Topic: PVR Software

[SSCF-LeRoy]

I have an AverMedia video capture card/TV tuner installed, but I have no software other than Windows Movie Maker to record video with. Does anyone have any recommendations for good video capture and authoring software? If anyone can recommend a good TV tuner program as well, that would be nice too

[Dash Jones]

My aunt uses and swears by Ulead.

for a free program you might try out TMPG, or at least trial.

It seems to work off of codecs you have so it's not just confined to older avi's sometimes if you are lucky.

http://www.download.com/TMPGEnc/3000-2140_4-10353607.html?tag=pub

Or the newer version which has free trial

http://www.download.com/TMPGEnc-XPress/3000-2140_4-10642913.html?tag=pub

[NJAntman]

I'm using WinFast PVR that came with my Leadtek WinFast TV2000 XP capture card. Does the job OK and comes with a free link to EPG scheduling service which works like a TV guide listing that you can just click on the shows description/time slot and automatically record.

The card also came with a free copy of Ulead Video Studio and DVD Movie Factory which work fairly well. Takes some getting used to but managed to learn it without having to consult manuals. I've used the WinFast PVR to recore BSG episodes, import right into either of the Ulead software and rip DVD copies.

[T' Kang]

We do a bunch of video editing/CGI professionally. There are different tools that we use for different PC capable jobs. This is my opinion from past experience.

Part1. Broadcast: If using the card as a tuner. ULead or InterVideo. Intervideo uses Titan for menus.

Part 2. S-Video Input: When using the S-Video input (analog) to record, what visually works out for raw files is InterVideo HomeTheater2 which uses the DVR3 in the suite. This is when we transfer non-copyright/private VHS to DVD. The inexpensive, (discontinued now) ASUS 7135 TV card has out performed all other cards.  We have tried  many Hauppauge, ATI 550/ 650 and the Turtle Beach TBS-1500.
In house we have used ULead, and own, a full Adobe Suite, Nero 7, ATI, WinDVD, and an old copy of MainConceptPVR. The bundled ASUS InterVideo HomeTheater records the best Anti-Aliased 640x480 mpeg frames.  It just works. Period. This program is clunky, but easier to skin than a 3DS model.
 
Part 3. Game Capture: There is FRAPS, FRAPS or FRAPS…lol
Nothing better that we have used capturing from desktop.

Part 4: Production: For insanity we use the Bink SDK  to break-down an *.avi into individual frames and edit them with Adobe CS2. We edit with VirtualDub and Adobe Production. We have had the best results compiling for DVD/ISO with Nero v7.8.5.0 when adding soundtracks in AC3 (Dolby 5.1). We have not tried the new CS3 Production Suite from Adobe (the pre-order upgrade is $1400).

Additionally, the AfterDawn forum is a good place to look around.