I am almost ready to give up. Someone please help me

[julia_lunquist_84]

After weeks now, I've been unsuccesful in my attempts to simply get a decent quality capture from analog to digital. I believe I am following everything it says in the step by step procedure recommended by jchunter_2. I have a very highly rated 720x480 capture device by Plextor. And these are fairly new 8mm, good quality tapes I am trying to capture. They look fine by themselves. My computer has plenty of memory- 2 gigs Ram, Pentium 4 3.2 ghz. I am not running any programs during the capture phase. And what do I get? Terrible quality, drop frames seemingly every 2 seconds, just a very disappointing result. Even when I watch the final edit on my computer (BEFORE I burn to DVD) the drop frames are apparent.

One thing I am confused with in the Recommended Procedure is this: In the Edit Phase instructions, Step 4 says to open the compression tab. But the compression tab is only found if you're editing with Mpeg, and earlier it recommended NOT to edit with Mpeg but rather AVI.

This is so confusing.

[maddrummer3301]

It would be helpful to explain how the plextor capture device is connected
to the computer and what programs came with the device to capture video.
You may need to select the correct capture plugin in VideoStudio.

Is this a USB2 or firewire device?
Is this a pci add-on card?
What version of VideoStudio is being used.

Your computer should be quite capable of capturing.
If you post back with more information someone may be able to give advice.

MD

[julia_lunquist_84]

It would be helpful to explain how the plextor capture device is connected to the computer and what programs came with the device to capture video.

Plextor AV100U capture device connected via USB. All 6 of my USB ports are 2.0.

The capture device came with software called InterVideo WinDVD.

You may need to select the correct capture plugin in VideoStudio.

It is already selected.

What version of VideoStudio is being used.

8.0

[dcampog]

Julia,

I have several 8mm analog tapes and I purchased some years ago a Sony Digital 8 camera. It's a digital camera (only Sony produces this format) which can also read and record on "old" analog tapes and it has a digital output connection. I connect it to the firewire port and I get good quality stuff with VS8, which then I transfer on DVDs.

Don't you have amongst your friends anyone who can lend you for some days a "Digital 8" camera so that you can check whether you can get something decent out of it ?

This will help you in identifying where the problem lies : in your Plextor capture device or in VS8. Good luck.

Mimmo

[Trevor Andrew]

Hi Julia

The recommended guide is based on capture via Firewire to Dv-Avi. from a digital source.
This procedure is very easy on your pc’s resources as the files are not recoded but copied, the source files being Dv_Avi.

When you capture from an analogue source the footage has to be coded to a video standard. You select to capture to a particular template. Usually Dv or Mpeg. This process is very demanding on your pc unlike capturing a digital signal.

If you select Dv, make sure you select a suitable compressor.
The compression tab is available for Dv-Avi.

If you haven’t found it then you are probably trying to capture raw Avi.(very, very demanding)

From:-
Options / capture property settings /capture tab / use software compression / advanced / Microsoft video 1 will give you Dv_Avi at 13 Gb /hr.

If you are intending to make a Dvd then I would recommend you try capturing to Ntsc Dvd (mpeg 2) template.

Have a look at my Quick Guide for Mpeg files, It is based on Pal, just select Ntsc Dvd instead of Pal Dvd.

Hope this Helps

[julia_lunquist_84]

Julia,

I have several 8mm analog tapes and I purchased some years ago a Sony Digital 8 camera. It's a digital camera (only Sony produces this format) which can also read and record on "old" analog tapes and it has a digital output connection. I connect it to the firewire port and I get good quality stuff with VS8, which then I transfer on DVDs.

Don't you have amongst your friends anyone who can lend you for some days a "Digital 8" camera so that you can check whether you can get something decent out of it ?

This will help you in identifying where the problem lies : in your Plextor capture device or in VS8. Good luck.

Mimmo

Well I've also been using VS8 to edit my miniDV tapes from my Panasonic GS14, and VS8 works fine. And I know the capture device is working because I don't get the dropped frames in the software that came with it (WinDVD by InterVideo). I know it must be the settings/properties that I don't have set correctly, but I just don't know how to do it.

[julia_lunquist_84]

Hi Julia

The recommended guide is based on capture via Firewire to Dv-Avi. from a digital source.
This procedure is very easy on your pc’s resources as the files are not recoded but copied, the source files being Dv_Avi.

When you capture from an analogue source the footage has to be coded to a video standard. You select to capture to a particular template. Usually Dv or Mpeg. This process is very demanding on your pc unlike capturing a digital signal.

If you select Dv, make sure you select a suitable compressor.
The compression tab is available for Dv-Avi.

If you haven’t found it then you are probably trying to capture raw Avi.(very, very demanding)

From:-
Options / capture property settings /capture tab / use software compression / advanced / Microsoft video 1 will give you Dv_Avi at 13 Gb /hr.

If you are intending to make a Dvd then I would recommend you try capturing to Ntsc Dvd (mpeg 2) template.

Have a look at my Quick Guide for Mpeg files, It is based on Pal, just select Ntsc Dvd instead of Pal Dvd.

Hope this Helps

Trevor I tried your guide, but step 3 of "Capture Process" says to select Format DvD. If I select DvD, all I get from my capture is a fuzzy mess. Looks almost like a television station that doesn't come in.

[jchunter_2]

Julia,
Your capture problem IS your Plextor AV100U. I looked up the specs on this device and they are completely unusable. The maximum frame resolution in MPEG2 is 352x480 and the average bitrate is 3400kbps (peak is 4500kbps).

In a word, this capture box is junk.
John

[jchunter_2]

Julia,
This is what I would do if I were you:

(1) Exchange the plextor for an ADS Instant DVD2 capture box. CapWiz capture software comes with it and works very well for capturing to high quality MPEG2 video files. (I own and use this box for analog capture.)

(2) You have a hot computer so don't even think of using AVI. Edit your captured Mpeg2 files in Video Studio, Create MPEG2 Video Files in Video Studio, and BurnDVDs in Video Studio. You will find this a very fast process.

(3) Stick to the Recommended Procedure for Mpeg-only operation. Make sure that YOU manually set your DVD BURN properties to match your video file properties.

John

[jwarner]

Follow John Hunter's advice.

I use the ADS DVDXpress box which also works very well. Both have a hardware MPEG-2 encoder which is the key to good captures from analogue sources.

The CapWiz capture software that comes with them also works well.

Once you have good MPEG-2 files, then UVS will do the rest (although I do my burns with Nero).

Make sure you capture with the properties you want in your final project so UVS doesn't have to re-render. This will save a lot of time and headaches.

I capture from 8mm tapes at 4500 kbps VBR and am very happy with the results. At that rate, you get just over 2 hours on a single layer DVD and the quality is as good as the source material.

[julia_lunquist_84]

Julia,
Your capture problem IS your Plextor AV100U. I looked up the specs on this device and they are completely unusable. The maximum frame resolution in MPEG2 is 352x480 and the average bitrate is 3400kbps (peak is 4500kbps).

In a word, this capture box is junk.
John

Where did you find those specs? Plextor says it is 720x480. Unless I am reading it wrong.

http://www.plextor.com/english/products ... chspec.htm

[Trevor Andrew]

Hi Julia

I do not understand how the Plextor capture box works, but i assume you have to select the output format.

Using VS 8 If you managed to capture to Avi did you find the 'compression' settings in Options / capture tab.

[jchunter_2]

Julia,
The spec that I saw showed the 720x480 resolution available only for Mpeg1 (which I thought was odd).

However, your spec shows the max bitrate at 7200 kbps, which IMHO is marginal quality and leaves little or no headroom. In contrast, CapWiz will capture up to 15 kbps - (for DVDs, 9000 kbps is you most that you can practically use...)

Therefore, I will modify my opinion of the Plextor to "marginally useful".
John

[julia_lunquist_84]

Hi Julia

I do not understand how the Plextor capture box works, but i assume you have to select the output format.

Using VS 8 If you managed to capture to Avi did you find the 'compression' settings in Options / capture tab.

Yes that part I can find. I have YUY2 selected for compression. Frame size 720x480. Use software compression box is left unchecked.

[Trevor Andrew]

Hi Julia


Tick the use software compression then Advanced

If you do not tick then you are capturing raw Avi

In the compression drop down box choose a compressor try 'Microsoft Video 1' this should reduce your file sizes down from:-

65 Gb per hour for uncompressed Avi about 1.2 Gb per min
to
13 Gb per hour for Dv-Avi about 210 Mb per min