Please recomend video capture card

[Commander XJL]

Can someone recomend a good card or system to capture analog from VHS or VHS-C or Hi-8? Please don't recomend something that costs a thousand dollars! I want to use this for DVD authoring

[SiC]

Canopus DVStorm

Pinnacle DV500 Plus or DV500 DVD

[Commander XJL]

Do the Pinnacles capture MPEG1 and MPEG2?

[SiC]

Nope, neither of them do. They both capture into DV (720x480).

[Sequoyan]

DVStorm with StormEncoder captures direct to MPEG2

- The Sequoyan

[Commander XJL]

yes but you can capture from a vhs source to mpeg2 320x240 can't you?

[TRILIGHT]

The Pinnacle DVD1000 captures directly to DVD compliant MPEG2.

[Sequoyan]

Frame sizes with DVStorm/StormEncoder:
720x480
352x240
352x480

Only 720x480 is DVD compliant

Canopus also makes the MVR1000 which does the same thing as the dvstorm/storm encoder but does not give any real time in premiere like DVStorm does.

- The Sequoyan

[Commander XJL]

If I used a Firewire card for digital capture, then how good is the Dazzle if I wanted to capture from various analog tapes like VHS, Hi-8, 8, VHS-C? The Dazzle Digital Video Creator II captures MPEG2 from analog, but would it capture digital from my minidv camera? I guess what I'm saying is if I wanted to capture from any source to MPEG2 and be able to take that into a DVD authoring app with no hassles what would be the best solution? Does the Pinnacle DV500 Plus capture directly to compliant DVD MPEG2?

[niggenz]

Your best bet is to get a DV Camcorder that has analog-to-digital passthru. Then capture to DV using firewire and encode to MPEG2. This yield the best results. Consumer level MPEG2 capture boards will not yield equal quality MPEG2 video if you go this route. A good choice for a camera would be the Panasonic PV-DV851. There are other cameras with this feature that cost less. But this is a very decent camera (last years model) with this feature at a fairly low price. You would spend a bit more then just getting a outboard or PC capture card, but in the long run, it is a better investment. You get a camcorder that you will end up using all the time along with a fantastic TV in board.

The camera should run you about $670 and the firwire card with 4 pin cable about $30. You can get this package with another camera and bring the deal in for under $500.

I am actually going to get this setup shipped to me within the week. The first thing I will do is transfer my Blade Runner Criterion LD to DVD so that I can watch the DVD without fear of damaging my precious LD of this movie. I can't wait any longer for the SE DVD of Blade Runner :)! Damn Director's Cut is killing me.

[Commander XJL]

no, I'm capturing video from all types of sources so I need to know what would be the best way to go if I'm gonna capture from all formats so I need a card, just would like to know what would be best if I want to capture from any source and go directly to DVD

[Sequoyan]

canopus dvstorm w/storm encoder

or

canopus mvr1000

good luck

[auenf]

Originally posted by Sequoyan
Frame sizes with DVStorm/StormEncoder:
720x480
352x240
352x480

Only 720x480 is DVD compliant

Canopus also makes the MVR1000 which does the same thing as the dvstorm/storm encoder but does not give any real time in premiere like DVStorm does.

- The Sequoyan

valid DVD res' (horizxPAL/NTSC)

MPEG-1: 352x288/240

MPEG-2: 352x288/240, 352x576/480, 720x288/240, 720x576/480

Enf...

[auenf]

ohh, for a non-dv capture card (ie only analogue inputs) look at the Canopus Amber (or Amber For DVD and get DVDVirtuoso 2.5)

Enf...

[Commander XJL]

There's no way I can afford that card, would the Pinnacle DV500 Plus or DV500 DVD do it for me? Keep in mind, I only need to get the video into the computer for DVD authoring, I don't need to be able to export the video back out of the computer. If a card does not capture directly to MPEG2, what is involved in getting the file to MPEG2 for DVD authoring?

[Sequoyan]

again, I recommend that you look at the Canopus MVR1000

I think it's around $600

It captures directly to DVD compliant MPEG2

also, I've read that it uses the same panasonic mpeg chip as canopus amber and stormencoder

- The Sequoyan

[Sequoyan]

Originally posted by auenf


valid DVD res' (horizxPAL/NTSC)

MPEG-1: 352x288/240

MPEG-2: 352x288/240, 352x576/480, 720x288/240, 720x576/480

Enf...

This comes as news to me. I've never seen the DVD Spec but I have read here and there that 720x480 is the only compliant resolution for ntsc dvd.

I will have to try creating some mpegs in different sizes and run them through my compliance tester.

Thanks for the info

- The Sequoyan

[Commander XJL]

Let me ask this a different way cause I want to be sure before spending a bunch of money. If I wanted to capture ONLY from an analog source like VHS for DVD authoring, what would be a good way to go? Also, if I capture from MiniDV through a firewire card into Premiere, when I save that video out of Premiere will it be ready to bring into a DVD authoring app or will I need to do something more to it? This capturing thing is new to me. I'm just having a hard time believing I need a 1500 dollar card to capture from VHS for DVD authoring, and I'm having a hard time believing I can't capture MiniDV from a firewire card for DVD authoring. I need someone to straighten me out on this. If I really need a 1500 dollar card I'll do it, I would just like to know if its really needed, I gave up being a male prostitute a while ago and don't have much money now

[Coolhand]

The Dazzle Hollywood DV Bridge connected via firewire to your PC will capture from any sorce and convert to DV wich you can then encode for DVD authoring. I use this for capturing from VHS and other camcorder formats as well as direct capture from digital satellite tv with good results although the Hollywood does have a habit of 'dropping off' the system for no apparent reason sometimes. Price in the UK is around £180

[Commander XJL]

If the Pinnacle DV500 Plus or DV500 DVD capture to into DV (720x480), then what is left to do to prepare this file for an app like Spruceup?

[Sequoyan]

again,

check out the Canopus MVR1000. I think it meets your needs.

- The Sequoyan

[Arky]

Originally posted by Commander XJL
If the Pinnacle DV500 Plus or DV500 DVD capture to into DV (720x480), then what is left to do to prepare this file for an app like Spruceup?


Easy - simply treat it like any other AVI file - just whack it into Cinemacraft or TMPGEnc and encode it to DVD-Compliant MPEG2, then import into your DVD-authoring application (obviously you will also need to encode your audio, and create a separate stream which you will import alongside the corresponding video, in your DVD-authoring app).

At a stretch, Ligos will also do the trick, but it's not quite as high quality and will also treat DV AVIs incorrectly (according to Tecoltd.com), leaving (in my opinion) slightly 'bleached' colors in the final encode. Nevertheless, it is more than reasonable.

Also check out this thread:

http://forum.doom9.org/showthread.php?threadid=15033


Arky ;o)