VHS to YOUTUBE

[cheiferoni]

I have some old video clips on VHS that I want to edit and post on youtube but am having a heck of a time trying to figure out the best solution which will provide the best quality possible. Youtube recommends DIVX format 320x240 with MP3 audio. So do I have this straight?

1. Use Camcorder analog pass-through with firewire to import lossless in DV-AVI format.

2. Edit with software adding titles and credits (Ulead 10 is the only one I can find that edits and exports as DIVX)

3. Export in DIVX format and upload to youtube.

My questions are:

1. Will Ulead do everything I need - including help importing the DV-AVI? I have heard WINDV mentioned alot.

2. Can anyone recomment a camcorder in the $200-500 range that has a good pass-through system.

3. Is there a difference in video quality using a $2000 camcorder as compared to a $200 one?

4. I already have adobe premier elements 3. Is there that much of a difference on youtube uploading a DIVX file as compared to MPEG-2?

Thanks!

[theewizard]

i would not use a camcorder for this..

you have vhs tape and the VCR, IMO just get an input capture device like dvdxpress or dvdxpress2 it comes with all the hardWARE and software for what you want to do and will cost less be faster and produce better results

these devices have onboard hardware encoding ver1 does mpeg2 & dvd, ver2 also does mpeg4 , you can capture the video into 640*480 or 320*240

I would capture and edit at 640*480 and then render to 320*240 for the upload file

[thecoalman]

I'll disagree with the post above. A DV cam is an excellent choice, the only benefit a hardware MPEG encoder has over a DV cam is speed. You'll get better results editing DV-AVI plus it leaves you the option of being able to reencode to multiple formats without much generational loss.

1. Will Ulead do everything I need - including help importing the DV-AVI? I have heard WINDV mentioned alot.

The program you use to transfer to your computer is irrelevant. When capturing DV it's a lossless transfer, whatever the cam is ouputting is being copied to yuur HDD bit for bit.

4. I already have adobe premier elements 3. Is there that much of a difference on youtube uploading a DIVX file as compared to MPEG-2?

If you're famailiar with Premeire I'd suggest sticking with it. Import and export as DV-AVI. This is one of the benefits of using a less compressed format as DV-AVI, as mentioned above the generational loss is minimal. You can import the video into any program that converts to Divx.

[TheFamilyMan]

If you really need to get a camcorder, that's the way to go though I don't have any suggestions for particular models. On the other hand, a device like this makes pretty decent AVI captures from VHS tapes (at least that's my experience with this particular product) and it's inexpensive:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16815100120
Virtualvcr, a freeware capture app, works great with this card. Good Luck!

[theewizard]

'll disagree with the post above. A DV cam is an excellent choice, the only benefit a hardware MPEG encoder has over a DV cam is speed. You'll get better results editing DV-AVI plus it leaves you the option of being able to reencode to multiple formats without much generational loss.

the OP does not have digital tape, his file is VHS tape

your saying the PASS thru on the camcorder is going to change his analog VHS A/V signals into DV signals and improve his editing ability ?

I'm no camcorder expert, but I never heard of pass thru converting anything

having a digital camcorder is nice, but i don't think it can offer any improvement to the process in this case

heres the website for dvdxpress2, the dvdxpress2 is the newest version in that it adds hardware mpeg4 encoding, for those that want it, in the OPs case it is not needed since he wants to go from VHS tape to DVD, the original dvdxpress is still available on the web for about $50, once the mpeg video is captured he can edit it with any editor he wants to use

http://www.adstech.com/products/USBAV-709-EF/intro/USBAV-709_intro.asp?pid=USBAV-709-EF


heres what home theater has too say about the adstech dvdxpress

http://www.hometheaterspot.com/htsthreads/tech-review.php?rev=66

[thecoalman]

your saying the PASS thru on the camcorder is going to change his analog VHS A/V signals into DV signals and improve his editing ability ?

Yes that is correct, it's feature found on some camcorders. You can pass through directly to a computer, record to tape or both. Basically it provides the same functionality as a Canopus ADVC or a Adstech Pyro except you also get a lens.... The better edibility comes in because it converts to DV-AVI which is not compressed anywhere near MPEG.

Here's a quick example, note that this a very low bitrate I used specifically because I wanted to produce macroblocking:

DV-AVI>720x480 3000CBR MPEG:


DV-AVI>8000 CBR MPEG>3000 CBR MPEG


Clearly using a lightly compressed DV AVI as the source produces less macroblocking when reencoded. Now you may argue that the MPEG went through 2 encodes hence the reason it looks worse but that would be false assumption. If we switch it around and compare a DV-AVI encoded to MPEG to a MPEG that was directly encoded via hardware your results will be quite similar... of course there are some variables such as the quality of the software encoder.

Lastly reencoding MPEG pretty much negates the best feature of a MPEG hardware encoder to begin with which is speed. Taking your example:

I would capture and edit at 640*480 and then render to 320*240 for the upload file

This is a task better suited for lightly compressed video such as DV-AVI, no sense capturing MPEG if you're going to reencode it anyway. This would apply to video you wish to have in different formats, resolutions, bitrates, filter, change the brightness etc.

The devices you mentioned are practical for the encoding video that is not going to be changed, this would also include adding minor edits such as trimming or adding transitions. The key there is having an editor that will only reencode the parts you have changed.

[Soopafresh]

Don't forget deintelacing. Don't let those Youtubers do that for you.

[cheiferoni]

Thanks for the tips. I will be going the Camcorder route, I picked up one of the new Canon ZR800's and will be using the analog pass through to PC.

After I edit the video on the PC (adding titles and credits), you are saying that if I export as an AVI file in Adobe Premier there will be no generational loss?

I want to convert the AVI to DIVX with MP3 audio - anyone know of software that does this? Adobe Premier doesn't, ULEAD 10 doesn't and the others I looked at only convert from DVD IFO files.

I am trying to do this with as few steps as possible. The original tape isn't the best quality and I can't find any guides on the internet that cover this type of project.

Thanks!

[thecoalman]

After I edit the video on the PC (adding titles and credits), you are saying that if I export as an AVI file in Adobe Premier there will be no generational loss?

It's minimal, you can go through many generations of DV-AVI before the loss becomes apparent. Addtionaly since you're exporting as DV-AVI it will only reenecode the parts you have changed. If you only go and add transitions all the video in between won't be touched. If on the other hand you add a filter or do something like adjust the brightness that affects every frame the entire clip will be reencoded

The original tape isn't the best quality

You may want to try experimenting with Vitualdub for additional processing such as noise removal, it has many filters available for it.

I can swear I remember seeing the Divx option somewhere in my Ulead editor, either I'm remembering things that never happened or it's become corrupted somehow. Besides that I can't help with the Divx, thecolaman don't do Divx.