Capturing Devices?

[Chris Benoit]

Hi i just want to get one thing straight.Capturing can only be done by tv tuners,and video cards with video-in support?Which is the better solution?

I'm thinking of buying an external tuner for my laptop,will i have good results?

[jggimi]

...Capturing can only be done by tv tuners...

Not so. An analog video signal can be sent several ways. Ranked from best to worst, these are: Component Video
S-video
Composite Video
RFA tuner is only needed to manage an RF (Broadcast) signal. Many, but not all, of the inexpensive analog capture PCI cards have tuners. Mine does, but I never used it, preferring S-Video.

Sometimes tuners that are internal to a PC can have trouble with RF interference. Those who've had that trouble either change the card's PCI slot, or use an external tuner (such as a spare VCR).

In your case, you are looking at an external device. Depending upon how that device sends its signal to your PC, you may or may not be satisfied with the result. Typically, those who use external DV capture devices connected via IEEE-1394 (FireWire) connections are happier than those with proprietary USB connected devices.

If you let the community know which device you are considering acquiring, you may get feedback from someone who's used it. If its a DV device, I may move this thread to the DV forum, where you'll find a DV-specific audience. See http://forum.doom9.org/announcement.php?f=10 for more info.

[Chris Benoit]

Since i am from Greece this are some of the external tuners that i've considered

Aver Media:
http://www.plaisio.gr/IWCatProductPage.process?Section_Id=29&Nav_Section_Id=911&Catalog_Id=1&Product_Id=160492&Merchant_Id=1&sts_cid=3

Pinnacle:
http://www.plaisio.gr/IWCatProductPage.process?Section_Id=29&Nav_Section_Id=911&Catalog_Id=1&Product_Id=199378&Merchant_Id=1&sts_cid=3

http://www.plaisio.gr/IWCatProductPage.process?Section_Id=29&Nav_Section_Id=911&Catalog_Id=1&Product_Id=118927&Merchant_Id=1&sts_cid=3

http://www.plaisio.gr/IWCatProductPage.process?Section_Id=29&Nav_Section_Id=911&Catalog_Id=1&Product_Id=264037&Merchant_Id=1&sts_cid=3

Do you habe any suggestions,other than what i've seen?

It seems that these cards have either composite and s-video support,none has component.

I want the card for all sorts of reasons.Recording from,tv,from vcr,and even from an old sony analogue camera that i have,so what do you suggest?

P.S.As for the quality will it be better than a deck dvd-recorable?

[jggimi]

Aver Media...

The word "Tuner" is used for the name of this device on this Greek web page, but it is a USB device that supports S-Video and Composite, as well as "Coaxial" which is for the RF tuner. Typically, these are used for Antennas or Cable TV and are 75-Ohm.

A search of this forum for the device showed this comment in http://forum.doom9.org/showthread.php?t=93649:...the problem was that the final product, the dvd, would be fairly average quality with the screen flashing tinges of red and green up now and then.....Pinnacle...

For the Pinnacle PCTV USB, see these experiences and opinions:

http://forum.doom9.org/showthread.php?t=81673
http://forum.doom9.org/showthread.php?t=73290
http://forum.doom9.org/showthread.php?t=63352
http://forum.doom9.org/showthread.php?t=45436
http://forum.doom9.org/showthread.php?t=29608

Since all three are Pinnacle USB devices, I didn't bother searching using any other keywords. You're welcome to do so on your own.

...It seems that these cards have either composite and s-video support,none has component...

Analog component capture products are available on some high-end PCI cards, but PCI cards are not generally usable with laptops. There may be external products, though I haven't searched for any. Most people who are capturing high definition television signals are doing it digitally, by capturing transport streams via IEEE-1394. That may be one reason why there are fewer devices on the market for analog component capture.

I want the card for all sorts of reasons.Recording from,tv,from vcr,and even from an old sony analogue camera that i have,so what do you suggest?

Research the products you are looking at acquiring very carefully. Quality is subjective. What one person describes as "good" you might look at and think "awful."


...for the quality will it be better than a deck dvd-recorable?...

That question cannot be answered without knowing which capture device and/or which recordable. They may use the same technologies, they may not. But without doing a side-by-side comparison, yourself, there's no way to know. Quality is subjective.

But, with an external device or a DVD recorder, one thing is certain. You will not be able to control the images you capture at the level you could with an analog capture performed on a PC with an internal capture device (PCI-card or AGP-card)

There may or may not be tools to control the images, and solutions from the various vendors are proprietary. Research any product you are interested in very carefully.

[Chris Benoit]

Well since HDTV is not being transmitted here in Greece maybe i don't need component,but do you have any other suggestions other than pinnacle?I heard hauppage are good but can't seem to find an external one.

thanx for your answers.