Opinion I/OMagic capture cards

[abtm]

CompUSA (http://www.compusa.com/products/product_info.asp?product_code=285584) has the I/OMagic PC PErsonal Video Recorder PCI Card (http://www.iomagic.com/support/videocards/PCPVR/index.htm) on sale for $20 after rebate. Does anyone have any experience with this card? Is it worth getting?

[VitaminDivx]

Executive summary: get it!

I just bought this card at Compusa. The first movie I recorded was Perfect Storm. Scenes where there was lots of video activity, esp. the lightning, showed lots of horizontal streaking and artifacts on the on screen display. However, when I played back the recording it was perfect.

I have recorded several movies at custom "enhanced" DVD settings (720x480, 6000 bps, highest quality setting) and the quality is very good. One problem though has to do with the PowerVCR software breaking recordings into 600meg "chunks." At the transition between each chunk there is a noticible glitch during recording and playback. The "chunk" size can be set via a registry entry so you can have 1 large file and avoid this problem. Unfortunately, the program has frozen on me a couple of times when the file size exceeded 5 gig.

Be sure your hardware meets or exceeds their requirements. With my XP1800+ I can record at high-res, high-quality settings while burning a cd, checking mail, browsing, and downloading a file. Ain't life grand!

The PCPVR is a great buy at $19.99 and even worth it's regular price. The hardware performs well. There are some software glitches that hopefully will be attended to but can be worked around.

[abtm]

For the time being, it would be going into a c633. I know its not the best, but I am hoping to record mpeg-1 smoothly at least.

[abtm]

I have been to all of the CompUSA stores in my area (both today and on Sunday), and none of them have the card and have no idea when they will be getting more in. Furthermore, since the rebate is only valid on "quantities on-hand" with no rainchecks, it looks like I wont be able to get this card at this price. Finally, since the techs in each store tried to steer me to higher end cards saying that I would not be happy with this one, I am wondering if they may have been trying to get people in the door and pull a bait and switch or something.

[VitaminDivx]

:(
Bummer! My policy with specials is to buy first and figure things out later as it can always be returned if you decide you don't want it.

Check their web site, http://www.compusa.com/AdProducts/ad_products_info.asp?category_id=454
maybe it will show where some are available. I don't know if you can buy on-line and pick-up locally to save on postage like you can at Best-buy.

Good luck!

[abtm]

The web site had inacurate inventory information and therefore called the central CompUSA number. They confirmed no one has it and said it looks like they all got snatched up on Sunday, probably by people with holiday gift certificates.

[abtm]

Final update:

As of this morning the CompUSA website is sold out on this card. For the hell of it, I did a search on the net to see if anyone had the card, no one seems to have it. Looks like I/O Magic is having a supply problem.

[VitaminDivx]

On the iomagic forum http://207.232.102.64/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=forum&f=8 in the 'is it stereo' post somebody today wants to unload his card. Maybe he'll sell it to you instead of returning it.

[Eagle117]

I have that card, bought it at CompUSA also. It is a good card, just a Pinnacle card without stereo.

I like it, but I"m still trying to find the software I want to use to end up with the final movie in DivX. VirtualDub direct didn't look as good as my WinTV used to do, but now I'm using PowerVCR direct to MPEG2 and then Flasking. We'll see...

[Necro]

Well, for a TV tuner, the card isnt bad (I have the Pinnacle Pro version of the card w/a FM tuner and stereo sound). For capturing, driver issues REALLY hamper the card in XP. Hopefully pinnacle will resolve them, but people have been waiting months (and I/O magic is the same since they base their stuff off of what Pinnacle releases it seems).

I would say pick it up and screw with it. If you don't like it return it. For 20$, your really not losing much

(thats how I feel about my 30$ one)

[Eagle117]

I've been using it in XP without any problems. The stock drivers and PowerVCR is working great and then I flask it into DivX.

Someone said there was a registry entry you could change in PowerVCR to make it have files bigger than 600MB. Anyone know where that is?

[Necro]

Hrm...I was basing this off of Pinnacles card since its practically the same thing..I must trythe I/O magic drivers and see if they work.