use ubuntu 11.10 or newer as this is the first ubuntu version that has the easyCap drivers fully working with full alsa support
mencoder tv:// -tv driver=v4l2:norm=PAL:width=720:height=576:outfmt=uyvy:device=/dev/video0:input=0:fps=25:buffersize=16:alsa:amode=1:forcechan=2:audiorate=48000:adevice=plughw.EasyALSA0:forceaudio:immediatemode=0 -msglevel all=9 -ovc lavc -ffourcc DX50 -lavcopts vcodec=mpeg4:mbd=2:turbo:vbitrate=1300:keyint=15 -vf pp=lb,scale=640:480 -oac mp3lame -endpos 00:00:30 -o /home/psuter/Desktop/tvcap_2012-01-01_14:36-21.avi | tee ./testvideo0.log | zenity --progress --pulsate --auto-close --auto-kill --text="Processing Video - length: 00:00:30 H:M:S"
vlc -vvv v4l2:///dev/video0:input=0:width=720:height=576:fps=50 :input-slave=alsa://plughw:EasyALSA0 :file-caching=100