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Home: Video University Forums: Tech Q & A:
2 DV Cam + XP Program Capture Project - Need advise

nolax
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Oct 24, 2004, 6:53 PM

Post #1 of 11 (2649 views)
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2 DV Cam + XP Program Capture Project - Need advise	Can't Post

Greetings:

I will appreciate each and every feedback from everybody in this forum who can suggest a solution or approach to this project requirement.

We currently have project that will require us to capture live DV cam feeds from 2 Cameras and also the screen output of a Windows XP program that will display speed information fed by hardware hooked up to the same computer.

The 2 video inputs and the XP program has to be in-sync and capture to a stanard video file. We have experimented with using screen capture software such as Camtasia but encountered some issues: 1) the updates on XP program is delayed (probably due to the multiple events all being procesed by the same CPU). 2) the quality of the captured screen file is of poor quality.

We are very open to any hardware software solution. Our only requirement is that we need to have:
1) consolidate in one screen a syncronized output of the 3 inputs (2 dv cams + 1 XP Program that measures speed information)
2) simple capture and write operation. We want a solution that does not require intensive customization or editing everytime we have to create the video file.
3) be able to write the captured inputs and written to DVD, DVDr and other formats.

We are also looking for a person or company that can assist us implement the solution.

All your feedback will be very much appreciated

Nolan

videobear
Veteran

Oct 25, 2004, 6:18 AM

Post #2 of 11 (2639 views)
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Re: [nolax] 2 DV Cam + XP Program Capture Project - Need advise [In reply to]	Can't Post

Does the computer that does the recording have to be the same computer that is displaying the CPU usage information?

Here's what I would try:

Feed Cam 1 and Cam 2 into a computer equipped with a NewTek Video Toaster system and a couple of Firewire ports.
Run the output of the computer whose screen you want to capture through a scan converter to make it a video signal, and capture that through the Toaster's analog breakout box.

Set the Toaster to display a 3 picture-in-picture setup. Record the output to hard disk.

Alternate approach: Run the two cameras and the output of the scan converter into a dedicated video switcher (e.g., Videonics MX-Pro) via analog video lines. Set the output up as a multiple PIP. Record to DV tape. Afterwards, capture the footage to your hard drive for editing.

Regards,
Doug Graham
Panda Productions

wilebill
User

Oct 25, 2004, 12:02 PM

Post #3 of 11 (2624 views)
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Re: [videobear] 2 DV Cam + XP Program Capture Project - Need advise [In reply to]	Can't Post

The new VT4 will capture screen output as a video source, as well as play back Power Point files as video.

However, I'm not sure it will do all the things that he's asking for. It may, but I'm not sure. It will probably come closer to doing it than anything else I can think of.

It would probably be wise to ask this question on the NewTek forums. The forums are located here: NewTek Discussions.

Regards,
Billy Horton
Video Image Productions

Studio & On-Location Video Production
2 NewTek VT[4.6] Editing Suites

nolax
Novice

Oct 25, 2004, 8:18 PM

Post #4 of 11 (2611 views)
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Re: [videobear] 2 DV Cam + XP Program Capture Project - Need advise [In reply to]	Can't Post

Greetings Doug:

Thanks for the input. I can visualize the setup you have suggested and I think it is very promising. Aside from the challenge of getting all the 3 inputs on one screen and capturing it, the other concern we have is the quality of the video playback of the screen once captured. Do you have any idea on the type of quality we can expect from such a setup?

We need to be able to playback the screen analog (VHS), avi, mpeg (DVD) formats. Video toaster may facilitate this but I hav enot read through all the specs yet.

In answer to your question about the number of computers, if need be, we can use multiple computer in the solution. For that matter, it also not required that the video input is DV. We can use analog if we can keep the integration and the quality better.

I will really value your input.

Nolan

nolax
Novice

Oct 25, 2004, 8:21 PM

Post #5 of 11 (2610 views)
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Re: [wilebill] 2 DV Cam + XP Program Capture Project - Need advise [In reply to]	Can't Post

Thanks Billy:

I just posted a reply to Doug which also referenced VT. I need to read up on the specs. Let me know your thoughts on the previous post.

Nolan

videobear
Veteran

Oct 26, 2004, 10:13 AM

Post #6 of 11 (2596 views)
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Re: [nolax] 2 DV Cam + XP Program Capture Project - Need advise [In reply to]	Can't Post

Good deal. The Toaster's native format is 8 bit uncompressed, which is actually better quality than DV, and it has composite, S-video, and component analog inputs at its breakout box. The limiting factor, I think, will be the quality of the scan converter (if you use one), or the quality of its native screen capture capability (I didn't know it could do that!). The Toaster can convert its native files to just about any common type for digital output, or play them out to tape.

How to position things so all 3 screens are visible? Tough call. I think I would have one video channel full screen, the second video channel and the screen capture image as 1/6 to 1/4 size screen overlays, positioned at the bottom of the screen. For best results, the "full screen" camera's shot framing should take into account that the bottom half of its image will be obstructed by the other presentations.

As the other poster suggested, take the project to the Toaster forums for detailed advice. There are the forums at NewTek itself, and also an active forum maintained by www.sharbor.com , one of the largest NewTek dealers.

Regards,
Doug Graham
Panda Productions

wilebill
User

Oct 26, 2004, 3:54 PM

Post #7 of 11 (2593 views)
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Re: [videobear] 2 DV Cam + XP Program Capture Project - Need advise [In reply to]	Can't Post

I haven't actually used the screen capture capabilities, since I'm still on VT3, but I saw a sample clip of the screen capture, and it has some awsome capabilities. The clip I saw was an example of how the new Toaster CG works. It basically captures the screen as you use the computer - all the mouse moves, clicks, everything he did while working on the computer was captured as a video clip.

The most obvious use of this would be as a training video on how to use a particular software package. I'm sure other uses will crop up as time goes by.

Another really cool thing is turning Power Point presentations into video. I don't know how many times I've seen a post from someone asking how this can be done, and just about the only answer is to get a scan convertor and go to a deck, or shoot the screen with a video camera. Until now.

Regards,
Billy Horton
Video Image Productions

Studio & On-Location Video Production
2 NewTek VT[4.6] Editing Suites

nolax
Novice

Oct 27, 2004, 8:15 PM

Post #8 of 11 (2561 views)
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Re: [videobear] 2 DV Cam + XP Program Capture Project - Need advise [In reply to]	Can't Post

Greetings Doug:

Thanks. Lots of good input. I like VT but I am not sure if it simply an overkill for our requirements. VT seems to be to feature rich given that we do not have video editing requirements. I have done a little but more research and I think we may be able to get our requirements met with a video windowing hardware like RGB Spectrum's Quad XL. We can use analog cams and feeding into the Quad. I should be able use a video card with an analog video out and also feed it to the Quad. The Quad will allow me to size and move my windows.

To get the analog (vhs output), I can use a scan coverter to convert the Quad's RGB output to NTSC/PAL and record to tape. If if feed this NTSC/PAL, to a DVD recorder that takes analog input (I believe Phillips has a stand alone recorder), then I can get the DVD product.

Assuming all of these technicaly works, I am not sure what video quality I can get at the end of the process. I am sure I will be losing quality everytime we undergo any conversion process.

I would really appreciate your input. Have you come across any hardware like an alteranative to the RGB Spectrum Quad XL that will support direct output to NTSC/PAL and/or mpeg?

Given the approach described above, is VT still the better alternative if we do have editing requirements?

Thanks in advance for your input

Nolan

nolax
Novice

Oct 27, 2004, 8:22 PM

Post #9 of 11 (2560 views)
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Re: [wilebill] 2 DV Cam + XP Program Capture Project - Need advise [In reply to]	Can't Post

Hi Bill,
We have not given up on the screen capture approach using Camtasia but I am not sure if the consolidation of the teh consolidation should be done at the digital level or at the analog level. Seems like we run into a lot hardware resource issues when we bring digitize video at the quality we want. The files are just too big and we will have no choice but to downgrade quality and compress to keep the files manageable.

Thoughts please.
Thanks.
Nolan

wilebill
User

Oct 27, 2004, 10:03 PM

Post #10 of 11 (2555 views)
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Re: [nolax] 2 DV Cam + XP Program Capture Project - Need advise [In reply to]	Can't Post

If you're looking for a solution such as a quad splitter, it may be better to use a video quad splitter that a lot of surveilance systems use. Some of these have 4 video inputs and 1 video output. You could then feed the video out of your computer into the splitter. This would keep the quality the same all the way through.

The biggest problem here is that you'd have 3 screens at 1/4 size and one blank.

There should be some things out there that will do this. I know there are some TBCs with p-in-p capabilites, and also some devices that will put a "bug" in a video window. You may have to get a combination of hardware to accomplish what you want.

I'd look at http://www.markertek.com. It's a cornucopia of equipment, and would probably give you a good start.

Good luck.

Regards,
Billy Horton
Video Image Productions

Studio & On-Location Video Production
2 NewTek VT[4.6] Editing Suites

nolax
Novice

Oct 28, 2004, 9:37 AM

Post #11 of 11 (2534 views)
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Re: [wilebill] 2 DV Cam + XP Program Capture Project - Need advise [In reply to]	Can't Post

Greetings Billy:
Thanks again. Some folks have suggested the surveilance equipment and it will probably will work. I am just concern about the formatting as you pointed out and also the quality of the video out. Except for the cost, I like the QuadView XL which will allow us to program the size and position of the Window as well as actually zoom in to a portion of the screen of the video input.

I believe another solution mentioned was using a Matrox DV mixer. I would like to look into that also and compare implementation.

Are there video capure cards out there that will take RGB input and write out mpeg/avi files. I prefer to use onboard video compression on the card.

Thanks in advance.
Nolan