Error capturing YUY2 @30fps with Marvel400

[CrispuloV]

AVI_IO_TRIAL caused an invalid page fault in
module RRAPI.DLL at 018f:024fc2fe.
Registers:
EAX=0065f5ec CS=018f EIP=024fc2fe EFLGS=00010212
EBX=0065f6ca SS=0197 ESP=0065f57c EBP=0065f57c
ECX=02631580 DS=0197 ESI=00000197 FS=0de7
EDX=02640000 ES=0197 EDI=86c830c7 GS=0000
Bytes at CS:EIP:
89 0a eb e3 5d c3 cc cc cc cc cc cc cc cc cc cc
Stack dump:
0065f5a4 024fc14e 02640000 026315fc 0065f5ec 00000002 02520188 00000000 bff7b9c5 81627120 0065f5c0 024fbf5e 02631600 00000001 0065f5ec 02520188

The above is just the latest of many similar error messages caused when I try MPEG4 capture at CIF size at 30 fps with either AVI_IO or VirtualDub or ReelCap using my Marvel G400 set to YUY2. I have used the YUY2 mod created by "The Flying Dutchman" and the old MPEG4 dll. I have also tried DIVX with the same results. The "illegal operation" message comes as early as 1 minute or after 20 minutes. I think the problem is related to bit rates since I can capture well at 15 fps.

My setup is as follows: Win98SE, Celeron 400 on a Soyo 6BA+III motherboard, 64 Mb of PC100 RAM, Maxtor 20.4 Gb 7200 rpm IDE (D:\ is my 12 Gb capture partition ), SB-16 ISA sound card. I capture from an old 4-head VHS composite output.

The error has occurred on 2 other motherboards, a Celeron 500, and a Pentium III 667. I tried capturing on a separate master hard disk with the boot disk on its own channel. I have used 128 Mb of PC133 RAM. I have also tried using 3 generations of VidTools and 3 generations of Marvel drivers, same results. I tried Win98SE with no other programs loaded except those needed for capture. I tried Win95b, too. Thinking the capture chip was overheating, I opened my case and had an electric fan blow air directly into it, nothing works.

I have tried capturing hardware MJPEG at full size 30 fps, the hard disk was able to keep up. I tried using the PICVideo MJPEG codec 30 fps CIF, no problem even with my puny Celeron 400. I really hope somebody has a solution.

[Dr Mordrid]

1. Check the version of AVI_IO trial you have. YUY2 and it's use of alternate codecs works best with versions after D 02.36.

2. The best video tools to use with YUY2 are 1.52. In 1.54 the YUY2 support is broken. Also use the matching display drivers for your video tool set. Things can get weird when you mix & match.

Dr. Mordrid

[CrispuloV]

Dear Doctor,
Another day. A little delay.
My AVI_IO_TRIAL is up to date. So I hunted up my Vidtools 1.52 and PowerDesk archives. Then I reformated my C: drive. For some reason my Powerdesk 5.20 wouldn't run so I had to go with 5.30. The 5.41 is probably too new. Then I started testing.
I had this feeling I was trying to capture at too high bitrates (in the order of 4,800 and above) and taxing my system to death. So this time I am deliberately being conservative.
I overclocked my Celeron to 540 mhz. (90x6)did some 15 minute clips at 2400 kbps, 2700 kbps, 3000 kbps and 3500 kbps. keyframe every 4 seconds at 90 crispness. No errors. But I noticed that the quality seemed to be worse at 3,500 kbps than at 3000. (The Celeron reaching its peak? But dropped frames were steady on at around 1/1000 captured)
I suppose this is the limit of my system but the quality is still what you would call in still photography "VERY grainy". Is there any way to improve this?
May I ask people at what bitrates you capture MPEG4/YUY2 to get quality which satisfies? If I went to full size at a lower bitrate would I get better results? When I share my work, it is MPEG1 converted through the Panasonic stand-alone converter.
Thanks again. Really appreciate your guidance and experience.
bg

[CrispuloV]

Dear Doctor,
Another day. A little delay.
My AVI_IO_TRIAL is up to date. So I hunted up my Vidtools 1.52 and PowerDesk archives. Then I reformated my C: drive. For some reason my Powerdesk 5.20 wouldn't run so I had to go with 5.30. The 5.41 is probably too new. Then I started testing.
I had this feeling I was trying to capture at too high bitrates (in the order of 4,800 and above) and taxing my system to death. So this time I am deliberately being conservative.
I overclocked my Celeron to 540 mhz. (90x6)did some 15 minute clips at 2400 kbps, 2700 kbps, 3000 kbps and 3500 kbps. keyframe every 4 seconds at 90 crispness. No errors. But I noticed that the quality seemed to be worse at 3,500 kbps than at 3000. (The Celeron reaching its peak? But dropped frames were steady on at around 1/1000 captured)
I suppose this is the limit of my system but the quality is still what you would call in still photography "VERY grainy". Is there any way to improve this?
May I ask people at what bitrates you capture MPEG4/YUY2 to get quality which satisfies? If I went to full size at a lower bitrate would I get better results? When I share my work, it is MPEG1 converted through the Panasonic stand-alone converter.
Thanks again. Really appreciate your guidance and experience.
bg