Which Pinnacle capture card to get?
 

Hello everyone,

Could you please advise me on which of these 3 capture cards works best? It's for a Windows XP system (in progress).

1. Pinnacle Studio MovieBox Deluxe - 700-USB
2. Pinnacle Studio MovieBox HD 710-USB
3. Pinnacle Studio MovieBox 510-USB PLUS

Thank you very much in advance!

I would buy the one you can get the cheapest.

http://www.digitalfaq.com/forum/vide...html#post77210

http://www.digitalfaq.com/forum/vide...input-box.html

That would be a mistake. These are not identical cards, and behave very differently on different sources. So source specs are required here, before attempting any advice.

There is actually the 500-USB on the table waiting too :p So basically the 4 choses:

1. Pinnacle Studio MovieBox Deluxe - 700-USB
2. Pinnacle Studio MovieBox HD 710-USB
3. Pinnacle Studio MovieBox 510-USB PLUS
4. Pinnacle Studio MovieBox 500-USB

Thank you Bogilein for the links! Will check them (I think I have already)

Hi lordsmurf!

Sources:

1. S-VHS VCR > S-Video
2. Hi8 Deck > S-Video
3. For DV captures I have a DV cam that does the job but if I chose one that has firewire in I will give it ago. Priority is VHS and Hi8 tapes.

So, can these four capture cards behave differently for these two main sources going through S-Video cable?

Don't know if you need more info, please let me know.

Thank you for the advice!

I own 2 Pinnacle USB-500's. I made my first recordings with it around 2008. For 80% of my tapes, an S-VHS recorder with TBC (no external TBC) was enough to record without dropped or inserted frames under Windows XP. For bad sources I used a Panasonic DMR-ES10. The biggest problem is that the Pinnacle card can only record in the range 16-235 and must be adjusted with the contrast, brightness slider.You have to know where the brightest parts of the video is to adjust it properly. My recommendation therefore in connection with the Pinnacle is to use a Sony/Pioneer DVD recorder from the year 2007 and younger (Sony RDR680,870, Pioneer DVR560,550....and a few more). With these DVD recorders you can set the brightness range and they will output it in the range 16-235. Unfortunately, the jitter correction is not quite as good as with a Panasonic ES10.

PAL? 710, not others.

You know I'm a PAL User.

For many years is the pinnacle 500-USB one of the recommendation on german videoforums. No one has ever complained except for the fact that the cards can only record the range of 16-235.

If one follows your contributions here on digitalfaq this is'n important for you.

Did you use the DMR-ES10 for extra image stability and its "TBCish" capabilities?
Does this 16-235 range limit apply to all of these Pinnacle cards?
I have a Pioneer DVR 530 which I really like and have use it in the chain for some test captures. I've created a custom video adjustment profile dropping the whites which does a great job on the overexposed parts of the videos.

Thank you very much for the info!

Forgot to mention this important information...PAL yes! Why would the 710 be the only option for PAL material?

Thank you very much too for the info!

Yes, I have used it for the image stability when the TBC from the vcr fail.

Here is a thread where I have upload some samples:

http://www.digitalfaq.com/forum/vide...stortions.html

I only own the Pinnacle 500 USB but what I have read on german videoforum the pinnacles with the marvin chipset could only capture the range from 16-235.

I own a Pioneer DVR-630, your DVR-530 should be good enough for most of your tapes. If the pioneer or the S-VHS vcr with tbc fail with one of your tapes, you should use one of the suggested pansaonic dmr's.

I can only repeat myself, I and many other users have used the Pinnacle 500 USB without any problems.

Thank you very much for the info! Very much appreciate your time and help!