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Which codec to use...

AznMaverick

Platinum Member
I've got a TV tuner now...but the raw format just takes too much space. That actually isn't the real problem. After about 4GB it stops recording. Most of the shows that i watch are 1 hour sometimes 2 hour shows. I've tried using the Windows media codec, but everytime i use it, it "skips" what are some of your solutions? If this doesn't work i might have to use Intervideo WinDVR. It sucks though, because i can't use the remote...
..any suggestions?
 
Originally posted by: AznMaverick
I've got a TV tuner now...but the raw format just takes too much space. That actually isn't the real problem. After about 4GB it stops recording. Most of the shows that i watch are 1 hour sometimes 2 hour shows. I've tried using the Windows media codec, but everytime i use it, it "skips" what are some of your solutions? If this doesn't work i might have to use Intervideo WinDVR. It sucks though, because i can't use the remote...
..any suggestions?

If it's stopping at 4GB, are you by chance using the FAT32 filesystem? If so, you'll want to convert yourself to NTFS.

There are a few nice codecs to use. HuffYUV is what I would use.
 
Just for further knowledge, your "skipping" problem is most likely because you're using a codec (like windows media) that takes a lot of CPU power to encode/decode. For capturing, you'll want a codec that doesn't stress the CPU, but the downside is the filesize will be very large. Your skipping can also be because you were using your hard drive for other things at the same time as recording onto it. Generally, you'll want to free up as many resources as possible before capturing, and not do much heavy activity.
 
Well, actually i don't know if it was exactly 4gb, but i was reading something on the hauppauge website. I tried recording 2 hours of video, but only 40 minutes of video actually got saved...the first 40 minutes.

I've downloaded the codec you suggested, i will try them out. Just for reference, i have a 3.0 ghz p4 with 1gb of ram and 250 gb sata drive (with NTFS).

Thanks for your help!

edit: i tried using the suggested codec, it still 'skips'. it doesn't even show it dropping frames with the status window. ahh...i might have to use windvr. using the wintv2000 program is so convenient though
 
Can you be more specific when you say "skipping"?

Upload a portion of the end video clip so I can see.

Also, for capturing, I use DScaler, have you tried that?
 
by skipping, i mean pausing every couple of seconds. However, sound seems to be fine. I have not used dscaler, i'll try and google it. I'll try to get a clip up. it should also be noted that i am using "DIB Draw" in Primary. The reason is, with overlay, WinTV2k just freezes my system.

edit: hmm...it may be my audio codec. I was using windows media, because the mp3 one wouldn't sync with the video. Which audio codec do you use? Also with PCM, just 15 seconds of video turned out to be 115MB...kind of big.
 
Well, that was the whole problem. When i do it raw, it stopped recording at 40 minutes...when the total duration of the record was 120 minutes. It looked like it ran a max limit. I'll try testing again though.

I've tried dscaler, a bit confusing, but the filters that it includes are pretty useful.

I'm going to try to test winTV to see what the max limit is. It' sso frustrating trying to find a good combination of video and audio codecs. I've tried the DivX ones...and the picture doesn't sync to the sound, which gets irritating when you are watching things.

Thanks for the help thus far, i'll get back to you after i make sure what the max limit is for raw.
 
well, i recorded for 1:45 but it only saved 35:35, exactly 14 GB. 🙁...this is raw, uncompressed.

and...my investigative skills suck, it was copying on my primary hdd. it used up all the free space. it would however be optimal, if i could use the divx feature that was advertised on the box. sorry guys, i feel like an idiot now. haha...thanks for all of your input!
 
Originally posted by: AznMaverick
well, i recorded for 1:45 but it only saved 35:35, exactly 14 GB. 🙁...this is raw, uncompressed.

and...my investigative skills suck, it was copying on my primary hdd. it used up all the free space. it would however be optimal, if i could use the divx feature that was advertised on the box. sorry guys, i feel like an idiot now. haha...thanks for all of your input!

How's your remote control work with that card? Mine stops working after the screen saver kicks in, and I have to shut it down, and turn it back on to get it working again, if I just reboot is says IR hardware failed to initialize :|

As for recording, in the wintv2000 program, go to preferances, movies, and I selected MPEG video CD, and a 1 hour program takes up ~600mb of space. If I try to set the codecs manualy under the video compression settings, it doesn't work.
 
Hows the video quality on that card? I have a wintv go from a while back (2001?) and I was wondering if it has gotten any better because mine sucks. Pics would be nice too.
 
well, it's not the best, but it sure is better than the Norwood Micro card that i bought for $20. I got fed up and bought this one.

stevty2889: when i go to movie properties, there is no setting for mpeg, there only are a bunch of divx settings and AVI. with AVI i can set the codecs manually, but finding the right combination that is a task in itself. i set my wintv so that it 'blocks' and doesn't allow the screen saver to come on when i'm watching tv.

I wish the control worked for WinDVR, that program is a whole lot better imo. at least i can save movies in mpeg, and the files are 1/4 of the size of the raw format, and it doesn't 'skip' or have syncing problems.

another question...what do you guys use to convert raw to divx...VirtualDub?
 
Originally posted by: AznMaverick

another question...what do you guys use to convert raw to divx...VirtualDub?

I use AutoGK(which uses VirtualDub).
What version of the software do you have though? Here is a screenshot with my version and movie settings.
 
Originally posted by: AznMaverick
yea, i'm kind of confused...haha. I thought one of the more basic codecs would be the mpeg 1 and 2...haha.

Did you install all the software that came with the card? Like the SoftPVR, and the nanocosmos MPEG tools(which I am guessing you may not have..).
 
i totally uninstalled all the programs...and NOW the mpeg1 and mpeg2 options appear. weird thing is now my remote won't work. i just can't win with this card. When i go to drivers to check on Hauppauge Aux driver...it says that it's not installed...what does yours say?...LINK

I tried installing the driver, but it goes through the motion and that message still pops up...
 
Originally posted by: AznMaverick
i totally uninstalled all the programs...and NOW the mpeg1 and mpeg2 options appear. weird thing is now my remote won't work. i just can't win with this card. When i go to drivers to check on Hauppauge Aux driver...it says that it's not installed...what does yours say?...LINK

I tried installing the driver, but it goes through the motion and that message still pops up...

I looked at my aux driver and it says the same thing. My remote will work temporarily if I do a shut down and restart, but after sitting idle for a while, it stops working, until I shut down and reboot again. Just a warm reboot doesn't work, I have to do a full shutdown. At least I know I'm not the only one having problems.
 
my remote worked perfectly...i did a full shut down...now it doesn't work at all... nm...i did another shutdown it works again. man...all of thsi hardware is flaky. i wonder if i should return it.

stevty: thanks for the tips and showing me how your system was configured...it really helped!
 
Originally posted by: AznMaverick
my remote worked perfectly...i did a full shut down...now it doesn't work at all... nm...i did another shutdown it works again. man...all of thsi hardware is flaky. i wonder if i should return it.

stevty: thanks for the tips and showing me how your system was configured...it really helped!

Asides from the extremely annoying remote control thing it works ok. If I hadn't replaced my ATI video card, with an Nvidia one, I'd still be using my ATI TV wonder VE, but I lost most of the features, including the use of the remote control, when I swtiched to the nvidia card, so I tried the Haupauge since they seem to be so highly recomended. Maybe it's only their more expensive cards, cause this one has given me almost as many headaches as ATI"s software does.
 
I agree. This card is much better than CompUSA's Norwood micro...but that's not saying much at all. Hopefully i can get enough money to get an ATI all in wonder.
 
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