cheapest and best capture card

[dj360]

Yeah, I only lost frames when I try to cap to higher resolutions. Oh well. That's life. Besides, when I try to cap using a DivX codec, it never works. Either the audio sync is off or I lose frames. I am forced to cap using huffyuv anyway so, I will just deal with that. When I encode the capped avi to DivX it's all good. Takes longer that way but, no problems that way. Also found out that when one caps to a lower fps than the source, that many frames will drop automatically to compensate. For instance, when I cap at 25fps, I will drop about 4.97fps while I am capturing. So, in that case, the massive frame droppage is not anything I am losing. Anyway, I also found that when I encode to DivX ;-) MPEG-4 Low-Motion, it is the same as when I encode to MS MPEG-4 3688 V3. Can you or anyone for that matter, tell me what the difference is if any? I mean, I used the same values in both and the file was identical in every way except when you pull up properties and look under codec. One says DivX ;-) MPEG-4 V3 and the other says MS MPEG-4 V3. Is that the only difference? I was told that I have found a way to encode using the nAVI (SmR) codec. I thought that was some secret they weren't letting people find out how to do. Anyway, not that I am a big fan of SmR or anything, although I have gotten a few movies from them through IRC. I would love to be able to at least know I have stumpbled on a way to do this when I know they don't want anyone else knowing how to do this. Anyway, just curious. Thanks!

[Trik]

dj360:

If you use the divx 5 codec (you have to get the pro version, its player has addware unless you buy it) anyway the pro version has an advanced paramaters tab. You cna set performance/quality there. I was dropping some frames at 640x480 until I adjusted that.

Also it has a general parameters tab. There you can enable resize. Using that I can cap at higher than 320x240. Even though the cap programs are set to 320x240

[dj360]

Trik:
What do I set the performance/quality at? I am d'loading the ad-supported one now.

[dj360]

Trik:

Ok I can capture in hi-res. But the audio is going twice as fast as the video. Do you know how to fix this? Don't forget to tell me what settings you use for DivX Pro 5.02> Thanks again!

[Trik]

Try them all to see what works best for you.
I use fast and cap 640x480 at a 10,000 bitrate (just experimenting with 1 min caps) no frame drops, cpu usage in the high 80's to mid 90's.
Then encode them to mpeg2 SVCD quality.

It works nice, looks good.

Divx 5 has lots of settings to try

[Trik]

What capture program are you using?
If your using VirtualDub don't forget to sync audio to video, all cap progies have something similar I think
The ones I've tried have anyway.

[dj360]

Trik:

Hey, I am not having the sync problems anymore but I think I have finally figured out why I cannot capture at hi-res. When I cap at 320x240 I have no dropped frames and my CPU usage is only at 40-50%. But as soon as I try to cap any higher than that, my CPU usage goes up to almost max. I think I have to upgrade to 512 MB RAM. I only have 128 right now. That's the only thing that makes sense to me. Anyway, tell me if you agree with that or not.

What I am doing now, with great results, is capping at 320x240, (cropping when neccessary), using VDub and DivX Pro 5.02 using 1 pass quality set at 100%. After I finish capping I then encode the file with DivX ;-) MPEG-4 Low-Motion. Under video, frame rate I use the inverse telecine (adaptive) setting and under audio interleave I set to Interleave audio every 30 frames. Comes out awesome and the avi will run at 23.97 fps (what film fps standard is). Looks and runs great. I can't wait to get the RAM upgrade. Hi-res caps should look even more impressive. You may want to try this and see if it works good for you also. The best results I have had since I started capping. Let me know what you think. I even use it for tv caps too. Works great there also.

[dj360]

Trik:

Oh yeah, when you encode, don't forget to deinterlace [Use top option in deinterlace type. It says: Blend fields together (best)] and you might want to add the sharpen filter as well. I set my sharpen to 20. I am experimenting with other settings but I think anything between 15 and 20 will work out fine. Depending on your tastes of course. Let me know if you like that method or not. And let me know if there is a way to lower my CPU usage when I cap so I can cap in Hi-res. I am sure that is the problem.

[Trik]

What are you using to encode from divx5 to divx4?

[bshelkey]

I don't think you will find better digital or analog capturing than with a Canopus ADVC 50 or 100.

http://www.canopuscorp.com/ppm_advc50.htm

The "50" model can be set into a drive bay and uses the best codecs I've come across. I've had all the capture cards listed in this thread and have stopped looking now. All authoring software has been able to keep AV sync perfectly. I've done all capturing from my Sony Hi8 camcorder flawlessly since I got the #50. I don't drink as much now either.[/url]

[Trik]

I don't think you will find better digital or analog capturing than with a Canopus ADVC 50 or 100.

http://www.canopuscorp.com/ppm_advc50.htm

The "50" model can be set into a drive bay and uses the best codecs I've come across. I've had all the capture cards listed in this thread and have stopped looking now. All authoring software has been able to keep AV sync perfectly. I've done all capturing from my Sony Hi8 camcorder flawlessly since I got the #50. I don't drink as much now either.[/url]

What format do those cards capture in? Direct to mpeg-1/2?

[techno_1]

HAUPPAUGE WINTV GO PCI with these settings:

30fps
CD QUALITY PCM WAV
YU12/YV12
320*240/352*288
NO RECOMPRESSION

quality will be DVD or NEAR DVD depending on source

[MOVIEGEEK]

My friend, help yourself and simply do this:........
Don't use millenium or winxp. They suck. Wait until winxp second edition. There is no reason for any OS beyond w2k. Only marketing matters....

Do you have any proof to back up your claim?

[bshelkey]

Trik,

It does do MPEG1&2 on the fly as you capture. And if NTSC support is what you need, it conforms to 29.97FPS. No conversion. Just capture and burn. I use it with either EZCD5.1 or VCDEasy1.1.1. It is my opinion that if you are capturing from any form of analog media, save your time (and CPU) and stick with MPEG1. I had done hours of MPEG2 captures and had seen no difference from Hi8 or SuperVHS. It will also do lossless AVI for editing of sequences.

[dj360]

What are you using to encode from divx5 to divx4?

I am using VirtualDub.

[SatStorm]

@ MOVIEGEEK
Yes, I do.
My english skills are limited, so other experts could tell you more.
If you want more infos for the subject go to www.google.com or www.teoma.com and do a little search. There are many "proofs" for this outhere. And guess what, from people speaking better english than me.

In generall, all first realeases of Microsoft OS's, are made for ready OEM PCs and not for combos made from Power Users like us.
This is mostly for US with ready PCs like DELL or HP. With those PCs, any M$ OS has no probs. Everything is optimised for those PCs.
But in our Hobby, we use extra hardware: PCI cards for capture or MPEG 2 decoders/encoders, enthusiast VGA level cards, exotic soundcards, etc.
Most of the times, we end up to built our own PCs. The hardware we use is not even close those OEM PCs, M$ optimise there OS's.
So there are bugs and probs.
A manufactur, when produce a product, optimises it on well known OS'. Today, most drivers are first made for w98SE and W2K.
It is simply Logic.
Anyway, my english ain't enough to explain you this better, also I waste my time trying to, because I am not good enough for this!
Ask others for more infos!

[springtyme]

Hello!

I'm getting a new HP 1.6 pentium 4. I am interested in an inexpensive card that can output, VCD, SVD or DIVX to tape. What kind of price range can i get a good one for. i don't need capture too much. Just don't like watching DIVX on my computer.

Thanks

DD