help with capturing from direct tv

[acidsex]

Hey. Not sure what information is needed to get help. I have a DC10+ from Pinnacle and tried capturing video from Direct TV using S-video on the DTV box. I couldnt get the video to come through in the preview window. I was able to get analog capture using studio 7. I figured the s-video In on the DC10+ was hosed.

A few days ago I bought the Dazzle Hollywood DV Bridge and figured Id use the s-video out of the DTV to SVid In on Hollywood and connect to PC with 1394 (sb audigy.)

Today, I still cant get video from s-video jack with either card or software. I tried calling RCA for tech support (big big joke!) Right now my Direct TV is connected to my TV through a coaxial connector. I dotn have s-video connectors on my TV.

Is there anyway around this? Just getting a little frustrated after spending a fortune trying to capture video from Direct TV. I have the RCA model DRD420RE receiver.

[acidsex]

I was thinking about it, it doesnt make any sense why i cant capture with the s-video in on the hollywood dv card. i know the manual for the receiver said to connect the s-video directly to the tv but why wouldnt it work with connecting it directly to the Hollywoood DV?

This is stressing me out big time.

[computerchuck]

I have mine connected to Dazzle DVCII with S-Video. No problems. Sounds like hardware and software conflicts. Capture cards are real picky especially around nvidia graphics. Try another videocard like voodoo or ati.

[acidsex]

Ok just got off the phone with RCA. No help obviously. What I cant understand is how to vid cap cards cant see the s-video?

RCA said that if I dont have a s-video TV then I cant use the S-video out option from the RCA receiver.

My question is even if I dont have an S-video capable TV, shouldnt I still be able to capture video through S-video on my Hollywood DV card? If not, then how am I going to capture video from my direct tv box? the only other option is the coaxial cable out from the receiver but I have no coaxial input for the Hollywood DV?

[dgsmith]

I capture S-video off of my direct tv setup thru my camcorder as a bridge. I wonder could this be a macrovision issue? I know I could never record from direct tv to my vcr because of the macrovision thing.

A lack of S-video on the tv won't matter for capturing.

When you are troubleshooting, start on one end. I would check for ways to verify that the receiver is even putting out s-video signal. You can get a cheap converter to go from s-video to composite (rca) and then to coax for testing.

Then, of course, if you can watch s-video on tv thru adapter, that verifies receiver and cable. To check the macrovision issue, run the coax out of the tv and using the above adapter go into the bridge macrovision free. Verify encoder etc. This will also let you know if you can preview caps with your video card.

You could also start by testing sound first. That will verify the entire capture circuit with ease.

[petec]

I capture with no problems.

As far as I know DTV isn't currently using Macrovision although the possibility of using it exists. Also remember that compression varies
channel to channel depending on what you are watching...compare CNN to a PPV....(currently have > 400 captured via SVIDEO VCDs)
An overview of evolution of current capturing methodology and comparing
VCD quality to a DVD to VCD rip (1-10, 10 best):
- initially went the AIW method (using 1st gen AIW then 3rd gen) - SVIDEO IN - creating AVI's using AVI-IO and converting to MPEG using Panasonic MPEGI encoder. Quality was acceptable watching video on 10-27" poor on 60". Rating: 5
- then went to using a Winnov capture card with hardware compression.
SVIDEO in - creating AVI's same conversion as above. Video quality slightly better ...rating: 6
- Bought ADS product DVD capture box: BAD, needs better application interface...but may not help. I don't know why I still have it.
- currently using a Canopus PCI Video Firewire board and a Canopus Analog to DV external capture box. Quality is excellent. SVCD quality
is also very nice. Using tmpgenc for conversion to VCD MPEG. Excellent
product. Purchasing a DVD burner...I think it's time. Rating: 10 +....cuz I believe it looks slightly better than a VCD rip from a DVD.


In summary as mentioned in other parts of this WEB site ...best capturing is an analog to DV box...

[Stansell]

I capture from my DirecTV with Tivo no problem using Svideo.

This may be a silly question, but - have you tried using another S-Video cable? That may be the source of your problem.

[acidsex]

Thanks for all for your suggestions but I have discovered my problem. First off, I didnt select the video mode of a>d on the unit. Then after I tried that, I didnt realize that I had to use the dv capture as opposed to the av capture. video is capturing very well. now Im gonna try running audio from my direct tv into the hollywood dv and see what quality I come up with. is there another program that works well with a/v capturing with this card? I dont like the interface too much although Im sure Ill get used to it.

[vhelp]

acidsex,

maybe a dumb question, but have you:
* set up your captureing or firewire to POINT to your S-Video? ?
It may be pointing to your RCA phono or Composite input ! ! !

When I do my AVI_IO capturing, sometimes, I setup to capture
via Composite signal. Later, I might hook up my S-Video cord
and capture that route - only to find no signal. Oh, forgot to change
setup from Composite, to S-Video signal.

In AVI_IO, it's under "VideoSettings/Video Source", and set from
(o) to (o) Camera[x]SVideo or vis-versa.

Might be as simple as that!!

-vhelp

[bprothero]

I capture Directv from my DTivo all the time. It should work just as well from any other DTV receiver.

When capturing with my Dazzle DVC, I connect the s-video and audio cables to the Dazzle.

When capturing with my Matrox Marvel G400-TV, I connect the s-video to the Marvel and the audio to my SoundBlaster Live! card.

In both cases, the video and audio quality is excellent! Much better than our AT&T Cable. The analog noise in the cable results in very low quality VCDs. The digital signal from DTV, on the other hand, makes a perfect VCD. Especially when I capture to AVI and then encode to VCD using VDub and TMPGEnc.

Just make sure you have the correct input select in your capture software/driver. You may have it set to the composite video input. Also check your s-video cable.

Good luck!

Brian