Suggestions and recommendations for a video capture PC. TIA

[roadster3043]

Greetings.

If I were to make a brand new PC from scratch to be used solely to
capture video and convert to DVD, what are your suggestions and
recommendations regarding the following:

Mobo
CPU
RAM
OS
Video Card
Video Capture Devices
DVD Recorder
Software
Anything else I might forget?

Thank you.


--
Take care.

roadster3043

ICQ 154116780
Yahoo intuxicated
MSN jmfix at hotmail dot com
AIM roadster3043

 

[Hamman]

Greetings.

If I were to make a brand new PC from scratch to be used solely to
capture video and convert to DVD, what are your suggestions and
recommendations regarding the following:

Mobo

Up to your preference, stick with the major brands though.

CPU

I'd go either LGA775 P4 or Skt 939 AMD64. Probably verge towards the P4
since virtualy every media application supports the enhancements.

RAM

At least a gig of PC3200. If you go the P4 route, consider DDR2

OS

XP Media Centre 2005, or whatever version of linux you like.

Video Card

Not really important for the use of the PC, i'd go for about the FX5700
mark.

Video Capture Devices

Firewire card if your motherboard doesnt have in onboard

DVD Recorder

Make sure its dual layer

Software

Adobe Premiere Pro, and plugins depending on what you want to do.

Anything else I might forget?

Audigy 2 and the ~£110 Creative 5. speakers. Also, if you go media centre,
get a remote control for it.

BRANDED 17" TFT @ 1280x1024 or a decent CRT

hamman

 

[none]

Greetings.

If I were to make a brand new PC from scratch to be used solely to
capture video and convert to DVD, what are your suggestions and
recommendations regarding the following:

Mobo
CPU
RAM
OS
Video Card
Video Capture Devices
DVD Recorder
Software
Anything else I might forget?

Thank you.

You question is a bit general. What type of capture are you planning
to do?
DV capture or analog?
Straight DV capture is really the way to go(DVcam).
All you need for that is a firewire connection or for some of the
newer cameras a usb 2.0 connection.

Analog capture can be a bit more problematic as many mobo's have
hardware conflict issues with some of the analog capture cards
out.(just make sure that whatever capture card you select doesn't have
any issues with whatever mobo you have.)

I do professional video/film and have several systems, each built to
do a specific task in capture or editing/rendering.

Basic capture and editing can be done on a machine like an athalon
1gig or faster.(the one I use the most is only a 1.3 gig t-bird with a
gig of ddr ram.)
If you have a big budget than you may want to go with a P4 as they do
render faster than the lower cost Athalons etc...)
I've found that having more ram is more signifigant than what mobo/cpu
is used.

I have colleages that use P3's as well and are happy with their
performance.


Try and avoid capture/tv card combo's as they are a headache in the
compatibilty department. Most video cards won't run with them on the
same bus.( AGP especially, Nvidia in particular.)
And some mobo won't run with them at all.
If you do decide to go that route make certain your mobo and video
card will work with it.(Or make sure the capture/tuner card is an AGP
card as the older pci cards are trash.)

The actual video card for your system doesn't have to be all that
fancy. I run everything from older 32bit pci cards to 64bit Nvidia
geoforce cards.
I have friends who even use 16bit cards.
Video editing isn't all that demanding. Anything with 2d graphics or
higher will do.( i.e. don't waste big bucks on the hottest card out
there.)

I have mostly single layer dvd burners since the latest batch I
purchased was bought last year and they serve me ok.
For a bit more you can have the dual layer burners wich will allow
more professional finished masters though.(i.e. more room for the main
video as well as extras and menus.)

If you're beginning in editing try and test out some of the simpler
nle's out to start with and move up as you become more profficient.
I use Studio DV by pinnicle for many of my projects.( that and it's a
no brainer for training new employees etc...)
And while I have a couple of the higher end programs for more complex
editing and special effects most of my work is done on the smaller
nle's.

You will need to have at least a controller that runs ATA133 to get
clean drop free captures as well as a 7200 rpm HD to go with it.
I found that on most of my mobo that ran ata100 I'd have an occasional
frame of two drop, something to be avoided.(with ata133 I run a
capture rate about 33% greater than the required minumim and have NO
frame loss.)

 

[roadster3043]

DV capture or analog?

Analog capture can be a bit more problematic as many mobo's have
hardware conflict issues with some of the analog capture cards
out.(just make sure that whatever capture card you select doesn't
have any issues with whatever mobo you have.)

I do professional video/film and have several systems, each built
to do a specific task in capture or editing/rendering.

Try and avoid capture/tv card combo's as they are a headache in
the compatibilty department. Most video cards won't run with them
on the same bus.( AGP especially, Nvidia in particular.)
And some mobo won't run with them at all.
If you do decide to go that route make certain your mobo and video
card will work with it.(Or make sure the capture/tuner card is an
AGP card as the older pci cards are trash.)

If you're beginning in editing try and test out some of the
simpler nle's out to start with and move up as you become more
profficient. I use Studio DV by pinnicle for many of my projects.(
that and it's a no brainer for training new employees etc...)
And while I have a couple of the higher end programs for more
complex editing and special effects most of my work is done on the
smaller nle's.

Greetings.

I was thinking of doing both DV and analog.

Is the Canopus ADVC-100 any good?

What do you use for analog if you do analog?

I want to do video editing as a hobby, I find it very entertaining and
rewarding. Specially to convert old VHS, 8mm, digital and the like to
DVD.

Any good places online to learn more about video editing?

Thank you and everyone else for your help.


--
Take care.

roadster3043

ICQ 154116780
Yahoo intuxicated
MSN jmfix at hotmail dot com
AIM roadster3043

 

[David Maynard]

That's because you can't simultaneously stream both from and to the same
PCI port (AGP is a PCI port with AGP), so you can't stream video in,
process it, and stream it back out to the same card. To 'view' at the same
time the card simply 'copies' the input stream directly to the video output
on the card itself.

This would seem to be a contradiction of what was just said above. If the
video capture is on the 'AGP' then it's an 'all-in-one' you just, correctly
IMO, suggested to not use, isn't it?

I don't know of any 'home' stand-alone 'AGP' capture cards.

Greetings.

I was thinking of doing both DV and analog.

Is the Canopus ADVC-100 any good?

What do you use for analog if you do analog?

I want to do video editing as a hobby, I find it very entertaining and
rewarding. Specially to convert old VHS, 8mm, digital and the like to
DVD.

Any good places online to learn more about video editing?

These folks have tutorials as well as an extensive list of video software,
much of which is freeware.

http://www.videohelp.com/tools?s=5#5

 

[none]

Greetings.

I was thinking of doing both DV and analog.

Is the Canopus ADVC-100 any good?

I couldn't say as I've never used that particular one. Do know that
there are alot of them sold.

What do you use for analog if you do analog?

I have 3 different devices for analog capture. An old ATI
all-in-wonder 128mb video card, An Iomega Buz breakout box, an an
older Matrox capture card.
I wouldn't recommend the first two, I'd purchased them back years ago
when there weren't alot of low cost options for analog capture.(A pro
capture card 4-5 years ago could run as much as 800 bucks, the low end
"plain jane" cards were for the most part junk.)
I got the matrox card second hand last year and it does a good job.
The others work well too, just was tough to get them installed and
running.
Had to run the ATI on a mobo without onboard video as it doesn't like
to share the bus with any other video card. The Iomega won't run on
any OS later than 98se.
Still analog capture is a low priority for my work as most of my work
is DV so I haven't bothered with trying to upgrade.

I want to do video editing as a hobby, I find it very entertaining and
rewarding. Specially to convert old VHS, 8mm, digital and the like to
DVD.

They do make combo cards that do both analog and DV capture.
Try asking over at rec.video.production, there are alot of pro's over
there that have experience with video hardware and are willing to
assist.

Any good places online to learn more about video editing?

Here are a few links:

http://www.uemedia.com/CPC/2-pop/
http://www.uemedia.com/CPC/videography/index.shtml
http://www.dvwarehouse.com/index.php/cPath/170
http://www.filmmaker.com/editing/filmvid.html
http://www.angelfire.com/ar2/videomanual1/
http://www.filmmaking.net/
http://www.indiefilm.com/

 

[none]

That's because you can't simultaneously stream both from and to the same
PCI port (AGP is a PCI port with AGP), so you can't stream video in,
process it, and stream it back out to the same card. To 'view' at the same
time the card simply 'copies' the input stream directly to the video output
on the card itself.


This would seem to be a contradiction of what was just said above. If the
video capture is on the 'AGP' then it's an 'all-in-one' you just, correctly
IMO, suggested to not use, isn't it?

I don't know of any 'home' stand-alone 'AGP' capture cards.

Most capture cards are PCI though there are a few higher end cards
that are AGP.
There are a few models of mobo that will allow the ATI capture
cards(PCI slot) to run and not interfere with the AGP slot video card.
Damn few though, ATI used to post a compatibility chart and NONE of my
mobo were on it.
Sounds to me like your assuming that everyone runs mobo that have only
AGP video as well. Many of us are still running pci video, after all
you don't need a gaming machine to do video so why waste the money?
( I've built my editors using older systems, most 2-4 years old so as
to save the money for more important things such as 3-chip cameras,
better lights and good quality sound gear.)
I only have AGP slots in 2 of my editors, the others all have pci
video.
If you're trying to get a video/tuner card to run in a second slot
it's alot easier on a pci only board vs. an AGP one.(I have an ATI
all-in-wonder that sits next to an older diamond card in one of my
systems and they get along just fine.)
Never gonna happen with the latest/fastest cards out today, especially
Nvidia.

 

[David Maynard]

Most capture cards are PCI though there are a few higher end cards
that are AGP.

I'd like to see a link to one for my own education.

There are a few models of mobo that will allow the ATI capture
cards(PCI slot) to run and not interfere with the AGP slot video card.
Damn few though, ATI used to post a compatibility chart and NONE of my
mobo were on it.

I'm not sure why you mention ATI since the original poster was being
generic but that's interesting. I haven't noticed any problems with AGP
video in conjunction with my ATI TV Wonder, except for the lousy ATI media
center software.

Sounds to me like your assuming that everyone runs mobo that have only
AGP video as well.

No. The AGP question was with regard to his statement that AGP all-in-one
cards were crap and then following with "make sure the capture/tuner card
is an AGP card." One obviously needs an AGP port to plug in an AGP capture
card.

I just wasn't aware of any 'AGP capture' cards that aren't all-in-ones, so
I'll be interested to see your links to them.

Many of us are still running pci video, after all
you don't need a gaming machine to do video so why waste the money?
( I've built my editors using older systems, most 2-4 years old so as
to save the money for more important things such as 3-chip cameras,
better lights and good quality sound gear.)
I only have AGP slots in 2 of my editors, the others all have pci
video.

I run PCI video on some of my machines too.

If you're trying to get a video/tuner card to run in a second slot

I'm not sure what you mean by a 'second slot'.

it's alot easier on a pci only board vs. an AGP one.(I have an ATI
all-in-wonder that sits next to an older diamond card in one of my
systems and they get along just fine.)

Why do you have both the PCI diamond and a PCI all-in-wonder in one machine?

Do you do any simultaneous (capture card) stream video in ---> processing
(such as filter, deinterlace) ---> stream to display (live)?

Never gonna happen with the latest/fastest cards out today, especially
Nvidia.

How come?