Capture Using ATI VS Video Studio Software

[bdbssb]

I had an earlier post concerning DV VS Mpeg-2. I found that mpeg is my best bet for my ati 9600. However i have just one more small question. Am i better off using VS9 to capture my (s-video) video or the All in wonder? If VS9 is there a gop option for mpeg-2? I do plan on editing the video in VS9 before burning to a dvd.

[tyamada]

It looks like you have more options using the ATI software and you can use video soap to clean up your MPGs.

Video Studio is a little harder to set up and you can't use video soap.

If you plan to do a lot of editing (rendering) then you should use AVI format and render to MPG using Video Studio.

[Ken Berry]

bdbssb -- my tendency is to capture using the software that came with a piece of hardware, simply because it would appear logical that the hardware manufacturers know that that software at least works with their product.

I am also not sure that VS has a GOP facility, though I am pretty sure that Media Studio Pro does -- I suspect that others (such as Steve, our new Tutorials moderator) would be able to comment in far more detail and authority on this. But as I say, I only suspect that VS does not 'do' GOP since so many people experience out-of-sync problems when editing mpegs in VS. Part of this must surely relate to cuts made in their videos which are not precisely on the last frame of any particular Group Of Pictures/frames. This would logically result in a cut coming at some point within the 12 - 18 (?) frames of a GOP, and a consequent out of sync problem arising from the lack of 'reference' between the cut point to the next reference point (first frame of the following GOP) i.e. the video will be too long or too short by that many frames.

Anyway, as I say, stick with the ATI software for capture and even editing... particularly if you know it will do GOP-accurate cuts...

[bdbssb]

Ok thanks again for the great help. Another thing that i did not mention is that i am capturing from a motorola 6412 DVR/PVR the component has a firewire port however info on the drivers are kind of up in the air. I am not even sure if ATI will make use of a firewire.

[sjj1805]

Ken is correct. Video Studio does not enable you to alter the GOP structure.
You can alter the GOP structure with Media Studio.

For an explanation of GOP please click here:
http://www.zerocut.com/tech/mpeg.html
and in slightly more detail here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MPEG-2

I also tend to capture with the software designed for that particular hardware.
For my Camcorder I use either Media Studio or Video Studio.

For my TV Card I tend to stick to the purpose built software for that particular card WinTV2000. You can later import the captured material into your Ulead products.

If you plan on editing then it is safer to capture to AVI.
If you do not have a choice and can only capture to MPEG then you should either keep editing to a minimum, avoid transitions and go for straight cuts. This will help avoid out of synch issues.
The alternative would be to use a purpose built MPEG editor such as
Womble http://www.womble.com/download/
or VideoRedo http://www.videoredo.com/

Both of those products enable you to edit but you would still need to use another product to author the DVD. Such products are
Video Studio
Media Studio
DVD Movie Factory
DVD Workshop.

Regards
Steve J