Aldi Medion pc coming back on closeout?

[wumpuskiller]

Anybody using this PC as a multimedia PC or HTPC? Anyone doing video captures with it? It seems OK for basic video/audio captures, but everything is captured to AVI files, so encoding to MPEG or MPEG2 is needed (and time consuming). My old PC with ATI AIW 8500 128MB seems to be much more complete for video/audio capturing.

 

[BigEdMuustaffa]

Originally posted by: wumpuskiller
Anybody using this PC as a multimedia PC or HTPC? Anyone doing video captures with it? It seems OK for basic video/audio captures, but everything is captured to AVI files, so encoding to MPEG or MPEG2 is needed (and time consuming). My old PC with ATI AIW 8500 128MB seems to be much more complete for video/audio capturing.

Would scrapping the software for editing video that comes with it and going for something like Studio 8 or so work?

 

[wumpuskiller]

Well....I'm not using PowerVCRII (that came with the computer). The captured video stutters terribly no matter what settings I use (and with nothing else running on the machine). I've used Virtualdub, it only captures to AVI, but the video is smooth.

The capture formats that can be used is based on the driver (I believe). So using different software may give you an improved interface or improved application functionality, but I do not believe it will give you different capture format options.

 

[BigEdMuustaffa]

Originally posted by: wumpuskiller
Well....I'm not using PowerVCRII (that came with the computer). The captured video stutters terribly no matter what settings I use (and with nothing else running on the machine). I've used Virtualdub, it only captures to AVI, but the video is smooth.

The capture formats that can be used is based on the driver (I believe). So using different software may give you an improved interface or improved application functionality, but I do not believe it will give you different capture format options.

You are capturing via the fire wire port no? So isn't it raw digital, and what format it is captured to is dependent on the capture software setting? So if you don't have the ability with the software to capture in anything but avi, try Studio, it gives you the choice of capturing data as mpegs files I believe. I may be wrong.

 

[yoandy]

they're carrying these at Costco now

 

[BigEdMuustaffa]

Originally posted by: yoandy
they're carrying these at Costco now

Not the same configuration at Cosco. The Aldi was a better deal.

 

[Tarfin]

Originally posted by: wumpuskiller
Well....I'm not using PowerVCRII (that came with the computer). The captured video stutters terribly no matter what settings I use (and with nothing else running on the machine). I've used Virtualdub, it only captures to AVI, but the video is smooth.

The capture formats that can be used is based on the driver (I believe). So using different software may give you an improved interface or improved application functionality, but I do not believe it will give you different capture format options.

I'd highly recommend getting a stick of 512MB of PC2700. With just 256MB of RAM there seems to be some sluggishness but with 768MB it really flies. For doing video capturing/editing lotsa memory is a must!

 

[wumpuskiller]

already done...added 512 PC2700 a month ago.....PowerVCRII still stutters......not using it anymore....getting good results with VirtualDub and then encoding to MPEG2 with TMPENC.

thanks for the suggestion, though.

wumpus....

 

[MiataPaul]

Best Buy seems to have this now as well not sure about the price or specs, just noticed it when I was in looking for some CD's.