What Should I Convert To?

[Spawn44]

Just bought this software and it has been very easy to use. I am converting my Hi8mm tapes and capturing to my PC. I have done three so far in DVD HQ and the other in DV. The DV(AVI) one is over 20G while the others at DVD HQ setting are only about 6Gigs. As far as quality the DV might look a bit better but not sure. Now they both only fill my lcd in a 4:3 aspect. How can I capture so that they will fill my LCD or can it not be done. If I convert to DVD instead of just capture, will the DVD I make fill the screen or will it still have black bars to each side.

And is there a way to convert the capture file to something crisper to watch on hidef LCD.

 

Thanks in advance

 

Newbee

[hekuta]

Just bought this software and it has been very easy to use. I am converting my Hi8mm tapes and capturing to my PC. I have done three so far in DVD HQ and the other in DV. The DV(AVI) one is over 20G while the others at DVD HQ setting are only about 6Gigs. As far as quality the DV might look a bit better but not sure. Now they both only fill my lcd in a 4:3 aspect. How can I capture so that they will fill my LCD or can it not be done. If I convert to DVD instead of just capture, will the DVD I make fill the screen or will it still have black bars to each side.

And is there a way to convert the capture file to something crisper to watch on hidef LCD.

 

Thanks in advance

 

Newbee

 

 

if you are using the output software "MY DVD" just output in "project settings" to ntsc 16:9 same thing when you import files 16:9 this should work. there are other dvd authoring programs give you more control over this. I have seen here that converting directly to dvd is not recommended. the DV avi is the highest quality you are going to get from this capture device again other capture and authoring programs are going to give you "true HD quality" but you are dealing with HUGE file sizes. and need hundreds of gigs of hard drive space. Honestly unless you are broadcasting it I would avoid going true HD quality.

[bimicher]

if you are using the output software "MY DVD" just output in "project settings" to ntsc 16:9 same thing when you import files 16:9 this should work. there are other dvd authoring programs give you more control over this. I have seen here that converting directly to dvd is not recommended. the DV avi is the highest quality you are going to get from this capture device again other capture and authoring programs are going to give you "true HD quality" but you are dealing with HUGE file sizes. and need hundreds of gigs of hard drive space. Honestly unless you are broadcasting it I would avoid going true HD quality.

 

You cannot get "true HD quality" from anything captured from VHS video. Any program that claims this is guilty of false advertising. You may be able to get "HD format" video but that does not mean it is true HD quality. Any time you capture video your lose quality and you can never get better then the captured quality.

[Jim_Hardin]

The current version of V2D (201B) does not have MyDVD. Even if it did, the only option in MyDVD, which is also preset in 201B, is to have the MENUs in 16:9

 

The Roxio device Will Not capture in 16:9…

 

Anything recorded in 4:3 cannot be changed to 16:9. These are ratios and under the laws of mathematics, cannot be changed.

 

Those that have widescreen TVs and think this is a problem have never rented a commercial movie. Very few ever fit the screen, in particular, none of the Blu-rays will

 

I am curious what version Spawn44 has, since he indicates he bought an older, out of production version???

Edited January 8, 2011 by Jim_Hardin

[Spawn44]

The current version of V2D (201B) does not have MyDVD. Even if it did, the only option in MyDVD, which is also preset in 201B, is to have the MENUs in 16:9

 

The Roxio device Will Not capture in 16:9…

 

Anything recorded in 4:3 cannot be ‘changed’ to 16:9. These are “ratios” and under the laws of mathematics, cannot be changed.

 

Those that have widescreen TVs and think this is a “problem” have never rented a commercial movie. Very few ever fit the screen, in particular, none of the Blu-rays will

 

I am curious what version Spawn44 has, since he indicates he bought an older, out of production version???

I have Easy VHS to DVD Version 1.2.198 SP 2

[Jim_Hardin]

I have Easy VHS to DVD Version 1.2.198 SP 2

The Last of the Great Versions

 

We can try a couple of things:

 

Open VideoWave (Edit Video), Set it to a New – Widescreen Project. Look under File – Production Settings and note how it is set to handle Non-16:9 sources…

 

Import your video clip. Is it OK?

 

If not, delete it and open Production Settings and set it to the other non-16-9 setting. Import your video again.

 

The 2 setting, which only take place on Video/Pictures added after you change it are “Show entire source” and “Fill Screen”

 

“Show entire source” may or may not yield black edges… depends on your Source file…

 

“Fill Screen” will do what it says even if it has to crop (cut off) parts off to make it fit! Remember ratios are LAW! There is no magic that can change that…

[Spawn44]

Thanks for your help but I think I am stuck with the bars other then stretching it once on the tv(looks to stretched though)

I think I will capture them to dvd HQ(around 6 gigs) because the dv setting makes the file over 20 gigs. Not sure why a hi8 video has file size of 6 gigs and some of my dvd movie copies are less then

2gigs in avi format with excellent resolution. I would fo assumed these tapes would of been under a gig each. I full bluray disc is less then the avi I captured with roxio, why is that??

Edited January 8, 2011 by Spawn44

[Jim_Hardin]

TThe resolution of DV is better… Filesize is irrelevant, as you can delete the files after you burn it.

 

The DV filesize is 3 tiems larger because DV is uncompressed whereas mpeg is compressed. Anytime you compress, decompress, recompress, as you do with capture/author/burn, you are getting losses in quality. My testing with a scene showed you could see a wood panel in the background with DV HQ. Using DV, you could see the grain in the wood!

 

If you are starting with VHS tape, there is little room for any losses

 

Are you sure you actually followed my instructions? It is also possible that it was not really recorded in true 16:9 in the first place… That is more common than you think.

 

Really most people make far too much out of this. If you look at commercial movies, you see bars.

[Spawn44]

TThe resolution of DV is better… Filesize is irrelevant, as you can delete the files after you burn it.

 

The DV filesize is 3 tiems larger because DV is uncompressed whereas mpeg is compressed. Anytime you compress, decompress, recompress, as you do with capture/author/burn, you are getting losses in quality. My testing with a scene showed you could see a wood panel in the background with DV HQ. Using DV, you could see the grain in the wood!

 

If you are starting with VHS tape, there is little room for any losses

 

Are you sure you actually followed my instructions? It is also possible that it was not really recorded in true 16:9 in the first place… That is more common than you think.

 

Really most people make far too much out of this. If you look at commercial movies, you see bars.

I am fine with the bars now, but the only thing is a wanted to save all these files to my portable hard drive and then play them on my media ready tv(9 avi files at 20 gigs/each is alot of space). Wasnt hoping to convert to dvd. But if I do convert to dvd will they be compressed to fit a 4.8g disc??? or will I have to create 5 disks for a the avi file(DV) which is over 20g.?

[bimicher]

I am fine with the bars now, but the only thing is a wanted to save all these files to my portable hard drive and then play them on my media ready tv(9 avi files at 20 gigs/each is alot of space). Wasnt hoping to convert to dvd. But if I do convert to dvd will they be compressed to fit a 4.8g disc??? or will I have to create 5 disks for a the avi file(DV) which is over 20g.?

 

When creating standard video DVDs on a 4.7GB DVD forget about source file size and think in terms of time. A standard 4.7GB DVD can only hold 60 minutes of video at the HQ setting. Any longer and the video has to be compressed even more and you lose quality.

[Jim_Hardin]

I am fine with the bars now, but the only thing is a wanted to save all these files to my portable hard drive and then play them on my media ready tv(9 avi files at 20 gigs/each is alot of space). Wasnt hoping to convert to dvd. But if I do convert to dvd will they be compressed to fit a 4.8g disc??? or will I have to create 5 disks for a the avi file(DV) which is over 20g.?

Walt is right about TIME!

 

This is what a DVD Movie holds:

 

DVD Time – DVD Capacity

4.7Gb:

HQ = 1:06

SP = 1:37

LP = 2:22

ELP = 3:04

 

8.5 Gb:

HQ = 2:00

SP = 2:57

LP = 4:19

ELP = 5:35

 

But there is no reason you can’t do both!

 

Archiving a File is a different matter… Nothing is included in V2D to help with that. With the massive files of today, I use external HDD’s to keep my data backups. Plus some others I also keep on CD's, DVD's and BD's...

 

The AVI as your ‘archive’ and do another Export As in mpeg format for a smaller working copy… If you were going to do one for your iPhone, you could make another to fit that.

 

There is usually a solution for most things, just ask

[hekuta]

You cannot get "true HD quality" from anything captured from VHS video. Any program that claims this is guilty of false advertising. You may be able to get "HD format" video but that does not mean it is true HD quality. Any time you capture video your lose quality and you can never get better then the captured quality.

 

never in my statement did I say you could have true HD quality anything captured from a VHS tape.

[bimicher]

never in my statement did I say you could have true HD quality anything captured from a VHS tape.

 

You stated "other capture and authoring programs are going to give you "true HD quality""

[hekuta]

You stated "other capture and authoring programs are going to give you "true HD quality""

 

 

Correct true HD quality capture is available through other hardware and software solutions, this is of course if your source files are HD quality as well as aspect ratio. There are also ways you can "cheat" and up convert files for HD output...as I said unless it is for broadcast quality I do not see the original posters need to go to true True HD quality. (nowhere in that statement do I say true HD quality is capable from a VHS capture.)

 

ergo: "the DV avi is the highest quality you are going to get from this capture device" in answer to "is there a way to convert the capture file to something crisper to watch on hidef LCD."

 

as the conversation has progressed it is more about 4:3 to 16:9 conversion, and the "Black Bars" issue.

 

Jim_Hardin has given all the available suggestions to this via the VHS to DVD software.

 

Only other suggestion I would give to the original poster would be resizing the captured files with another software such as premiere (again this will not change the original quality of the source file, but you will be able to output files that will "fit" a HDTV without "black bars" understand that you will be distorting the image of it is 4:3 aspect ratio or you will be loosing some portion of the image if it is a proportionate scale resize. but once you output the file you will have something that fills the screen.

 

since some Some HDV 1080 camcorders are capable of recording in true HD the original poster could look into this possibility.

 

then again this would again require 1080 capture device, a 1080 authoring software and output to HDDVD or blueray. (disclaimer if file sizes are and issue for storage you will not like this option because you are looking at HUGE raw file sizes.)

 

on that note: Hi8mm although very high quality tape is not HD.

Edited January 9, 2011 by hekuta

[hekuta]

 

This is what a DVD Movie holds:

 

DVD Time – DVD Capacity

4.7Gb:

HQ = 1:06

SP = 1:37

LP = 2:22

ELP = 3:04

 

8.5 Gb:

HQ = 2:00

SP = 2:57

LP = 4:19

ELP = 5:35

 

 

 

question about compression for Output to different length DVD output...what is the compression or formatting for each I see in the My DVD Project settings the frame size are 720x480 704x480 etc with mpg2 encoding but is this true of all HQ = 1:06,SP = 1:37, or is it a different encoding for each frame size?

[cdanteek]

Correct true HD quality capture is available through other hardware and software solutions, this is of course if your source files are HD quality as well as aspect ratio. There are also ways you can "cheat" and up convert files for HD output...as I said unless it is for broadcast quality I do not see the original posters need to go to true True HD quality. (nowhere in that statement do I say true HD quality is capable from a VHS capture.)

 

ergo: "the DV avi is the highest quality you are going to get from this capture device" in answer to "is there a way to convert the capture file to something crisper to watch on hidef LCD."

 

as the conversation has progressed it is more about 4:3 to 16:9 conversion, and the "Black Bars" issue.

 

Digital Guru has given all the available suggestions to this via the VHS to DVD software.

 

Only other suggestion I would give to the original poster would be resizing the captured files with another software such as premiere (again this will not change the original quality of the source file, but you will be able to output files that will "fit" a HDTV without "black bars" understand that you will be distorting the image of it is 4:3 aspect ratio or you will be loosing some portion of the image if it is a proportionate scale resize. but once you output the file you will have something that fills the screen.

 

since some Some HDV 1080 camcorders are capable of recording in true HD the original poster could look into this possibility.

 

then again this would again require 1080 capture device, a 1080 authoring software and output to HDDVD or blueray. (disclaimer if file sizes are and issue for storage you will not like this option because you are looking at HUGE raw file sizes.)

 

on that note: Hi8mm although very high quality tape is not HD.

 

 

You can't make a silk purse out of a sow's ear...

 

The movie industry is trying to re-sell old movies and film on Blu-ray.

 

Have you seen them? They look like ^#!& and probably look better on the original format.

 

If it's shot in 4.3 DVD will let your player or TV stretch it to your wide screen TV, Blu-ray will not allow that.

 

http://www.mythtv.org/wiki/Aspect_ratio

[Jim_Hardin]

I have a HD capture card ($200) and it cannot capture anything in HD unless the source is from an HDMI cable. And then it has support HDCP and will not allow capture unless it does...

 

It will capture from an HD camcorder, but what is the point. None of them offer HD pass-through without slamming into the HDCP wall.

 

Otherwise, I have tried my VHS tapes with my Player that has HDMI and they will not capture! If I use component it will not work on the card's HDMI side and will only allow SD capture.

 

The version of V2D Spawn has can be used in 16:9 format, but cropping will occur and the quality will suffer... Premiere is no different, it follows the Copy laws, and you can't up-convert what isn't there in the first place (my BD players have this ability but side by side comparisons, show no difference)

[hekuta]

You can't make a silk purse out of a sow's ear...

 

no you can't that is why I will emphasis if the original source is garbage it will remain garbage no matter what aspect ratio no mater what frame size no mater dvd or HD.

 

The movie industry is trying to re-sell old movies and film on Blu-ray.

 

what again is the source they are using if it is not a digitally remastered copy...well there you have it, old film footage that is being placed on blue-ray.

 

Have you seen them? They look like ^#!& and probably look better on the original format.

 

old film footage unless digitally remastered will look exactly what it is old film footage.

 

If it's shot in 4.3 DVD will let your player or TV stretch it to your wide screen TV, Blu-ray will not allow that.

 

http://www.mythtv.or...ki/Aspect_ratio

 

thank you for the link...disclaimer: I work in the industry and know the exact output standards and what is acceptable at a broadcast level. again: if you are changing 4:3 to 16:9 you going to get distortion or cropping but you are not lowering the quality of the original file. unless you have poor output device and in this digital world I don't see how that can happen.

 

if you are getting a clean signal capture you should be able to output that same clean signal.

[Spawn44]

thanks for all you help, if a stretch the picture with the tv zoom option it looks fine. But now I have been trying to do straight plug and burn option and even though the picture shows up with sound on the screen when I hit capture and says unknown capture error, never had this when I was capturing first then burning but I am now that I am burning directly from capture.????????

Any ideas why this is happening when I have obvious conection (visible and audible in the program) but wont capture (in the plug and burn option)

 

thanks

[cdanteek]

I work in the industry

 

old film footage unless digitally remastered will look exactly what it is old film footage.

 

Then you ought to know they were digitally remastered before they put them on Blu-ray and they still look like ^#!&!

 

Like I said, you can't make a silk purse out of a sow's ear...

[Jim_Hardin]

I think we have said about as much as can be said on this…

 

Spawn44: You can’t use P&B and expect the features and options you require. We have covered your choices and are hiding nothing from you

 

Go forth with some RW’s in hand and try what has been suggested.

 

I would like to LOCK this Topic as very few users here could even lay their hands on this version of V2D and none of this applies to the current version

[hekuta]

I have a HD capture card ($200) and it cannot capture anything in HD unless the source is from an HDMI cable. And then it has support HDCP and will not allow capture unless it does...

 

It will capture from an HD camcorder, but what is the point. None of them offer HD pass-through without slamming into the HDCP wall.

 

Otherwise, I have tried my VHS tapes with my Player that has HDMI and they will not capture! If I use component it will not work on the card's HDMI side and will only allow SD capture.

 

The version of V2D Spawn has can be used in 16:9 format, but cropping will occur and the quality will suffer... Premiere is no different, it follows the Copy laws, and you can't up-convert what isn't there in the first place (my BD players have this ability but side by side comparisons, show no difference)

 

sorry and I do not mean any disrespect to your card or you but when I consider for broadcast quality D-1 my starting price would be 5,000-6,000 last time I had a home system for doing broadcast quality editing.

 

I have not looked at what I would consider for an HD capture card for a true HD capture but I am sure they are on the market maybe not at a low price range but I am sure they are available. last time I looked into it they started at $8,000

 

"Premiere is no different" I disagree.

 

there is no image loss will he get cropping if he resizing 100%, yes.

Will he get a distortion if he resizing the frame for example would be to increase the frame height and with at different sizes example height 90% width 120% yes

 

 

can he output to 16:9 progressive-scan 1080p HD or 16:9 progressive-scan 720p HD via fire wire yes he can.

 

will it upgrade his original source footage no it will not, but it will not decrease it's quality.

 

"it follows the Copy laws" again I disagree copyright laws have nothing to do with outputting an HD quality signal...if someone is trying to copy a blue-ray disk or and HDDVD disk there is no cheap solution out there and they would need to get a lot of expensive equipment for authorizing the output.

 

unless there is a blue ray RW out in the market for hobbyist that I do not know about, that is entirely a possibility.

 

disclaimer: an analog signal will not give you a true HD picture quality no mater if it is going though a HDMI interface or any other interface...can you cheat it and (up converted) output 1080 hdtv file for output...yes but it will not improve the overall quality of the files. for true HD quality the original files must be HD (1080) for true HD must be HD output quality. I know this and I have done these test on professional D-1 broadcast quality files when I was asked to up convert a show from NTSC to HDTV for simultaneous broadcast I was working on. the client finally handed the up converting to an editing shop who had a hardware solution this is how most up converting is handled for old NTSC programs as far as I know.

Edited January 9, 2011 by hekuta

[Jim_Hardin]

hekuta: Not a problem. If I had a need for expensive hardware, I would have it

 

And on that note we are going to close this for the reasons previously stated...

Edited January 10, 2011 by Jim_Hardin