What kind of hardware do I need to do this (video edit/capture)....

[Neil]

Hello,

I currently have a G400max in a p3-733, win98, 192mb of ram, Ricoh 7060A CDR/RW using Nero.

I want to be able to do the following:
1) Convert my camcorder video (8mm) to a VCD to play on my DVD Player.

2) Record a DVD movie to my VCR

3) Record a VCR movie to a VCR movie

So, what kind of hardware and software would I need?

So far I know I would need a Rainbow Runner for any of the video input stuff. I think this comes with the software I would need to capture a camcorder video into a mpeg-v? format that can be written to a VCD using Nero.

For playing a DVD movie, the G400max video out can go to the VCR, but I would need some sort of macrovision disabler.
For VCR in to VCR out, I would use the Rainbow Runner for video in, the G400max for VCR out, and I would also need some sort of macrovision disabler.

If anyone can give any advice or point me to a web site with more info on this, it would be great.

Thanks,

Neil

[DosFreak]

For VCR IN/OUT Why don't you just get a second VCR?

[DosFreak]

oooppss. I meant VCR to VCR.

[Neil]

Because vcr to vcr does not work due to macrovision. Our library has many videos that you can actually let a child watch. I tried to order some of them, but they are out of manufacture.
The other problem is the disney videos. The newer ones are made on crappy tapes, after about 15-25 viewings the picture degrades noticably. On the tapes I bought over 5 years ago, they are still strong after 100 viewings. I am not going to buy 5 copies of the same tape just to increase disney's stock and promote their cost cutting fiascos. The licence lets me legally make a backup copy, of course there is not an easy way to do this.

And I still need a way to convert my 8mm camcorder over to VCD.

I have not bought a dvd player, or a rainbow runner yet. I want to make sure I can make VCD's first, and then find a dvd player that can play them (I think only the high end dvd players have this feature?)

[Stormlord]

Neil,
for disabling Macrovision on DVD there are several ways, but this wouldn't be your largest problem: audio could potentially be bigger problem. One way would be using a hardwaredecoder like the Sigma Hollywood+ or Creative DXr2/3 cards and a DVD ROM drive in your pc (preferably one you can make region-free through an RPC1 firmware). For these Macrovision disabeling is plenty available in software patches or region hack tools(I wonder why nobody had come up with this for the G400 Dualhead series cards). The audio is something else: while there IS an analog out for audio on some of these cards - the problem is the level of the output is often FAR too weak to be recordable. If you have to up the volume too far the hiss of the interference on the audio line would be far too pronounced and the audioquality too low and unpronounced. One way to bypass Macrovision is buying a hardware box that filters the Macrovision signal and boosts the signal-strength.
Another way of copying DVD would be using DeCSS or something similar and copy the VOB files to harddisc and use a tool called "deMacro" that removes the Macrovision bits from the stream. Straight conversion is possible through the use of several tools, but not bugfree. Note that Macrovision, DeCSS are protection systems that are put there to prevent piracy and thus violation of copyright. I do not condone videopiracy - but I think it is your right to make copies for your own purposes.