What is CIF format?

[vcd4me]

I am considering buying an usb tuner/capture card
and I don't understand what this means:

Capture rate 30 frames per second at CIF format (352x288)pixels.

I know what frames per second means it's the CIF thing that i don't understand.

Thanks in advance
VCD4ME

[SHS]

CIF = Common Intermediate Format
CIF is sometimes called Full CIF (FCIF) to distinguish it from QCIF.

[vcd4me]

Holy crap SHS

11 minutes and I got an answer.
that must be a record
all I did was go to the bathroom and come back.

Thanks for the quick response but can you explain what that means in laymans terms I have never carptured anything before

Thanks in advance
VCD4ME

[suAve]

Unless it's a USB 2.0 based, I would say don't bother...

My .02...

[Cornucopia]

CIF is also referred to as "SIF" (i assume Std Intermediate Format?).

Course, he could be referring not to MPEG1 encoding but CD disc images, in which case CIF is the format created by Roxio/Adaptec/Cequadrat/Corel EZCD creator platinum, Videopak, WinonCD, EZCDpro and also by IAuthor. (diff versions though).

Scott

<edited by SCW>
Whoops! I didn't read all of the orig post.
Guess he was talking about encoding. BTW the VideoCD standard uses the CIF resolution.

[vcd4me]

Sauve why did you say usb 2

Also kind of understand CIF .

So here are a couple more questions:

1.Is 352 x 288 standard?
2. Is this the best I can capture using this card?

Thanks in advance
VCD4ME