Re: ATI all in wonder good enough for converting hi8 and vhs to digital?

TG wrote:

J. Clarke wrote:
TG wrote:


Like many others, I have a ton of hi8 video and quite a few regular VHS
tapes I'd like to move to DVD and/or VCD.

I also have a Hauppage USB tuner with analogue inputs that I use for my
laptop, and I recently purchased an ATI all in wonder 2006 video card
for my desktop. I have recorded tv shows with both and burned to vcd and
dvd with satisfactory results. While I am on this topic though, why is
the live tv picture not as sharp as say, a dvd being played on the PC? I
have used the unused cable output on my satellite reciever
(starchoice) to feed the signal to the tuner card. Would it be better if
I used the S-VHS or video output to the tuner card? I am currently using
these to go straight to the TV.

Anyway, my main questions are:

Are either of these devices good enough for converting analogue to
digital?

Is the ATI card better than the Hauppage USB device? or vice versa?

Will I get better results with a standalone firewire video capture card?

Any other ideas?


If you've got a lot of hi-8 you might want to consider getting a Digital
8 camcorder, some models of which can also play back analog Hi-8 and
regular 8 video recordings to the Firewire port--read the docs for the
one you're
considering as all of the Digital 8 camcorders can't do this. Should
give
better results than a consumer-grade analog capture board. The same
camcorder should also be able to handle the analog-to-digital conversion
on your VHS tapes--run the outputs from the VHS deck into the analog
inputs on the camcorder and you'll have nicely digitized audio and video
coming out the Firewire port.


So I would be better off getting a card with firewire ports and using a
digital camcorder? Do you mean just a card with firewire ports, or a
video capture card with firewire port?

In practical terms, as long as the firewire port is compatible with the OHCI
standard, which nearly all of them in current production are, it makes
little difference.

(Forgive my ignorance, I know
little about this technology) As my PC is right now, I just put in a new
ASUS motherboard and as far as I know it only comes with built in USB 2
ports..

You might want to check the documentation--most of the ASUS boards I've seen
in recent years have had a Firewire port, however it was generally on an
internal header with a cable and connector provided to carry it to the back
of the case.

This may be a good option as digital camcorders are coming down in
price, any model particularly well suited for this? I just purchased a
Sony DSC-M1 that is digital video, but I know it wont do what you are
suggesting.

That's actually a digital still camera with limited video features. I think
that in the current Sony line, the DCR-TRV480 would be the one to look at
for dealing with an existing hi-8 library. Looks like Sony is in the
process of phasing out Digital 8 so if you're going that route it might be
wise to get one before they're all gone.

--
--John
to email, dial "usenet" and validate
(was jclarke at eye bee em dot net)
.

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