Recently I reviewed the Digital Rapids StreamZ system for streaming video and audio over the web. If the turnkey system was a bit out of your price and needs range, then maybe you should consider the PCI Card versions instead.
The PCI versions called the DRC-Stream series come in five different configurations ranging from the low end Stream500 all the way up to the powerful Stream2500. For this review I received the DRC-Stream500.[an error occurred while processing this directive]
While this card will encode video, I think it is probably best suited for audio encoding. The DRC-Stream500 allows you to encode video through either an RCA composite input or a S-VHS connection. This card only allows you to use one input at a time. On the audio side you can encode using the audio RCA connects (2 for left and right channels), or through the four XLR (balanced) connections via a breakout cable.
Installation of this card is snap. Over the years I have found that manufacturer’s have figured out the proper way of configuring the ports on a card so as not to cause frustration (and possible damage) of the card you are installing. This PC only device will run on Windows 2000 or Windows XP and requires a system with a minimum of 1GHz processing power and 512Mb of RAM. While not such a big deal, it can be a problem for those who have an older machine stand-alone machine that is used for encoding. I’ll talk more about this in the problems section.
When I reviewed the turnkey StreamZ system I commented how much I liked the encoding application. With the stand-alone card, the same software is included and I still stand by my earlier declaration that on the intuitive side, this is one of the best encoding applications I have seen. Moments after installing the card properly, connecting your device, and launching the software, you can be encoding your program without much difficulty.
The only problem you may encounter upon first launching the system is figuring out what configuration and encoding method you wish to use. The DRC-Stream500 allows you to encode in Windows Media, QuickTime, Real Helix (aka RealAudio/Video), DivX, Sorenson Media, and MPEG. If you want to encode in all the formats simultaneously, go for it. The only thing holding you back is the CPU speed of your system.
For those just starting out in hardware based encoding, the DRC-Stream500 is a good launching point.
[an error occurred while processing this directive]
