I see Canopus has just introduced the new Canopus ADVC-300 product and for us loyal ADVC-100 users and digital video enthusiasts, I ask WHY???!!! Sure at $550 it has some upgrade features like noise reduction and built-in TBC to stabilize old VHS tapes. But what about a brightness, saturation, hue setting?
All these new features are very nice and handy, but it seems that they they did not go far enough with enhancements and there are better lower cost alternatives to achieve this. Like running your old VHS tape through a VCR with a built-in TBC out to your ADVC-100 out to your computer, at about $150 less. I can use Virtualdub or AVIsynth or Vegas or Adobe to clean up noise and much more than the ADVC-300.
I am sure this product coming from one of the better well reknowned companies will find a niche in the marketplace and most likely new video enthusiasts or someone looking for a multiple application device, instead multiple devices and software.
Just my .02c worth
The ADVC300 is the ultimate bi-directional analog to digital video converter unit for the video enthusiast. Featuring high-quality image enhancement technology including digital noise reduction and image stabilization using Line Time Base Correction (LTBC), ADVC300 instantly cleans, stabilizes and preserves old VHS and Hi8 videos in clean DV format. Supporting Windows and Mac OS, ADVC300 is compatible with all widely used video editing applications including Canopus EDIUS, Final Cut Pro®, Avid Xpress® DV and Adobe® Premiere® Pro.
> Convert VHS, S-VHS and Hi8 analog videotapes to DV and back in one
simple step
> Ideal for capturing and exporting analog video from leading video editing and DVD authoring applications for Windows and Mac OS
> ADVC300 can be used as a stand-alone bi-directional analog / digital video converter without needing a computer
> ADVC300 is compatible with all widely used DV and analog cameras and
decks. High-quality component video output is ideal for monitoring video using a broadcast monitor

Hello, I'm looking for a Firewire or USB2 analog-->digital video converter for my Mac (MDD). Preferably something that has hardware mpeg-1 & mpeg-2 compression, because I'd rather compress on-the-fly than do it later in software (unless there's a good reason to first convert to DV and then compress later in software?). I've done some research and am hoping to get some real-world feedback, because I'm really not sure which way to go. My main use for the converter will be to digitize Hi-8 tapes, and some old VHS I have lying around.
Is there a benefit for Firewire over USB2? I have a USB2 PCI card installed, which I think is now supported natively in Mac OS X (no third party drivers necessary).
Here's what I've been looking at:
1 - Plextor ConvertX (USB2, does hardware mpeg1 -2 -4, also has TV tuner)
2 - Canopus ADVC50 (PCI, only imports to DV)
3 - Canopus ADVC55 (Firewire, only imports to DV, no locked audio/video)
4 - Canopus ADVC110 (Firewire, only imports to DV)
5 - Miglia EvolutionTV (USB2, does hardware mpeg2 -4 and DivX, also has TV tuner)
6 - Miglia Director's Cut 2 (Firewire, only imports to DV)
7 - Miglia AlchemyTV DVR (PCI, imports using any Quicktime-supported codec, also has TV tuner)
8 - Formac Studio TVR (Firewire, only imports to DV, also has TV tuner)
Are there any others worth looking at? Thanks for any and all feedback.