I have just bought a Pinnacle DC10pro package that was highly recommended by the sales team at the computer store.

I intended running a small business to convert simple VHS tapes to CDs and planned to upgrade to a better quality capture device and software once the first card had paid for itself.

I find that the Pinnacle CD10 is easy to use, but it wont create MPEG files for me. The instruction book says that it will create MPEG files in Pinnacles format but you must have their capture card installed to run them.

I have downloaded some MPEG encoders and conversion software packages from www.mpeg.org and other sites, but I am hoping to be able to get some real advice on how to use the package that I have.

What is the best encoding protocol to use to be able to put a one hour video on a 650meg CD? Are there any basic tips that I should be aware of?

I have a PIII 450 with 256 RAM and two 8.6 gig hdds of which one is devoted to the video conversion task.

Does anyone have experiences with Pinnacle DC10? Is it better than Pinnacel MP10?

Thanks in advance

Dougie_cam@hotmail.com

-- Doug Gordon (dougie_cam@hotmail.com), June 15, 2000

Answers

As far as I know, VideoCD format is the best (and perhaps the only) way to get 1 hour of video onto a cd. I own a DC10+ and I don't think that it will create (or play) mpeg. Well, maybe, on second thought, it might. I know I have never used it (quality and compatibilty issues). I hear the Panasonic has a good encoder. At Pinnacles web site, you can check under the support/discussion forums for mp10/make video master heading. There is a thread called VideoCD creation problems (Support Group) that I started. Please check it out (leave a post to let me know you were there). It contains a lot of info that might help you.

-- Ben Holt (philips007@rmi.net), June 15, 2000.

DC10 only does mjpeg-- not standard mpeg which all computers are familiar with. The BEST solution for video cds is the MP10 or the Digital Video Creator.

-- vc crai (imakewebs@email.com), February 16, 2001.