Capturing in DV format-seems like a bit of a contradiction

[tonyjer]

Hi Everyone

Have just cut a 70 minute DVD successfully. Picture quality ok but not great.

I was advised to capture in DV becauase my PC and system is a bit low on speed and resource and capturing in MPEG would be a bit stressful (1Ghz processor/80 Gb second hard drive/640 Mb RAM/Win ME)

It seems that when you elect to capture in DV you only get a limited number of capture options Eg Type 1/2 etc. I can find no way of customising the bit rate and it always defaults to 3515Kbs!

This does not happen with MPEG where you can customise just about everything.

This is the second time this has happened and although the quality is acceptable it is a bit furry and hazy around the edges and I am summising that this is to do with the bit rate.

The contradiction seems to be that the high quality capture in DV is somehow compromised by the low bit rate.

Is there a kernel of truth in this?

Many thanks

Antonio, Anna y Eduardo

[thecoalman]

It seems that when you elect to capture in DV you only get a limited number of capture options Eg Type 1/2 etc. I can find no way of customising the bit rate and it always defaults to 3515Kbs!

Sure that's not KBps, there's a big difference between small case b and upper case B. B siginfies Bytes, b siginfies bits. 8 bits to a byte.

DV is about 35000kbps. Far more that even the highest bitrate mpeg's.

DV is a exact copy of what's on your cam which is why there is no choice. You don't capture DV but transfer it. Very much like copying a file from one folder to another on your computer, there is no conversion. The difference between type 1 and type 2 is how the audio is stored. Neither is btter or worse, VS8 or 9 accepts both.

[GeorgeW]

What is your source video? If it's a dv camcorder (miniDV or digital-8), then capturing to dv .avi's is more like a "transfer" of the dv video from camcorder tape to your hard drive. You don't get many choices (other than Type-1 vs. Type-2) because the dv video has its parameters.

It might look fuzzy on your computer (depends on your computer specs), but if you send that video from your HD back out to dv camcorder and play it back to your tv, you will see that it is quite nice

btw, where you are seeing 3,515kbs -- I suspect it is K-BYTES/sec, and not K-bits/sec (like you can customize when capturing mpegs)

[tonyjer]

Many thanks to George and the coalman.

Will I never get to the end of my learning curve?

Many thanks again

Antonio, Anna y Eduardo Felipe

[MikeGunter]

Many thanks to George and the coalman.

Will I never get to the end of my learning curve?

Many thanks again

Antonio, Anna y Eduardo Felipe

Hi,

I would also add this. DV is compressed at a 5:1 ratio - very thrifty. The specifications are part of the MS O/S, so capturing and editing in DV is a bit more smoother than other CODECs.

As stated, the bit rate is what it is - can't change it - and you wouldn't want to.

This CODEC allows for the best content you can do with as little artifacts from the odds and ends that DV is prone to get.

Converting to MPEG2 at DVD time is the very best work flow.

Regards,

Mike