FredThompson
8th May 2003, 07:49
This isn't an ad, read the whole thing before you flame.
TigerDirect just recently dropped the price on the reconditioned ADS Instant DVD to $90.
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-Details.asp?sku=A03-7000%20P
I've got one of these. If you look at the links page I keep (in the sig) you'll find two hacks, one to add a fan, another to open up the bandwidth.
This does NOT include audio sampling. I use an iMic (~$30 from http://griffintechnology.com) on a USB extension cable to keep the audio sampling free of computer noise.
I'm also using USB2, don't count on this working well with USB1.1 Check the deal sites if you need a card, IOGear's were free after rebate a few weeks ago and the usual suspects will have them also.
The quality of the grabs this device provides compared to my ATI All-in-Wonder is incredible. It's also a lot more convenient than running through a camcorder (unless you don't really use the thing) and a LOT less expensive. I DO have all 7200RPM ATA100 or better drives, Win2K, and 3 256M DDR strips. You might not, but this allows a very high sample rate.
Converting any analog signal to digital requires at least 4x the frequency to properly sample it. Go here if you don't understand why: http://www.digitalprosound.com/Htm/SoapBox/soap2_Apogee.htm
Better to grab at a high rate/resolution then downsample. Full 720x480 and a pretty good datarate...
OK, then, you can use the bundled editing/burning aps if you want or, may I suggest, VirtualDubMod/AviSynth with Donald Graft's and Konstantin Khlopenkov's cleanup filters. (links are on my page.) After that, compress to MPEG-2 at a high constant bitrate and proceed like I explain below if you want the quick route to cleaned up DVD.
If your analog video deck(s) don't have stabilization, you might also want to consider something like DynaPel's steadyhand. It can do wonders to remove some of the slight jiggle inherent in analog video. I don't just mean camcorder stuff. Compare the output of a "standard" VHS deck and a higher-end S-VHS deck with filters and locking. The difference is quite noticeable. It also makes a big difference if you plan to encode the video again.
OK, suppose all you want to do is move your old VHS source to DVDR. You've got the ADS Instant DVD, you're using the hacks to grab at a high bitrate, then what? DVD Shrink (again, follow the links) uses a method of reducing MPEG-2 bandwidth without re-compressing. OK, take your captured file and run it through DVD Shrink with a target size of around 1G/hour. Problem solved, quickly.
The device supports composite and S-Video inputs and outputs for BOTH NTSC AND PAL. It has no sound capability so be aware of that. If you must use an internal sound device and it's not properly shielded, there are ways to clean it up. (another thread and my upcoming how-to site.)
TigerDirect just recently dropped the price on the reconditioned ADS Instant DVD to $90.
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-Details.asp?sku=A03-7000%20P
I've got one of these. If you look at the links page I keep (in the sig) you'll find two hacks, one to add a fan, another to open up the bandwidth.
This does NOT include audio sampling. I use an iMic (~$30 from http://griffintechnology.com) on a USB extension cable to keep the audio sampling free of computer noise.
I'm also using USB2, don't count on this working well with USB1.1 Check the deal sites if you need a card, IOGear's were free after rebate a few weeks ago and the usual suspects will have them also.
The quality of the grabs this device provides compared to my ATI All-in-Wonder is incredible. It's also a lot more convenient than running through a camcorder (unless you don't really use the thing) and a LOT less expensive. I DO have all 7200RPM ATA100 or better drives, Win2K, and 3 256M DDR strips. You might not, but this allows a very high sample rate.
Converting any analog signal to digital requires at least 4x the frequency to properly sample it. Go here if you don't understand why: http://www.digitalprosound.com/Htm/SoapBox/soap2_Apogee.htm
Better to grab at a high rate/resolution then downsample. Full 720x480 and a pretty good datarate...
OK, then, you can use the bundled editing/burning aps if you want or, may I suggest, VirtualDubMod/AviSynth with Donald Graft's and Konstantin Khlopenkov's cleanup filters. (links are on my page.) After that, compress to MPEG-2 at a high constant bitrate and proceed like I explain below if you want the quick route to cleaned up DVD.
If your analog video deck(s) don't have stabilization, you might also want to consider something like DynaPel's steadyhand. It can do wonders to remove some of the slight jiggle inherent in analog video. I don't just mean camcorder stuff. Compare the output of a "standard" VHS deck and a higher-end S-VHS deck with filters and locking. The difference is quite noticeable. It also makes a big difference if you plan to encode the video again.
OK, suppose all you want to do is move your old VHS source to DVDR. You've got the ADS Instant DVD, you're using the hacks to grab at a high bitrate, then what? DVD Shrink (again, follow the links) uses a method of reducing MPEG-2 bandwidth without re-compressing. OK, take your captured file and run it through DVD Shrink with a target size of around 1G/hour. Problem solved, quickly.
The device supports composite and S-Video inputs and outputs for BOTH NTSC AND PAL. It has no sound capability so be aware of that. If you must use an internal sound device and it's not properly shielded, there are ways to clean it up. (another thread and my upcoming how-to site.)