(Analog S-Video) Video digitizing with a31p problems

[Menneisyys]

Hi all!

I've scrutinized all the a31p-related threads but found no answer to my question (other than some people saying it has no problems with MGI shipped with the a31p on the CD - see http://forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.php?t=3113 ).

After correctly setting up WinXP and running all (online, automatic) Thinkpad updates, I've tried to capture some videos. It worked – with a lot of dropped frames, regardless of the capture size (even at quarter PAL), video codec (tested with XviD, DivX, WMV and plain full frames), capture application (tested with AVI_IO, VirtualDub and WME) and file target (built-in 5400 Samsung 120G; external 7200 through firewire). The video source was SVHS with TBC enabled (this means it can’t cause dropped frames) working great with my other video digitizer cards/solutions.

Do I need to install some specific driver for the capture card? Would the original CD (which got lost in the meantime) help, particularly the MGI Videowave 4? Did anyone have any frame drop problems with the a31p, even without using Videowave 4?

Another question: everybody seems to say the a31p has built-in hardware MPEG2 encoding support for the analogue S-Video input. How do I make it work? It’s certainly not listed in the available codec list in any third-party app. Only with Videowave 4?

TIA

[Menneisyys]

In the meantime, I've also tested the latest Microsoft Movie Maker. It works flawlessly, even in 640*480*1.5 Mbps mode. Of course, it's WMV only, but at least it works.

[sehh]

I've got an A31p with the SVideo In encoder and SVideo out.

I used it to capture video from a VHS and a video camera. It worked ok, although i had to tweak my system to get 0-dropped frames.

MPEG2 hardware encoder? not that i know of, this is the first time i hear about such encoder.

[zone]

MPEG2 hardware encoder? not that i know of, this is the first time i hear about such encoder.

It's mentioned here, scroll down to Expansions->External ports;
"S-Video in with MPEG-2 video-capture capability on A31p only".

Well, now Im wondering what other software supports built in MPEG2 in A31p beside MGI Videowave 4.