Pinnacle PCTV 5.1 - comments please

[booji]

Just got an email from Pinnacle telling me obout their new software for the PCTV. Has anyone got the new card with this software.
It looks like you only get a slimmed-down version of the new software if you download the update program from their FTP server. The VCR parts cost extra. Does anyone know if the full version comes with a new PCTV card. The extra 29 euros for the new software seems a bit excessive.
Has anyone tried this software since I am curious on how good (or bad) it is. I would like to use my PCTV card for capturing stuff. I want a system can act as a VCR that I can program quick before heading on down the pub. Sure virutualdub is great for serious archiving but I want something for simple to set-up yet flexable.

I suspect since the new drivers are WDM and not VFM, then many programs like Dscaler and vitualdub will not work.

If anyone out there knows more information please let me know


Booji

[dilbert]

If you check the link under,
you wil see others comments.

http://webboard.pinnaclesys.com/read_forums.asp?WebboardID=1&ForumID=382&SectionID=80&lng=1

dilbert

[rinkel]

Well no.
I bought it a few weeks ago (PCTV PRO), because i would have mpeg2 capturing. But when i installed it i saw that it was not there. Appearently version 4 was included. So i downloaded the new version5 and i could not select the mpeg2 option, because it was greyed out. I got in contact with their support and they told me that i had to BUY the new version.

[pccfm]

I just got this toy yesterday. It came with new driver/software version 5.1.
It works like charm.

I was worry about synch problems that everyone complained in http://webboard.pinnaclesys.com/read_threads.asp?WebboardID=1&ForumID=378&lng=1&SectionID=80

Some others replied that it works fine with version 5.1 AND it does!
I also like this toy cause "software compression with presets for
VideoCD, SuperVCD, DVD format"

I tried record 2 hours movie with "SVCD preset" and it came out pretty good qulity(not as good as DVD to SVCD) and NO synch problems at all.

If anyone look for cheap capture borad, try this one.
It costed me $60.00 in CompUSA..

[rinkel]

It's not fair.. you have it and i don't
i payed a lot more for the PRO version and i still can't use mpeg compression...
I have to buy that is what pinnacle said.. stupid company !!

[DJ Bobo]

@ rinkel
MPEG capturing is crap anyway.
The best way remains capturing in VD using a good codec like Huffyuv or PicVideo MJPEG, then compress to DivX, MPEG1 or MPEG2, the best MPEG1 encoding program being TMPG and the best MPEG2 encoding program being CCE.
So you aren't missing anything.
I have a Pinnacle PCTV card, and I still have the 4.02 driver and I can't complain!
Version 5.x is crap IMHO (mainly because of it being a WDM driver)

[pccfm]

I agreed.
But PCTV with 5.1 software is acceptable qulity for me(at least),
and I am not expecting too much for cheap capture card..and I don't want to spend too much time for converting video movies or TV shows.

When I was capturing from my Video tape, it was pretty cool qulity than I was expected. And it plays well in my DVD player.
I am using this capture board for transfering my old video movies.

[rinkel]

Hi, i also agree, i also own a DC10+ and after encoding with tmpgenc it's perfect quality, but for TV programs i would like to record real time so i can burn it to VCD/DVD without waiting too long for it to be finished.
I purchased the program PowerVCR but that's really crap

So i can't understand why it's not free for download at pinnacle, i bought the damn thing and now the upgrade is part of the standard package...

Rinke

[leevi]

Does any of you know how to "crack" the downloadable version of 5.xx drivers to fully work, meaning DVD capture? I heard that it should be quite simple, just some regedit?