mpeg hardware encoding

[itstime98]

What are the alternatives for hardware mpeg encoding for my following requirements? i want to be able to:

1. Encode AVI files already on the HDD. I know the Canopus DVStorm2 can do this from the Premiere timeline but it is a very expensive alternative. Why cant a normal PCI analogue mpeg capture card do this? is it a hardware or software limitation?

2. Encode streamed files from a PCTV unit. can the DVStorm do this also?

I would like as cheap as possible solution. THNX..

[auenf]

the Storm MPEG Encoder is basically the Canopus AMBER chips as a daughter card.

with the latest drivers for the Canoups AMBER, it has a DV2MPEG encoding application, Y/C and stereo audio inputs, a premiere plugin, and a SDK.

Enf...