vhs to mpeg 2

[westy1947]

can any one give me the correct settings to convert my vhs vidoe.s to mpeg 2 please, to get the best results .
740x480,
frame rate 29.97 fps,
bitrate 3000-8000 ?,
sample 44100, or 48000,
64 bit variale bit rate ?,
aspect 4.3 ,

plus sometimes the talking is out of sync .and i use a easycap grabber to transfer to pc it takes hrs ,is there another and quicker way to do this please.
am going bald trying to phathom it out.can you help

[jman98]

Higher bitrate for video is better that lower.
Sample at 48000
64 bit VBR is insanely low in my opinion and you didn't say what format. It's low for ALL formats. I recommend as high as you can make it, but I guess if that's not practical go for 256 and don't do VBR. VBR is bs in my opinion. It can introduce playback problems over using CBR with very very tiny space savings over CBR.
Your other values are fine, but do note that 29.97 fps and 740x480 are NTSC values.

[hech54]

i use a easycap grabber to transfer to pc it takes hrs ,is there another and quicker way to do this please.

PLEASE tell me that was a joke.

[westy1947]

no joke is there something wrong that i dont no about ,as ive only just started to do this type of vid editing ,plus i am not familiar with all the types of formats ,so please it is no joke to me .

[hech54]

You are recording from VHS in "real time"....it's like recording an album (vinyl) to a CD....it can't go any faster.

[Killer3737]

You can only capture a VHS in real time so it will take as long as what you're capturing.

Regarding your specs if you're capturing PAL tapes (I assume you are since you're in England) you should be using:

720x576 frame size
25 frames per second

Bitrate depends entirely on what your target is. storage on PC, burning to DVD?

[westy1947]

Thank you very much ,will give it a go ,did not realise the problems encountered as i said this not my forte and i may look a bit silly but alas i need to no as ive 30 tapes to convert to pc then burn to dvd once ive edited out any bits i not like ,as i need to put them on my web site =westysworld.co.uk ,if you visit the site then you will understand what its all for ,i also do photography as well ,its just something ive taken up as ive retired and i find any kind of av facinating ,and am slowly learning ,
The aesycap grabber comes up error if i use a frame rate of 25 fps the same as my cam corder and cameras ,thats why i did it in 29.97 .have tried to get in touch with the now owners or makers of the software but they trying to sell me there own type .so to me thats wasted money and there should not be an issue with it .corel are the new owners and have just taken over .roxio and its there new software they are pushing .would bye iy but dont want to get all these problems with it ,and that is why ive asked for help and better settings to try as my head is spinning.

[hech54]

The aesycap grabber comes up error

Unless you bought that here:
http://www.ezcap.tv/
It is a cheap knock-off known to be complete garbage.

[DB83]

For want of repeating what has been said above, if you are transfering UK VHS then you must capture 720*576 @ 25 fps. Using other settings are sure to create playback issues which you experience.

Now you mention Ulead. The early easycaps included Ulead Video Studio v8 software this is now incredibly old but should still work fine with one very big caveat.

You do not state your Windows OS. AFAIK the software stopped working properly after Windows XP so if you have a later OS such as Vista or W7....

Therefore you have no choice but to consider more up-to-date software.

[Killer3737]

If you want to do this properly don't bother with these cheap and nasty USB options, buy yourself a half decent PCI capture card and capture with VirtualDub.

If you're going to do something do it properly the first time I say.

[hech54]

If you want to do this properly don't bother with these cheap and nasty USB options, buy yourself a half decent PCI capture card and capture with VirtualDub.

If you're going to do something do it properly the first time I say.

I have both. Both work very well. My "PCI capture card" doesn't work with Virtualdub - my little USB device works with everything I have tried so far. Technology marches on.

[westy1947]

many thanks to all on your understanding and help with the problem i have had ,thanks to this thread i have now been ale to proceed with my quest to convert the vhs tapes to mpeg 2 even got them on the site i put my hd bowling vids on and that is 21up.co.uk ,so many thanks again.