 (PCI)

Hauppauge WinTV PVR USB2 (USB 2.0 external)
ADS Instant DVD 2.0 (USB 2.0 external)

If you decide to go with a stand alone DVD recorder look at Pioneer, Toshiba and JVC as the top three brands around.

- John "FulciLives" Coleman

P.S.
Please avoid the Hauppauge WinTV PVR 150 has it has several unresolved issues.

[mats.hogberg]

Hauppauge WinTV PVR 250.
But get a DVD recorder if you're not interested in doing edits and author your own DVDs.
If you are, you'll have to rip and disassemble the DVD first - a completely unnecessary (and tedious) step.

/Mats

[lordsmurf]

Hauppauge WinTV PVR 250.
But get a DVD recorder if you're not interested in doing edits and author your own DVDs.
If you are, you'll have to rip and disassemble the DVD first - a completely unnecessary (and tedious) step.

/Mats

Bah. That's not really true. Many of the DVD recorders these days use capture chips that can beat capture cards, no problem. Having to rip the disc is really no more of a hassle than anything else, as long as you've got a good recorder and used a good disc.

Hauppauge does make a nice card though, if you want to go the PC route.

[mats.hogberg]

Having to rip the disc is really no more of a hassle than anything else.

How can "having to rip the disc" be no more hassle than "not having to rip a disc"?

/Mats

[lordsmurf]

Losing your computer while it records video is a hassle too. It all depends on how you look at it.

[Abond]

Hardware encoder cards (I have 250) using quite a low CPU. You are not losing your computer.

[mats.hogberg]

Losing your computer while it records video is a hassle too.

Agree. But the thing is, (as I'm sure you know) you don't lose the computer while capturing with the suggested Hauppage 1/2/350 cards. It can be used quite like normal without any adverse effects on neither the capturing nor your other computer activities.
The mpeg decoder, responsible for displaying what you capture while you capture takes some 10% system resources (using WinTV) but there are 3rd party applications that doesn't display anything while capturing, eliminating even that cpu load.

/Mats

[lordsmurf]

But the thing is, (as I'm sure you know) you don't lose the computer while capturing with the suggested Hauppage 1/2/350 cards. It can be used quite like normal without any adverse effects on neither the capturing nor your other computer activities.

I do not agree with this. The bus, the RAM, the CPU (yes, even with hardware encoders), and hard drive .... these are all in use while capturing. Adding to the load introduces the ability for noise and artifacts to enter your a/v stream. For every 1 person that says it is not a problem, another 1 dozen will have a problem.

Trying to use a computer while it processes video is not good, ever.

[mats.hogberg]

We'll never see eye to eye on this - all I can say is that I use the 250 card daily to record TV shows, and use the same computer for all other computer stuff i do - play games, write, develop applications - And I've never had the occation to say
"Damned, right, I shouldn't have done that while capturing!"
Neither with respect to my capture, nor to what other stuff I might do. YMM obviously V.

/Mats

[jagabo]

Hauppage 1/2/350 cards.... The mpeg decoder, responsible for displaying what you capture while you capture takes some 10% system resources (using WinTV) but there are 3rd party applications that doesn't display anything while capturing, eliminating even that cpu load.

You can turn off WinTV2000's decoding by pressing the pause button (the button labeled || in the little recorder controls window) while recording. The video is still recorded, it's just no longer decoded and displayed.

[olyteddy]

I'm capturing L&O SVU as I type this, and if I screw that show up the OL will never let me live it down...