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Suggestions
- To perform video capture, you should have a fast
computer, specially if you want to compress in realtime.
I would suggest a PII-300 at least, to capture in
MJPEG full size/full framerate with a software encoder.
To Capture in MPEG1 or MPEG2 in real-time, even a
faster one is required, not to mention if you want
to capture full size, full framerate in DivX, or MPEG4,
or Windows Media Video (WMV) (I think a PIII-800 should
do MPEG2, a K7-1200or faster should do WMV in realtime).
See www.jpg.com
for the fastest software MJPEG encoder I have ever
seen (very good quality), or www.ulead.com
for MPEG2 capture in realtime, using Ulead's Media
Studio Pro , (or Visual Studio). All these are comercial
products (I have to say ,specially about the MJPEG
encoder, a very good product, and it's very affordable!)
. For Windows Media Video, see www.microsoft.com
, specially their Windows media resource Kit. If you
want MPEG4 (older technology , but the same as WMV,
see www.divx.com
for DivX video compressors.
- I would recommend MJPEG if you want to edit video,
but MPEG1/2/4 can give you an smaller captured file
size of the same quality, at the expense of requiring
a faster and faster computer.
- Use YUY2 for MJPEG capture, and YV12 for MPEG1/2/4
capture (20-30% less CPU use required for the same
framesize/framerate than the other modes... If you
are running out of CPU power !)
- In all DirectShow based applications, remember that
you MUST set the preview resolution and ColorSpace,
and the Capture resolution and ColorSpace independently.
Please, don't tell me preview does not work in these
apps, if you haven't tried first to reduce resolution
in the preview pin. I would suggest to set the SAME
resolution in both the capture and preview pins.
- Also, before telling me your VideoNorm is not supported,
or the image is washed, too white, too dark, please
see the Video Capture Main Property Page. Remember
that in Argentina, DirectShow will list the PAL N
Combination as "Unknown" format (Bug of
Microsoft, norm is supported by DirectShow).
- To have a clean and detailed image, without noise,
etc, you need a good video source. Video tapes are
not such a good source. Even video cables can make
a difference. Use a good quality shielded Video cable
to connect your VCR to the line-in jack of the card
(or a SVHS cable if your VCR and digitizer card support
this, In this case, this is the best method), not
one of those unshielded cheaper ones used for audio.
To use the tuner input of the card to connect your
VCR to it is the WORST THING you can do. Use a good
quality Audio/Video shielded cable to perform this
connection.
- Under WinXP or Win2000, it is much better to
use a DirectShow-based capture program than a VFW
capture program, because WinXP is optimized for DirectShow.
Despite the fact that VFW apps will work, you will
very soon discover that you can get more CPU power
to compress video (expect 20% more CPU power available
for compressing) with DirectShow (AMCAP is a DirectShow
based application)
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