Framegrabber. Which of these two should I buy?

[DukeP]

Im looking into converting some of my old vhs tapes to dvd.

I have found two offers, that in my very untrained eyes looks about par.
1) Http://www.trust.com/products/default.htm?artnr=13897

2) http://www.hauppauge.com/html/wintvpvr350_datasheet.htm

I can see that both have advantages and disadvantages - namely one being external, the other internal.


1) cost less than half of what 2) costs.

So, allknowing MURCERS.
Even without thinking about the price, why should I go for one over the other?
Any +/- ?

Best Wishes,
~~DukeP~~

[VJ]

I'll move this to the desktop video forum, I think people there have more experience with video capture/editing.. (this forum concerns more still imaging: digital photography, ...)

I suspect they'll recommend a Canopus ADVC100 (or maybe one of their later models)... This is a firewire connected analog-digital (and digital-analog) converter, but I'm not sure if your use justifies its price. Canopus also has some cheaper models (ADVC50), which are internal (PCI).

However, no Canopus solution has a tuner and remote control...
Also, an important question is: do you want to go internal (PCI), or external (and if so: USB2 or firewire)...

Let's see what the experts over there think...
(both in general, as concerning the two models you posted)


Jörg

[Dr Mordrid]

I agree with VJ; get one of the Canopus devices. They're rock-solid and their DV codec is top-notch plus they have composite inputs for a VCR, old-style camcorder etc. You can capture TV by using the VCR's tuner OR by connecting a cable boxes composite output to the Canopus device. Other analog sources (Video8, Hi8 or VHS-C camcorders etc.) can also be used as sources.

From there you can encode using a good encoder like MainConcept.

Direct MPEG-2 caputre is NOT the best option in that when the clip is visually complex (beach scenes with waves, moving cars, rampaging kids, sports etc. etc.) things get ugly because these devices don't have adequate motion compensation. Using a standalone encoder you have control over such things.

Dr. Mordrid

[DukeP]

Auch. The cheapest Cannopus cost more than twice that of the Hauppage.

If ehm, money IS an object, and you would have to choose between those two I have linked to...
Which one?


Thanks.
~~DukeP~~

BTW: The Video forum specifically mentions the Matrox cards..

[jeff b]

Since the Hauppage does have what you need to capture into MPEG2, it does appear to be the solution for getting your old VHS tapes into digital format and onto the computer with the least sweat. However, there's a missing piece in this "solution", because the MPEG2 files that you create with it will need to be converted to DVD, which will require another piece of software.

Consequently, you need to define your end product. Do you just want to archive the computer MPEG files onto a DVD "data disk", or do you want to be able to have DVD's that work in a regular set top DVD player?

Burning DVD's that work in set top DVD players is going to cost you more for additional software that will do this. The Hauppage page you linked says that the MPEG files it creates are compatible with Ulead MovieFactory, which I use myself. But I know that MovieFactory will go through the whole conversion process to make the Hauppage files into a DVD that will play on a set top DVD player. It should work, but it's not a quick one step process. You'd find that the creation of a one hour DVD (set top player compatible) can typically end up taking hours and hours.

The Hauppage stuff isn't anything that I think you'll find anyone here will be raving about, because we're more finicky and fussy about fine detail and the quality of the video here in this forum. But I know that there are plenty of happy Hauppage customers out there somewhere.

The other thing you need to know is that making set top player compatible DVD's from VHS tapes will result in a fair level of quality only if you use the highest setting (least compression), which will give you a maximum of one hour of video per DVD. Home movies on VHS typically will look sorta kinda okay when converted to DVD, and only the fussy people like us would make a big deal about it. Commercial VHS tapes present another problem altogether, because they may be copy protected and you just basically won't be able to make DVD's out of them at all.

Jeff B

[Dr Mordrid]

IF the Canopus box is too expensive try a DataVideo DAC-100 DV Format Converter. $179 at VideoGuys. They make several other interesting products.

DataVideo: http://www.datavideo-tek.com/product...converters.htm

Videoguys (discount reseller): http://www.videoguys.com/datavid.htm

The Canopus codec is still the tops, but the DataVideo box also has a good reputation for reliability and it's sold by most reputable video editing gear dealers.

DVD MF 3 page: http://www.ulead.com/dmf/runme.htm

DVD MovieFactory is a very good basic DVD authoring program that can encode high quality MPEG's from the DV created by either box. In fact it can capture from these boxes directly, easing the process.

There are two versions: DVD MF 3 and DVD MF 3 Disc Creator. If you have a previous version of DVD MF or an LE version of it you can get a purchase discount.

Comparison: http://www.ulead.com/dmf/compare.htm

The difference comes down to the ability of Disc Creator to import MPEG with AC3 (Dolby Digital) audio, encode MPEG with AC3 audio, DVD-VR support and the ability to append video to an existing DVD+VR disc. The difference is about $30.

DVD-VR and DVD+VR are the DVD disc layouts used by set-top DVD recorders.

Dr. Mordrid

[DukeP]

Thanks a bunch, all of you.
Will have to go through the links and see whats it all about.


~~DukeP~~

[DukeP]

Darn Doc.
Now Im hooked on that DV-100.


And off course, its impossible to get here in EU. I have to check and see if Videoguy wants to trade with us (but that will net me +25% tax +delivery, plus what the customs guy charges to keep it for half a month..)

As for the burning onto DvD.. Thats really not a problem. I dont want to edit anything beyound the basic intro/extro. Nero burning tools makes fairly good DvD's.
If the quality of DvD encoding gets too bad, Ill just encode it in DivX. Much better standard anyhow, and my player doesnt mind. If I keep the DivX at same compression rate as Mpeg2, the quality is VERY much better (to my eyes, at least).

Thanks again,
~~DukeP~~

[Brian Ellis]

If you want quality video, I'm also an amateur of the ADVC-100. It may cost more, but you will have a quality product. I also agree with DocM that direct real-time transcoding to MPEG-2 is not the best way to go quality-wise.

I once tried to buy something from Videoguys, but they would not accept any European payment, not even a banker's draft in USD.

Conrad have a converter box like the ADVC-100 but of unknown make/quality no. 99 48 33-55 for 199 euros but they also have a Terratec Cameo Grabster AV-200 which is a one-way analogue to USB 2.0 converter for 89.99 euros. It claims to be able to produce AVI, MPEG-1 and MPEG-2 streams and comes with quite a good entry-level capture/editing package, Ulead VideoStudio 7 SE (this is not the latest, full version, but you can upgrade for a few tens of euros), Their catalogue no. is 99 47 20-55. (Conrad prices VAT included)

I've bought quite a lot of stuff from Conrad and find them very reliable (have just bought a new DVD player from them for 99 Euros and which will take any disk I can throw at it with superb quality and is one of the rare ones which will work NTSC and PAL as native or converter in both directions.) They will also order specials for you: I'm waiting for three special programmable keyboards from them at the moment.

[DukeP]

Hello Brian!

I forgot about Conrad.
used to get their _very_ large paper cataloque.

If I stray from the ADVC-100 path, I might as well go with the Thrust USB unit. Its less than 100$ and even includes a remote..

Off course, the stated 12mbits transfer rate is making me doubt its efficiency - isnt dvd standard 25mbits?

I really would have liked to just "buy a box and hit play" on this project. Getting proper into videoediting seems quite a daunting task (and expensive, and timeconsuming, and, and.. ).


~~DukeP~~

[jeff b]

Why not just buy a set top DVD recorder?

Jeff B

[Brian Ellis]

MPEG-2 as used for DVDs is about 9500 kbit/s MAXIMUM, more usually ~6000 kbit/s so there's a reasonable safety margin with 12 Mbit/s (I assume you don't really mean 12 mbit/s ). However, make sure, if you buy a USB unit, that it (and your computer) is USB2 enabled, as plain USB is doubtful.