Noobie Question on Vidcard/capturing and Mpeg2

[SupaDupaCheez]

First off....I would like to say that I am very much a noob when it comes to video.

What I want to do:

I want to be able to transfer home videos (I do NOT want to transfer REAL MOVIES) from my JVC S-VHS VCR to my computer for transfer to CDR/W and be able to play it in my Sony DVD player.


What I have:
Dazzle DVC USB capturing device (the ORIGINAL....I got it from a friend for free)
AMD 1.33 mghz proc
3D Banshee 16mb video card
Hercules Fortissimo Sound card with optical
60 GB Western Digital 5400 rpm HD (ATA100)
20 GB Maxtor 7200rpm HD (ATA100)
384 meg PC133
Epox 8KTA3 motherboard with updated BIOS (with AGP 1x-2x-4x)
JVC HR3500U S-VHS VCR
17inch monitor (KDS with true flat Sony Trinitron tube)


What I have done so far:

I have made one video transfer from a 10 year old VHS tape to VCD using a CDRW (which is the only type my DVD player will accept). The video is acceptable but is only 320x240 (or close to it) but the sound has a very bad sync problem. The sound goes out of sync by one second every minute. So...by the end of a 20 minute video...the sound is WAAAAY off!


What I would like to do:

I would like to find a capture/video card that accepts S-VHS input from a VCR that allows for a larger image (640x480 or 720x480?) without a sound sync problem. I don't need EXCELLENT quality....just a larger image without sync problems. I also don't want to spend much over $100 NEW.


What I am looking at:

I have been looking at an ATI Radeon 7500 AIW. I have read the review at Tom's Hardware but have no idea if there are any alternatives (cheaper or otherwise) to this card. I also don't know if my system is truly compatible with it.


What I DO NOT want to do:

I have no desire to play games but do want decent video at resolutions at or above 1024x768 at high color levels.
I do not have a desire (due to high prices) to purchase a DVD recorder and I do not have a DVDRom


My question:

1. The dazzle captures into Mpeg1. The AIW captures using Mpeg2. In what ways will using MPEG2 limit me (if at all) in my recording options (VCD/SVCD..etc)?
2. Will using the AGP capturing device be significantly better quality than using the Dazzle which is a USB 1.0 device?
3. If there is anybody out there who is using the AIW 7500 in a comparable system: Are you happy with it? Any problems, limitations? Good qualities?

Thanks in advance for helping a noobie out.

SupaDupaCheez

 

[SupaDupaCheez]

Any help would be appreciated!

 

[MrPhelps]

I bought a ATI AIW 7500 64ddr and it works well. This link is where I found a lot of answers way to much with how slow I type.vcdhelp

You will want to go with at least svcd's -- mpg2

Please be patience and read in that forum, They really from on people that don't do a little homework.


Good luck!

 

[SupaDupaCheez]

Thanks for the link! I'll check it out and try not to be 'frowned upon'


SDC

 

[MrPhelps]

Most of the time people will post the stuff you need to know so you won't be the " bad poster"

Good luck!

 

[Pauli]

For the highest quality, you want to capture your VHS video in RAW, uncompressed video format and then perform your conversion to SVCD from that file. Beware that you need LOTS of disk space to capture video uncompressed.

As another alternative, Canopus makes a device that connects to a Firewire port on the PC and captures from many video sources and converts to DV format on the PC. DV format is very nice quality and can also be a good source format for conversion to other formats.

 

[MrPhelps]

Originally posted by: Pauli
For the highest quality, you want to capture your VHS video in RAW, uncompressed video format and then perform your conversion to SVCD from that file. Beware that you need LOTS of disk space to capture video uncompressed.

As another alternative, Canopus makes a device that connects to a Firewire port on the PC and captures from many video sources and converts to DV format on the PC. DV format is very nice quality and can also be a good source format for conversion to other formats.

Fortunatly my AIW can capture at alot of different formats. I personally would capture it in the format that you want to keep it in.
I once started capturing at full DVD quality and I think my 100 gig hard drive would be full in less than 10 minutes.

 

[db]

Are you setup for 29.97 fps or 30?

 

[Pauli]

I once started capturing at full DVD quality and I think my 100 gig hard drive would be full in less than 10 minutes.

According to the VCDHELP video comparison chart, each minute of DVD video + audio should take up only 30-70 MBs. So 10 minutes should only be taking up 700MB at most. Even in DV format, with 216MB each minute, that would only be 2.16GB for 10 minutes. What am I missing here?

 

[SupaDupaCheez]

db: I was setup using 29.97fps. I even tried 'tweaking' some of the settings and couldn't get it to make any real difference. I think it has something to do with the Dazzle being USB 1.0 but not sure. I found that many people with the Dazzle first gen have this problem.

 

[easystreet]

This place has the most well written guides that I have been able to find.