hardware compession card suitable for VS10+

ironcutter · Post by **ironcutter** » Mon Mar 12, 2007 12:28 pm

hi, I'm using VS10+ to create video file (mpeg1 640x480 25fps at 3000kbs) or dvd with "create a disc" procedure.

Now I would like to buy a captur/compression card to improve the quality of my video.
I konw that a card using an hardware coding/decoding capture card will improve the quality of my anoligic capture (and therefore the digital conversion), this is one of the reason of my choice.

But I normaly use a firewire capture since I work with a DV camera, I guess that a new card will not improve my captured video, is it correct?

But my main doubt is about how to "tell" to this card from videostudio to create a file and therefore compress this video with an hardware compression instead of the videostudio software one? This operation will improve my video quality?

Which card is it suitable to work with videostudio?

I hope to be clear, thank you for your help!!

ironcutter

sjj1805 · Post by **sjj1805** » Mon Mar 12, 2007 12:33 pm

Hardware compression is for TV cards (Such as a Hauppauge.)
If you have a DV camcorder then you import via Firewire.
If you have a DVD camcorder then place the disc into your DVD Drive and import the VOB files.

etech6355 · Post by **etech6355** » Mon Mar 12, 2007 6:34 pm

Now I would like to buy a captur/compression card to improve the quality of my video.
I konw that a card using an hardware coding/decoding capture card will improve the quality of my anoligic capture (and therefore the digital conversion), this is one of the reason of my choice.

A hardware based capturing card makes life easier on your processor.
Doesn't always mean better or higher quality video.

The hardware based encoders capturing cards are not all supported by many programs. Always best to use the software that comes with the card to capture the videos and then import them into your video editor(s).

A card that does work with VS is the ATI "TV Wonder Pro". This is a pci card that uses hardware assistance to encode the mpeg2 video. Still, using the ATI software is the absolute best method to capture with this card.
Other ATI cards such as the "TV Wonder Pro ELITE" uses direct hardware compression.
I removed the ELITE from that system and replaced it with the Hauppauge PVR150 #Model 1045. I use the Hauppauge software to capture analog video then import into VS.

DVDDoug · Post by **DVDDoug** » Tue Mar 13, 2007 12:36 am

In general, you will get better results with a software encoder.

With a software encoder, the computer can take its time, and it can perform two-pass variable bitrate-encoding.

Software compression also allows you to choose the bitrate after the fact. This allows you to use the least compression possible without worrying if the file will fit onto a DVD.

For on-the-fly real-time encoding, hardware compression is generally better. The Windows operating system is always doing stuff in the background, and this can cause trouble if the software MPEG encoding gets interrupted while the real-time video stream continues. A hardware encoder takes the load off of the CPU. All the computer has to do is move the data to the hard drive. And since the data is pre-compressed, there is less data to move. You can get-away with a slower computer, and maybe even some multitasking during capture.

3000kbps is a bit on the low side. You will get better quality if you increase it to around 6000. And, don't use MPEG-1 for a DVD. MPEG-1 is allowed, but all commercial DVDs are MPEG-2. 640x480 is not allowed on a video DVD. If you are trying to use that file for a DVD, Movie Factory will convert it... and you will get some additional quality loss due to the conversion. So, if you are making an MPEG-1 640x480 file for the computer and a DVD also, create both files separately from the original DV-AVI file. (Maybe that's what you are already doing...)

If you are doing any "real editing" (anything other than cutting and splicing), the MPEG will have to be decoded an re-coded. MPEG is lossy compression, and any alterations to the video require an additional encode step.

In addition to the the "theoretical" issues with MPEG editing, the Ulead programs have trouble editing some MPEGs ("lip-sync" problems and/or occasional crashing). I have a Hauppauge card for analog capture, and it works great... But, I had to buy a special-purpose MPEG editor!

So, you are better-off "capturing" the DV directly to a DV-AVI file, editing in that format, and converting to MPEG-2 (with software) as the last step before burning.

ironcutter · Post by **ironcutter** » Tue Mar 13, 2007 3:04 pm

Many thank to all for the time you dedicated to my problem.

At the end what I understood is that the hardware compression is helpfull only during the capture from analogic device (tv or vhs), an Hauppauge card will be enough. once I have to captured my video with the card software I can import it in VS and then edit it etc...

Working with DV camcorder and firewire capture no other device in needed, since the card that works with hardware coding (for example during the rendering phase) works only with their inbundle software and at the end the do not improve the video quality but only heps the CPU.
The only real advantage in with realtime decoding operations.

Please correct me if I'm wrong.

now I have a better idea of what to choose.

thank you once again and sorry for my "poor" english....

ironcutter

DVDDoug · Post by **DVDDoug** » Tue Mar 13, 2007 8:09 pm

At the end what I understood is that the hardware compression is helpfull only during the capture from analogic device

Right. Most (maybe all) of these hardware encoders only work during capture as part of the analog-to-digital conversion.

There may be some hardware encoders that can be used later in a separate render step, but the Hauppauge cards cannot be used this way.

I believe that professional-commercial DVDs are encoded with software. (The software probably runs on something more powerful than a personal computer.)

daniel · Post by **daniel** » Wed Mar 14, 2007 12:40 pm

DVDDoug wrote:I believe that professional-commercial DVDs are encoded with software. (The software probably runs on something more powerful than a personal computer.)

You are right to believe that.
They run on "massively parallel" computer racks, 16 being average, big Hollywood productions get more, with slightly different algorithms on each and comparison/selection of the best quality/size ratio GOP by GOP.
They take all the time they need, and consider it a bad result if they have to go above 4 MB/s at places for nearly-perfect results.
And as for everything, the last byte is the hardest to get rid of.

We need to get to 6-8 MB to get a comparable result in several hours, but they wish to have everything, movie, teasers, intricated menus, directors comments, actors biography, bonus films oh and copyright/FBI notice, on a single 8.5GB disc. 6 soundtracks in 5-channels surround, ten subtitles.

That is incompatible with 8 MB/s :-)

etech6355 · Post by **etech6355** » Wed Mar 14, 2007 6:27 pm

No wonder they get upset when someone rips a dvd using free software.
Costs millions to product one dvd.

They are already hacking at HD & BD disks. It'll never stop.

daniel · Post by **daniel** » Thu Mar 15, 2007 12:22 pm

etech6355 wrote:They are already hacking at HD & BD disks. It'll never stop.

I didn't knew that, but why ain't I surprised?