Capture problem, DMA problem, etc

[hokie91]

Rig:
Dell p4 1.6
384 MD RAM
20 GB 7200 RPM HDD (Western Digital)
GeForce MX 400 64 MB Ram video
PCTV Video card with teh BTwincap drivers
XP Home

I would think this would be sufficient for capturing and converting video...

I have several problems, and am working on them one at a time. I have read several strong suggestions to turn on DMA for the HD to increase disk speed. However, I cannot figure out how to do this. Under the properties sleection I get general, polices, volumes, and driver - no advanced. What's up?

The reason I am working on this is that I get some hesitation when capturing on and resolution and was wondering if this is contributing (no dropped frames). The picture is primo on preview, but always on capture I get the hesitations which are also translated directly onto the SVCD. I have used VDUB, and Power VCR. I am also having a sound problem with Vdub. The audio does not come through in preview mode. However, the sound works great with PowerVCR and Dscaler (although Dscaler does not work with the btwincap drivers - worked fine with the Pinnacle drivers 5.1).

I have been able to make fair res VCD's with power VCR, but I'm really trying to increase the video quality.

BTW, thansk to all for reading and any assistance is greatly appreciated. I had no idea how complex this process would be.

[Barnabas]

You don't see DMA because you are using XP. I think it's usually on if your drive can use DMA. Check to see if there is a BIOS upgrade available, as I used to drop frames like mad, and tracked it down to a BIOS bug. The hesitations are likely due to some software running. Try to turn off everything you can before you capture, and remove the clock from the taskbar too.

[jtor]

In XP (and in W2K), it's in IDE ATA/ATAPI Controllers. So go:

Control Panel/System/Hardware (tab)/Device Manager.

[hokie91]

Well, I sure appreciate the advice, but it is just not there. Under the controller tab I have General, Driver, and Resources. I know I am looking in the correct place, because I t is here in my 200 Pro PC, but not in the XP Home machine.

Is the DMA setting that important?

[Chips144]

First, DMA IS important for best speed data transfer.

The info given for Windows XP was not completely correct.

To check for DMA enabled, do the following:

OPEN Control Panel
OPEN System
SELECT Hardware tab
SELECT Device Manager button
In the list that opens, you will see the following "IDE ATA/ATAPI controllers" with a (+) in front
CLICK the (+)
now you will see 3 sub-catagories
SELECT "Primary IDE Channel" and RIGHT CLICK on it
SELECT "properties"
SELECT "Advanced Settings"
This is where DMA is set

Do the same thing for the "Secondary IDE Channel"

Hope this helps

[SHS]

hokie91 are you PAL or NTSC?.
Make you update the latest Intel Application Accelerator 2.2 and would hart update to Intel INF Update Utility 4.00.1013

[hokie91]

I am using NTSC.

Ok, under:

Control Panel
System
Hardware
IDE ATA / ATAPI Controllers
Primary IDE Channel
Properties

I can't find any advanced tab under rersources, drivers, etc. I am also goint to upgrade the INTEL app accelerator, I believe 1.0 came with the box from Dell. I am assuming I could dl the latest from Intel... Any advice? Do I need to change a setting in the BIOS?

This is what I get:

[SHS]

Start | Programs | Intel Application Accelerator | click on Intel Application Accelerator look at the Current Transfer Mode

Click on the driver tab see you what ver you have then go to http://www.intel.com/support/chipsets/iaa/ to download the latest

But being your NTSC user I give a word of WARNING! you not be able cap much pass 320x240 up to 352x240 at best or VCD quality.
NTSC Broadcasts are sent in 2 fields (Top & Bottom) this essentialy makes it 60Fps matching 60Hz and this causes much strain on todays capture cards that have no HW acceleration even with the fastest CPU and harddisk you can buy rigth now, unless your willing to fork over some big bucks to be able to capture in full 60fps you need a custom avi capture card which cost a lot more $1000, You will only be able captureing half the resolution for the first field an half the resolution of the second field.
This why I recommend HW MPEG2 capture card like WinTV-PVR 250, ProVideo PV256 which dosen't cost and arm&leg to get higher quality video.
If don't need MPEG2 then try ProVideo PV231 http://steve.kittelsen.com/pv231/

[Chips144]

I am running XP Pro, not XP Home. Perhaps only the Pro version has the advanced settings tab.

[SHS]

No Chips144 it had to do with Intel Application Accelerator when it install it dose this automatic with no need to go to the device manager.

[hokie91]

Thanks guys. Current transfer mode is now UDMA-5. I'm no expert, but it looks like I've got that one solved. It did make a difference on the capture quality (although slight).

On to my next problem... loss of video on vdub. Or, which capture program do you reccomend?

[SHS]

what drv format are you useing VfW or WDM?.
VfW don't work well under WinXP

[hokie91]

I am using the:

WDM Video Capture Driver for WinMe, Win98SE ,Win2000 and WinXP for Capture Boards based on Brooktree´s Bt848 / Bt849 / Bt878 & Bt879 Chipsets.
at
http://btwincap.sourceforge.net

I am trying to transfer a good quality to video from 8mm camcorder, connected to VCR, connected to the TV in cable on the PCTV card. The picture quality is quite good on the monitor. I am writing the SVCD's for my APEX DVD player (the cheap DVD player that plays everything known to man..). I have used NTSC because that is what I thopught I was supposed to use. I have been reading up on the drivers, capturing, burning, and have been successful in getting the final product, but am now trying to improve the quality.

Do I have an option between PAL and NTSC? Is this a function of the video card, video source, or just parameters you configure in the capturing phase?

[SHS]

In that case you want use iuVCR