I'm looking for a good hardware encoding capture-card/TV tuner. For now I will be using the capture features rather then for watching TV. I'm recording video from an original Xbox using S-video to my PowerBook G4 1.5GHz. It will also record stereo audio through RCA cables.
The EyeTV 250 ($200) looks great, has great reviews and I would buy it but it's pricey and has no hardware mpeg-4 encoding.
The TVMax (~$185) looks to have most of the same features but also has hardware mpeg-4 encoding.
The EvolutionTV also looks very similar to TVMax but it is a ton cheaper (~$70). Seems like a good deal but I'm wondering if it can match the quality of the other two.
? Other Choices ?
I'll be recording in 640x480 or 720x480 and I'm trying to get the best quality possible. Mpeg-4 seems to be the most efficient way to get max quality at minimum file size. Which one should I buy? Any other products I should consider before making a choice? I've recorded video on my PC with an ATI TVWonder Pro for some time and it has been nothing but problems. When it did work, the quality was great except for vertical bands running up and down the video, which kinda ruined it. Basically, I've become obsessed with video quality and want the best.
The EyeTV 250 ($200) looks great, has great reviews and I would buy it but it's pricey and has no hardware mpeg-4 encoding.
The TVMax (~$185) looks to have most of the same features but also has hardware mpeg-4 encoding.
The EvolutionTV also looks very similar to TVMax but it is a ton cheaper (~$70). Seems like a good deal but I'm wondering if it can match the quality of the other two.
? Other Choices ?
I'll be recording in 640x480 or 720x480 and I'm trying to get the best quality possible. Mpeg-4 seems to be the most efficient way to get max quality at minimum file size. Which one should I buy? Any other products I should consider before making a choice? I've recorded video on my PC with an ATI TVWonder Pro for some time and it has been nothing but problems. When it did work, the quality was great except for vertical bands running up and down the video, which kinda ruined it. Basically, I've become obsessed with video quality and want the best.
