Hiya, I've posted before about ATI AIWPro tips and problems etc, but i sold my card last week for £40 (gb). Despite any knowledge i've gained im damn lost as to what to buy next!!! I've already tried and taken back Winhauppage WINTV card and also Dazzle Video and Photo maker USB - WinME wont even use it!!!. Im just looking at a Pinnacle PCTV Rave card are they any good? All i need to do is connect my NICAM vcr to it so i can capture in STEREO and from composite leads. The box i looked at didnt describe the input sockets very well.

**************This is from www.pcworld.co.uk page***************

Video processor - Conexant BT8x8

High-Quality TV-Tuner - TEMIC or Philips (full hyperband cable TV support); variants: PAL B/G, PAL I, PAL/SECAM

Aerial Input - IEC connector

Video Inputs - S-video (Hosiden-socket), Composite video (RCA socket)

Video Outpu - Header (internal, 2.8mm), i.e. for connection to a miroVIDEO DC10/DC30

Audio Input - Header (internal, 2.8mm), i.e. for connecting to a CD-ROM drive

Audio Outputs - 3.5mm stereo headphone connector (external) Header (internal, 2.8mm)

Hardware Deliverables - STUDIO PC TV PCI-board, compact design (length: ca. 12cm), Audiocable (length ca. 30cm, 2 x 3.5mm stereo headphone jack) for connection to a soundboard

So whats a header? My sound card is SBLive Value and i've tired connecting through line in, and the audio was on all the time.

I'll throw some more cards into the picture to se what you think....

PINNACLE PC TV CARD PINNACLE STUDIO PC TV CARD

Please help friends! I HAVE to buy at PCWORLD 'cos of a credit note.

Any good advice on a basic quality tv/capture card would be appreciated, so long as i can watch using composite video and record in stereo.

Thanks for reading,

Andy andy@snes.freeserve.co.uk

-- Andy (andy@snes.freeserve.co.uk), December 08, 2000

Answers

I've tried many different devices, but the best so far is the ATI Rage Fury Pro, which has given me some pretty good results, especially whilst encoding in Mpeg2.

PCWorld haven't really got any decent capture cards. So spend your credit note on some other kit and invest in an ATI Rage Fury Pro ( which uses the Theatre Chip - same as the Radeon) from some other supplier!

-- MadGerman (manfred@source4all.co.uk), December 10, 2000.

The Rave is pretty good for the price - It has a composite (AV) input along with s-video - both can be used for connecting a vcr (input) but the first is the most popular. It does not have any outputs so you cant tape anything to vcr

-- Khalid Rafique (khalidraf@hotmail.com), May 04, 2001.

it doesnt have stereo composite input, only a headphone type socket so you only will get sound from vcr if it has a headphone socket. Try hooking up the vcr to a tv with a headphone and composite socket

-- Khalid Rafique (khalidraf@hotmail.com), May 04, 2001.