Simplecapture Version 2.6

Release Date: 26/02/98

(c) 1997/98 by Michael Hartmann

E-mail:     Michael_Hartmann@public.uni-hamburg.de
Homepage:   http://www.geocities.com/ResearchTriangle/5629

Development of this Software supported by Cinelogic / Sam Cheroff
 

This program is absolut freeware!!!!
 

1. Introduction

Simplecapture V2.6 is a easy to use replacement for Microsoft Vidcap32 (Mainly useful for
people using the Miro DC30 who need Vidcap32 for Capturing) I've written for my own purposes
because I got tired of pressing 5 times the mouse-button and entering 2 values for every scene
to capture.
It's easy to use (Only press start,stop and Save to record a scene) and I hope you enjoy it.
 

2. Requirements

Simplecapture runs under Win95 (and perhaps under WinNT, but this isn't tested by now, because Miro has
no working Capture-Drivers out by now...) and requires a standard video capture driver. (Like the one
provided with Miro DC30, Fast AV Master or IOmega Buz). All other requirements depend on your demands of video
quality. (Faster Hardisk, Faster Processor, lots of Ram, the usual stuff...;-)
 

3. Installation

If you read this you already have installed the program....
Sorry for people who use multiple video-captureboards in their system, this won't be supported in the
next time due to lack of testing abilities. Anyway, who at all as more than one capture board in his
System ??? (Ok, Ok,if somebody sends me a second capture-board, I will do it...)
 

4. Setup

The first time you use the program you should enter Setup/Preferences to set the Default Directory,
the Frame-Rate and the Bufferfilename and Size.Audio settings can be made here too.

- Capture Drive and Dir
   The path you select here will be the default dir after startup for capturing and playback.

- Buffer file name
   this Buffer-File will be used for storing the captured video data. It is renamed after you press
   'Save' and will be deleted if you exit the programm.

- Buffer File Size
   This is the initial buffer file size, when MS-Video initializes the capture-process. It's also
   the minimum file size of the captured file. Default value is 1MB, but if you encounter any
   problems while captureing, because your capture-driver needs preallocated disk-space feel free
   to youse a higher value.

- Microsec./Frame
   This is the time between to frames to be captured. It's calculated by the Formula
   Microsec./Frame:=1000000/fps  (fps=Frames per second)
   This Setup-Value gives you the opportunity to fine-tune your capture-rate.
   Default value is 25fps (PAL-Europe) = 40000
   For 30fps (NTSC) it would be 33333
   For 15 fps it would be 66666
   For 4 fps it would....
   I guess you got it....

- Audio Buffer
   Only needed for certain drivers, refer to your manual or use the default-value

- KB per Frame
   This value is needed to calculate the remaining disc-time. Most Video-Cards like the Miro DC30
   provide this value in the setup.
 
- Audio Parameters
   Here you can set the usual Audioparameters like Frequence, Channels and Bits. Default Values
   are 44100Hz,16Bits,Stereo.
 

After you have connected the driver to the program by pressing 'connect' (This is nesassary for
syncronising program and driver and gives you the possibility to work with this proggy while
having Adobe Premire loaded. I recommend to Disconnect the driver when using Premiere because of
unwanted interferences and side-effects) you can select

  Setup Compression
  Setup Display
  Setup Source

from the Setup-Menu.
What you see now depends on the abilities of your videocapture-driver. See your manual for details.

By pressing the Button 'Capture Format' you can alter the capture format of your video. Again the menu
depends on the abilities of your capture driver.

The Same acts for the 'Select Source' Button.

In the Setup-Menu you can also select the 'Stay on Top' Mode so that Sim ple-Capture floats above
all other windows. This is useful while working with other programs like Premiere or After-Effects.

The Window-Positions are saved on exiting the program andwill be restore on the next startup.
 

5. Capturing

As I said, it's easy to use. Start the program, press the 'connect'-button, hopefully your
actual scene will appear in the small capture window, press 'Capture Format' if you want to
change the capture format, press 'start' at the beginning of the scene you want to capture,
the capture window freezes (that's ok) unless your video-card supports PCI-Overlay 'Stop' to
stop capturing, enter the filename (If you haven't done this before) , if you do not change the
filename, doesn't matter the files are  enumerated automatically, press the 'Save' button to
save the scene and start over again with the 'start' button.  As I said, its easy to use, so
easy, I only needed one sentence to explain...

While capturing the counter will show the captured time in SEMPTE-Format. Backround-Tasks are
enabled, so go forward and write a letter while capturing (Although I don't recommend it...)

If you do not rename the filename after capturing a scene, a number is appended on every scene
you save. This number will count up until you change the filename. The file with the higest
number is always the last captured one.

On The Status-Line you will see the remaining Discspace in MB/Sec. depending on the Size-Per-Frame-
Value in the Preferences.  Any Problems during capturing (Lost Frames, Disc Full...) will be
displayed here too.
 

6. Playback

If you want to Playback a file simply double-click it in the Files-Requester or press 'Playback'.
You can use the 'Pause'-Button to bause a Movie and Press Cont' to continue. Use the slider to
move around quickly in the file. Press 'Stop' when you are finished.
 

7. Known Problems

- With the new release of the Miro DC-30  Win95-Driver (1.23) there seems to be a problem to resize the
  capture-Overlay, so the Capture-Window doesn't seem to show the whole picture. Resize the capture-
  Window until the whole Size of the Overlay is visible. The Size will be saved after exiting the
  Program and will be restored on the next startup.

- The Miro-Card-Driver tends to produce a Waring 'Capture-Size not Supported' on startup. This message
  doesn't seem to mean anything, simply ignore it.

- There seems to be a bug in the Win95-Function do determine the size of harddiscs bigger than 2 GB
  so the Maximum Free Discspace won't be bigger than 2 GB.
 

8. Disclaimer

I'm in no way responsible for any loss of data, damage to hardware or any other failure, problems
or anger arising from using this program. This software is provided 'as is'. There's no guarantee
for support or further development.

I've you are intrested in the source-code, contact me via e-mail.
If've you got any ideas, suggestions or bug-reports feel free to e-mail me too.

If you need a more professional tool for capturing take a look at http://www.videoassist.com/cinelog.html
There you will find informations on a capture program espceially designed for professional and on-stage-use
which covers all the needs for on-stage-capturing and video-assist-services.

26/02/98
 

Michael Hartmann
 
 

Adobe Premiere and Adobe After-Effects are Registred Trademarks of Adobe Inc.
Windows 95, Windows NT are Registred Trademarks of Microsoft Corp.

Go back.


This Page hosted by  get your own Free Home Page
1