Hardware help for a newbie

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Can Some one i mean anyone help me i would like to create vcd for my Grandnana but i dont know what type of hardware to get i have a P2 laptop and i was wondering what type of capture card to get. i have a firewire card and usb i looking for something that will be easy and good quality and well cheap am a new father. Also how do i create VCD please help me

-- Dahmein Mcfadden (dahmein.b.mcfadden@verizon.net), March 20, 2001

Answers

A couple ways you can go here.

Hardware: Dazzle makes a pretty good product that will probably be best for the laptop. You may not need a capture card though. What type of camcorder are you using? If it is DV, you can pring it straight in on the firewire card. I have never done this because I don't have that quality of a camcorder.

You will also need a CDR drive. I only mention this because you didn't mention you had one.

Now software: I prefer Ulead Video Studio 5.0. depending on the capture card you get, It may come with it. or atleast the 4.0se version. Both versions in my opinion are great edititors. The 5.0 version just has a couple newer features. Only reason I upgraded.

To burn the VCD you will need software capable of writing VCDs. I have used EZCD 5.0, with bad results. The menuing portion sucks big time. You can make a simple sequential VCD fairly easily. It also doesn't do multiple entry points per track. I also experienced play back problems of the disc after track 4 the tracks played irradically. But when I had the video in one long track it burned perfectly fine no problems. You next have nero. I could never get the 5.0 Dmeo to run on my system. So I can't commenton the quality or easy of use.

Then there is Videopack 4.0 / WinOnCD 3.7pe. Both are from the same company. The good news is it has had great quality for me. WinOnCD 3.7PE pretty much just does a simple play back CD. I didn't have any problems with play back at all. Videopack 4.0 does only VCDs, and does marvelous menus. Now the bad news, the company who makes the products was bought by Roxio which makes EZCD 5.0. So finding the programs are going to be extremly difficult. The places I have found are all across the ocean and you need to convert you money. Also there is no support right now.

If you are one of those demented individuals, that prefers to use warez software. It is out there, but I wouldn't recomend it for quality reasons. Not to mention legality.

-- Dwayne (ddilbeck@yahoo.com), March 26, 2001.


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