PC-Based Personal Video Recorder

Hello to all.

Perhaps some here have experience with PVRs.

I'd like a solution that would allow me to digitize VHS tapes and to play the resulting files in a separate computer at 320x240, with stereo sound and captions. I'd prefer to use A/V inputs instead of RF for input.

I'd like also to use the system as a PVR of course, digitizing programs, from both A/V and RF tuner, at an adequate resolution so its playback in a regular TV is similar to the original broadcast or at least better than VHS. Would like also to be able to burn a CD-R or a DVD-R later if I choose.

I have seen that some solutions require an additional sound card, while others have all the inputs in the same card.

I'd love it to do all of the above with a PIII800 class machine that works as a router/home server (very light use), with PCI card(s).

I don't know what is required to play the recordings in a regular TV, using composite or S-video and stereo line-level outputs.

Many thanks in advance and regards.

 

More information than you need to know:

http://www.tomshardware.com/video/20010524/index.html

Cheers!

 

Thanks Sckott!!

How come yours is bigger than anyone else's?????

 

Got these elsewhere:

http://ruel.net/pc/tv.tuner.cable.connections.htm

http://ruel.net/pc/tv.tuner.converter.htm

 

On a related note, I have a pretty sizable collection of family videos that
were taken with a Sony 8 mm video camera. I've been thinking that it
might be a good idea to transfer these tapes to DVD fomat.

I called several Camera shops and wasn't surprised that they typically
charge $40 to to a conversion. My collection of 20 family video's would
run about $800 to do a DVD conversion.

Any thoughts on what equipment and the cost to convert them myself?

PS: I think this thread belongs in the off topic area.

 

If you already have an adequate PC, then the extra hardware to do it yourself is about 200 bucks.

It seems that for my needs, I'll be quite happy with:

1) WinTV-PVR-250 PCI card

2) GeForce4 MX-440 AGP Graphics Card.

 

A WinTV would do fine, but for some DVD_Authroing applications, it would look like mush.

Gary, In many cases you can buy a really nice capture card for $300, and it's even cheaper if your Sony is of recent, and uses Firewire or DV cassette technology. Then you don't need to convert analog composite video to digital. The capture card is what's needed if you don't use a digital video camera.

Some by Pinnicale do very well. Some people use other outboard capture solutions.

Avitar? A friendly Gort I know made it for me, and I let him import it into my profile however he felt. I would have changed it by now, but I thought it was thoughtful of him, quite nice, and a 2A3 tube looks "wimpy" if shrunken down too much. It was not my doing to the fact that my avitar is bigger. Someone elses free decision was involved. I like it!

Seriously, read that Toms Hardware article for this information and more. It's really well thought out, as also the hardware mentioned.

 

Buying an expensive video capturing card will probably be overkill if you are only going to convert Video 8 to MPEG1 (VCD quality).

For S-VHS/Hi8 conversion to digital, a Pinnacle (Miro) DC 30 may be a way to go, but they are probably making something cheaper and just as good already.

Even if your video card has an analog video input (S-Video or RCA), I would stay away from purely software-based conversion tools. They require a lot of HD space, and the ones I tried did not really work anyway

 

My current camera is not a digital video. It's doesn't even have a color
LCD display not that it's important, but I do need to move my collection
into DVD. Heck I still have home film movies from the mid 50's that need
to be transferred.

I would also need a DVD -R recorder as well.

Thanks everyone for all the information.

 

If it is a Video 8 (not Hi 8), the picture would not really benefit much from higher resolution digital (MPEG2 vs MPEG1). You may want to try converting them to MPEG2 first, and then burn to SVCD or XVCD using a regular burner and regular blanks (not DVD-R), or even downconvert to MPEG1 and burn as VCD.

Of course you would need to make sure that your DVD player can read SVCD and XVCD.

 

HI Sergei,

Its a panasonic RV-80 and only reads DVD and DVD-V.

I'm unfamiliar with the other two formats.

I know that within the next two years I will need a new camera though.

 

Well VCD will be the format for you, then, because VHS and the like won't really push quality that DVD has potential for.

VCD is a format (Video Compact Disc) that took off in Korea, China and in a few other Asian markets before DVD was widespread. Many DVD players support VCDs from CDR, and it's very easy to do if you do it right.

Recording to DVD is the same thing. You MUST read, watch, look, listen because even DVD recording can be tricky, but easy when you get it down.

But don't think that because you have VHS tape that DVD will look a LOT better than on VCD, because it's just not always the case. VCD is cheap, fairly easy (Nero Burning ROM does it best) and highly editable on 2-3 year old machines.

Working with MPEG2 even on new machines (minus souped up Macs) is labourous!

Here's another site worth looking into:

www.vcdhelper.com

It will show you how to make your own VCDs from DVDs (gasp) or from captures, and also explains the technicals that you must pay attention to. The other cool thing about VCD now, is the editing and authoring software is basically free, all around, with the possible exception of Nero, although a fully operational demo is available from www.ahead.de

But if that DVD player only does DVD and no VCD, then....oh well.

Many recent players do VCD (check the VCDhelper page for DVD model acceptance). It's nice to go to the Moving Pictures Archive (link on Steve's home page) download and burn. Then, watch them on the TV upstairs!

DVD is great, but VCD is great, and it's a shame people are breaking their backs to do DVD-R for Super 8's and VHS. It can be done on VCD for cheaper and easier for many reasons.

 

Thanks Sckott,

Your input has been very helpful. I guess more research is required before I take any plunges.

I Realize that the transfer might degrade the picture a bit, but at least I will have my family videos archived safely to a disc that I can pop in any
DVD player at my Parents, Inlaws or Cousins houses.

Thanks Again!

 

You're welcome.

Yes, research is vital, especially when planning to record to DVD-R or DVD+R, DVD-RW, blah, blah...

Good luck, Gary. You'll do fine.

Just don't....uh... throw away the tapes when you archive