"snow" in the video capture

gab · Post by **gab** » Fri Apr 08, 2005 5:38 pm

Hello everybody,

I am a new user. I just bought an USB capture device in order to transfer my VHS video tapes to DVD. And the device came with DVD factory 2 SE.
First the problem is to transfer the video from the tape (in a VCR) to the main drive of the computer.

After a few hours of problems, I could record VHS clips on my hard drive, with the sound, and in the AVI format (or MPEG = DVD)

But when I play the file, it is plagued with twinkling and a sort of "snow"

.
It is a new tape and it is OK when viewed on my usual TV system. I tried another VCR but it is the same.

Could it be poor connexions ? I have to interface from a scart socket on the VCR to a S-Video socket, then a cable S-Video to S-Video, for the capture device has also a S-Video socket.

And a bonus question : DVD Factory does not seem to make any difference between the "DVD" format and the "MPEG" format. Anybody knows if the DVD format is in fact MPEG, and if "MPEG" is MPEG 2 ?

Gab

thecoalman · Post by **thecoalman** » Fri Apr 08, 2005 5:54 pm

gab wrote: But when I play the file, it is plagued with twinkling and a sort of "snow" .
It is a new tape and it is OK when viewed on my usual TV system. I tried another VCR but it is the same.

That could be a lot of things including interference because of cheap RCA cables, bad connection or possibly a bad ground. It's very hard to eliminate other possibilities without a screenshot. I'd check what Imentioned above first.

And a bonus question : DVD Factory does not seem to make any difference between the "DVD" format and the "MPEG" format. Anybody knows if the DVD format is in fact MPEG, and if "MPEG" is MPEG 2 ?

DVD Format is Mpeg-2, the reason it's called DVD format is because mpeg2 can be many different resolutions, bitrates etc. DVD has its own specifications that the mp[eg2 file must meet to be playable on a DVD player.

GeorgeW · Post by **GeorgeW** » Fri Apr 08, 2005 6:02 pm

In general, when people say DVD, they mean mpeg-2. But mpeg-1 is within the DVD Spec (just not common).

mpeg-1 for DVD has strict rules -- it has to be "VCD Resolution" with a Constant Bitrate encoding up to 1856kbps. Some standalone dvd recorders use mpeg-1 for their 6-hour setting.

htchien · Post by **htchien** » Sun Apr 10, 2005 4:33 pm

If you use USB to capture, and your system is not powerful enough, you will possibility get the drop-frame issue or the video quality will not be good enough.

If you wish to capture in DVD quality with USB device, make sure you have a fast enough system (2G or higher) and use USB 2.0 connection, and no background program running when you capture.

Hope this helps.

H.T.

gab · Post by **gab** » Sun Apr 10, 2005 5:30 pm

Thank you to you, Hitchien, George W and Thecoalman. All your advices were valuable to me.
For "DVD" Format, OK I understand, it's a DVD compliant MPEG2.
For my snow, I will begin with buying better cables (I must admit that the cables I am using were quite (too) cheap).
My processor is 3.8Ghz, the USB plugs are USB2, and the capture device is USB2, so I do not think speed is an issue.

Thecoalman, what do you mean with a "bad ground" : the ground of the computer ?

Gab

thecoalman · Post by **thecoalman** » Sun Apr 10, 2005 5:45 pm

gab wrote:
Thecoalman, what do you mean with a "bad ground" : the ground of the computer ?

Gab

It's a little bit beyond my knowledge but I am aware that badly grounded device whether the ?computer? or your VCR can cause interference. The same is true for a lot of electronics, even for example if you have cable you will see that where it comes into the house or outside that it is grounded to prevent this interference.

I really can't be of anymore help on that but I'm sure a goolge search will quickly find an answer for you. I'd try the cables first, even if they don't completely eliminate the snow they should give you a little better picture quality in the end so it won't be wasted money. Monster cables are a good brand.

Edit: BTW it certainly sounds like interference but I'd still post a screenshot if you can. What appears to be "snow" to you could be entirely something different. If you need a host for the image this one offers a free service. http://photobucket.com/

gab · Post by **gab** » Mon Apr 11, 2005 10:49 am

the coalman wrote

It's a little bit beyond my knowledge but I am aware that badly grounded device whether the ?computer? or your VCR can cause interference

As far as can judge, the computer is correctly grounded, and I suppose the VCR would be also if connected to the computer via a shielded cable.

the coalman wrote

I'd try the cables first, even if they don't completely eliminate the snow they should give you a little better picture quality in the end so it won't be wasted money. Monster cables are a good brand.

I ordered good cables (shielded and golden contacts) online and I shall wait for their delivery before I can try a new test. I am convinced it should make things better.

the coalman wrote

BTW it certainly sounds like interference but I'd still post a screenshot if you can. What appears to be "snow" to you could be entirely something different. If you need a host for the image this one offers a free service. http://photobucket.com/

You are right. I call my problem "snow" because I do not know a better word in english (which is not my native language). In fact it is not snow. It's poor quality and impossible to describe by words. I will do a snapshot via http://photobucket.com/ if the new cables do not solve the problem.
What is the best way to make this snapshot in order to put it on the photobucket site ?

Thanks

Gab

thecoalman · Post by **thecoalman** » Mon Apr 11, 2005 11:23 am

gab wrote: You are right. I call my problem "snow" because I do not know a better word in english (which is not my native language).

I'm sure snow is an apt description if it's interference. It's just easier to interpret what you mean with an image, there's other possibilities. As they say a picture tells a thousand words. MF should have that ability but I don't know for sure, search the help files for the word image. If not most software for playing video files will do that excluding MS Media Player. Image editing apps also have that ability.

BTW I often laugh when people such as yourself desrcibe their english as bad. I wish some of the native english speaking people wrote english as "bad" as yours. To tell you the truth I would have never known had you not mentioned it. Or are you cheating and using a translator?

gab · Post by **gab** » Mon Apr 11, 2005 4:18 pm

thecoal man wrote

MF should have that ability but I don't know for sure, search the help files for the word image. If not most software for playing video files will do that excluding MS Media Player. Image editing apps also have that ability.

OK, I will find a way.

thecoal man wrote

BTW I often laugh when people such as yourself desrcibe their english as bad. I wish some of the native english speaking people wrote english as "bad" as yours. To tell you the truth I would have never known had you not mentioned it. Or are you cheating and using a translator?

Thank you for the compliment

. I did not say my english was bad. I meant I lack (more than the average native speaker) the right word in the right place. Also colloquial expressions are often meaningless to me. I just guessed to-day what BTW could stand for...

I will post a message after new tests with new cables.

Thanks
Gab

gab · Post by **gab** » Wed Apr 20, 2005 8:31 am

Hello everybody,

I am back (I remind I am trying to transfer video from VHS tapes on a Video Recorder to DVD, via an USB capture device and my hard disk). I received brand new cables (shielded, and golden contacts, direct, and... and...) but the situation is worse

.
The "snow" is still there, and in addition the capture is black and white. So I returned to my old, multi connections, cables system.
I suspect the new cable is simply not good, and I think I will send it back and ask for my 30 euros back.
I again tried with another video recorder, with the same result with both cables. I tried also to connect a DVD player. This is not very regular, and I get black and white with both cables, but the image is captured, with snow again.
Two component can be suspected, the cables or the USB capture device. How can I sort out all this mess

The Coalman adviced to put an image somewhere, but I could not find in DVDMF how to do this. Does anybody know how to do it ?

gab

PS How do you manage to get the "go to newest post" icon on the forum messages list ?

thecoalman · Post by **thecoalman** » Wed Apr 20, 2005 11:50 am

You didn't mention the black and white before..... Usually B&W is the result of the wrong selection between NTSC or PAL and will also appear snowy too. NTSC is used primarily in the US and is probably what you have it set on, most other regions are PAL. Look for that setting and switch it to PAL.

P.S.

The topic with the latest post gets moved to the top of the forum. The icon next to it will take you to the latest reply in the topic. The pages ar3e dynamically generated on a per user basis, once viewed that icon will go away. Each page someone views will appear different than someone eles's depending on what they have looked at and when was the last time they visited.

gab · Post by **gab** » Wed Apr 20, 2005 12:39 pm

The Coalman wrote :

Usually B&W is the result of the wrong selection between NTSC or PAL and will also appear snowy too

Hello, The Coalman,

Thank you for going on with me.
Well, I think I had the right option, because in France the standard is SECAM L, and, with my old cables, it is true that I have color only with the SECAM option.
But with the new cable it is black and white with any option.

And the "snow" in both cases. In fact, I think I can better describe the interference by zigzags moving from bottom up.

The Coalman wrote :

The topic with the latest post gets moved to the top of the forum. The icon next to it will take you to the latest reply in the topic.

When I posted my message this morning, the topic was indeed moved to the top, but it had not the little icon on the left as other messages, so that you could go directly to my message

More and more, I consider giving up and starting again from scratch with new device, cable and software. I appreciate moderatly MF. It's logic is difficult to grasp, and there are several boxes not translated to french from german, or dutch (I don't know), maybe you have not this problem with the english version.

gab

GeorgeW · Post by **GeorgeW** » Wed Apr 20, 2005 12:45 pm

I might have missed it, but what is your capture device make/model?

Do you happen to have anything like a SCART adapter in your connections?

Do you have the correct inputs selected in your capture software -- like S-VIDEO vs. RCA inputs?

gab · Post by **gab** » Wed Apr 20, 2005 1:00 pm

what is your capture device make/model?

Make : AverMedia
Model : EZMaker USB2.0

Do you happen to have anything like a SCART adapter in your connections?

Yes, the socket on the VCR is a SCART one.

Do you have the correct inputs selected in your capture software -- like S-VIDEO vs. RCA inputs?

Yes, I selected the S-Video because the socket on my graphic card is a S-Video one. Anyway I tried the other option and it did not work at all.

gab

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