Need suggestions for capturing Laserdisc video

[bigdog660]

Hi,

If I may, I have a few questions regarding capturing Laserdisc video. My current setup is a Pioneer CLD-2290 connected to a Pinnacle PCTV capture card via a S-VHS cable. I'm using iuVCR as my capture software as it syncs the audio well. I capture at 704x480 (to maintain aspect ratio) @ 29.97fps using the PICVideo MJPEG codec with the setting at 20 (19 produces too much blockiness) or Alparysoft Lossless Codec. I encode the AVI to MPEG-2 using Cinema Craft Encoder. The destination the finished product is DVD disc for use on NTSC TV.

My questions are these:

Should I continue capturing at 704x480 or is there a better suggestion such 640x480 or 720x480? If I use 720x480, I notice I loose my true aspect ratio though.

Should I also maintain capturing at 29.97fps or would 25.00fps be better?

Do I deinterlace or not? I have read several posts from several sites and there seems to be arguements both for and against deinterlacing. I am thinking I have to deinterlace because, of the DVD's I have made, the horizonal high motion scenes are very jerky when played on my TV, and when examined closely, there are what I think is called "rat's teeth". Or is that just the wrong field order that's giving me problems?

When I do deinterlace using the plugin in iuVCR or in VirtualDub, I noticed the picture is much darker than when left interlaced. Is this normal, or am I doing something wrong? The only remedy I have found is increasing the brightness using a filter in VirtualDub or by compensating the brightness in capture card settings, but I have the feeling this isn't the right way.

Is there any other suggestion that those who are experienced at this might have?

Any help is this will sure be appreciated!

[spiderman2k1]

Best thing to use is a DVD recorder. JVC or Panasonic. JVC use's LSI chip set said to be the best chip set for video recording. Panasonic ic very good I can only go with what I have I have the E80. And I like it. JVC has a hard drive model coming out this month 160gig. If you LD have closed caption subtitle's that will be on the DVD with Panasonic nad JVC. I have a Dazzle 2 and ATI AIW and Panasonic E80 so far is the best thing i have use to take LD's to DVD-R

If you go with a DVD reocrd you can use TMPG DVD Author ulead and MPEG2VCR to bring the video to the edit. TO make menu's that you like.

[bigdog660]

Unfortunately, I don't have a stand alone DVD Recorder, and even if I did, there are drawbacks to your method. The main problem is editing out the FBI warning and where the Laserdisc flips from Side A to Side B.

Anyone else?

[spiderman2k1]

There are no draw back tot he DVD recorder I record my LD to the DVD recorder all the time. If you have a DVD recorder with a hard drive you can edit they way to want it.

You can also edit on the PC using software TMPG DVD author if you recorder in DVD-video mode it take the vob file's and make's on large MPEG2. TMPG DVD author you can also use to make menu's you can also use ulead to make menu's.

[mracer]

Well, I had very good success capturing some of my old laserdiscs to DV avi files using a Canopus ADVC-100, but then again, I always have success using ADVC. I edited out the unwanted items and side change break in DV, and then rendered the edited DV to DVD compliant MPEG2 using TMPGEnc 2.5 plus, and finally authoring and burning in TMPGEnc DVD author 1.5.

[gshelley61]

bigdog - check this thread about Star Wars LD to DVD. Lots of trial and error already done in this area.

https://www.videohelp.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=102812&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=1170

Oh, yeah... LD to DVD with a standalone recorder is the fastest way and produces very good results. That's what I usually do. Frame accurate editing of the VOB's (MPEG2) is done with Womble MPEG-VCR or MPEG Video Wizard with no re-encoding (no quality loss). Then author to DVD with TMPGEnc DVD Author, IFOEdit, etc.

Simple I-frame cutting and joining of MPEG2 can be done for free with Cuttermaran and MPEG2Schnitt.