ADVC-100: End-to-end Shopping List ? (VHS to SVCD/DVD)

[dish21]

Ive had the advc-100 for over a month now. Has to send it back to Canopus after I first got it. There was a issue with it. Got it back in less than 4 days, and have made over 20 dvd's with it, copying from dss sat. All works great and the quality is great. I use TMPGnc, majestro, besweet, and Gear Pro for burning.

[crjackson]

I hate the part about having to send it back. Did you get one that had the bad BIOS flash?

What was wrong with it.

Can anyone recomend a place to order where I'm assured of getting a new (fixed) version? I don't want to get old shelf stock that has to be sent back.

I've also read a few posts where people are complaining about volume level of the captured files being too low. Have you noticed any low volume problems?

[twen]

Laura,

I read somewhere that if you have NTI CD-Maker 2000 Plus installed on your machine for some reason the 30-day trial will never expire. I have it installed for my CD burner and my 30-day trial for TMPGEnc stays 30 days ever since. If you can find it on line that might save you some $$$

[petec]

Laura,

Canopus is the way to go...using

Canopus ADVC-100
Canopus Raptor
Panasonic DV camcorder

Software:
Canopus included generic capture software "Raptor Video"
TMPGEnc
Soft Encode
Infoedit
SpruceUp
Nero to burn DVD's

You can buy Raptor Bay so that all of your video connections
come to front of PC. I have seen it for ~ 80 USD.

[dish21]

I only have the best to say about Canopus. The ADVC-100 that I sent back to them had a problem with the serial number group that had a bad filmware. It was sent back to them on there dime,(next day air, at there request) and sent back to me on next day air. The only thing about the canopus, is that it will take around 26 gig for a two hour movie.
If I were going to buy another, it would still be canopus. Im SOLD!!!! GREAT PRODUCT!

[crjackson]

Great information guys. I just ordered mine today and can't wait for it to arrive.

BTW, does anyone have any comments about the volume level this thing outputs? Still waiting to hear about that one...

[dish21]

I haven't had a sound issue with mine. Most of what I do now, is record from dss satalite, and record to DVD. The image is nice, and so is the sound.
ANOTHER HAPPY CAMPER!!!!

[henry_nettles]

Have you found a way to do timed recordings from the firewire input? I have a Sony Digital 8 camcorder, and it makes very nice captures (using Vegas Video), but I need a way to do timed recordings from my DSS Satellite.

Thanks in advance.

[joepic]

Have you found a way to do timed recordings from the firewire input? I have a Sony Digital 8 camcorder, and it makes very nice captures (using Vegas Video), but I need a way to do timed recordings from my DSS Satellite.

Yes I have. Have you looked at iuVCR $25 http://www.iulabs.com/iuvcr/index.shtml

iuVCR is a Windows 2000/XP intended universal video recording program. Have a TV tuner or a video capture card installed on your Windows 2000 or XP system? Now you can easily record your favorite TV programs and videos in *.AVI or *.WMV format. iuVCR has got a simple and plain interface, allows to capture video of any format, resolution and duration, can automatically start when scheduled and has a number of other useful features.

There is a number of video capture programs in the world but the most of them work quite poor in Windows 2000/XP, as a brand new multimedia technology called DirectShow is used there. The programs not using DirectShow give a rather middling result. iuVCR is a video recording DirectShow-based application. It uses the newest multimedia technologies developed by Microsoft corporation and ensures that you are getting the most from your video capture card.

As any DirectShow application, iuVCR allows to record *.AVI files of any size, overriding a file size limitation of 2GB inherent to old video capture programs. Using Windows 2000/XP and NTFS file system, you can record *.AVI files of size, limited only by your harddisk capacity. So, using iuVCR in conjunction with recommended hardware, you will be able to record with no frame loose long-lasting videos in any resolution with ease.

Main features of iuVCR:

IEEE 1394 devices support.
TV channels tuning.
Video capturing with frame size up to 768x576.
Arbitrary choice frame size.
Microsoft Windows Media Format support and Windows Media Encoder integration.
Video stream preview during capture without frame size limitations.
Most settings autostored in system registry.
Integration with Windows scheduler.
Splitting captured video stream to several files.
Continuous capturing across several disk partitions.
API for third-party remote control applications.
Support for DirectShow filters for realtime video processing.
System requirements:

Windows 2000 or Windows XP (Windows 98 and Windows ME also supported but not recommended).
DirectX 7 or higher.
Microsoft Windows Media Encoder if Windows Media Format is needed.
Processor: Pentium II or higher (600Mhz PIII or higher recommended).
128Mb RAM.
DirectX compatible sound card.
DirectX compatible graphics adapter card.
Video capture PCI card or IEEE-1394 controller with WDM-drivers installed (bt848/bt878-based cards recommended as a good tested device).
Free HDD space: 2 Mb for program files; 0,05-60 Gb for video clips. A 7200rpm IDE harddrive and an UDMA66-UDMA100 IDE controller such as Promise or HotRod recommended.

[crjackson]

My ADVC100 arrived today. I did a head to head comparision between my Sony Passthrough converter and the ADVC100.

I do notice the volume level is reduced compared to the Sony, but it doesn't seem to be much of an issue. Actually, I've noticed that in reality, the Sony seems to boost volume, rather than it being an issue of the ADVC100 reducing volume.

Color seems a little richer and less washed out on the ADVC100 from the one capture I've checked.

Captured file sizes are EXACTLY the same right down to the byte.

No difference in picture clairity at all. They both seem perfect.

No sound issues so far, but I've not done more than a 90min film. I expect it won't matter though, but if it does I'll post back and let you know. The longest I've captured on the Sony is 3 hours, and it has no sync issues when using Vegas Video. I expect the same results when using the ADVC100.

So far I'd have to give the ADVC100 a 10 out of 10 score...

[crjackson]

Well, I may have to eat my words. I can't find away to disable MacroVision and couldn't do the next capture with the ADVC100. If I don't figure this out, it's a waste of my time.

The Sony had no trouble defeating the Macro, but the alledeged Macro workaround for the ADVC-100 did nothing.

Perhaps I'm not doing it right. I was told that after power on, just hold down the input button until (3 sec) the thing put out a color bar, then hold it there until the bar disappered. Doing this only caused the front panal lights (input type) for analog to come on, then I held it there until it went off.

Obviously that's not a color bar, but looking in the book states the how to get the color bar (FROM THE ANALOG OUTPUT JACKS ONLY) which does nothing for transfer to firewire. Also the book says this function changes something else (too early to remember right now). I'll mess with it a few more times and let you know.

If I can't solve this, it goes back. For non-MacroVision tapes though it's really nice...

[bhutchins]

Anybody have the tmpeg settings for the best picture from VHS - DVD? Should I Encode Mpeg2 at 352 x 240? I see some lines at 720 x 480 on my sony 36" xbr TV (progressive scan) when played on my Sony 700P progressive scan set top DVD player regardless if progressive scan is on or not. Looks great on my lower resolution sets

TIA

[vhelp]

crjackson,

I think you're NOT suppose to turn off the unit, LOL. he he, he he...

-vhelp

[crjackson]

vhelp,

I'll take that as a joke. I didn't turn it off, I ment the LEDS on the front panel (Analog/Digital) will both light up. I held it there for about 3 seconds and then the Analog LED went out. I thought that this was an indication that macro was supposed to be disabled. Obviously I was wrong.

I read about waiting for a color bar to appear, continue holding the button until the color bar disappears, then releasing the button.

Well, I must not have mine connected the way everyone else does, because I get no color bar on screen from the capture program preview. Since I didn't get ANY color bar at all, I thought that the LED was the indicator. I was wrong.

I tried again today with the same tape. It worked. No macrovision. I never did get the colorbar everyone is refering to. What I did was hold down the input select switch for 30 seconds and then release it.

I don't know about the color bar thing, but the 30 seconds on the button worked.

Now I'm a happy camper and sold on it.

I'd still like to know what I'm doing wrong with regards to seeing a color bar display in the capture preview.

[vhelp]

hay crjackson..

I'll take that as a joke. I didn't turn it off, I ment the LEDS on the front panel

my error.. my eyes'zhave 'ben play'n tricks on me lately

Anyways, the reason why you are not seeing any Color Bars is becaues
you are not using the OUT feature of the device. If you had connected
the OUT connects to your TV, you'd see the color bar after 3+ seconds

..but, still.. .. you gotta admit, it's a good unit, easn't it ??

Just remember, when you send data from the ADVC-100, via firewire,
it Field B, in TMPG (not Field A) K??

Glad you got it working though
-vhelp

[crjackson]

Yeah no problem. Already coded 3 movies (I use CCE). There turning out great. Loving this thing more every minute. Thanks for the tip about needing to be hooked up to a TV to see the color bars. I had me worried.

[crjackson]

Update:

I really love this Canopus device now. This thing was really worth the money. 99% of all my problems vanished upon connection.

Since I don't have an output NTSC device to look for that darn color bar, would someone please do me a favor?

I need someone to time the macrovision deactivation process. From the instant you press the mode select button, exactly how many seconds do I have to wait before releasing it?

I'm tired of holding down this button forever. I know I'm waiting for more than needed to release just to be for sure about it all. I'd like someone to time the process and let me know if it's not too much trouble.

Thanks for all the great advice here.