Capture question

jhawken wrote on 11/14/2004, 6:24 PM
My AIW card can capture to an AVI format, but it doesn't appear to do any compression, so capturing to AVI in 704x480 is not feasible due to space constraints. What do people think about the following approach: capture to MPEG-2 with the AIW card (produces a highly compressed file), bring that MPEG-2 file into VV4 and render it back out to an AVI file, bring the AVI file into VV for editing. Will resolution be lost in this process? Does anyone have any other ideas that would not require purchasing a different capture card?
Thanks

Comments

Spot|DSE wrote on 11/14/2004, 6:50 PM
You'll lose a huge amount of resolution, not to mention the color loss. Do you not have a DV camera? If so, then use Firewire to capture. If not, I'd highly recommend an analog to DV converter.
Then again, it depends. Are you wanting to do professional/semi professional work? Or just doing soccer dad type family stuff?
You may not feel there is a huge difference if you're working on family-type media. The camera may not create great images, either, depending on what you've got to work with.
What card are you using that doesn't compress the media at all? I'm unfamiliar with uncompressed capture on a video card. Not to say there isn't, just not aware of it. Most cards use a compression scheme of some kind or another.
jhawken wrote on 11/14/2004, 7:20 PM
I'm using an All-In-Wonder 9600 Pro card. When I select the "AVI HQ" recording option (AVI 704x480), it says I have room on my disk to capture 1 hr 18 mins of video. The disk has 92 GB of free space! When I select the "DVD" recording option (MPEG-2 720x480), it says I can capture 26 hrs 33 mins of video.

I have used a friend's Sony Digital Handycam to get compressed AVI out, but he'd like his camera back!

I am doing high school football type stuff for home use, not pro or even semi-pro, but I'd still like it to look good.

Thanks for your help!
Spot|DSE wrote on 11/14/2004, 7:25 PM
yeah, that sounds like uncompressed alright. DV is 5:1 compression, and is about 13 gig an hour/200 meg a minute. You don't have a DV compression scheme you can use like Microsoft DV or something in there?
jhawken wrote on 11/14/2004, 7:34 PM
When you say "in there" do you mean in the All-in-Wonder (AIW) card or it's associated software? I haven't been able find any options regarding compression for AVI files.
Spot|DSE wrote on 11/14/2004, 7:47 PM
I n your associated software, you should have some compression options. You mentioned one of them as MPEG. What about DV options
jhawken wrote on 11/14/2004, 8:21 PM
I've found an option to select a video codec to use. I'm not very familar with codecs. The one currently selected is "UYVY video format (native)". The other options are:

YUY2 video format
YVU9 video format
YV12 video format
DMO JPEG Video Compressor
WMVideo Encoder DMO
MSSCreen encoder DMO
WMVideo9 Encoder DMO
WMVideo8 Encoder DMO
MSScreen 9 encoder DMO
DV Video Encoder
Indeo video 5.10 Compression Filer
Ligos GoMotion Capture Encoder Filter
MJPEG Comperssor
Roxio MPEG1 Video Encoder
Roxio MPEG2 Video Encoder
Cinepak Codec by Radius
Intel 4:2:0 Video V2.50
Intel Indeo(R) Video R3.2
Intel Indeo Video 4.5
Indeo video 5.10
Intel IYUV codec
Microsoft H.261 Video Codec
Microsoft H.263 Video Codec
Microsoft RLE
Microsoft Video 1

Lots to chose from! I'm guessing that the "DV Video Encoder" might be the right option? Spot - what do you think?

As always - thanks.
Liam_Vegas wrote on 11/14/2004, 8:27 PM
DV Video Encoder does sound like what you are looking for. How about trying it? It can't take very long to capture a short peice and youll find out right?
Spot|DSE wrote on 11/14/2004, 8:44 PM
Of all the options you've got listed, the DV Video encoder is the best of the bunch in terms of what Vegas will be happiest with at the end of the day. Plus it won't eat your hard drive for space. There are other options in there that *might* give you some better imagery, depending on a few variables, but Vegas will be most pleased with the DV, and you'll be happier with your editing experience.
jhawken wrote on 11/14/2004, 9:00 PM
It looks like the DV Video Encoder will do the trick. 1 minute of recording with that codec took 227mb of disk for the AVI output file, while 1 minute with the orginal codec I was using took 1,227mb.

Thanks for helping me get the answer!
Spot|DSE wrote on 11/14/2004, 9:02 PM
"the original codec...."
That's the problem, there wasn't one.
CO-mpression/DEC-compression. Without the codec, it's uncompressed. Which can be painful, as you found out.