can't capture at 704x576

[Rudma]

I am trying to capture at 704x576 with my G450-ETV. when playing a captured movie (length app. 1 min.) the first 20-30 seconds look fine but then the playback isn't smooth anymore. Looks like the movie misses fragments.
During capturing no frames are dropped and trying to capture at 352x288 is ok.
Is it possible that my machine can't save the data to disk?
Machine = 1.3 GHz, 512 MB.
Benchmark gives for the drive a average of 20 /sec.

[traveller]

Probably you don't realize there is no way to help if you have not posted any valuable information about your system,software,capturing method etc.
no info=no help

[Rudma]

Sorry, will try to give all the information I can:

- AMD 1.3 Ghz on DFI AK-76-SN motherboard.
- 512 MB DDRAM
- Matrox G450-ETV
Windows XP Proff.
Capturing sofware, default provided with the Matrox card.
Capturing with PC-VCR, SLP, MPEG-2, 704x576, Video and Audio.

Regards

Ruud

[Brian Ellis]

And what about your drives? These are the most critical part of the system.

[Rudma]

I am using the latest downloadable driver. Got it from the 'old news page' some time ago. I am not sure what version.
Trying to fix this problem I intended to use the latest version....

Rudi

[traveller]

http://adis.szm.com/

[Fred H]

You never told about your hard disks
I guess Brian says: drives=hard disk drives.
They are important.
If you try to playback mpeg2 try a software player like WinDVD or PowerDVD etc, not the M$ Media player.

I’ve forgot to say that you can’t capture mpeg2 with PC-VCR

Fred H

[Debbie]

Video capturing puts a very demanding task on the computer and unless every thing is "spot on", hard drives, RAM, cipset, OS with proper drivers, then you will for sure experince problems. Some times also a PSU can be the cause of problems.

Debbie

[Rudma]

Fred H,

Can't I capture MPEG2 with PC-VCR? Didn't know that. What software should I use? I have got Media Studio 6.5 (evaluation).

Rudi

More specs from my system:

DFI AK-76-SN, AMD K7-1.3GHz Thunderbird Socket-A CPU (266FSB)
Matrox Marvel G450 eTV
60,5 GB UDMA/100 7200 rpm Hardddisk (Maxtor)
512 MB DDR-RAM
Soundblaster Digital Live! 5.1

[Fred H]

Can't I capture MPEG2 with PC-VCR? Didn't know that.

No, you can't. Not directly.
You can capture with MSP6.5 Video Capture, using the MPEG PlugIn.
Here you can see the difference of the harddisk load with/without compression.
You have only one 60 GB HD. It doesnt even help if you partitioned it in 2 different partitions. For video capturing is at least one extra phisical HD is needed. Beter in RAID.
Your actual HD has a hell to work with the system and video in the same time. Maybe you have some other programs running in the background too.


The compression/codec is another complication.
There are a lot of factors, as Debbie says, you must coordinate to get a smooth capture and playback.

Fred H

[Brian Ellis]

Marvel captures analogue, right? Well, this requires big resources and fast responses. Almost surely, you will need a second hard drive, dedicated to video, on your second IDE master port, especially as your CPU is not the fastest.

Then some guys here are allergic to the Marvel/Live! combination, although I never had problems with it, myself.

However, the warning lights also come on for me with the VIA 686B southbridge on your m/b.

[Fred H]

Right, Brian.
Unfortunately I have a mobo myself, with a combined AMD761 north bridge with the VIA686B south bridge, just that part handles the disks. And, sometimes I really experience problems and low speed, instability with my hard disks, caused by the VIA SB.
Now I know it. When I built my computer I didn’t do that, or maybe I didn’t believe 100% what others say.
The MURC Forums are a really Pro-source of knowledge…

Fred H

[Rudma]

Fred

The next step I will take is to use a second drive for capturing. Can imagine this would help. BTW, I have disabled all background tasks, even disabled my network.

I will update this post later.


Rudi

[Fred H]

Definitly.
But read even Brians and Debbies advises. They have more knowledges than I own

[Connex]

Fred H, traveller:
Rudma has Matrox Marvel G450 eTV, not Marvel G400

So, with PCVCR he can capture directly to MPEG2.

Rudma, do not use VT 3.02/3.03 from http://adis.szm.com/, as they were intended for Marvel G400.
With Marvel G450 eTV you can capture to MPEG2
or YUY2 (uncompressed, or compressed with PICVIDEO MJPEG, DivX, Xvid, etc).
Better to have a capture only HDD.
Better to have all drivers and patches installed (especially for the motherboard)