I am a propective customer.

I have tried reading the reference manual and it is still not clear to me

I need something that can capture NTSC (4:3) SD from the s-video input at 24 bit RGB or 4:2:2 YUV (I won't get picky on the color scheme as long as the resolution is correct) and capture PCM stereo from the S/PDIF input simultaneously.  The audio is more important than the video.  It isn't clear to me that I can designate a separate wav file for the audio capture.

Capture is possible via S-Video and component for SD NTSC. Liquid has a great variety of timeline and render CODEC available, if you capture to DV AVI it is possible to disband the audio from video on the timeline. Audio can be exported separately from video.

You can capture uncompressed if your storage permits.

Liquid is limited to 16 bit audio @ 48khz sampling in the pcm format.

To do what you are trying to do would require the Pro version of Liquid where the breakout box allows you to capture via S-Vdieo, composite or component. However, you cannot capture 24 bit (video is only 8-bit). You could work within Liquid with the 24-bit RGB codec. On capture, you could use either the optical or coaxial inputs on the Pro BOB. Why don't you tell us exactly what you are trying to accomplish and why.

LewS:

However, you cannot capture 24 bit (video is only 8-bit). You could work within Liquid with the 24-bit RGB codec. On capture, you could use either the optical or coaxial inputs on the Pro BOB. Why don't you tell us exactly what you are trying to accomplish and why.

I am trying to migrate my laserdisc collection to DVD.  I won't answer why.  If Jesus Christ asked me why I was doing it I would tell him it was none of his business. 

I don't have much understanding of the best way to handle the video - except that I want to get the resolution right to avoid rescaling and I want to get adequate color information. 

I would prefer to capture audio at 44.1 kHz and resample after the fact with Adobe Audition.  But I've done enough of my own homework to know that isn't going to happen.  I'll have to get a separate hardware resampler. 

The manual says it supports 44.1 kHz for avi, but then it says that it operates internally at 48 kHz.  Does that mean that if I record a 44.1 kHz source, Avid Liquid is resampling it to 48 kHz and then back into 44.1 kHz for the avi file?

If those discs are copy protected (I can't remember if they were) you will not be able to transfer them. The BOB will recognize the copy protection and block the video signal. If they are not copy protected then you could use the BOB to make the transfers from the video output of the player. Liquid uses 16-bit 48K wav files in stereo as its default audio format when you capture to the DV codec which would probably be sufficient for your laserdisc videos. If you have a DV video camera that does pass-through you could send the analog audio and video signals to that and then use the firewire output from the camera to capture audio and video to Liquid without the need for buying the breakout box. Again, the camera will detect any copy protection and not allow the transfer so doing this only works with non-copy protected material.

44 khz ( CD Audio) is inferior to 48khz /16bit which was "DVD" audio.

I was employed by Philips back then, and some of the Disks were not up to the hype of pristine audio and video. Yes, they were an improvement over the VHS of the day, but many disks failed due to the Laser rot phenomena. The players were not the most reliable devices. Sima made some hardware a few years ago that facilitated transfers. 

LewS:

If those discs are copy protected (I can't remember if they were) you will not be able to transfer them.

No laserdisc is copy protected.  I don't know about the 2nd generation (MUSE discs) but I don't have any of those or any intention to obtain any. 

LewS:

 

 Liquid uses 16-bit 48K wav files in stereo as its default audio format when you capture to the DV codec which would probably be sufficient for your laserdisc videos.

The issue isn't sufficiency.  The issue is that I must know if and when resampling occurs so that I make sure it is not ever performed by Avid Liquid.  The resampling must be done as well as technologically possible while maintaining synchronization between the video and the audio.  There is no way any product from Pinnacle is going to resample the audio to my satisfaction.   

LewS:

analog audio

Analog audio would ruin the whole point of doing this.

TVJohn:

44 khz ( CD Audio) is inferior to 48khz /16bit which was "DVD" audio.

Do you have any idea how condescending and insulting this response is?  And how irrelevant?  For the sake of emphasis I will repeat myself:

The issue isn't sufficiency.  The issue is that I must know if and when resampling occurs so that I make sure it is not ever performed by Avid Liquid.  The resampling must be done as well as technologically possible while maintaining synchronization between the video and the audio.  There is no way any product from Pinnacle is going to resample the audio to my satisfaction. 

I think you need to bring your issue somewhere else.

TVJohn:

I think you need to bring your issue somewhere else.

I came here for an explanation of how the equipment works.  Not to be talked down to.  Not to be told (wrongly) that my concerns are not important.

Do you have a recommendation for a forum with a better understanding of Pinnacle's products?

Let's take this one step at a time. From what I gather, the audio is your major concern. Since analog audio isn't sufficient, then I think it's safe to assume that your LD player has digital audio out (either coax or optical). The Pro BOB supports digital I/O via both coax and optical.

How you capture is really the issue. Your best bet it to capture using the EZCapture utility. In the Settings dialog, on the Codec Settings tab, you can select the customize box. This allows you to change both the audio and video settings to meet your requirements. As DV doesn't use 44.1k audio, your best bet is to use MJPEG or DivX (change the video settings to highest quality for either), and change the audio sample rate to 44.1k.

Unfortunately, my Pro BOB broke a while back, and I've never had it repaired, so I can't tell you if the digital I/O will be resampled at 44.1k or merely copied as it's already 44.1k.

But I hope this helps to answer some of your questions.

If the digital audio on the laserdisc is AC3 encoded, then the digital inputs on the BOB will not be able to capture it. The digital inputs on the BOB are designed for ADAT audio not AC3.