Blu-Ray, AVI Formats Missing in Capture Video

[correlled]

When capturing video, other formats besides DVD are missing. I am trying to import video for outputting Blu-Ray but I am unable to select Blu-Ray as the imput format. It's not greyed out, it's missing along with other formats. The only format that you can select is DVD.

Can anyone help please.

[BrianCee]

You have not told us what you are trying to import - where you are importing it from - and how are you importing it - is it from a disc in your PC - or is it from a camera of some sort - if a camera what sort of camera and how is it connected to your PC. The capture formats offered will depend on exactly what and how you are capturing.

generally you do not have to set anything for import - as opposed to capture - VS imports any supported file type you offer it.

[correlled]

You have not told us what you are trying to import - where you are importing it from - and how are you importing it - is it from a disc in your PC - or is it from a camera of some sort - if a camera what sort of camera and how is it connected to your PC.

generally you do not have to set anything for import - VS imports any supported file type you offer it.

Many thanks for the swift responce.

I am capturing video from a VCR through a silvercrest digitiser, a device similar to easycap. I have successfully imported some videos so far and outputted to Blu-Ray. The picture quality as far as I can see degrades. The imported picture is soft so I used the VideoStudio sharpen tool to try and improve this and ended up with a rather grainy/noisey picture as a result. I then decided to use the noise reduction to reduce the effect of the sharpen filter but this seemed to cancel out the sharpen filter.

Anyway, getting back to the formatting issue, I have used VideoStudio ProX 2 using the same VCR and digitiser and the formatting options available with this software are as follows: AVI, MPEG, VCD, SVCD and DVD; Blu-Ray is missing hence the reason for buying ProX 5. So, since the equipment used is the same, it would appear that VideoStudio is the problem.

I am concerned that capturing in the DVD format and outputting in the Blu-Ray format (because I am burning to Blu-Ray) is the reason for the unsatisfactory image quality/degradation.

[lata]

Hi

Unfortunately after Video Studio 12 (X2) Corel in their wisdom removed many settings leaving us with the default templates, these are only suitable for standard definition video. a bit of a backward step as far as I am concerned, but then again it is analogue capture.
VHS is standard definition a little lower quality than DVD quality.

Using X5 I do not think DV-Avi is available as a capture format from analogue VHS

If you were to use the software that came with Silverquest what quality/capture properties are you able to set?

Have you been able to improve the quality using VS 12 with the additional capture options? Capture will struggle when increasing the bit rates to match HD video, the incoming stream being re-coded on the fly.
I would opt for VS12 and DV-Avi.

I would think the limit to the quality is the fact that it’s a VHS video source.

Silk purse and pigs ear comes to mind, that of course does not stop you trying.

[Ken Berry]

Trevor said:

I would think the limit to the quality is the fact that it’s a VHS video source.

Just to hammer home Trevor's point, if the original video is in fact VHS -- since you are capturing from a VCR -- then even using the very best quality settings and means of capture (which I agree is really DV/AVI via some sort of Firewire capture device -- I use a Sony Digital 8 Handycam), the very best output you can expect from such footage is a digital equivalent to good VHS. Burning that to standard definition DVD cannot improve the quality beyond that. As Trevor also said, you can't make a silk purse from a sow's ear.

And even if you could capture to Blu-Ray format -- high def mpeg-2, where DVD is standard def mpeg-2 -- then the quality would still only be at best equivalent to good VHS. In other words, regardless of the capture format, you cannot improve the captured video's quality simply by using a notionally higher quality capture format. Indeed, I suspect that using a high def format, whether capturing or finally burning to Blu-Ray, will only increase the probability that any defects in the original video will only become more significantly magnified. I have videos originally filmed on my standard def mini-DV camcorder which looked great when played on even a large screen but now superseded cathode ray tube TV, but which look pretty grainy when played via a Blu-Ray player which notionally upscales them and played over a 46 inch HDTV.

[BrianCee]

Since the silvercrest digitiser connects to your computer via USB which is basically analogue you just cannot capture better than DVD.

If you are hoping to burn a blu-ray from that do not expect the normal high quality - you cannot add what isn't there.

[correlled]

Since the silvercrest digitiser connects to your computer via USB which is basically analogue you just cannot capture better than DVD.

If you are hoping to burn a blu-ray from that do not expect the normal high quality - you cannot add what isn't there.

Ok, point taken but should I have degradation in the final Blu-Ray result. I though I would at least have the same quality as the origional video.

[BrianCee]

The best you can do with an analogue capture is DVD (mpeg2) quality - where is the extra information going to come from to fill up a blu-ray frame - really there is very little point in making a blu-ray from a VHS original. DVD (mpeg2) IS the best quality for a capture from VHS and should give the same picture quality as your original tape. To make a blu-ray you need one of the HD formats - not analogue.

just calling something blu-ray doesn't automatically improve the quality

[correlled]

The best you can do with an analogue capture is DVD (mpeg2) quality - where is the extra information going to come from to fill up a blu-ray frame - really there is very little point in making a blu-ray from a VHS original. DVD (mpeg2) IS the best quality for a capture from VHS and should give the same picture quality as your original tape. To make a blu-ray you need one of the HD formats - not analogue.

just calling something blu-ray doesn't automatically improve the quality

Just to fill you in on how I arrived at this stage: I have a large number of family films going back to 1969 to date. They start off with silent standard 8mm progressing to sound super 8mm, then progressing to VHS video and finally SVHS video. I decided some time ago to edit all of this and burn to DVD. Having started this, I soon discovered that I was using 3 DVD's for 1 VHS tape. Instead of decreasing my shelf storage space, I was actually increasing it. My only advantage was editing a lot of bad or unwanted scenes and also using a scene menu making it easier to find scenes. So I decided recently to upgrade my computer and my software including the bulk purchase od Blu-Ray disks to go the Blu-Ray route; that way, I thought I would be able to get more onto the disk and reduce my required shelf storage space; a waste of good money, it seems now. So bearing all this in mind, how would you go about doing this?

[Ken Berry]

Just to let you know that many of us here have been in the same boat, seeking to preserve old family films and videos. So there is a fair amount of experience you can tap into.

As for Blu-Rays, well apart from using them as actual Blu-Ray video discs, you can also use them as storage or data discs. If you are worried about taking up lots of shelf space, you can store the original captured video in whatever format on Blu-Ray discs. And that means you can keep up to 25 GB on a single layer Blu-Ray disc. That will at least lower help your storage space.

And we are not saying you can't burn your video to Blu-Ray as an actual video disc -- just that you should not expect too much from doing this in terms of quality.

Depending on what Blu-Ray player you have, you might even find it can detect standard def video on a Blu-Ray disc and play it in its original format. I know I can do that with my Sony PlayStation 3 which, apart from its gaming capacity, is also an excellent Blu-Ray player. I imagine most Sony Blu-Ray players, and other brands, can also do much the same thing, though you would need to consult the Manual for this.

[correlled]

Ken

Many thanks for this and your previous valued input. I have already done 4 disks on another family matter and while it's nice to know I can store on Blu-Ray in any format, I would prefer to create a video disk with a scene menu. Over the course of these family videos, on one 3 hour tape alone, there are numerous events like birthdays etc, and it's nice to able to jump to a particular event using the scene menu.

I note you used a Sony Handycam in your last post and I am wondering did you use this a pass through to PC or directly onto the cameras HD. I have been reading that this is possible with certain Sony Handycams and the quality seems to be better.
My son, who by the way has just returned from New Zealand after working there for six months in Christchurch, has one of these cameras and I will have a look at this method in due course. I will keep you posted if this works out. He went there because we here in Ireland are going through the worst recession in the History of the state. We are experiencing mass emigration with upwards of 500,000 out of a small population of 4 Million leaving our shores for Canada, Australia and New Zealand each year since 2008, to find work. He has taken back some stunning photographs of New Zealand and would love to live there.

If the Handycam solution doesn't work, I will just have to accept the quality experienced in the first 4 disks which is just about bearable.
Thanks again.

[lata]

Hi

Passthrough aka video throughput.

Many Mini-DV type cameras are capable of passthrough but not all
Cameras bought in the UK may not support passthrough, the cameras were classed as a video recorder attracting a greater UK tax (Vat), so the passthrough capability was disabled/not fitted, the cameras having a more completive price.

Anyway
The camera will have AV input and DV In /Out
Connect VHS via scart/composite to cameras AV-In
Connect DV-Out to computer using firewire (IEEE 1394 )
Some cameras need the tape removing before passthrough will work.
My Panasonic also needs the cameras menu tweaking to set “DV out”

You should capture using Video Studio to DV format, this is a lossless format, probably the best you will get from the VHS, it is approx 13 Gb per hour.

Once you have the video in this format you can decide how to archive it.
Reading your replies is sounds you prefer to create a DVD disc with menus.

[correlled]

Many thanks Lata, I will check this out in due course and report back.

[Ken Berry]

The Sony I was talking about is one of the older Digital 8 systems -- a DCR-TRV430E. It is fully digital but uses larger 8mm tapes rather than the small mini DV tapes. It connects to the computer via Firewire, but has the advantage that it can play directly old analogue 8mm and Hi8 tapes, in which I filmed all my early stuff. So I can transfer those old tapes digitally to computer in DV format which has the best possible quality for those analogue tapes. Easy to edit and then convert to DVD-compatible mpeg-2.

For footage not in 8mm or Hi8 tape format, the Sony can also be used as a passthrough, say from your VCR, to computer via Firewire.

And yes, New Zealand is a stunningly beautiful place -- and I say that as an Australian since I only settled here in retirement 2.5 years ago... There's still a few places I haven't been to yet, but those I have visited are lovely, and very worthy of being filmed (as per the Lord of the Rings, Hobbit, Last Samurai etc...)

[correlled]

Thanks again; I'm getting wiser by the minute, thanks to the members of this forum.