What Cap Cards you using?

[DanielB11]

Hey there,
Just wondering what capture cards you lot at VideoPimp are using.
This is probably directed mostly to:
Serch, Rain, and Jeff1691

I have a Winfast TV2000 XP Deluxe – not the most expensive card, but everything runs well. There’s only one thing though; in most videos (with much motion –especially with a predominant white colour/background) it seems to blur/smear the picture. It’s not the monitor - if it was, all my videos would be displayed with that blurred look.

I just really want to look at maybe upgrading to a better card, simply due to this slight irritation (- and your captured videos look fine). Otherwise it’s a very good, worthwhile card (for the price) if you ask me.

[Asspin]

Most people use ATI cards here. Personally I have an ATI 9600XT. Not sure what those three have though. Have you tried capping with different codecs or uncompressed AVI?

[DanielB11]

Yeah, but it still does not solve the issue - I have read somewhere else of the same issue with the WinFast.

I captured this video (Skin - Faithfulness) from the VCR to uncompressed avi. As you can see it is quite blurred on this frame, the white background helps emphasise the 'blur effect'.
0000.jpeg
It may look bad, but not all videos come out so terribly. The video is well viewable, but it could be so much better without the smeared motion.

I did once try out some ATI card - but it was a graphics and video card in one, it used an AGP slot, and was probably quite dated-it didn't work too well, but that was also on an older system.

Here's another frame from "Feeder - Feeling A Moment" captured from S-VIDEO:
Feeder-FeelingAMoment.jpg
The frame does look bad, and I won't say it isn't, but it's not too horrible when watching the video, but once again, could be better. If this picture looks out of proportion, it's because I've encoded the video to SVCD (the resolution is 480*576 [-PAL], that's why it's not looking correct in the image).

[Asspin]

Yeah that blur isn't good. You might be able to pick up a ATI 8500 series or something for not a huge cost. Otherwise, I am not sure what to suggest. I assume you have already googled for a fix.

[Serch]

the bluring is caused by interlacing (and then when you're encoding or the software does it on "fly" it gets Deinterlaced - it's easiest/fastest to blur it) it gets blured. You can try using different software that will let you cap interlaced material so you could work on your footage with encoding programs that let you choose different Deinterlace filters.

[DanielB11]

It did cross my mind - but to be honest, I haven't really looked up much what interlacing is exactly.
On the box of my card, it says under "special features":
"De-interlacing
Make the best quality for fast-motion video.
No noise and flickers on the edges of motion objects."

Though i don't know if this is a feature of the card itself or just the software (WinFast PVR), but the same blur was visible in Intervideo's WinDVR 3.
If there is a simple solution to this, it would be great, 'cause I really think the card is perfect otherwise.

[Serch]

most of new days graphic cards have hardaware MPEG decoder so they can do it instantly, but like i said bluring is the fastes and mostly used not the best quality though.

[DanielB11]

Ok, I'm now looking at the ATI All-In-Wonder 9800 Pro.
I would go for the 9600XT, but I feel that I also want the better of the two - I think it's just the graphics part that is better really.
The only thing that it doesn't have (or so it seems) is a FM tuner - though that's really an extra that would be great, but it's not important, anycase i can just use my WinFast card for the radio then.
Please tell me if this card is a good idea, well it will process video without the annoying blurred image the WinFast gives at least - I hope.

Thanks a lot!

[Asspin]

I imagine it will work better for you. Doesn't the 9800 Pro do FM too? The 9600XT does.

[DanielB11]

I don't think it has a FM tuner - I haven't seen it listed in any of the reviews.
I definately think I'm going to get this card, the only thing is, I'm currently on a sort of holiday until January sometime (I live in South Africa, in a place called George, but I'm staying in Cape Town just to get away for my 3 month holiday - I'll find a holiday job here to make some extra cash to get the card). So I don't have my PC with me, so I'll just have to wait before I jump into getting the card. DAMN!

Thanks for all the help! Now I just need to get a fast internet connection, then maybe I'll be a ripper here!! One day! ;)

Cheers.

[PNCad]

A great card with compresion by hardware
Haupagge 150

[sugarshane]

Sorry to bump the thread, but i'm looking at getting a digital capture card (i currently have a stoogey hauppauge analog one - it sucks), and just wanted to know what you guys think of this one. http://global.msi.com.tw/index.php?f...32&cat2_no=261
I'd be using it mainly to record music videos so i want something that can record good quality, it says "Real-time digital TV program recording to MPEG-2 format", and doesn't mention anything about AVI, although in the end they'll be converted to mpeg anyway i guess. Do you reckon this will do the job, or do i have to aim a bit higher?

[Serch]

Sorry to bump the thread, but i'm looking at getting a digital capture card (i currently have a stoogey hauppauge analog one - it sucks), and just wanted to know what you guys think of this one. http://global.msi.com.tw/index.php?f...32&cat2_no=261
I'd be using it mainly to record music videos so i want something that can record good quality, it says "Real-time digital TV program recording to MPEG-2 format", and doesn't mention anything about AVI, although in the end they'll be converted to mpeg anyway i guess. Do you reckon this will do the job, or do i have to aim a bit higher?

it looks decent, but you know that it's for DVB-T (Teriestrial DVB signal, i can see that you're from australia so most likely you do but still, check it).
Personally i would advice you to choose something different then big computer 'players' as they don't really produce best quality products when it comes to TV tunners/cap cards or even wifi/bluetooth adapters.
check technisat airstar 2 but i heaven't used that specific model or any other DVB-T product as my country is way beyond Caveman