"AVI_IO" multiple batch video capture and playback without dropping frames
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Copyright (c) February 1999 NCT AG, Kauffmannweg 22, 6003 Luzern, Switzerland.
All rights reserved. ([email protected])
This file contains the following information:
1. License Agreement
2. System requirements
3. How to install / uninstall AVI_IO
4. What is "AVI_IO"
5. Background
6. How does it work?
7. Known limitations
8. Future plans
9. Gotchas
10. Disclaimer
11. How to order avi_io
1. License Agreement
USE OF THIS SOFTWARE IS SUBJECT TO THE SOFTWARE LICENSE TERMS SET FORTH
BELOW. USING THE SOFTWARE INDICATES YOUR ACCEPTANCE OF THESE TERMS. IF
YOU DO NOT ACCEPT THESE TERMS, YOU MUST DELETE THE SOFTWARE IMMEDIATELY.
"Use" means storing, loading, installing, executing or displaying the
software. You may not modify the software or disable any licensing or
control features of the software or revers engineer the software.
This software is not shareware! If you want full functionality, you
are required to buy your personal license of this software.
You may not copy or reproduce the software for any purpose
except to make one (1) archival copy of the software. You may not give
copies of this software to other people. You may not sell, rent or lease
the software to others.
If you are a registered user, you are entitled to use this product for
your own use. You may not sell, rent or lease the software to others
without written permission of the author (NCT AG). You may use only
one copy of the software at one time. You may not use this software on a
network or on more than one computer at the same time without a license for
"concurrent use".
You must not give away your personal copy. Doing so will result in an
infringement of copyright. NCT AG retains the right of claims for
compensation in respect of damage which occurred by your giving away of the
software copy. This claim shall also extent to all costs which NCT AG
incurs in defending himself.
THE SOFTWARE IS WARRANTED IF AT ALL ONLY ACCORDING TO THE TERMS OF THIS
LICENSING AGREEMENT. EXCEPT AS WARRANTED HEREIN, NCT AG HEREBY DISCLAIMS ALL
WARRANTIES AND CONDITIONS WITH REGARD TO THE SOFTWARE, INCLUDING ALL IMPLIED
WARRANTIES AND CONDITIONS OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR
PURPOSE, TITLE AND NON-INFRINGEMENT.
2. System requirements
You need a working Video for Windows compatible video capture device installed
in your system and enough free HD space to store the captured video. AVI_IO runs
on all W9x and NT 3.51 or better platforms.
3. How to install / uninstall "AVI_IO"
The installation is very easy. Copy the file "AVI_IO.EXE" (or AVI_IO_TRIAL.EXE)
to whatever directory you want and start it up from there. There are no other
files in the system changed or installed except for an AVI_IO.INI that is
created in the default directory if you use the "save settings" feature.
There are NO registry settings or Windows directory settings created or
modified. To uninstall the program, just delete "AVI_IO.EXE" (or
AVI_IO_TRIAL.EXE) and the file AVI_IO.INI (both located in the default
AVI_IO directory.
4. What is "AVI_IO"
"AVI_IO" is a utility used to capture video from VfW compatible sources and play
them (print) back to the device. The difference to other batch capture tools and
players is that it can capture to multiple files or play back multiple files
which can even be spread over multiple partitions/hard discs without losing
video or audio during the change from one file to the other.
AVI_IO has the following features:
- multiple file capture without drops at file changes
- compress the video in realtime during capture therby saving HD space or capture
in higher resolution than otherwise possible
- multiple file playback without drops at file changes
- audio and video synchronisation is enforced during capture and playback even
when useing unprecise hardware
- support for up to 24 hard discs or partitions
- optional time limit for the capture process
- capture process can be started by a timer - turning it into a simple digital
VCR
- the capture process can be "paused". That means a capture into several files
can be set on hold and continued where it stopped. This feature is primarily
intended to "skip" commercials while capturing broadcasts.
- capture settings can be permanently saved
- If AVI_IO runs out of disc space, all video captured up to that moment will be
usable
5. Background
One of the bigger problems when it comes to video capture and playback is the
2GB limit which is caused by the file layout of the avi files mostly used under
Windows. When capturing high quality videos in high resolutions 2GB is filled up
within a few minutes.
If during a capture or playback the normal Windows API's are used to close an
AVI file and open the next one, then a significant amount of frames (audio and
video) are lost because of the time needed by this operation.
The current work around was to capture in several steps into files smaller than
2GB, to capture the next part with a slight overlap and so on and then to
cut/render the pieces together. Even this very time consuming technique is not
always 100% accurate because the video source/capture hardware does not have to
be in sync with the previous captured sequence. So sometimes the cut scenes have
to be specially chosen consuming even more time for the capture operation.
Seamless playback was only possible with expensive software add on's or special
drivers from capture board manufacturers.
The target was to develop a utility that overcomes the limitations just
mentioned. It has to be understood that the capture or playback process itself
and it's quality are not really changed by this utility. If the HD subsystem is
not fast enough to handle the video stream then drops occur as with all other
capture tools and players.
6. How does it work?
Before AVI_IO start's it's capture work, it creates up to 100 tiny AVI files only
containing the header needed. The number of files is equal to the quantity of
HD space made available to AVI_IO or 100 whichever is smaller. Then each file
is filled up to the limit one can specify (currently 4GB which in theory allows
to capture up to 400GB in one step). NOTE! The evaluation copy is restricted to
three files only. At the end of the capture those files that were not needed are
deleted and the others are fixed up so that they can be used. One design goal of
"AVI_IO" was to make it run with as many different capture devices as possible.
During play back, AVI_IO uses buffer where it stores the video and audio as it
was read from disc to overcome the little overhead involved if the operating
system have to change from one file to the next one. AVI_IO is multithreaded to
achive optimal performance.
7. Known limitations
- With some capture hardware it's always necessary that the "Video Format" is set
before you try to capture the first time. Otherwise you get an message box
"Error initializing capture!" This is however not a real limitation of AVI_IO.
It's a driver issue.
8. Future plans
- We will add player controls to the playback part which allows the user to
move back and forth transparently over all avi's in the playlist as if they
were one single file.
- We are thinking of supporting DV cards
9. Gotchas
- Note, setting a specific framerate does NOT imply that the capture
hardware really can provide it. If you are in doubt with this statement, then
make the following test. Capture at the rate in question and take a STOPWATCH
and stop capturing after as close to one minute as possible. Do it with any
capture software you like. It's a verry simple calculation. You MUST end
up with 60 x framerate frames captured and nothing else. If it's lower then
the hardware cannot keep up that rate. Why taking a stopwatch? Well, it apears
that devices not capable of keeping up the framerate even display the time
slower!!!
- The tool (on all platforms) will create individual AVI's of up to 4GB (2GB
on FAT16 formatted drives) size each. Please note however that most Windows
video software (players, NLE and the like) do not really work with files
bigger than 2GB. The option is here for those of you who have software to use
such files. AVI_IO will playback such 4GB files without problems.
- Be prepared that there are players not capable of playing files bigger than
1GB. This applies for instance if you try to play an avi over the "Properties"
-> "Test" tab in explorer.
- Software compression does not work with all installed codecs. Most codecs are
simply not fast enough for realtime operation (render codecs). We made good
experiances with the PicVide MJPEG codec ( www.jpg.com ) with full sized
video, or the Microsoft MPEG-4 codec with half sized frames.
- Note, AVI_IO gives you the option to capture full screen even with TV tuner
boards (remember, to do this you most likely have to switch from overlay to
preview) and software compression. You will note "horizontal stripes" in
scenes with fast movements in your captured video. This has nothing to do
with AVI_IO or your specific capture hardware. It's due to the fact that TV
is actually recorded in frames which consists of two fields. One field
contains the odd lines, the other the even lines of a frame. Since the two
half frames are recorded one after the other it's clear that the picture on
the second half frame is not the same as on the first. You don't experiance
this with lower resolutions because there the capture hardware usually simply
throws away one field. If you plan to use the captured video back on TV's
it's best not to change anything. In case you want to keep it digital, you
may consider using a deinterlace filter with your favourite NLE software.
10. Disclaimer
Don't forget that there are no warranties associated with this software.
While we believe that the software is reasonably bug free and well
behaved, We are in no way responsible if the software does not work the
way you would expect it to work. If it locks up your computer,
garbles your floppy disks or hard drive or does any other harmful thing
to your computer - it is entirely your problem. NCT AG is not liable
for any infringements or damages of third parties' rights resulting in your
use of this product. NCT AG is in not liable for, and does not
warrant the trustworthiness, quality, industrial use, or serviceability of
this product for the supposed purpose or any other purposes.
This information may be subject to change. All brand and product names
are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of their respective owners.
All rights reserved.
(c) 1999 NCT AG, Kauffmannweg 22, 6003 Luzern, Switzerland
11. How to order avi_io
The price for a copy of AVI_IO is US $25. If you would like to order AVI_IO,
you can buy it online on the Internet at:
http://www.shareit.com/programs/103521.htm
Alternatively, you can go to http://www.shareit.com and enter the program
number there: 103521.
If you do not have access to the Internet, you can register via phone,
fax or postal mail. Please print out the following form, and fax or mail it to:
Element 5 AG
ShareIt!
Vogelsanger Str. 78
50823 K÷ln
Germany
Phone: +49-221-31088-20
Fax: +49-221-31088-29
E-Mail: [email protected]
US customers may also order by calling 1-800-903-4152 (orders only please!).
US check and cash orders can be sent to our US office at
ShareIt! Inc.
PO Box 844
Greensburg, PA 15601-0844
USA
Tel. 724-850-8186
Fax. 724-850-8187
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