Problems in lower half of picture

[JAYEDIN]

Hw Config: Amd2600,GF4 vivo card.
Sharp 815 VCR
Sw Config: Win XP
Capture:- VirtualVcr 1.6.9, HuffyUV 2.2.0 codec installed via KLiteCodec231f,
Encode:- TmpGenc v2,DVD Author

I was carrying out some VHS capture and conversion to DVD trials as to the best method of
archiving my VHS tapes which are between 10-20 years old.

I did some capture experiments and used WM9 to checkthat the captured avi file was Ok.
Then I converted the .avi file to dvd format and used PowerDVD to check it was ok.
On playback the lower half of the screen showed intermittent instablity i.e. flickering.

In case anyone can help the exact setting I used were ( which were basically
out of the article "Top Quality captures with a GF4 --" :-

I first ensured that the SuperSharpPicture enhancer was off in the VCR as I recall reading in the past that they can upset the Encoding conversion.

Virtual VCR:-
VideoTab - 720*576, uyvy, 25fps, Compression(Yes) , Huffy2.2.0
AudioTab - 16bit, 44.1KHz, Stereo
AvSyncTab - Resample Audio ticked
DEvices - Video Composite, Pal_B
Huffy Properties:- Predict Left, FieldThreshold 576, Enable Full Size Buffer ticked.

I captured about 1 minutes worth ( avi file size = 512 Mbyte) and it looked Ok when
played back on WindowMediaPlayer9.

Then I used Tmpgenc Encoder to convert to Mpeg2 file using the following setting using the inbuilt DVD profile:-
Noise Reduction - Ticked
Mpeg Setting:- CBR 8 Mhz, MotionEstSearch(fast), 720*576, LinearPCM, 48KHz.
Encode as Progressive.

Finally DVD author was used to produce the DVD files.

So if anyone can suggest what I could try out to solve the problem I am seeing
in the lower half of the screen on playback it would be much appreciated?

[SaSi]

I suspect that your problem has to do with video field order and encoding settings.

I have had similar problems when capturing as top field first and encoding as bottom field first, or capturing as bottom field first and encoding as top field first.

In the first case, I would get flicker at the top 1/3rd (or so) of the screen and in the second case get flicker in the bottom.

From what you say, you may solve your problem by changing the progressive encoding flag in Tmpgenc to either Top field or Bottom field (just experiment). One of the two settings should give you excellent picture and the other rubbish.

A way to establish the correct setting is to use the wizzard in Tmpgenc, select the AVI file and let the wizzard scan the file briefly and establish the field order. (Someone suggested that to me in the forum - sorry can't remember the name )

[JAYEDIN]

I had a look at the field order setting in Tmpgenc i.e. the input
file field order and the detailed video encoding setup were the same.

So I left the video encoding to 'Interlaced' rather than selecting
the progressive option. This had the desired effect of eliminating
the problem in the lower half of the picture.

So all that remains is how to capture the full 4 hour video bearing
in mind that I only have a 120Gb HDD and the raw Huffyuv capture
takes about 600Mbyte/minute. Possible option is to capture in 1 hour
chunks but it sounds tedious.

Maybe the advice in the forum about going the Hw encoding option
seems an easier option!!

So Thanks for the reply.