Capturing Images from MPEG file
Moderator: Ken Berry
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auntiejudyjudy
Capturing Images from MPEG file
I really hope someone can help. I have been given a project from hell .... I have an MPEG file of a family event that is unusable in terms of the camera person zooming and panning so much that it is unwatchable. If I ignore the floor and ceiling shots, there is little in terms of any length of acceptable video for a presentation. My only option is to try and get some still images and make a slide presentation. I know that you can capture images from the original tape in VS8.0 but the original tape no longer exsists. So how do you capture from a file into VS8.0? I was able to do this with my ATI Multimedia File Player (and NEO DVDPlus program) but the quality is the pits. I know that I need to change the properties of the images but don't know what to change them to. I am using a good Photo Editing Program that will batch convert but get a warning that the images are meant for viewing on TV. How can I get decent images into my VS8.0? The properties of the NEO capture are 640x400 Horizontal 95 dpi Vertical 95 dpi Bit Depth 32. The properties of the ATI capture are 720 x 480 Horizontal 26 dpi Vertical 19dpi and Bit depth 24. (I don't know how to change these properties for different capture) Life would be a lot simpler if I could just capture images in VS8.0 which are of good quality and able to burn to DVD in a slide presentation. The properties of the MPEG file are MPEG - 2, Upper Field First 24 bits 720x480 4:3 29.970 fps Variable Bit Rate. Replies need to be in simple terms as I really don't know what I am doing!
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Trevor Andrew
Using VS 7 you can use the ‘save as still image’ icon.
Select a clip in the timeline, find the frame you wish to copy, fine tune using the timecode box.
Press ‘save as still image’
The image will be saved to the working folder and a thumbnail placed in the library.
Using VS 8 the save options are in the ‘tools menu’ and ‘clip menu’.
Again the images are saved top the working folder.
Best of luck
Select a clip in the timeline, find the frame you wish to copy, fine tune using the timecode box.
Press ‘save as still image’
The image will be saved to the working folder and a thumbnail placed in the library.
Using VS 8 the save options are in the ‘tools menu’ and ‘clip menu’.
Again the images are saved top the working folder.
Best of luck
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BrianCee
If you already have the file on your computor you don't need to 'Capture' it .
In either version 7 or version 8 start on the "EDIT" page and in the very bottom left corner you will see a little round icon with an opening folder on it, click on it and then choose "Insert Video" from the pop-up - then browse to the file and select it and click 'open' and the video will be imported to the timeline so that you can edit or save as many still images as you want.
In either version 7 or version 8 start on the "EDIT" page and in the very bottom left corner you will see a little round icon with an opening folder on it, click on it and then choose "Insert Video" from the pop-up - then browse to the file and select it and click 'open' and the video will be imported to the timeline so that you can edit or save as many still images as you want.
Yes.
I just did this for somebody who, right in front of my eyes, mistakenly hit 'delete' on his digital still camera and got rid of all the pictures taken just before his mother died. All we had were some close-up videos of the LCD showing his mother's face on his camera!
With the video in your Timeline, find the frame you wish to save as a still image. Put the blue cursor arrow on that frame (you can zoom in to the single-frame level if you want). Go to Tools > Save as Still Image and click that.
The image will be saved as .BMP or .JPEG as you have previously designated in File > Preferences > General [working folder] and > Capture.
The quality of the photo will never exceed the quality of the video, which compared to digital still shots is low. It will be viewable on a TV, certainly.
Good luck!
Keith
I just did this for somebody who, right in front of my eyes, mistakenly hit 'delete' on his digital still camera and got rid of all the pictures taken just before his mother died. All we had were some close-up videos of the LCD showing his mother's face on his camera!
With the video in your Timeline, find the frame you wish to save as a still image. Put the blue cursor arrow on that frame (you can zoom in to the single-frame level if you want). Go to Tools > Save as Still Image and click that.
The image will be saved as .BMP or .JPEG as you have previously designated in File > Preferences > General [working folder] and > Capture.
The quality of the photo will never exceed the quality of the video, which compared to digital still shots is low. It will be viewable on a TV, certainly.
Good luck!
Keith
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THoff
Your friend may still be able to get the images back, provided he/she stops using the camera immediately:
http://www.compuapps.com/Products/Recov ... erypro.htm
http://www.compuapps.com/Products/Recov ... erypro.htm
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auntiejudyjudy
Capturing Images From MPEG file
Many thanks to those who answered ..... such a simple solution. I have just upgraded from VS 7 and am still discovering the new things in VS 8 ...... not up on those thingies up in the right corner (Clip and Tools)! I was still looking for the camera icon in the edit section. And the only thing related on the web board was someone who said "why would you want still images in a video program?"
However, now that I have some relief knowing that I can do everything in VS8.0, my problems are still continuing ..... First of all, the file I have is apparently "rendered" so I do not have individual frames in the time line ..... so this means that I have to "click" my way through 3 hours of miserable tape to get the images I need ...... unless you wonderful people know of a different trick.
The next question I have is what format would give me better results. JPEG or BITMAT? They both are RGB True Colour 24 bit and 720x480 and the file size is 1013 kb. However, the Bitmap has a resolution of 37 pixels/cm with no compression. The JPEG has a resolution of 28 pixels/cm with YCbCr YUV colour model Baseline and Sampling factor YUV 4:2:2 and the JFIF marker says "Yes". I have tried an image capture in each format and there doesn't appear to be much difference but I don't want to do this "little" job more than once. I have no clue what any of these terms mean but the difference in resolution and compression tells me something would be different in the end result. Also, currently, in both formats the Images come out looking like they are "wide screen". This scares me as well. I also do not have a clue as to whether I should check or uncheck the "Image capture deinterlace" in the File Preferences. I am still prepared to do a "batch convert" in my Photo Editing Program to get a better quality if I can (but what properties would I use).
I have a feeling that this project is still going to be "in progress" when I am placed in a nursing home so I do appreciate any help, shortcuts, advice or creative ideas you can give me. I am not even going to tell you about the sound quality (camera by kitchen door and screaming babies in a dining hall with the speakers miles away!)
However, now that I have some relief knowing that I can do everything in VS8.0, my problems are still continuing ..... First of all, the file I have is apparently "rendered" so I do not have individual frames in the time line ..... so this means that I have to "click" my way through 3 hours of miserable tape to get the images I need ...... unless you wonderful people know of a different trick.
The next question I have is what format would give me better results. JPEG or BITMAT? They both are RGB True Colour 24 bit and 720x480 and the file size is 1013 kb. However, the Bitmap has a resolution of 37 pixels/cm with no compression. The JPEG has a resolution of 28 pixels/cm with YCbCr YUV colour model Baseline and Sampling factor YUV 4:2:2 and the JFIF marker says "Yes". I have tried an image capture in each format and there doesn't appear to be much difference but I don't want to do this "little" job more than once. I have no clue what any of these terms mean but the difference in resolution and compression tells me something would be different in the end result. Also, currently, in both formats the Images come out looking like they are "wide screen". This scares me as well. I also do not have a clue as to whether I should check or uncheck the "Image capture deinterlace" in the File Preferences. I am still prepared to do a "batch convert" in my Photo Editing Program to get a better quality if I can (but what properties would I use).
I have a feeling that this project is still going to be "in progress" when I am placed in a nursing home so I do appreciate any help, shortcuts, advice or creative ideas you can give me. I am not even going to tell you about the sound quality (camera by kitchen door and screaming babies in a dining hall with the speakers miles away!)
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BrianCee
Don't understand the first bit - even if the video file was rendered - and they all are if they have been edited and titles etc. added - you should still be able to access and view individual frames - have you expanded the timeline to "One Frame" (see my website) in order to see each frame clearly. then just play the video till you see a frame containing the image you want then pause and use the step forward / step back buttons to select the exact frame.
With regard to the best image type/resolution a great deal has been written about that on these forums in the last three months - maybe you should read through some of that for a solution.
With regard to the best image type/resolution a great deal has been written about that on these forums in the last three months - maybe you should read through some of that for a solution.
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Trevor Andrew
Hi Auntie Judy
I have used both Bitmap and Jpeg images and cannot see a difference in quality, The quality you will get is only as good as the source file, that is your video.
Your statement of looking like ‘widescreen’ seems to indicate that your project properties are different to the clip properties. (or is your mpeg in wide screen) Your saved still images should be 720x480 which I assume is the frame size of your video (mpeg).
To change your project properties to match the Mpeg video try this:-
1/ from File / Preferences / General tab (tick ‘show messages when inserting first video clip into timeline’. Then OK
2/ Start a new project and insert your video clip (mpeg) into the timeline.
3/ You should see a info window asking you to change the project settings to match the video clip, selecting details will expand the window to allow you to see the different settings.
Look at the video clip settings do they indicate 16:9 widescreen or 4:3
4/ Now select YES, this will change the settings.
5/ Save your project
Now view your saved images in the project window.
As for saving your images, you have to do it manually viewing the video clip as you go.
In timeline view if you click on the white rule you should see a blue triangle, this is your project position marker, you can drag this marker along the timeline to view your footage. This may be quicker than watching the whole clip.
You can expand or contract the rule scale using the small buttons to the left of the rule (zoom to), this makes using the blue marker a little easier.
Hope this helps
Trevor
I have used both Bitmap and Jpeg images and cannot see a difference in quality, The quality you will get is only as good as the source file, that is your video.
Your statement of looking like ‘widescreen’ seems to indicate that your project properties are different to the clip properties. (or is your mpeg in wide screen) Your saved still images should be 720x480 which I assume is the frame size of your video (mpeg).
To change your project properties to match the Mpeg video try this:-
1/ from File / Preferences / General tab (tick ‘show messages when inserting first video clip into timeline’. Then OK
2/ Start a new project and insert your video clip (mpeg) into the timeline.
3/ You should see a info window asking you to change the project settings to match the video clip, selecting details will expand the window to allow you to see the different settings.
Look at the video clip settings do they indicate 16:9 widescreen or 4:3
4/ Now select YES, this will change the settings.
5/ Save your project
Now view your saved images in the project window.
As for saving your images, you have to do it manually viewing the video clip as you go.
In timeline view if you click on the white rule you should see a blue triangle, this is your project position marker, you can drag this marker along the timeline to view your footage. This may be quicker than watching the whole clip.
You can expand or contract the rule scale using the small buttons to the left of the rule (zoom to), this makes using the blue marker a little easier.
Hope this helps
Trevor