Virtual VCR

[digtv]

Here is some info on how to use the Task Schedular to set up timed captures
in Virtual VCR

http://www.digtv.ws/html/virtualvcr/timed.php

You can also now use the -channel "10" command line option to start the VCR on a particular channel.

Shaun

[Mole]

I'm also getting video/audio desync after a few minutes.

No dropped frames at all. Also using DivX5.

Capturing at resolution 384x288@25 from PAL TV.

Might be something about DivX5. Gonna try other codecs to see what the problem is.

Since alkasecond tried with Mjpeg and they're fine, I'm suspecting that the audio/video desync might be a problem (bug?) with the DivX5 codec.

So far, I like your program very much! It's very easy to use and does it's job.

Would there be any chance you could add a feature so we could choose audio compression as well?

[Mole]

OK, after a few trials, the audio/video desync apparently happens only when you skip the movie.

If you play the movie continuously, everything will be sync.

[digtv]

It sounds like a play back problem then, I do not have much experience with DivX 5 thus can not comment on this behaviour, I normally capture using PIC Video MJPEG codec.

[ivan_alias]

I like this little program. It's cool and works well :)

[LordDethstar]

I've tried this program, too, and together with the tweaked Brooktree 8x8 drivers I've found I can finally ditch Windows 98 (thank god). However, support for segmented AVI files would still be nice... :D

[ivan_alias]

I can finally capture 768x576 on my 700 mhz Athlon :)

Its cool.

Don't care for segmented avis though :p NTFS all the way baby. Gave up dual boot when I got Win 2K and moved my linux setup to its own machine.

[StephLG]

Hi all,

a short survey: are there people here successfully using Virtual VCR with a GeForce 3 video card as a capture card (mine is an ASUS V8200 Geforce 3 Ti200)? I've already mailed 'digtv' about my problem and I thank him for his quick answer but I thought I may gather information from here.
I'm using nVidia's latest Detonator (28.32) and WDM (1.08) drivers under Win2K SP2 (NTFS). I try to capture in NTSC 720x480 using HuffYuv 2.11 (but I also tried other codecs, in vain). The sound is captured but there's no video at all. Even the preview doesn't work. It's like if there was no video flow. The preview turns from black to green when trying to capture and that's it.
The DirectShow filters are correctly installed (done it manually). AVI_IO, using this very same card and drivers, works like a charm (except the fact that it splits avi in 2Gb segments and I HATE that!).

Are there other people facing the same problem? Does someone have a clue?

Thanks,
Steph.

[Skiro]

Very fine little program...
I like to use it..
I have a request...
Is it possible to add an option not only "record" and "stop", but
also "pause".
This I ask because of commercial and with this option you can spare
HD space alot.

[alkasecond]

I just did extensive batch of tests using the latests sourceforge
drivers and still I get audio/video synch problems.
From higher to lesser.
Divix5 640x480:
2000kb/s'YUY2;
2000KB/s YUY2 + AV Sync
2000KB/s YV12
2000KB/s YV12+ AV sync
But still not perfect.

[ph2t]

Gotta say that this is a great app, but I also get av sync issues. The capture (as time goes on) slowly gets out of sync. I've set the audio stream to Master and this is the best I can get. Without audio set to master it goes out of sync a lot earlier.

I have no problems in FlyDS.

I'm using a Flyvideo98'FM card along with the 5.2.9 Btwincap drivers.

Regards,

Ph2t.

[alkasecond]

It is still a great app and worth to keep talking about.
First time I see somebody going boldly into legacy , dos ,fat and
other limitations free application.
The way I see it modern oses like xp ,2k, are not the favorites among
programmers writing AV processing apps.
I just hope that will change (cause it's unlikely that we'll go back to 9x
scheme just for capture sake)

[Koepi]

Alkasecond,

[rants deleted]

Sorry, I didn't cope well with this "it suites my needs and I am the standard at which all things should be orientated"-attitude.

Wasn't meant insulting.

[digtv]

Hi ph2t

Try the new version (1.1.6) and use the AV sync option under the video Capture menu, this is supposed to fix AV sync issues.

Let me know if it works for you. I don't get to come here and read these forums very often so the best way to get back to me is email at info@digtv.ws

Shaun

[alkasecond]

Originally posted by Koepi
Alkasecond,

[rants deleted]

Sorry, I didn't cope well with this "it suites my needs and I am the standard at which all things should be orientated"-attitude.

Wasn't meant insulting.


I dont get this as an insult at all , after all ,all we talk about is
a little (nice) capture app.
"gotta love that 'all'"

[bryanh]

Originally posted by StephLG
Hi all,

a short survey: are there people here successfully using Virtual VCR with a GeForce 3 video card


Well I cannot comment on a GF3, but I have a GF2 Xtast Everything and cannot get VirtualVCR to work with it. (Running on W2k) Same problem as you (black screen which turns green during capture).

:(

What a shame. I REALLY need a capture program that does not break apart the file at certain sizes. The card came with WINDvr which has a 4 gig file limit.

Bryan

[mkanar]

bryanh:

http://www-user.rhrk.uni-kl.de/~dittrich/sync/

VirtualDub has the option to split the capture files, but this feature is turned off by default. It is free, and the modified version that can be found at the website that I listed even compensates for the inacuracies of the sound card. Now somebody just needs to update virtualdub to do timed recordings...

[bb]

A VDub version including a capture timer has existed for a long time:

http://www.virtualdub.net

(German site, but english VDub version)

Unfortunately it does not have the advanced synching; maybe someone will merge the two versions one day...

bb

[bryanh]

Originally posted by mkanar
bryanh:

http://www-user.rhrk.uni-kl.de/~dittrich/sync/

VirtualDub has the option to split the capture files, but this feature is turned off by default. It is free, and the modified version that can be found at the website that I listed even compensates for the inacuracies of the sound card. Now somebody just needs to update virtualdub to do timed recordings...


Ummm - perhaps you miss-understood. I do NOT want to split the files. This is why I was interested in VirtualVCR. I only run W2K and ALL my partitions are NTFS (with the exception of my Ghost partition-but that's a whole different story). Anyway the spliting of the file is the reason I dislike the software that came with my card (WinDVR), but I want timed recording. So it looks like I will stick with WinDVR until I find something else.

Bryan

[mkanar]

bryanh: No, I understood you. My point is, use the time-recording capable version of VirtualDub (thanks bb!) and leave the file-split feature turned OFF. Isn't that what you want?

AVI_IO is also good and popular, but it is not free.

[kitanai]

When saving profiles or the defaults in Virtual VCR, the "Video Capture Pin" settings is never saved. It alsways falls back to 29.970-UYVY-320x240.

This leaves Virtual VCR useless for timed capturing.

I already checked if files are read-only.
Can anyone help on this issue???

Also started DigTV-Forum Thread... (http://virtualvcr.sourceforge.net/forum/index.php?act=ST&f=4&t=863&)

And another question about capturing format:
The max. size is 720x576 for me. Is that the limit of my Pinnacle PCTV or the limit of VirtualVCR?

[Arachnotron]

And another question about capturing format:
The max. size is 720x576 for me. Is that the limit of my Pinnacle PCTV or the limit of VirtualVCR?

that is a driver limit. I can go higher with my card in vvcr.

[kitanai]

That's good to know, thanks.

How about the profile saving problem - any ideas on that?

[Arachnotron]

I change those settings on the video tab using the 'use custom settings' tab. If I save them there they stick.

A wild guess is that if you go through the 'device' tab, devices, video capture pin instead, vvcr is merely providing a shortcut to the directshow driver interface, so you are in effect leaving virtualVCR.

If so, you would have to change the system default settings for the driver and in that case, these settings would become the default for any directshow app that did not have any defaults of it's own.

Settings like that would be set on driver install and would be buried somewhere in the registry depending on your specific hardware. Micsosoft's MSDN would be a good place to start looking.

That is just a guess though.

[kitanai]

Originally posted by Arachnotron
I change those settings on the video tab using the 'use custom settings' tab. If I save them there they stick.That's it!!! Many thanks. I can even capture at 768x576, now :D

[kitanai]

If my custom settings differ from the abilities of my TV to card, what will the result be?
I am offered 720x576 as the highest recording value in "video capture pin". Now, I set a value of 768x576 at "Use Custom Settings".

It records fine. But what happens here, since the driver does not seem to offer that resolution? Interpolation, resizing... :confused:

Any ideas on this?

Posted at vvcr-forum, but no one ever answers there, it's quite useless :(
http://virtualvcr.sourceforge.net/forum/index.php?act=ST&f=4&t=867&

[Arachnotron]

If my custom settings differ from the abilities of my TV to card, what will the result be?
I am offered 720x576 as the highest recording value in "video capture pin". Now, I set a value of 768x576 at "Use Custom Settings".

It records fine. But what happens here, since the driver does not seem to offer that resolution? Interpolation, resizing.. Interpolation and resizing are basically the same thing. Every card basically grabs at a fixed high resolution and resizes that to the requested resolution by interpolation. See the analogue capture guide for more on this stuff (especially chapters 5 and 10).

It is not that the driver does not offers this resolution, but for some reason the interface does not. I have no idea why that should be.

[smallfryg0d]

Whenever I try to record something say off the GameCube it doesn't record audio. The audio doesn't even show up in the preview. I think it's because of the devise that is being used by the program but that's the only one there. I would really like to know how to fix this. Thank you.