Can someone please help me out with Power VCR II?

[rhuala2]

So far I like this program but I can't get great quality. It's not bad but compared side by side to a VCR, with an EP recording, is quite lacking. It seems to encode to it's own mpeg format that's not raw yet not compressed as well as TMGEnc. When I record to it's native format and play back I get a fair amount of 'color bleeding' where one color is literally bleeding into an adjacent color. Also the picure sharpness suffers also, the images degrades, it doen't look horrible but I would think I should get it some what close to an EP VCR recording.

I have tried encoding at various resolutions at all the highest bitrate levels,
352x200 at highest bitrate (5000 I think)
480x480 at highest bitrate (6000 I think)
640x480 at highest bitrate (5000 I think)
720x480 at highest bitrate (4000 I think)

Also, I can hardly even notice a difference between the 352x200 and the 720x480 recordings. My input is coming from my VCR RCA jack thru a RCA->S-Video cable, then into my card through the S-Video input. The S-Video canble is shielded and the image on my computer screen as it's playing looks quite good.

I then re-encode with TMPEnc to get a file 1/2 the size with not drop in quality that I can perceive? Would you please share with me how you are getting good results with Power VCR II (version 3 I think), from the VCR or cable box, right to playing back the video. Thanks a bunch!

rhuala

[Fozzee]

Hi

I take it you haven't tried to create your own custom profile.

I do this ....
Goto profiles select "new" ....
Change the profile name to anything you choose......
On the "Video" tab I select "Mpeg2", Video Size 720x576, Bitrate 7500.
Leave"Audio" at 224 bitrate.
In "Advanced" move slider to 3 High Quality.
Click ok and there u have a custom profile.

In "Recording/Advanced" I tick "Video Smoothing" too.

I find this gives good results. I then encode to VCD or SVCD using TMPGEnc.


Try it let me know how u get on.

Fozzee

[rhuala2]

Gave it a try last night Foozee, it was a definite improvement. But I still am not where I want to be. I felt the quality was still below that of a VHS EP recording. There's a real noticable drop in picture sharpness. I even tryed up to 10,000 bitrate at 720x576. I'm going to find a good raw avi capture program then try processing using TMPGEnc. Thanks for the tips.

rhuala

[Fozzee]

Hi
I have tried higher bitrates found it a bit choppy after capture.
Give me your email, msn or icq and i'll send you a sample see if mine is better than yours.

Fozzee

[rhuala2]

Give me your email, msn or icq and i'll send you a sample see if mine is better than yours.

Ok sure, I think I'm am going to start capturing the channel that shows the TV Listings. This way I can see how crisp the edges will be in the text, see color bleeding easier, and if motion blur is a problem. What do you think is a good channel to capture for tests? Please send file, hopefully not over 5MB to rhuala@attib.com. Thanks.

rhuala

[gll99]

My configuration is digital cable box through to vcr composite connectors to composite wire converted to svideo on my capture card.

I have used both Powervcr II and Windvr 2.0 and prefer the output of windvr although I know how to tweak special framesizes in Powervcr.

You cannot compare processing with tmpgenc with the other 2 apps because I believe tmpgenc has a better encoder and gives you more control of its features.

On my cable system not all movies are digital even though they are sent through the same box so quality will vary with the station.
In my case real digital broadcast movies come out pretty good with either app. Normal broadcast stations are hit and miss although they always look great on the computer.
Some people have suggested demultiplexing and remultiplexing the mpeg because it may not be a fully compliant stream. That may help if you have some playback issues but probably not if its the image quality.
Have you tried the smoother and or noise reduction filter in Powervcr?

[rhuala2]

I have tried the smoothing options and the image does look pretty good, but I am going for 'great image'. I think i agree with you in that I am limited by the built-in encoder in PowerVCR II. Fozzee, I can't view ur email until I get home tonight, but that will hopefully give me further info as to whether PowerVCR II can really deliver a great captured video or if another approach is required. I have stated in another post I am really working hard on getting a good raw Huffyuv capture encoded with TMPGEnc, but Windows XP is throwing curve balls at me

rhuala