Getting software for G200 Marvel

[prob]

Hi - I have been offered a G200 Marvel as is without any software. It seems I will require:

-Editing software
-Software to convert saved files to MPEG

How hard to get the above?

Also, how hard to get a PAL tuner?

regards

[This_Idiot]

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" size="2">Originally posted by prob:
Hi - I have been offered a G200 Marvel as is without any software. It seems I will require:

-Editing software
-Software to convert saved files to MPEG

How hard to get the above?

Also, how hard to get a PAL tuner?

regards</font>

Not a problem, although you should take a good look around the forum (try using the search facility and "G200" as the search string) to decide whether a G200 will do what you want. It has two major drawbacks over (under?) the G400 - firstly dual-head display which MAY not be a showstopper depending on your needs, and secondly the ability to use YUY2, which judging from your comments about xcoding to MPEG might affect your decision.

Anyway, to your original query. Drivers and VideoTools (for capture) are freely available from Matrox, the MURC (Matrox User Resource Centre) or, if the need should arise, from here at desktopvideoworld.co.uk by request. Further, there are many downloads and links that may help you at DTVW. For capture purposes, many of us use Markus Zing's AV_IO, which gives about the neatest join over 2 Gb segments. Also useful (especially for applying filters and effects) is VirtualDub.

The main sticking point is going to be the editing software. Unless this is a very early G200 Marvel (which came with Ulead MSPro 5.2), you are either going to end up with AvidCinema or nothing. The advantage of AvidCinema is that at least you have SOMETHING to play with. The advantage of nothing is that it saves you an uninstall

Depending on how funky you want to get, the choices are : Basic, easy to use, relatively problem-free - Ulead VideoStudio4 (OK, 5 is becoming available, but for the extra it might give you on a G200 I'd forget the semantics) or MGI VideoWaveIII. Either will do a decent job for an easy-to-use, no-nonsense editor, and are blisfully easy to set up. If you want to really get stuck in creatively then you can look at Adobe Premiere (5.1c is the current mainstream offering, 6 is just becoming available) or Ulead MediaStudioPro (MSPro as it's usually known) in either versions 5.2 or 6 (6 adds DV functionality if you have a DV cam and 1394 capture card). It is generally recognised that trying to get Premiere to work alongside a G200 is somewhat akin to riding a tall monocycle while spinning several dozen plates, pursued by hungry lions and with a posse of clowns throwing custard pies at you. (apart from that, and the price, Premiere is cool, especially the picture of the leaping horse on the cover). MSPro5.2 (if you can still pick up a copy over on eBay) is built for G200, fits like a glove. OK, you may have to adjust the number of fingers, but it's damned good. But not a package to just plug in and use within the hour. It's sophisticated and needs plenty of time to learn how it ticks.

And then you'll need an MPEG transcoder, and this is where I shut up and leave it to the others. Everyone's got their own priorities and views, their own templates and tricks. I steer away from MPEG, I'd rather use something else unless forced.

Cheers

Chris
(T_I)