HD capturing device?

[Merovingian]

Does anyone have a recommendation for an HD capturing device? I currently capture SD now with my DAC-100. I'd like to do the same thing I do now (use Vegas, VideoReDo mostly), but need to start grabbing some HD. VideoReDo seems a little limited in what it can handle now, but it looks like they're adding a good amount to it - so let's say editing in VideoReDo today isn't a must.

[dvd_maniac]

I use the HDHomerun from SiliconDust and I just ordered the Hauppauge HD-PVR.
The Homerun uses OTA or Clear QAM signals and the HD-PVR records HD from a Cable Box so it doesn't have to worry about DRM or encrypted signals.
The only problem with the HD-PVR is that VRD doesn't currently support the AVCHD recordings directly "YET".
The good thing about the HD-PVR is that it records in a MUCH more efficient codec... Less space and better quality.

[bits]

I use the HDHomerun from SiliconDust and I just ordered the Hauppauge HD-PVR.
The Homerun uses OTA or Clear QAM signals and the HD-PVR records HD from a Cable Box so it doesn't have to worry about DRM or encrypted signals.
The only problem with the HD-PVR is that VRD doesn't currently support the AVCHD recordings directly "YET".
The good thing about the HD-PVR is that it records in a MUCH more efficient codec... Less space and better quality.
HD-PVR better quality as compared to what? It certainly is NOT better quality when compared to OTA HD for example. H264 encoding does NOT add quality to ANY recording. The HD-PVR may hurt it less than some other lossy codecs/re-encoding methods, especially if the re-encoding is done using software as opposed to hardware (HD-PVR). I know I am being somewhat picky on this but it is important for anyone reading your comment to know that h264 is not magic and does not add PQ.

One other suggestion is the Dvico HDTVFusion5 USB Gold. It is not QAM but works quite nicely for capturing OTA HD ts streams.

[laserfan]

I know I am being somewhat picky on this but it is important for anyone reading your comment to know that h264 is not magic and does not add PQ.
I didn't read that in dvd_maniac's comment. I agree with him that h264 is a more efficient codec (better quality at lower sizes/bitrates) than MPEG2. The HD-PVR device mentioned is IMO the latest/greatest when it comes to HD capture.

[bits]

I didn't read that in dvd_maniac's comment. I agree with him that h264 is a more efficient codec (better quality at lower sizes/bitrates) than MPEG2. The HD-PVR device mentioned is IMO the latest/greatest when it comes to HD capture.
Had he stated it as you did then I would not have commented. I also agree that it is a good capture device and if I could edit the video stream it captures I would probably have one.

I have read a good many posts regarding h264 and HD PVR where folks have been led to believe that h264/HD PVR can make video better than the source and that I am sure you would agree is not the case. And from what I have been reading recently the HD PVR is still not perfected.

[Merovingian]

Ok, so reading outside of here, and in this thread, the HD PVR seems like the way to go - but how do I edit the clips I make? I've read I cannot use Vegas and obviously can't use VRD (yet).

[bits]

Ok, so reading outside of here, and in this thread, the HD PVR seems like the way to go - but how do I edit the clips I make? I've read I cannot use Vegas and obviously can't use VRD (yet).
There in lies the problem with the HD PVR! That is precisely what I said above and is why I will not own one until there is software like VRD to cut out the bad parts (commercials for example).

I cut commercials for two reasons; I do not want to watch or fastforward through them and it saves 30+% disk space. So if I concede and use the HD PVR then I lose the first and it becomes a wash on the second.

Maybe someone on this forum with more knowledge can comment further but I find it interestingly suspicious that the media industry chose a video codec that seems to be so hard to edit (it seems this way because no one has put out software to edit it and h264 has been around for a fairly long period of time). So maybe they chose h264 more for this reason than its so call superior performance? Just a thought. I have run a lot of tests and IMO software re-encoded using wmv is every bit as good as software encoded using h264.

Sorry got off topic. Most folks seem to be buying the HD PVR with the hope that editing software will come forth. Some have been waiting now for quite a while but sooner or later it should start appearing. BTW I hear that ShowAnalyzer can find commercials in h264, not sure specifically about h264ts however.

[laserfan]

There in lies the problem with the HD PVR!
Ain't that the truth! I know only enough about h264 to be dangerous, and I hear "h264cutter" may be the only game in town (I haven't used it myself).

But one would think that since x264 (free encoder) has been around for quite a while now, that someone would have built a good editor by now, since an editor would need, like VRD, an encoder to re-encode around cut points (my understanding is GOPs can be up to 250 in size as w/xvid & divx).

One might've guess Hauppauge would bundle something but apparently not!?

[Merovingian]

Interesting thoughts. I guess I'll simply have to dive at the HD PVR and hope something comes out soon, or wait for a new device I've heard nothing about :)

[laserfan]

Yes, you're on the "bleeding edge" for sure, at least the HD-PVR is the very first HD capture device I've ever heard about at a hobbyist price.

Since posting above I've read that others seem to have had good success with h264cutter. If you make the plunge by all means report back!

[bits]

Yes, you're on the "bleeding edge" for sure, at least the HD-PVR is the very first HD capture device I've ever heard about at a hobbyist price.

Since posting above I've read that others seem to have had good success with h264cutter. If you make the plunge by all means report back!
I believe the correct name of the software is h264ts_cutter and the latest version 111 was updated in Jan of 2008. I do not have much more experience with it than laserfan but I have downloaded it and tried to use it. Unfortunately for me it only accepts h264ts, which should be ok for video files recorded by the HD PVR. Unlike laserfan my google searches seem to indicate that even the latest version, which as I mentioned above has not been updated since Jan 28th 2008, has problems. But given there are no other known or obvious choices....

I hear that comskip has some limited ability to find commercials in h264ts but to get that you need make a donation. Not sure how well it works but it really does not matter if there is no software to load the comskip generated file into.

[Merovingian]

Thinking outloud: at this point I'm considering bumping budget and maybe looking at something more pro, just to make things easier.

[bits]

Thinking outloud: at this point I'm considering bumping budget and maybe looking at something more pro, just to make things easier.
Are you talking out loud about software or a different device? I assume software, so what do you have in mind?

[laserfan]

Thinking outloud: at this point I'm considering bumping budget and maybe looking at something more pro, just to make things easier.
Hmmm, one thing I would never say about "going pro" is that it would in ANY WAY "make things easier"!!!!?!!! :D

[Merovingian]

Haha, maybe not. I'm looking at Datavideo's lineup right now.

[bits]

Haha, maybe not. I'm looking at Datavideo's lineup right now.
You are in a whole new orbit now and you must have money to burn! Good luck on your quest.

[Merovingian]

Well, I wouldn't say burn, but I do want to get this right. I do want to be reasonable though. 4x my initial amount is crazy, but doable. 10x... not so much. I'm looking at Canopus too.