Need help, New to capturing and need a little advice

[caveman]

Hello

This is all new to me but like most learning a little each day. First, my capture device is a Winfast 2000 xp deluxe. Windows XP home, intel 3.0g, mem 1 gig and video card ATI 9800. Using VideoStudio 7.01 for editing and rendering. Using Movie Factory 2.5 to burn.

Like most my use is for recording my old VHS tapes, from VHS-C camcorder and mabe a show from TV to send to a DVD writer. There are 12 pre set record option for this capture device. Three of them I think may work for me and her they are:

DVD: Mpeg code2, 720 x 480 NTSC, variable bitrate,quality 600, data rate 6000.

MPeg2 opt: 640x480, varable bitrate,quality 666, data rate 6000.

Mpeg2 normal: 640x480, variable bitrate, quality 333, data rate 3000

All of these can be modified. Like 640 x 480 to 720 x 480 etc.

Can anyone please tell me what I could expect for recording time and quality of each to fit on a 4.7 gig dvd. What one would be best for a 2 hr DVD. Also, if you have good settings please give them to me and I will try them all. Thanks to all and have a Merry Christmas.

[bugster]

Can anyone please tell me what I could expect for recording time and quality of each to fit on a 4.7 gig dvd.

The size of an mpeg file is determined by the bitrate used to encode (the averag bitrae if using VBR) and the running time. Nothing else matters. To find out what bitrate you need for a particular runtime, use a bitrate calculator such as the one here.

As for quality, that depends on the source and the capture equipment, of which I have no experience. As you are going to capture direct to mpeg-2, you can say that generally higher bitrate = higher quality, but don't expect it to look better than the source. For VHS source, it is often reccomended to encode to mpeg-2 at 352*480 resolution with bitrates around the 2.5Kbits to 4Kbits mark. Higher resolution requires a correspondingly higher bitrate just to maintain the same quality.

For best quality, you should capture to avi using lossless compression (huffyuv) or low compression (Mjpeg or possibly DV) and then encode to mpeg2 using a standalone encoder. Of course this is much more effort and will take a lot longer.

Probably the best advice any one can give is experiment and test, find out what works best for you.

[thecoalman]

Are you editing this footage after you capture? If so my suggestion is you capture to AVI.... Use the guide here for capturing with a ATI www.digitalfaq.com This guide uses a ATI card but you can apply the video capture settings to the Winfast.

For final output I usually go with 720x480, 6000 VBR.

[Capmaster]

[caveman]

I wish to thank both of you for for help. My capture is doing a good job. I can't see any loss frames etc. I just need to learn more about the rendering program (videostudio 7) and which output seems best for me. My best setting so far seems to be 720 x 480, var bit rate (up to 8000). One question I do have is, when using my capture device I can cange either the bit rate or data rate. I would like to know what is the difference between bit rate and data rate. My bit rate is variable and data rate is set to 6000. Thanks

Merry Christmas

[thecoalman]

I wish to thank both of you for for help. My capture is doing a good job. I can't see any loss frames etc. I just need to learn more about the rendering program (videostudio 7) and which output seems best for me. My best setting so far seems to be 720 x 480, var bit rate (up to 8000). One question I do have is, when using my capture device I can cange either the bit rate or data rate. I would like to know what is the difference between bit rate and data rate. My bit rate is variable and data rate is set to 6000. Thanks

Merry Christmas

Varialble corresponds to the 6000. There's two choices, variable or constant. Variable uses the bit rate as it's needed. If you set it to variable 6000 it will use the whole 6000 during high action scenes and drop down to a lower bit rate during low action scenes. If you set it to constant it will use the whole 6000 constantly. Using variable will save you disc space, using constant will maintain the best quality but is really unnecessary...you'll see little difference.

This is important for high quality output..... If your capturing to mpg you must match your capture settings during the editing and authoring stage. If you do not you will reencode the video which will result in loss of quality. Capturing to mpg is fine but you must not reencode the video. This will be unavoidable for parts you edit but VS8 should only reencode the parts you edit if you match your capture settings. On top of that this will speed up the process tremendously which is the only reason to capture to mpg in the first place.

If speed is not an issue and/or your editing a lot of the video capture to AVI.....