Video capturing device(s) & video capturing : comments ?

I have tons of analog home video in SVHS-C tape that I need to capture and encode into DVD-video ready files. This would then be archived in DVD-R
I also have some mini DV tapes that I would like to do the same. I am using Panasonic NV-MX500 camcorder (a 3 CCD one).
See http://www.macuser.co.uk/macuser/reviews/36370/panasonic-nvmx500.html
http://www.expandore.com/product/DV Product/MX500.htm
It has a different model number in US.

Been looking for a suitable capture card that can cater for both the analogue and DV video. eg http://www.inventa.com.au/Dual-Mode Capture Cards Comparison.htm

All of them are fairly pricy.

Several queries here

(1)I think would need a device (eg an analogue capture card) to capture those analogue SVHS-C tapes.

I then came across this USB device http://www.inventa.com.au/Product Release and Comment/FusionMPEG2.htm
The write up on the page seems to say that this gadget is pretty good for what it does.

What do you think about the above video capture device?
Have you used them before?
How is the quality?
Any reservation?

(2)I was told that I might be able to use the miniDV camcorder as a conversion/capturing device for the analog video. I could input the video and audio into the camcorder via the RCA & SVHS input connectors and then output the video into the computer as DV file format via the firewire connection of both the camcorder and computer.

Is that possible?

If so what would the quality of the video be? Would those capturing device above be better in terms of quality?

One thing for sure I guess is that even after I input those DV files into the computer, I would still need to convert/encode them into DVD-video ready files (mpeg2) using some sort of software encoder before I can burn them on DVD-R. Whereas those hardware capturing devices can do that in one step i.e. to capture and convert in one step into DVD-video ready files.

Am I right?

A bit confused here.......

 

If you camcorder has pass thru capability- you are correct. And pretty much correct about your other assumptions. DV would have to be encoded to mpeg2 compliant for dvd authoring. Some guys swear by this method. Depends on source, what you want to do in terms of editing and s/w encoding vs hardware encoding. Oh yeah, how much time you can devote to your transfers.

 

I can potentially channel in as much time and effort and, to some limited extend, $$$ for this project. Those home video worth more than gold in value to us.

I want to make sure that the quality of the captured video and subsequent hardware or software encoding is as good as it can be before archiving into DVD-video.

Can someone comment on the device above ?

http://www.inventa.com.au/Product Release and Comment/FusionMPEG2.htm
This USB device seem to do hardware capturing as well as encoding on the fly. The retailer told me that it is as good as if not better than analog capture card worth several thousand of dollars.

Would I be better off getting this device OR a good analog capturing card and a good software encoder?

Thanks

 

I'd research the chip on it in more depth and I noticed it shipped with Ulead VS 7. Isn't that application a bit dated? I'm also leary of the fact that it's powered thru the usb bus. The write up on it makes it sound like it can do your dishes if need be!

It looks cool but I'm not too sure just how much processing your're actually gonna get out of something that small.

 

Don't know....... I am pretty new to all this. I wonder would that matter?

The report here is pretty good.
http://www.videohelp.com/capturecar...Any&price=&orderby=Name&hits=25&Search=Search

Just wonder if anyone else has experience with this device.

 

The Video Passthrough Method useing your Camcorder should capture better quality than Most Analogue Capture Devices so I suggest that you try that First before spending money on a Analogue Capture device...Chances are the Capture Quality useing your DV Camcorders Analogue Passthrough will be Just as Good or Better than Most Analogue Capture devices....


Also that "Fusion Mpeg2" USB Capture device seems Fairly expensive and I have never heard of this device before which makes me a Little Leary....If you can afford to spend that Kind of Money on a Capture device then maybe Look into one that Has a Good Reputation from a Reputible Company like the "Canopus MpegPro EMR" which is a Professinal Quality Hardware Mpeg-2 encoder that costs about the same as the Fusion device accept that it is Made by Canopus which is one of the Most Reputible Companies for professinal video equipment there is....

Here"s a Link:

http://www.canopus.us/US/products/MPEGPRO_EMR/pm_MPEGPRO_EMR.asp

Cheers

PS: the Price for the Device on the Canopus Web site is Much more expensive than if you were to buy the device off of a different retailer or even on EBay....

 

Thanks Minion.

I shall try out the video passthrough method.

Wow, that MPEGPRO EMR is sure expensive. Three time the price of FusionMpeg2. It is about AU$949 here as compared to the FusionMpeg2 which is about AU$300. It didn't even have a RCA video input (using SVHS input only). I doubt it would even be twice as good.........

Somehow the prices are sooooo much more expensive here in Australia then USA even after exchange rate being taken into consideration. MPEGPRO EMR is about US$445 and FusionMpeg2 is about US$125. Exchange rate is US$0.77 = AU$1.00