Using DV capture as PVR

[Dragonsf]

I'm using WinDV as DV 'capture' with very good results to transfer the Video from my ADVC 300. But now I want to use this converter for timed recording. As WinDV hasn't that feature, I'm looking for a different solution. I downloaded the AvsTVBox, which has all the features I want, but the results are not acceptable:
- Audio is only 32KHz (despite of the fact, that the ADVC is set to 48KHz)
- Video is always captured to PAL resolution (despite is set NTSC and the AvsTVBox Configuration says so, but the resulting AVI is PAL)
- no choice of resulting AVI format (I want type 2)

Any way to time control WinDV from the outside, or any other,better DV PVR?

[redwudz]

Do you want scheduled recordings or just timed recordings? DVapp can or I believe Scenalyzerlive can do timed. WinDV can also with a add-on timer program. I'll see if I can find a link to the timer.

If you are asking about scheduling a recording, I haven't seen any program that can do that, but there is likely one out there someone knows about.

EDIT: You can set a timer in WinDV this way, a little crude, though:

Max AVI size (frames)... NTSC framerate.. That's 30 frames per second x 60 seconds per minute = 1,800 frames per minute x 60 minutes per hour = 108,000 frames per hour.

Get out a calculator.

I'm still looking for the timer program.

[gadgetguy]

WinDV can be used for scheduled recording by building a bat file with the command line option and then executing the bat using Windows Scheduler.

[Dragonsf]

WinDV can be used for scheduled recording by building a bat file with the command line option and then executing the bat using Windows Scheduler.

That's sound interesting. Which option can I used (or are they in the Help file).
What I really want is a scheduled recording (but timed would do for the time being).
I don't like DVApp very much, because under certain conditions it likes to drop frames. Therefore I'd favourite any WinDV solution.
I tried and see the option:
capture [-exit] [timespan] filename
does this mean: capture starting from now for <timespan> time to file <filename> and then eventually exit?
This would sufficient, starting it with windows scheduler and let it capture until the programmed end.
Anyway to do an automatic shutdown after that?

[Dragonsf]

...
EDIT: You can set a timer in WinDV this way, a little crude, though:

Max AVI size (frames)... NTSC framerate.. That's 30 frames per second x 60 seconds per minute = 1,800 frames per minute x 60 minutes per hour = 108,000 frames per hour.

Get out a calculator.

I'm still looking for the timer program.

I think WinDV will create a new file, whenever max size is reached in the current capturing. Thanks anyway and please try to find the timer program.

[gadgetguy]

WinDV capture -exit 1:02:00 g:\video\OneHour

That will start WinDV in capture mode, capture for 1 hour and 2 minutes and save the file to the g drive in the video folder using the name prefix OneHour plus whatever parameters you have set. -exit means it will close when done recording.
Put that line into a batch file and test it.
Then use Scheduled Tasks in the control panel to schedule it's execution.

I should mention that in my experience Windows Scheduler is not the most reliable, but it does work most of the time.

[Dragonsf]

Thanks, I'll try that.

[redwudz]

Sorry, not having any luck finding the WinDV add-on for timing. That was a year or two ago. I believe it used the same method as gadgetguy is describing, but it seemed to be easier to set up. Still looking, though.

I ran across a couple of other methods and programs. One is the new version of Virtualdub that says it can 'capture' DV, and you can set the 'stop capture' when a certain amount of time is elapsed. I need to try my ADVC-100 with it when I get the chance. (I use VD for my DV editing and filtering, then frameserve the output to TMPGEnc encoder. I convert the audio to AC3 with ffmpeggui. It might make the process simpler for me.)

The other is a somewhat unknown Japanese capture program that has a timer and is reputed to work with DV sources. Only for the experimenter, but it sounded interesting: CapDVHS http://www.yamabe.org/softbody.html#CapDVHS (Japanese but there's a
button for the English download with a readme included in the zip)

[Dragonsf]

I tried VD, but also problem with the Audio S/R: captures to 32KHz only.

[Caple]

If I'm not wrong the latest versions of iuVCR capture DV footage too, from the firewire port.
I asked the programmer once if it would work for scheduling with a ADVC 100 and he couldn't answer, as he does not have a ADVC card to test.
I asked someone here in the forum to test it, I don't remember who, and the guy couldn't do it.
Maybe you can try it.
I'd like to have this feature too. That's the only reason I didn't buy an ADVC 100 or ADS Pyro yet. I need scheduling.

[ulapines]

http://www.freebyte.com/fbtaskscheduler/

[gadgetguy]

I should also mention that the bat file should be in the same folder with WinDV.