need help to get started...

[CNT]

If or When I get the VirtualDub to work with my Pinnacle Studio Deluxe (I still don't know what to do regarding VFW / WDM drivers as someone replied to me and left me hanging without helping me how to do it about), I am willing to start over capturing from analog VHS VCR. Could you tell me what settings to use within VirtualDub to capture (like 352x480 or what?) and also what setting to use for output to VCD (and/or DVD)? Am I to capture in MPEG1 format? After capturing the videos (about 5 VHS for this first cycle), I will need to cut out some bad sections (assuming I can do that with VirtualDub), no editing (meaning no adding anything), and then burn it to VCD. Do I need TMPGEnc or not?

I have 160G of RAID 0 (4K cluster size, 64K stripe size) HDD to capture, AMD Barton 2500+, 1G RAM, all that so my system is fine. I am new to video capturing.

Thanks.

Chuck

[tweedledee]

You will have to look in the guides, then follow a simple guide just to give yourself an idea of what to do. Try looking at LORDSMURFS site. He has loads of useful info. The questions you are asking cannot be answered in a simple way. Any answer we give you will only bring more questions. It's better if you are doing basic capturing first, then move on to the complex stuff. When I started I used a 5 minute capture, and experimented for hours. Good luck

[CNT]

I did was looking in http://www.digitalfaq.com/ and learn number of things. I was hopeing, like the subject says, input for me to start off the bat. I won't be holding anything against who gives me hint or guides.

Again, the question was what capture settings to use for capturing VHS. That's it. Then I can better see how the output changes with with varies settings. I just want the capture setting(s) to get the original, plain vanilla video to AVI or MPEG1.

Chuck

[tweedledee]

The answer to what capture settings to use to capture VCD is just one click away at https://www.videohelp.com/vcd This will tell you the VCD formats. All you do is capture at that setting.

[tweedledee]

To find out the settings for DVD go to here, which is on the home page of this forum

[pijetro]

as someone replied to me and left me hanging without helping me how to do it about

Thanx alot..

Why don't i come over and do your laundry also.
Hint:
If you want VCD, then capture at 352x240 with Pinnacle (if it's allowed), open the video in VirtualDub, and cut away, and either resave the .AVI, or to conserve space Frameserve the video to Tmpgenc..
As far as VCD goes, the standard is pretty tight, so the Tmpgenc VCD template should do all the work for you...
With VCD you don't have too many choices, which with your experience is good..

If you learn a bit about Vdub, capturing, editing, frameserving, and encoding, then DVD should start fallling into place when you decide that VCD isn't gonna get you the quality you want..

Only then, will you become a Jedi Night...

[CNT]

VCD
352x240
MPEG1
1150kbps
etc...

I see that chart often, just about every time I come in here I have try so many steps and I guess I got carried away. Forgive me for barking at you. The thing looking around in here and other sites is that I get it all up in my head, but doesn't flow out of my head when I am doing the deed.

I will do those settings (didn't think those settings were for me, duh me). Thank you for pointing your hard finger(s) and kicking me to read it over and over. I will let you guys know how it go for me...

pijetro, I didn't mean to insult you (and I didn't specifically point to you who left me sitting). I will do it Pinnacle's way (capture with Pinn, cut with VD, save it as AVI (or MPEG1) with VD, then see how I do the rest)...

Thank you, and once again, I am sorry.

Chuck

[pijetro]

Aw crap, you had to turn out to be a nice guy..Oh well, i'll put the shotgun away..

(capture with Pinn, cut with VD, save it as AVI (or MPEG1) with VD, then see how I do the rest)...

I love VirtualDub, and although i don't have a clue about Pinnacle, you should be able to do everything you need within Pinnacle..
What software comes bundled with it???
If you're using Adobe Premiere (also an .AVI editor), you can make your cuts, transitions, etc..and start encoding straight off the timeline, by using the Mainconcept encoder that's built into Premiere 6.5+..

Good luck!!!!

[CNT]

What software comes bundled with it???

It comes with Pinnacle Studio 7. Now they have Studio 9 (and S8 is still being supported, S7 is long old already). It's a nice easy to use software. However, it only allows to capture in "Full DV quality" which looks like I need something lower than that to capture (there's no "Custom" for capture, only for output to whatever files). I will do experiment with VD and whatever else I may have. Thanks.

Chuck

[CNT]

Besides the Pinnacle Studio Deluxe 7, I also have Pinnacle LINX USB Plus that I use for something else, but can be use for capturing! When I select that option (Pinn LINX), I was given choices to change the settings a little (while the PCI is fixed). Now I like to ask what is what from the list of capture options:

Intel Indeo(R) Video R3.2
Intel Indeo 4.5
Indeo video 5.10
PCLEPIM1 32-bit Compressor
YUV2

Some of the listings allow other changes and some are fixed too. Again, what would be best for VHS? Or I should stick with the Pinnacle Studio Deluxe?

Thanks.

Chuck

[pijetro]

As far as VHS goes, this is what i do, but there's many different methods, so don't take this as Gospel....Different strokes for different folks..

I personally capture with Vdub..Depending on the length of video..If it's a short clip, then i use 352x480 uncompressed (no codec), in a YUY2 colourspace..
If it's longer, than 352x480 Huffy compression, in a YUY2 colourspace..

I make a simple little AVISynth script that allows me to view the video in Vdub..

I serve this little script to CCE (encoder, much like TMPGenc), and encode to an .m2v elementary video stream.
I open the AVSynth script in CoolEdit Pro, and save the .WAV...
Compress the .WAV as .AC3 from Besweet..

Compile both .M2V (video stream), and .AC3 (compressed audio stream), with an authouring program called DVDLab..

If i were you, i'd capture, edit, deinterlace, save as .AVI...
Encode to Tmpgenc with VCD template..
Until you decide to go to DVD, it should be pretty straightforward...

[CNT]

pijetro, thank you very much. Even this isn't my English, but I sure will manage it "step-bystep" and learn along the way. Thanks again and will look forward doing it over again.

Chuck

[CNT]

Forgive me for bring out the old suitcase. Since I want to do the new way with VirtualDub after I finish this first series. Or, I might have to do it over again, I don't mind if necessary.

Since with this image above, is this still good to start from? It's a 24 seconds video, yes, 24 seconds in 87MB AVI file!! Not only that, I have 6 more AVI which is much larger, but lets start with this 1st one. I have yet to clip out garbage and want to save maybe 17 seconds from it. Should I edit it with VirtualDub and then export it to MPEG1 for VCD (or MPEG2 for DVD if doing that direction), using the Tmpgenc? I haven't had a chance to capture or try anything, only think (worried sick) about it. I am going on a vacation next week so things getting little tight with my time.

The question is this AVI format (image above) a good capture to start with or I need to start over with YUV2 (from Pinn LINX USB Plus, which is USB 1.1 I think)? Again, sorry for repeating this.

Chuck

[pijetro]

It's a 24 seconds video, yes, 24 seconds in 87MB AVI file!!

If the filesize is an issue, capture with another compression format, somehting that's a smaller filesize for the same amount of time..
I'm thinking like Indeo video 5.10.

Should I edit it with VirtualDub and then export it to MPEG1 for VCD

You can either a) Learn about frameserving with all your filters, resizers, etc..and serve straight to TMPGenc, or an easier method b) recompress to a Divx with all your filters, resizers, trims, etc..., and then encode the newly saved .AVI into TMPGenc...

Since you're going for VCD for now, it won't support 480 resolution, so if you've got a chance, either capture 352x240, or at least resize your newly recompressed video to 352x240 before you send it to TMPGenc..
Since VCD is the final output, you're capture settings are overkill....
One way or another, you're going to either have to deinterlace...

Good luck!!