I capture my favorite tv shows with my vcr then convert them over to MJPEG using my Matrox G400tv card. The problem I run into is that while capturing them from the vcr I always get some message about the signal being copyrighted and it stops recording. I would like to finish capturing in MJPEG and convert them over to create a VCD. The program I'm using is Matrox's pc vcr remote. Has anyone else had this problem? Is there any other good video capturing software?

-- Anthony Peter (Apeter@ecc.com), February 03, 2000

Answers

i dont know what your copying but that sounds more like a copyguard problem, then it does your card. What you could do is run your vcd into (you would have to buy one) a video clarifier device (they run for about 30-60) this eliminates any copyguard signal, and from their into your pc. The program your using may be at fault as well. it may have been programmed to pick up this signal from copyguarded tapes. You also might want to try another program that will still let you use your capture card, but might not pick up this signal.

-- Doug (mazinz@aol.com), February 03, 2000.

I meant to say run from your VCR into the video clarifier, then into your PC. I noticed after i submiited this i said VCD instead of vcr

-- Doug (mazinz@aol.com), February 03, 2000.

try the program Vidcap32.exe. its a Microsoft program, but i dont know if its on their website. its a pretty small basic program that should work with any windows device that can cap an avi. ill try and email it to u.

-- ndumu (ndumu@hotmail.com), February 03, 2000.

In addition to the capture utility, you will need to invest in a capture card otherwise your capture in avi format will be really huge without any hardware compresssion.

Just a thought.

NT

-- NT (i1x@nightmail.com), February 04, 2000.

Well, I find that it is not a software problem, it's hardware. Due that the source is protected by Macrovision, it's detected by the chip encoder of the card and it doesn't allow to make it. Read the article @ www.tomshardware.com

-- Francis Batista (batista@hotmail.com), February 04, 2000.

I have a G200 Marvel and had exactly the same problem. I understand about the Macrovision thing but sometimes, even though the source is my own tapes shot on my own Hi-8 camcorder, PC-VCR still declares they are copyrighted and refuses to capture. So after searching high and low I came across a site that had patches for removing this pesky copyright thing and allows my G200 to capture most anything. Forgot what the site is now, but the keyword is MARPAT01, MARPAT02, etc. (for Marvel patch?), and there are three little files; one for disabling copy-protect pulses from external sources from inhibiting capture, one for inhibiting G200 itself from adding such pulses to its video output, and one for ensuring that whatever appears at the PC-VCR preview window is at once available at the G200 video output. I don't know if these are okay for the G400 and if you don't find them I'd be glad to e-mail them to U.

-- EMartinez (epmartinez@yahoo.com), February 05, 2000.

I have found the following on the Matrox site: 25. Why am I am getting a copy protection error when I try to capture? (top)

- If you have been playing a DVD video and it has copy protection, copy protection may not be disabled when the video stops playing. As a result, after you play a copy-protected DVD video, you may not be able to record any video with a video recorder connected to your Matrox graphics card. To disable copy protection, restart your computer.

-- Jan Rademan (jrademan@iafrica.com), April 16, 2000.