how to use the GS400 to record directly from TV?

Robert M Wright · February 22nd, 2006, 10:51 PM

I never thought about it before, but using the PV prefix for NTSC cameras and the NV prefix for PAL camcorders certainly would seem to indicate a rather dyslexic thought process!

Plug "NV-GS400" into Google and everything that comes up is PAL.

Andreas Griesmayr · February 22nd, 2006, 11:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Robert M Wright

Plenty of DVD recorders are available in the US for $100(USD) or less. I have no idea what prices are like in other countries.

You could get a TV tuner/capture card for your computer too (making sure the tuner is a PAL tuner, of course).

those DVD recorders record in mpeg format directly to DVD, not to HD, right? If using TV card I could record to HD, and would it be another, 'better' format?

are TV cards either for NTSC or PAL only, or could they capture both/either?

my NTSC-GS400 bought in Japan is called NV-GS400

Robert M Wright · February 23rd, 2006, 12:34 AM

At that price, there is no HDD in the DVD recorder. Most DVD recorders can do 8mbps MPEG-2, which is all but overkill for recording from an analog OTA broadcast, unless the codec in the recorder stinks. You can go to Half-D1 when recording from an analog OTA broadcast also, to make the compression much more efficient. You could capture, using a tuner/capture card to uncompressed files (make sure you are using 7200rpm drives, with NTFS formatted partitions, if you have a PC), and then compress using whatever codec you like, later.

Robert M Wright · February 23rd, 2006, 12:41 AM

Take a look at some captured DV files from your camcorder, with your computer. I'd be pretty surprised if it isn't 25fps, with 576 lines.

Andreas Griesmayr · February 23rd, 2006, 04:18 AM

thanks again for your answer.
if you don't mind two more minor clarifications please:
1: you wrote: 'Most DVD recorders can do 8mbps MPEG-2, which is all but overkill for recording from an analog OTA broadcast, unless the codec in the recorder stinks.' sorry, this question is just because of my limited English, but the meaning of your words is that the MPEG-2 encoded recordings would do more than justice to the ananlog signal, or in other words that the quality of this recording would be more than enough. Did I understand that right?
and 2: what is 'Half D-1'? ( sorry if my question is very dumb )

and the capture videos from my camera are: 29.970 fps interlaced, 720x480x24, DV

Eddy Strickland · February 23rd, 2006, 06:10 AM

If you are willing to invest a little money you can buy an external video input card, I don't advise the internal ones, I have had 2 and they were both appauling quality (and they weren't cheap ones either!) I now have a very nice little external video in card which is usb 2.0 so you get good bandwidth going in. It has s-video, analogue and composite in. So it's all I need,
hope this was of help

Andreas Griesmayr · February 23rd, 2006, 06:32 AM

Quote:

If you are willing to invest a little money you can buy an external video input card. It has s-video, analogue and composite in.

do I understand right that the 'video input card' would connect directly with my TV set, and convert the signal to digital? In other words, no TVcard for the PC needed. How much does such an external 'video input card' cost?
Which would be the advantage/disadvantage of the two setups? ( either 'video input card' connected to my TV or 'TVcard' to receive directly )

Dionyssios Chalkias · February 23rd, 2006, 06:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Andreas Griesmayr

a tuner receiving sattelite TV. So I could hook up a converter directly to my receiver

Doesn't your sattelite reciever have any digital outputs?

PV-GS is NTSC (P stands for Panasonic)
NV-GS is NTSC in Japan, usually black camcorders (N stands for National)
NV-GS is PAL anywhere else

Robert M Wright · February 23rd, 2006, 07:01 AM

MPEG-2 files encoded at a bitrate of 8mbps will provide excellent quality recording of over-the-air, standard television broadcasts.

Half-D1 means 352x576 pixels (for PAL) or 352x480 pixels (for NTSC).

Many people record analog broadcasts at Full-D1, which is either 720x575 (PAL) or 720x480 pixels (NTSC).

Half-D1 provides enough resolution for recording standard broadcasts and is a good match.

Full-D1 provides much more resolution than needed to record standard broadcasts, and makes compression less efficient.

Thread Tools	Search this Thread
Show Printable Version Email this Page	Search this Thread: Advanced Search

February 22nd, 2006, 10:51 PM	#16
Robert M Wright Inner Circle Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Minnesota (USA) Posts: 2,171	I never thought about it before, but using the PV prefix for NTSC cameras and the NV prefix for PAL camcorders certainly would seem to indicate a rather dyslexic thought process! Plug "NV-GS400" into Google and everything that comes up is PAL.

February 23rd, 2006, 12:34 AM	#18
Robert M Wright Inner Circle Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Minnesota (USA) Posts: 2,171	At that price, there is no HDD in the DVD recorder. Most DVD recorders can do 8mbps MPEG-2, which is all but overkill for recording from an analog OTA broadcast, unless the codec in the recorder stinks. You can go to Half-D1 when recording from an analog OTA broadcast also, to make the compression much more efficient. You could capture, using a tuner/capture card to uncompressed files (make sure you are using 7200rpm drives, with NTFS formatted partitions, if you have a PC), and then compress using whatever codec you like, later.

February 23rd, 2006, 12:41 AM	#19
Robert M Wright Inner Circle Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Minnesota (USA) Posts: 2,171	Take a look at some captured DV files from your camcorder, with your computer. I'd be pretty surprised if it isn't 25fps, with 576 lines.

February 23rd, 2006, 04:18 AM	#20
Andreas Griesmayr Regular Crew Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Amstetten Austria Posts: 140	thanks again for your answer. if you don't mind two more minor clarifications please: 1: you wrote: 'Most DVD recorders can do 8mbps MPEG-2, which is all but overkill for recording from an analog OTA broadcast, unless the codec in the recorder stinks.' sorry, this question is just because of my limited English, but the meaning of your words is that the MPEG-2 encoded recordings would do more than justice to the ananlog signal, or in other words that the quality of this recording would be more than enough. Did I understand that right? and 2: what is 'Half D-1'? ( sorry if my question is very dumb ) and the capture videos from my camera are: 29.970 fps interlaced, 720x480x24, DV

February 23rd, 2006, 06:10 AM	#21
Eddy Strickland New Boot Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: New York Posts: 9	If you are willing to invest a little money you can buy an external video input card, I don't advise the internal ones, I have had 2 and they were both appauling quality (and they weren't cheap ones either!) I now have a very nice little external video in card which is usb 2.0 so you get good bandwidth going in. It has s-video, analogue and composite in. So it's all I need, hope this was of help

February 23rd, 2006, 07:01 AM	#24
Robert M Wright Inner Circle Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Minnesota (USA) Posts: 2,171	MPEG-2 files encoded at a bitrate of 8mbps will provide excellent quality recording of over-the-air, standard television broadcasts. Half-D1 means 352x576 pixels (for PAL) or 352x480 pixels (for NTSC). Many people record analog broadcasts at Full-D1, which is either 720x575 (PAL) or 720x480 pixels (NTSC). Half-D1 provides enough resolution for recording standard broadcasts and is a good match. Full-D1 provides much more resolution than needed to record standard broadcasts, and makes compression less efficient.