Video Capture Questions

[reicherb]

I'd like to start archiving old VHS home movies and have a few questions. I'd like to burn them to DVDs.

1. What is the best software to use? I'm currently using a VirtualDub.
2. What is the best resolution to use? I can't seem to find any info on what resolutions to use for what formats. For example TV is ABCxDEF and DVD is ABCxDEF.
3. I've got an ATI All-in-Wonder RADEON. Would I be better off to just use the MMC to capture? What format? AVI, MPG1, MPG2, ATIs Digital VCR?

Is there anything else I should know about? I've been over to vcdhelp.com but that didn?t seem to answer my questions. Maybe I'm just not looking in the right places.

Thanks for the help.

 

[Duvie]

I have done what you are looking at...

I would suggest that you use the MMC and if you are burning dvds to play in a standard DVD player then capture at mpeg2 from 4-8 mbits based on the size of the file and the quality you want to achieve. I would just use a basic program like ulead video studio or maybe the one you have there and cut and trim scenes I do not want. I then used a program by Sonic called MyDVD pro and it sets up menus, interactive backgrounds and buttons, audio, etc...

 

[mschell]

Make sure your DVD burning software can use whatever MPEG file resolution you happen to use without transcoding the file which will really add to the time it takes to burn video to disk.

 

[sep]

I want to do the same thing, but currently don't have a capture card (ti4200 tv-out). Can anyone recommend an addon card (like the ATI Wonder or Leadtek Deluxe)?

Also, would the steps/options above apply to me?

First Goal is to archive VHS & 8mm tapes to DVD.
Second Goal is to copy DVD's that are getting scratched by the kids.

 

[sep]

Anyone?

 

[NicColt]

It's hard to recommend an add-on card since they range from $40-$4000 you eventually get what you pay for. If you want the best go for hardware mpeg2.

But Duvie is right record a SVCD at 4/Bb and use MyDVD you can't go wrong.

 

[tw1164]

1. VirtualDub
2. I would capture at 720x480 29.97fps saving it as an avi using the huffy lossless codec. Since its from a vhs, you may have to edit off the bottom few lines of the screen. After you clear the bottom lines you would want to use the bicubic resize filter to resize it back to 720x480. If you don't have the storage to have two copies of the avi (it will be large), use ).AviSynth to save space while editing.
3. Encode the video using the demo of TMPGEnc (it would last you 14days), be sure to use mp2 or ac3 audio to save space.
4. Burn w/ whatever software came with your burner.

good luck

 

[NicColt]

>I would capture at 720x480 29.97fps saving it as an avi using the huffy lossless codec.

do you realize how big that is ? It's like 4G/Min a 30 minute capture will fill a 120 Gig HD.

 

[fishingeek]

Check out this post here. For capture cards look here. I use the ADVC-100 and get great results. I capture at 720x480 29.97fps (DVD format) in AVI and get 0 dropped frames. Nic is right about needing a large harddive to caprture to. A one hour video will take up about 13 gigs. Encoding will allow you to compress the AVI in MPEG-2 at the required 4.3gig file for your DVD. For encoding, you can now use CCE Basic for $58. TMPGEnc is a great choice to use as tw1164 suggested, but it is very slow compared to CCE. I use DVD Movie Factoy 2 to author but MyDVD should work good too. There is allot of information to learn but if you take your time, you will end up with a product that is better than a vhs tape (menus, chapter points, ect..)

Feel free to PM me if you need some help.
fishingeek