Video capture card (VHS to DVD) - which one?

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Archived from groups: rec.video.desktop (More info?)

Hello,

I decided to convert my old VHS VCR tapes (NTSC) to a DVD. To convert
VHS to a digital format I prefer to use internal PCI card, but how to
choose a such card? I want as input RCA jacks. What parameters make a
card a "good" card? I noticed some cheap TV capture card like
AVerMedia AVERDVD EZMAKER (about $40) and Pinnacle Studio AV V8 Video
for about twice ($90).
I just want to copy from VCR to a DVD, maybe to add some headers or
indexes.
Any recomendations of links to sites that discuss this subject?

Thanks,

Zalek
 
Archived from groups: rec.video.desktop (More info?)

<zalekbloom@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:e84e5f2f.0405011753.48ea411c@posting.google.com...
> Hello,
>
> I decided to convert my old VHS VCR tapes (NTSC) to a DVD. To convert
> VHS to a digital format I prefer to use internal PCI card, but how to
> choose a such card? I want as input RCA jacks. What parameters make a
> card a "good" card? I noticed some cheap TV capture card like
> AVerMedia AVERDVD EZMAKER (about $40) and Pinnacle Studio AV V8 Video
> for about twice ($90).
> I just want to copy from VCR to a DVD, maybe to add some headers or
> indexes.
> Any recomendations of links to sites that discuss this subject?
>
> Thanks,
>
> Zalek

Here are some of the major considerations I try to take into account
when looking at analog capture cards :

1. The A/D conversion chip - 10 bit is what you might be looking for
now a days. I like the Philips SAA 7000 series chips. [You can check
out the specs for these chips on the manufacturer's web sites.]

2. The compression and/or encoding chip. I like the Broadcom
BCM 7040 chip [same chip as used in the Series 2 Tvio]. There are
others.

3. Some fast memory. The better quality of memory the more the
designer(s) had to say about the card, and less from the accountants.

4. The quality and availability of the drivers.

5. The quality and availability of capture software that works with
the card/chipset.

Most of this info is hard or impossible to get directly, but you can
get a good idea (for cards that have been out for some time) from
the users comments associated with each card's listing at
www.dvdrhelp.com . Of course you should track down any potential
card's, manufacturer's web site for what ever info is avail.

Luck;
Ken
 
Archived from groups: rec.video.desktop (More info?)

www.videohelp.com formerly www.DVDRhelp.com

TV cards are not very good for DVD capture especially when encoding to MPeg2
on the fly.
Just my 2cents.

<zalekbloom@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:e84e5f2f.0405011753.48ea411c@posting.google.com...
> Hello,
>
> I decided to convert my old VHS VCR tapes (NTSC) to a DVD. To convert
> VHS to a digital format I prefer to use internal PCI card, but how to
> choose a such card? I want as input RCA jacks. What parameters make a
> card a "good" card? I noticed some cheap TV capture card like
> AVerMedia AVERDVD EZMAKER (about $40) and Pinnacle Studio AV V8 Video
> for about twice ($90).
> I just want to copy from VCR to a DVD, maybe to add some headers or
> indexes.
> Any recomendations of links to sites that discuss this subject?
>
> Thanks,
>
> Zalek
 
Archived from groups: rec.video.desktop (More info?)

Is this a better method of converting VHS to DVD than using a domestic DVD
recorder? I realise that if there is to be any editing done then one would
need a PC, but for straight copying what are the advantages of using a PC?
It must also be far more time consuming.

Cheers
Margaret

Remove giggling if replying by email


<zalekbloom@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:e84e5f2f.0405011753.48ea411c@posting.google.com...
> Hello,
>
> I decided to convert my old VHS VCR tapes (NTSC) to a DVD. To convert
> VHS to a digital format I prefer to use internal PCI card, but how to
> choose a such card? I want as input RCA jacks. What parameters make a
> card a "good" card? I noticed some cheap TV capture card like
> AVerMedia AVERDVD EZMAKER (about $40) and Pinnacle Studio AV V8 Video
> for about twice ($90).
> I just want to copy from VCR to a DVD, maybe to add some headers or
> indexes.
> Any recomendations of links to sites that discuss this subject?
>
> Thanks,
>
> Zalek
 
Archived from groups: rec.video.desktop (More info?)

"Margaret Willmer" wrote ...
> Is this a better method of converting VHS to DVD than using
> a domestic DVD recorder? I realise that if there is to be any
> editing done then one would need a PC, but for straight copying
> what are the advantages of using a PC? It must also be far more
> time consuming.

Advantages:
1) DVD recorder computer drives are generally less expensive
than standalone DVD video recorders (and they generally come
bundled with some sort of DVD creation software application,
although others with good reputations are available for free.)
2) A computer DVD recorder drive is good for other things (like
data backup, etc.) whereas a DVD video recorder is a one-trick
pony.
3) You can edit the video (to combine the good parts of home
movies, edit out commercials, etc.) with a software-based system.
4) Computer DVD recorder drives (especially the more recent
ones) likely have a wider range of disks that can be used to
record on.

Disadvantages:
1) Using a computer is significantly more complex and requires
hardware, software, procedureal things way beyond simply
pushing the red button on a standalone DVD video recorder.
Integration of video hardware/software has been a source of
significant problems to many people in the past (but it is getting
better).
2) It takes more time as none of the computer-based solutions
runs in real-time (that I have ever seen).
3) It takes several spare gigabytes of disk space to store the
video (even temporarily).
 
Archived from groups: rec.video.desktop (More info?)

I should also have asked whether using AV in on a DV Camcorder is as good.
I would love to find a FAQ that explained it all.

Thanks in advance

Margaret

Remove giggling if replying by email
"Margaret Willmer" <margaret@gigglingwillmer.org.uk> wrote in message
news:c72d08$lsc$1@titan.btinternet.com...
> Is this a better method of converting VHS to DVD than using a domestic DVD
> recorder? I realise that if there is to be any editing done then one
would
> need a PC, but for straight copying what are the advantages of using a PC?
> It must also be far more time consuming.
>
> Cheers
> Margaret
>
> Remove giggling if replying by email
>
>
> <zalekbloom@hotmail.com> wrote in message
> news:e84e5f2f.0405011753.48ea411c@posting.google.com...
> > Hello,
> >
> > I decided to convert my old VHS VCR tapes (NTSC) to a DVD. To convert
> > VHS to a digital format I prefer to use internal PCI card, but how to
> > choose a such card? I want as input RCA jacks. What parameters make a
> > card a "good" card? I noticed some cheap TV capture card like
> > AVerMedia AVERDVD EZMAKER (about $40) and Pinnacle Studio AV V8 Video
> > for about twice ($90).
> > I just want to copy from VCR to a DVD, maybe to add some headers or
> > indexes.
> > Any recomendations of links to sites that discuss this subject?
> >
> > Thanks,
> >
> > Zalek
>
>
 
Archived from groups: rec.video.desktop (More info?)

"Margaret Willmer" wrote ...
> I should also have asked whether using AV in on a DV
> Camcorder is as good.

If you are just coming straight out of a VHS player, the A/D
conversion in a digital camcorder is likely sufficient for most
purposes. If you are getting more sophisticated, you can consider
a standalone box (like Canopus, et. al.) And then there is the
matter of timebase correction which is practically mandatory
for many of the scuzzy old VHS tapes I have encountered.

> I would love to find a FAQ that explained it all.

There is a tremendous wealth of info online at
http://www.videohelp.com and some other places also.
 
Archived from groups: rec.video.desktop (More info?)

zalekbloom@hotmail.com wrote in message news:<e84e5f2f.0405011753.48ea411c@posting.google.com>...
> Hello,
>
> I decided to convert my old VHS VCR tapes (NTSC) to a DVD. To convert
> VHS to a digital format I prefer to use internal PCI card, but how to
> choose a such card? I want as input RCA jacks. What parameters make a
> card a "good" card? I noticed some cheap TV capture card like
> AVerMedia AVERDVD EZMAKER (about $40) and Pinnacle Studio AV V8 Video
> for about twice ($90).
> I just want to copy from VCR to a DVD, maybe to add some headers or
> indexes.
> Any recomendations of links to sites that discuss this subject?
>
> Thanks,
>
> Zalek


Thanks for all sugestions.
I was looking for AVerMedia DVD EZMaker on:
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=448345&Sku=A46-4006
and I noticed that this card have only one RCA input - should it have
2 RCA inputs, one for video and one for sound? My VCR have 2 RCA
outputs jacks.

Thanks,

Zalek
 
Archived from groups: rec.video.desktop (More info?)

<zalekbloom@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:e84e5f2f.0405021156.135b8be8@posting.google.com...
> zalekbloom@hotmail.com wrote in message
news:<e84e5f2f.0405011753.48ea411c@posting.google.com>...
> > Hello,
> >
> > I decided to convert my old VHS VCR tapes (NTSC) to a DVD. To convert
> > VHS to a digital format I prefer to use internal PCI card, but how to
> > choose a such card? I want as input RCA jacks. What parameters make a
> > card a "good" card? I noticed some cheap TV capture card like
> > AVerMedia AVERDVD EZMAKER (about $40) and Pinnacle Studio AV V8 Video
> > for about twice ($90).
> > I just want to copy from VCR to a DVD, maybe to add some headers or
> > indexes.
> > Any recomendations of links to sites that discuss this subject?
> >
> > Thanks,
> >
> > Zalek
>
>
> Thanks for all sugestions.
> I was looking for AVerMedia DVD EZMaker on:
>
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=448345&Sku=A46-4006
> and I noticed that this card have only one RCA input - should it have
> 2 RCA inputs, one for video and one for sound? My VCR have 2 RCA
> outputs jacks.
>
> Thanks,
>
> Zalek

That's a composite video input, this card apparently has no
audio input capabilities. This approach, having separate audio
and video, has often led to problems with lip sync in the final
output. This is not as big an issue if you plan to encode after
capture, rather than real-time. This card depends on your
sound card for the audio processing.

As I prefer real-time hardware encoding to DVD compliant
MPEG2, I wouldn't go with the approach used by this card.
Your "Tigerdirect" site also lists the Adaptec VideOh! PCI
AVC2000 which is the card I am using, unfortunately it is
most likely that the version they are shipping is the AVC2010
which has a totally different chipset. (I have seen this for some
time, were the sellers of these cards "neglect" to update the
model number even tho it's been years sense the change. Is
it that they know the AVC2000 was/is a better card?)

If you intend real-time hardware encoding, then you should
get a card that will encode the audio also. If you intend to
capture then later encode so that you can make a playable
DVD, then a video only card might work for you.

When you look at these low priced video only cards, a big
consideration should be the bundled software. In fact the
card may just be an offering to help sell the software package.

Luck;
Ken
 
Archived from groups: rec.video.desktop (More info?)

Great, nice simple explanation, Thank you

Margaret

Remove giggling if replying by email
"Richard Crowley" <rcrowley7@xprt.net> wrote in message
news:1099vetgurlp0af@corp.supernews.com...
> "Margaret Willmer" wrote ...
> > Is this a better method of converting VHS to DVD than using
> > a domestic DVD recorder? I realise that if there is to be any
> > editing done then one would need a PC, but for straight copying
> > what are the advantages of using a PC? It must also be far more
> > time consuming.
>
> Advantages:
> 1) DVD recorder computer drives are generally less expensive
> than standalone DVD video recorders (and they generally come
> bundled with some sort of DVD creation software application,
> although others with good reputations are available for free.)
> 2) A computer DVD recorder drive is good for other things (like
> data backup, etc.) whereas a DVD video recorder is a one-trick
> pony.
> 3) You can edit the video (to combine the good parts of home
> movies, edit out commercials, etc.) with a software-based system.
> 4) Computer DVD recorder drives (especially the more recent
> ones) likely have a wider range of disks that can be used to
> record on.
>
> Disadvantages:
> 1) Using a computer is significantly more complex and requires
> hardware, software, procedureal things way beyond simply
> pushing the red button on a standalone DVD video recorder.
> Integration of video hardware/software has been a source of
> significant problems to many people in the past (but it is getting
> better).
> 2) It takes more time as none of the computer-based solutions
> runs in real-time (that I have ever seen).
> 3) It takes several spare gigabytes of disk space to store the
> video (even temporarily).
>
>
>
 
Archived from groups: rec.video.desktop (More info?)

Ken Maltby <kmaltby@sbcglobal.net> wrote:
: 1. The A/D conversion chip - 10 bit is what you might be looking for
: now a days. I like the Philips SAA 7000 series chips. [You can check

Philips is 9 bit chip. But it is better than Conexant 10 bit chip.

--Leonid
 
Archived from groups: rec.video.desktop (More info?)

zalekbloom@hotmail.com wrote:
: Hello,

: I decided to convert my old VHS VCR tapes (NTSC) to a DVD. To convert
: VHS to a digital format I prefer to use internal PCI card, but how to
: choose a such card? I want as input RCA jacks. What parameters make a
: card a "good" card? I noticed some cheap TV capture card like
: AVerMedia AVERDVD EZMAKER (about $40) and Pinnacle Studio AV V8 Video
: for about twice ($90).
: I just want to copy from VCR to a DVD, maybe to add some headers or
: indexes.
: Any recomendations of links to sites that discuss this subject?

Well, you need to answer 3 basic questions:
1. How much $$$ you want to spend.
2. How much time you want to spend doing just 1 VHS/DVD (do you want editing
or not)
3. What quality do you want.

Based on that, we can give you an answer.

--Leonid
 
Archived from groups: rec.video.desktop (More info?)

Steve <uncle499@hotmail.com> wrote:
: TV cards are not very good for DVD capture

And why do you say that. The Philips based TV cards have the same ADC as
professianal boards like Pinnacle PRO-ONE or Pinnacle DV500.

: especially when encoding to MPeg2

I agree with that part. But if you encode to mpeg2 as postprocessing the
result is better than going direct to mpeg2.

--Leonid
 
Archived from groups: rec.video.desktop (More info?)

"Margaret Willmer" <margaret@gigglingwillmer.org.uk> wrote in message
news:c72d08$lsc$1@titan.btinternet.com...
> Is this a better method of converting VHS to DVD than using a domestic DVD
> recorder? I realise that if there is to be any editing done then one
would
> need a PC, but for straight copying what are the advantages of using a PC?
> It must also be far more time consuming.

If it's a simple matter of getting your VHS to DVD then a standalone
recorder is as simple as it gets. I have a LiteOn 5001 standalone recorder
and it is fantastic. The disadvantage is that if you have a DVD player that
needs -R then a PC dual format recorder allows you to suppot both + and - R.
The menus on the LiteOn are very simple so you won't impress anyone with
your DVD design skills. But the PC is definitely slower and more
complicated.
 
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