DV to PC quality loss

[iaken]

This is the case. When I watch the tapes directly from the DV camera (Samsung VP-D73) the picture quality is just awsome. But when I transfer it to PC trough firewire I get quality loss even in the DV files. And it gets worse when I encode it to dvd mpg2. Encode it when edited to Mainconcept DV 2.4.4 does not make it better either because the original DV avi's are kinda bad. So the question is. Is there any other DV capture driver besides microsoft's that I can use?

Software I use is.

ScenalyzerLive 2.1
Vegas Video 4.0c
Pluinpack Framserver 2.5.2
TMPGEnc 2.520
Mainconcept DV encoder 2.4.4 when not frameserving

[racer-x]

Question: Are you judging quality by viewing avi on PC vs. video on TV? Or are you editing avi - converting to dvd then watching on TV to compare with original?

The point is you can't compare the video, unless it's viewed on the same format. When you transfer the DV from camcorder to PC via firewire, it is a direct transfer of data and no quality is lost. The reason you think it looses quality, is because the PC monitor has like way more resolution. Also the DV is interlaced and the monitor is progressive, wich will produce horizontal lines in the video when viewed on PC but not when viewed on TV.

If you don't have a DVD burner, you can still edit the video and then export the DV-AVI back to the camera. The end result should be as good as original.

[iaken]

>Question: Are you judging quality by viewing avi on PC vs. video on TV?

No.

>Or are you editing avi - converting to dvd then watching on TV to >ompare with original?

Yes. I go through a few steps. Capture with scenalyzer, Edite with vegas video, encode with TMPGEnc most of the time through framserving by using TMPGEnc DVD PAL Default setting and one as in this guide -> http://dvd-hq.info/Compression.html And then burn in DVD Architect from sonic foundry.

[dcsos]

The file on your hard drive that SCENALYZER makes has to be identical to your DV Tape.
Are you saying this isn't so?
Transfer over the firewire wire is supposed to be a cloning operation..
Only in Premiere have I seen a QUALITY slider whan capturing from DV
and that was on a MAC..on a PC I've never seen an option to denigrate the dv signal..
So assuming that you just looked to quickly and decided it was worse (maybe it was and you'llrepost)..
I would say youre unhappy with mpeg compression
are you keeping the default in VEGAS for a dvd architect stream?
then you would be doing the best you can

as DV Tape stores 25million bits a second
and
DVD stores 10million bits a second of course there will be quality loss!

[racer-x]

It sounds like your doing everything right. Maybe try a higher bitrate? I use different software but my results are truly excellent. I can't tell the difference from source.

Here's what I do, in case your interested. I capture and edit with Adobe Premiere 6.5 in DV-AVI type2 48khz format. I then convert to dvd-spec MPEG-2 with the Main Concept Encoder v1.3 - CBR-8000 kbps. For audio I either use PCM or ac3 converted with Besweet.

I don't know if my way is better, but I have no complaints about Quality.
Good Luck!

[FOO]

How do you
"watch the tapes directly from the DV camera" ?

Do you mean the monitor ON the camera ? Small screens SEEM clearer.

If your DV input program has a monitor mode, watch it on that
without recording and see what it looks like

[Sugar]

Iaken

what type of resolution does your camcorder have. 360,000 pixels, 720,000 pixels more ?
I would agree with racer-x. You seem to do the right thing. Try a different bit rate to convert.

[iaken]

>How do you
>"watch the tapes directly from the DV camera" ?
>Do you mean the monitor ON the camera ? Small screens SEEM clearer.

Video Out of course

Only done VBR mpg2 encodes. Max 8000 Avg 6000 Min 2500
A CBR of 8000 won't affect audio?

I guess I'm to picky. My friends and my girlfriend says it's great hehe

It just annoys me that I can see a differens between Video out from camera and watching at the processed video on DVD.

Thanks for the reply's and help all. You rule

[spectroelectro]

Iaken, if you're saying that there is a noticeable difference between even a hi-quality DVD encoded with TMPG and the original DV output as viewed on a TV, then I have to say you are dead right. I too can see a noticeable difference.
The difference is sort of like looking through a freshly polished really really clear glass windows (DVD created with 2500 min 600 av 8000 max TMPG) and looking through the same scene without hte window there (DV output into a TV set).
DV has much higher data rate and consequently fewer video artifacts. TDV out seems identical to the original TV broadcast signal. Even the best DVD encode has some artifacts, and if you look closely (even on a comosite TV) you can see those artifacts.
They include:
[1] In a DVD encoded with TMPG, dark scenes will have some slight color blotchiness in thebackground.
[2] Very slow horizontal pans will have a subtle visual 'stuttering" effect almost like 15 fps very now and then.
[3] The gamma of the picture will eb compressed compared to the DV picutre -- dark shows tend to lose detail.
I think that's just hte nature of compressing the bitstream from 25 megabits per second (DV) to a max of 8 megabits per second (DVD). Nothing you can do about it, really.
This is why I keep the DV tapes of my critical material for that time in the not-so-distant future when higher-quality video encoding and bluray-type recordable discs become available.