Simplest HD capture?

[The Waco Kid]

I'm looking to record small clips of HD in the simplest way possible. I do make small edits in Sony Vegas.

I was liking the Hauppauge HD PVR because it takes component input (my box has HDMI issues at times, although I would get a device with HDMI) and it encodes in real-time. Since I do this frequently, that real-time thing was nice.

However, I'm reading around and it appears the clips made, even when converted to mp4, don't play well in Vegas.

Is there an alternative?

A little more background: I currently use my dac-100 to capture SD. I make an mpeg-2 clip (will probably move to mpeg-4) for archiving, and then sometimes a smaller web clip. As mentioned above, I use Vegas, and obviously render most things twice (although it's fast, so not much of a bother). I want to do the same thing, but with HD. For HD, I wouldn't mind encoding on the fly to a format since that would obviously take longer to render.

[edDV]

Vegas handles broadcast and cable MPeg2_TS files with ease. At 10-18 Mb/s per PID, I just save them as is to HDD. If you just want to cut out commercials, use something like HDTVtoMPEG2.

If you do need to make a DVD or simple Blu-Ray disc. Vegas-DVDA will do it.

Editing H.264 is a challenge. For serious editing I convert to Cineform.

[The Waco Kid]

Thanks for the response. If Vegas can handle the files that the Hauppauge HD PVR produces, I'm all for it. I wonder if I could I capture straight from Vegas? Even if editing is post-conversion I guess it's not that bad.

My clips are short, I'm talking 1-2 minutes, but I do slice them up from 2-3 minute clips. I hope/don't think I'll need too much to do it, I just want to know that I can before purchasing this. My dac-100's been great for years now, but I just need HD now.

[KTH]

The problem with the Hauppauge 1212 HD PVR is that it uses a audio format that MediaInfo identifies as AAC (ADTS) (Version 2). The files created cannot even be opened in Vegas (At least the trial version). The captured files will play with both audio & video using the Arcsoft software that came with the HD PVR. TMPGEnc 4.0 XPress also seems to be able to handle these files. While Corel VideoStudio X2 PRO & Nero 8 (Nero Vision Component) will both play the video without any audio. I haven't tried the AC3 Beta componet yet to see what effect this has with newly captured files using this plug in.

[edDV]

Thanks for the response. If Vegas can handle the files that the Hauppauge HD PVR produces, I'm all for it. I wonder if I could I capture straight from Vegas? Even if editing is post-conversion I guess it's not that bad.

My clips are short, I'm talking 1-2 minutes, but I do slice them up from 2-3 minute clips. I hope/don't think I'll need too much to do it, I just want to know that I can before purchasing this. My dac-100's been great for years now, but I just need HD now.

I'm talking about recording the exact ATSC broadcast which is MPeg2_TS *. Depending on the broadcast bit rate used by your local TV station or cable company you can fit 26-50min of HD data on a DVD-5 (single layer). There is no encoding. It comes as MPeg2. MPeg2 is easy to edit in Vegas. H.264 can be edited with great difficulty.

Why would you choose H.264 for capturing/editing short HD clips? Why bother converting? Most go that route to get movies to fit.

BTW, I doubt Vegas handles the files that come from a Hauppauge HD PVR without conversion. I haven't tried. I'm certain Vegas won't capture H.264.


* Standard ATSC/QAM tuner cards direct capture the digital MPeg2 TS streams. ATSC MPeg2 is standardized. QAM MPeg2 details can vary depending on your cable company or capture card.

[The Waco Kid]

Ah, ok, following you better now.

Any recommendation for a device that'll just allow me to capture as mpeg_ts video then?

I only use disk for backup sometimes, I'm not trying to squeeze anything onto disk. I don't mind taking up less hdd space, but that's not a priority.

[jagabo]

Any recommendation for a device that'll just allow me to capture as mpeg_ts video then?

About the only sources you'll be able to "capture" as HD MPEG transport streams are your local over-the-air broadcasts (ie, your local TV stations received with an antenna and ATSC tuner) and the same channels via your cable provider (with a QAM tuner). You will not be able to record any of the other digital channels from your cable provider -- they are encrypted. Any device with an analog antenna/cable tuner can record all the unprotected analog cable channels (ie, no HBO, Showtime, etc) but they are limited to standard definition.

The Hauppauge HD PVR allows the recording of any component video source (480i, 720p, and 1080i) including everything put out by your cable or satellite box (assuming it has component outputs). At some point in the future cable and satellite boxes are likely to downsample HD to SD at the component outputs. Or the component outputs will be completely disabled.

[The Waco Kid]

Ah, then I'm out of luck for that. I was hoping there was something. (had to ask).

I appreciate everyone helping me get HD, thanks for that.

Any recommendations for any device I could use that would allow me to edit the files it produces? (yes, my box has component btw)

[jagabo]

The option of captuing AC3 audio has been added to the recent beta drivers for the HD PVR. As I understand it, Ulead Video Studio can handle these TS files now. You can also perform simple cut editing with h264ts_cutter but you are limited to cutting on I frames -- about every 1/2 second in 720p recordings, every 2 seconds in 1080i recordings.

[edDV]

The cable box IEEE-1394 port still works fine for most cable HD channels here. This gives the MPeg2_TS stream. I do notice that more channels are blocked but most that I watch are still working.

All the HD locals work over IEEE-1394 or QAM. This will vary locally.

[jagabo]

I can't record anything from my cable box via IEEE-1394. Well, I can record the locals and the files appear to be the right size but nothing is able parse them. I suspect they're encrypted even though the cable company is required not to.

[The Waco Kid]

My cable box won't let me record a thing either, and even if it did, it's not broadcast I'm after. It's why I'm hunting for a device I can use.

Anyone have a suggestion other than the HD PVR?

[jagabo]

There are a few people who have reported they can record just about everything via IEEE 1394. You might be one of the lucky ones. It won't cost you much ($10 for a cable if you don't have one) to try.

http://home.comcast.net/~exdeus/stbfirewire/

[The Waco Kid]

I wasn't able to when I tried it in the past (8300HDC from TWC). If I can find my long cable, I'll try again.

Still wouldn't mind a device so I know it won't suddenly crap out on me one day.

[The Waco Kid]

Anyone know if VideoReDo can handle the files from HD PVR? I wouldn't mind using that, if I can make small edits and/or convert with it.

[jagabo]

Anyone know if VideoReDo can handle the files from HD PVR?

Isn't that an MPEG1/2 only tool? The HD PVR produces h.264/AVC encoded video and AAC/AC3 encoded audio in a transport stream.

[The Waco Kid]

I read about people using it with transport streams, and just figured I'd throw it out there. Maybe I'll just use TMPGEnc XPress to convert, as no one's recommended another capture device.

[The Waco Kid]

Just read on the VideoReDo forum that they're working on h.264 support, so that is a possibility if they come through.