Capture quality

[golinux]

I know that different DVD burners produce widely varying quality. Is this true for captures too? Or is the read function of most drives pretty comparable?

 

I have hours and hours of captures done with my old funky drive. Would there be a benefit to recapture everything and start from scratch?

[d_deweywright]

I know that different DVD burners produce widely varying quality. Is this true for captures too? Or is the read function of most drives pretty comparable?

 

I have hours and hours of captures done with my old funky drive. Would there be a benefit to recapture everything and start from scratch?

That'll depend on how you're capturing.

 

If you're "capturing" by firewire direct from a digital recorder, no, there'd be no advantage to recapturing as it's all digital from the start, and unless there's a problem with the drive (which should show up as a read error, or crc error) then one drive is as good as another.

 

If you're capturing from some sort of encoder or capture card, either external via USB/Firewire or internal card, then again, the drive won't make any difference, but the device will, depending on what sort of capture settings you have it set for, and how good it does its encoding.

 

So, via Firewire, you're probably as good as the source. If via an analogue capture device, you could potentially get a better capture with a better device, but in neither case will the hard drive make any difference as long as it's fast enough that you're not getting dropped frames.

 

Hope that helps!

[golinux]

That'll depend on how you're capturing.

 

If you're "capturing" by firewire direct from a digital recorder, no, there'd be no advantage to recapturing as it's all digital from the start, and unless there's a problem with the drive (which should show up as a read error, or crc error) then one drive is as good as another.

 

If you're capturing from some sort of encoder or capture card, either external via USB/Firewire or internal card, then again, the drive won't make any difference, but the device will, depending on what sort of capture settings you have it set for, and how good it does its encoding.

 

So, via Firewire, you're probably as good as the source. If via an analogue capture device, you could potentially get a better capture with a better device, but in neither case will the hard drive make any difference as long as it's fast enough that you're not getting dropped frames.

 

Hope that helps!

Whoa! Nothing that fancy happening here. Sorry I didn't offer a description to begin with. First, I am dubbing from VHS to DVD via a combo recorder/player/dubber hooked to my TV. My system is still analog with rabbit ears and bowtie. Signal is fairly good for what it is. Then I am capturing the dubbed DVD to my computer for editing via EMC 7.5. So I guess the transfer is digital to digital at that point so the drive shouldn't make any difference??

[sknis]

What is your definition of dubbing? Dubbing audio? Perhaps I don't understand what you are doing.

 

Your method seems like a long way around and a lot more unreliable. If you can move that VHS player so that it is near your computer, and have a couple of bucks for a capture card/device, just capture the VHS directly to your computer. You will need a device that will capture an analog signal for the video portion and a sound card to do the audio capture. Most devices have both. That way you don't have multiple copying and rendering. You can get a USB connected capture card or if you have room in your computer, add an internal capture card. You can get them for around $50. USB may be a little more expensive depending on the device. You can look at some of those devices here.

 

 

 

 

Whoa! Nothing that fancy happening here. Sorry I didn't offer a description to begin with. First, I am dubbing from VHS to DVD via a combo recorder/player/dubber hooked to my TV. My system is still analog with rabbit ears and bowtie. Signal is fairly good for what it is. Then I am capturing the dubbed DVD to my computer for editing via EMC 7.5. So I guess the transfer is digital to digital at that point so the drive shouldn't make any difference??

[golinux]

What is your definition of dubbing? Dubbing audio? Perhaps I don't understand what you are doing.

I am dubbing/transferring VHS video to DVD-RW, editing and then burning to DVD-R. My original question was 'would the quality of the capture from DVD-RW to my computer vary between my two DVD drives?'. One is old and proven a bit unreliable for burning but reads well, the other is a brand new Pioneer.

 

Your method seems like a long way around and a lot more unreliable. If you can move that VHS player so that it is near your computer, and have a couple of bucks for a capture card/device, just capture the VHS directly to your computer. You will need a device that will capture an analog signal for the video portion and a sound card to do the audio capture. Most devices have both. That way you don't have multiple copying and rendering. You can get a USB connected capture card or if you have room in your computer, add an internal capture card. You can get them for around $50. USB may be a little more expensive depending on the device. You can look at some of those devices here.

I appreciate that my method might not be the best but it's the one that I've got. I bought the recorder/dubber specifically for this purpose and really don't want to go in another direction with more equipment and another learning curve. Why does it have to be so complicated to create DVDs?? I am so tired of the one-thing-leads-to-another scenario . . . thanks for listening . . .

[d_deweywright]

Whoa! Nothing that fancy happening here. Sorry I didn't offer a description to begin with. First, I am dubbing from VHS to DVD via a combo recorder/player/dubber hooked to my TV. My system is still analog with rabbit ears and bowtie. Signal is fairly good for what it is. Then I am capturing the dubbed DVD to my computer for editing via EMC 7.5. So I guess the transfer is digital to digital at that point so the drive shouldn't make any difference??

Actually, the VHS tape is analogue. When you record to DVD is when the Analogue to Digital conversion kicks in. The question becomes what settings do you use. If I recall, the standalone units allow you to set 1, 2 or 4 hour times for recording to DVD. Each of those will correspond to a decrease in video "quality", a lower bit-rate. Obviously, the best quality will be had at the 1 hour recording limit. But, considering that the intermediate storage is VHS or broadcast quality, then going to the 2 hour "speed" may also be acceptable.

 

Your description of "funky hard drive" is what lead me to believe you were capturing to your PC. In your case, there's no hard drive involved, it's just a direct to DVD recording from analogue.

 

Could you gain anything better? I doubt it will be anything significant.

 

Is that a more accurate response to your question?

 

I am dubbing/transferring VHS video to DVD-RW, editing and then burning to DVD-R. My original question was 'would the quality of the capture from DVD-RW to my computer vary between my two DVD drives?'. One is old and proven a bit unreliable for burning but reads well, the other is a brand new Pioneer.

 

As long as you're not getting any "read errors" from your drive, then the age/condition of the DVD drive should not be a factor. Again, it's digital information, it doesn't matter what drive is reading it. The "quality" part of writing a DVD has mostly to do with the ability of 'other' drives to read the disc, not with picture quality. Again, it's digital, so as long as there isn't an actual error reading the disc, you'll get the same information, the same picture, the same sound regardless of the drive.

[golinux]

Actually, the VHS tape is analogue. When you record to DVD is when the Analogue to Digital conversion kicks in. The question becomes what settings do you use. If I recall, the standalone units allow you to set 1, 2 or 4 hour times for recording to DVD. Each of those will correspond to a decrease in video "quality", a lower bit-rate. Obviously, the best quality will be had at the 1 hour recording limit. But, considering that the intermediate storage is VHS or broadcast quality, then going to the 2 hour "speed" may also be acceptable.

 

Your description of "funky hard drive" is what lead me to believe you were capturing to your PC. In your case, there's no hard drive involved, it's just a direct to DVD recording from analogue.

 

Could you gain anything better? I doubt it will be anything significant.

 

Is that a more accurate response to your question?

Thanks for clearing things up. I will rework the captures I already have rather than starting from scratch. I have been using the 2 hour speed because the quality didn't really improve at 1 hour. I have had problems burning with the older DVD drive (hence funky) - that's why I got the Pioneer.

[d_deweywright]

Thanks for clearing things up. I will rework the captures I already have rather than starting from scratch. I have been using the 2 hour speed because the quality didn't really improve at 1 hour. I have had problems burning with the older DVD drive (hence funky) - that's why I got the Pioneer.

I would agree with your analysis that starting from scratch won't buy you much. Heck, you already proved that recording at the 1 hour speed doesn't really help.

 

Glad we got your process squared away.