[AG-TECH] Video Capture Card Misery

[Todd Zimmerman]

We are using the Hauppauge Impact VCB's for our capture which use the bttv drivers.  They are
straight capture (no tuner) which is fine for us - and cheap ($70 Canadian each). Haven't tried them
on Windows, but thought I'd throw it out there...

Todd

Proshanta Saha wrote:
> Hi Zsolt,
> 
> About 4 months ago I was going through the same problem. I had purchased 4
> WinTV PVR 150s thinking that it would be a very good solution for the AG
> cosidering its hardware MPEG2 and less load on the CPU and all. The problem
> however is however that with hardware mpeg capture cards there is no readily
> available solution to decode on the fly. Even if you do find any you'll be
> faced with a significant lag since a software will first have to buffer the
> video then transmit that video. If you do find a solution please to this do
> let me know, I would love to use PVRs.
> 
> What I did instead was hunt for WinTV 401 model with the BT878 chipset,
> unforunately those are out of production, and you'll find only WinTV 401
> models with the cx8800 chipset. Since I don't quite enjoy selecting video
> sources each time I enter a different AG room, I prefer linux. The cx8800 is
> supported under linux using Video For Linux 2(V4L2), which AG does not ship
> native tools for, most likely because older video cards and webcams that use
> V4L may break. However it does work, a little quirky, loosing video
> sometimes, but it does work.
> 
> Now, in order for you to find a capture card with the BT878 chipset, is
> quite a challengin game. Since the demand is still there for the BT878
> chipset, the Osprey and Winnov Cards still make manufacture a few of their
> lines with it, but make sure you use the correct drivers usually the much
> older drivers. If you are in my situation, you're most likely gonna have a
> tough time getting an authorized vendor to sell those antique cards. But if
> you are willing to pay out of your own pocket, you can get cheap BT878 cards
> for about $10 from places such as newegg.com <http://newegg.com> or ebay. I
> do not endorse these vendors, but after an exhaustive search it seems to be
> some of the few places still selling such antique cards at a reason able
> price. A few of my university approved authorized vendors still sell the
> older cards but at MSRP prices from 1996(~$150-$200)!
> 
> Good Luck,
> Proshanta
> 
> 
> On 11/3/05, Nagykaldi, Zsolt F. (HSC) <Zsolt-Nagykaldi at ouhsc.edu> wrote:
> 
>>  Anybody, ever installed a Hauppauge WinTV video capture card on a WinXP
>>Pro SP2 that actually WORKED with the AG Venue client??? I have spent days
>>with this thing and I am desperate here. What other cards do you have for
>>this particular setup that works for you?
>> THANKS.
>>   _ _ _
>> Zsolt Nagykaldi, PhD
>>Research Associate, Clinical IT Specialist
>>University Of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center
>>Department Of Family And Preventive Medicine
>>Oklahoma Center For Family Medicine Research
>> 900 NE 10th Street
>>Oklahoma City, OK 73104
>>Phone: (405) 271-8000 Ext.:1-32212
>>Fax: (405) 271-1682
>>
> 
>