DV captures are flat and Dim

[doan]

I'm using a Sony DCR-TVR17 to capure video in my PC via firewire. I use ScenalyzerLive to capture and TMPGEnc to to encode the video clips for VCD and SVCD. Everything works fine except that the captured video looks dim and dull compared to the original both on screen and on my TV unless I punch it up a little using color correction in TMPGEnc.

Is there something that needs to be adjusted in my video camera or is this a common DV problem?

Thanks,

David

[vhelp]

doan,

for DV footage of any sort, after you've Transfered it (not captured)
to your hd, the best method would be to frameserve it from VDUB.
Hopefully, you'll have a DV codec installed, so that vdub will open it.
vdub accepts Type 2 avi files from DV sources. But, if you have Type 1,
then, vdub will hicup, with an error/warning message that it can't read in
the audio part, but clicking [OK] will still open the video, ...just not the
audio part. You'll have to export the Audio part w/ another app like TMPG.
then import back into vdub w/ your video, using vdub's Audio/WAV audio...
and import your wav file. THen, you can frame serve into TMPG for your
final encode project. Don't bother using any color filters. Let the DV codec
do it's job, and you'll be fine. If you try and add to it, you may increaes
the chances of incorporating artifacts.

-vhelp

[doan]

Thanks,

I do transfer it from my Sony as a type 2. What's the difference between frame serving from vdub and reading the stored DV files directly into TMPG?

[vhelp]

doan,

I think that the only difference you notice is your color issue when you
bring it into TMPG directly.

When you FS it into vdub, you are getting the whole use of whatever DV
codec is installed on your pc.

I'm not too sure how TMPG decodes DV source though, other than it's
own built-in resources of codecs it uses. So, going w/ vdub, and you'll
see the difference in color. You issue is that it has a washed out.

TMPG has a setting under "Quantize matrix" tab for [ ] OUtput YUV data...
This sometimes helps, but you wont have an accurate enough color or
complete conversion w/ your DV's color.

-vhelp

[doan]

Ok , I think I understand now....I just can't find a codec for Vdub to readmy DV files

[vhelp]

doan,

cheer up. Its more than likely already on your machine. Just load in your
DV footage, and in vdub, click File/Information, and read the third line.
under Decompressor: ...should say xxx codec

If you don't actually have one, some choices are:
* MainConcepts (see their website)
* Canapus (website as well)
* or, do a www.google.com search for "DV codec" + Download

Hope this helps.
-vhelp

[doan]

Vhelp,


thanks for your suggestions, I finally got it all working and the output matches perfrectly. for the comparison I made a VHS tape of my video while it was transfering to the PC. Then I played the tape and the SVCD at the same time. Now the SVCD actually looks a little better than the tape!

[yg1968]

I believe that TMPGEnc works better with the Canopus DV codec than the Mainconcept DV codec. I use the canopus DV codec with TMPGEnc. ver. 2.53 and I don't have this washed out problem with DV. You can change some settings of the Canopus DV codec in version 2.53 of TMPGEnc.

[vhelp]

evening.

yg1968,
I believe the washout issue of doan's was due to this user feeding
the source (DV avi) file into TMPG directly. The washout look happens
when a user takes on this route.

That is why I say "for maximum reslts" that it is best to first feed the DV
avi source into vdub, then frameserve it to tmpg.
Of course, this only applies to those that Firewire (transfer) the footage
from DV cams. The footage can be:
* home-made video form camera lens and recorded onto miniDV tapes, or
* sources (ie cable/satalite/vhs) recorded onto miniDV tapes and then
.. transfered via firewire (DV avi)

For some reason, TMPG doesn't do such a good job at DV when you import
it directly into it. TMPG will do a whole lot better if you feed your DV source
into vdub first, and then frameserve it into TMPG.

That's about it.
-vhelp

[doan]

Ok...I've spent WAY too much time on this but i figured it out. I encoded the same clip 3 times with all the same parameters.

1st: Encode with TMPG, No DV Codec Installed
2nd: Install DV Codec and frameserve with vdub to TMPG
3rd: Encode in TMPG, DV codec installed

Results: 2nd and 3rd are identical. I even did checksums that confirm the 2 files are the same bit for bit. I also found that I need to boost saturation by about 20% to get a good match with the original, but the DV codec does help.

[yg1968]

Which DV codec did you use? The Mainconcept DV codec or the Canopus DV codec?

[doan]

MainConcept