Capturing in MPEG 2 format

pjfarr wrote on 3/28/2006, 2:06 PM

I'm using a USB 2 capture device that compresses the video signal (from analog VCR) on the fly. Unfortunately it doesn't allow me to capture in anything but MPEG formats (MPEG 1 and 2 with different quality settings within each). I'd prefer to capture in .AVI (disk space is not an issue). Will capturing in MPEG 2 (even at the highest quality setting) affect the visual quality of the resulting render? I know MPEG 2 is DVD quality, but isn't rendering from MPEG to MPEG going to compress the compression? That can't be good...

~P.J.F.

Comments

Chienworks wrote on 3/28/2006, 2:13 PM

I'll also point out that MPEG2 may be DVD quality, but often isn't. Quite often cheap captured devices produce an MPEG2 file that is far far below DVD quality. I'm quite certain that is the case for your device. And yes you are correct that rendering MPEG to MPEG is going to lose even more quality.

You're probably going to have to get a different capture device. Many of the folks in this forum are pleased with the Canopus ADVC devices, starting with the model 110. This device converts analog video into the same digital stream that a digital camcorder produces. You then capture the digital signal through firewire. The resulting DV .avi file is very good quality.

pjfarr wrote on 3/29/2006, 11:35 AM

Thanks for the info CW

I'm using a Plextor PX-AV100U I bought based on the high ratings it got from different online reviews. I was disappointed when I discovered it didn't capture in .avi

Another capture device I'm considering is the ADS Pyro A/V Link which is a little more costly but also gets high marks from reviewers.

The Canopus device is a little more pricey, but obviously a quality product. I'll have to think that one over a bit...

Thanks,
P.J.F.