VHS to DVD

[cobra505]

I've looked around done searches can't really find what I am looking for. I know the experts have the answer.

Setup:
733 G4, SuperDrive, 1.5 Gig memory, X.2.3, QuickTime Pro 6.1, Cleaner 6.1, all the tools and how-to's posted on this site and others, Formac Video capture w/software. Plenty of storage, 250 Gig.

Scenerio:
I have a 4hr Race on VHS. What capture settings should I use for video and audio to cut this to DVD, 4.7 Gig. I would not even mind doing it to 2 discs. Really don't want VCD or SVCD, I would like to keep as much quality as possible. Thanks in advance, Wayne.

[jo-jo ma]

120 min on 2 discs is no problemo, 1 disc is a little more involved.

one disc: if you're going to encode this with the hardware/software you listed above, plan on tieing up your G$733 for about 53 days.
MCP6 on a 733 encoding to VBR mpeg-2 runs about 1:635 (every one minute of footage takes about 635 minutes to encode)
your final mpeg will look phenom, but who's got 2 months to make a DVD?

the 2 disc solution would be to split movie equally, then encode at maximum bitrate with QT, authoring to two discs... IMHO, the QT mpeg-2 encoder has unacceptable picture quality (even at max bitrate)

i suggest springing $400 for an el-cheapo AMD 1.7Ghz, download tunsami, and be done with the VBR encoding in about 6 hours.

[WiseWeasel]

Don't listen to him. If it's on VHS, the quality is not that hot anyways. Use you Formac video capture device with iMovie to capture your footage, then use iDVD to encode this to DVD and set up menus and such. You will need about 3 discs because iDVD can only fit about 90 min of footage per disc, but it is possible. A better solution is to use DVD Studio Pro, but that will set you back a pretty penny <edited- see rules, do not advocate warez>. The quicktime encoder will do just fine for VHS content. Another solution is to use the command line tool mpeg2enc, which offers great quality:compression, and doesn't take *too* long. Then use Sizzle (free) or DVDSP to master to DVD. I believe ffmpegX can prepare the audio for you (make sure you choose 48kHz AC3). There are several free tools that simplify using mpeg2enc, including ffmpegX, but search versiontracker for "mpeg 2" for some more options. I would have to agree with the previous poster that Cleaner 6 takes a criminal amount of time to encode mpeg2, and should be avoided at all costs. Go for the free *nix tools and their Mactified GUIs for the best results and lowest cost.

[cobra505]

WiseWeasel:
Forgot to mention I have DVD Studio Pro 1.5. The main problem I am having is that I am a rookie. The first file I got from my tape was over 50 Gig. Is there anyplace I can go for a step by step?
Currently I am doing a DVDNTSC from the tape. Would you recommend something else? Maybe MotionJpegA?
If you had a 4 hour tape and needed to bring it in what setup scheme would you use (settings). I am also doing just a medium quality. I haven't used ffmpgX yet. It seems they come out with a new version every other day. They just came out with another today.
Thanks for all your help oh great and powerful Weasel!

[jo-jo ma]

Don't listen to him. If it's on VHS, the quality is not that hot anyways. Use you Formac video capture device with iMovie to capture your footage, then use iDVD to encode this to DVD and set up menus and such. You will need about 3 discs because iDVD can only fit about 90 min of footage per disc, but it is possible. A better solution is to use DVD Studio Pro, but that will set you back a pretty penny, unless you're willing to do some digging on hotline or carracho (and you feel comfortable with that sort of thing). The quicktime encoder will do just fine for VHS content. Another solution is to use the command line tool mpeg2enc, which offers great quality:compression, and doesn't take *too* long. Then use Sizzle (free) or DVDSP to master to DVD. I believe ffmpegX can prepare the audio for you (make sure you choose 48kHz AC3). There are several free tools that simplify using mpeg2enc, including ffmpegX, but search versiontracker for "mpeg 2" for some more options. I would have to agree with the previous poster that Cleaner 6 takes a criminal amount of time to encode mpeg2, and should be avoided at all costs. Go for the free *nix tools and their Mactified GUIs for the best results and lowest cost.

wow, did IQ's drop sharply while i was away....

how is the 3 disc solution any good here? or better than a 2 or even 1 disc?

i agree, the info coming off a VHS tape is subpar, particularly when you convert it to DV, then to mpeg2... but why degrade the picture quality any more than you have to with the QT encoder... the most noticable problem with the QT encoder is its 'softening' of detail- and when you're coming from an analog source @ 352x240i, you're simply exacerbating the poor picture quality.
among people who know what they're talking about, there is no question an inexpensive, powerful CPU PC running the incredible tmpegenc is hands-down the best solution for encoding nearly any format to MPEG2 (or mpeg1), quickly and with outstanding results (not to mention its incredibly flexible template settings)
but if you're independently wealthy, and you *really* want to stay on the mac platform- but can't bend the space-time continuum (for those of you taking notes with crayons, that means you don't have a lot of time to wait around), then be my guest, and drop upwards of $5k for a mediapress pro card.

or, if you simply want to dump the movie directly to mpeg2, without any NLE- check this out:

http://www.adstech.com/products/macav1750/specifications/macav1750specs.asp?pid=MACAV1750

@ $400, i've heard good things about it.

cobra: try reading DVDSP's users guide, it contains a great tutorial- all you need to get started with prosumer looking motion menus and all

btw- WW: advocating warez here is a big no-no

aomt- while i'm no trai forrester, i've been doing NLE, X/S/VCD, DVD for more than 6 years on both the PC and MAC platforms- don't be so quick to dismiss my advice

[cobra505]

I truly do appreciate all the responses here. And I do understand that everyone will have different opinions on how to do it. Can I just get an answer on what would be the best coversion options?
DVDNTSC
MotionJA
size: 352x240
640 x 480
Thanks Wayne.

[cjw2]

VHS is 300x480 @ 29.97fps (on NTSC.)

[cjw2]

umm, sorry everybody, it's actually 300x240 @ 29.97 fps. PAL is 300x288 @ 25fps. Try interlanced, but I'm not sure of a good bitrate…

[TheConfuzed1]

Check this out.

[SIMPLE_THINGS]

I've looked around done searches can't really find what I am looking for. I know the experts have the answer.

Scenerio:
I have a 4hr Race on VHS. What capture settings should I use for video and audio to cut this to DVD, 4.7 Gig. I would not even mind doing it to 2 discs. Really don't want VCD or SVCD, I would like to keep as much quality as possible. Thanks in advance, Wayne.

If the starting movie is a VHS Tv Recording has no sense to encode at full resolution (720x576 for PAL or 720x480 for NTSC): try 352x240 or, better, 352x480.

On 352x480 using a 3000 medium bitrate u can store more than 3 hous on a simple DVDR with good quality!

If u wanna store all the 4 hours movie on a single disc try: 352x240 at 2000 Kbp/s. DVDSP will import your mpeg without probles... ad encode it with Cleaner using 2-pass VBR: u will have a little surprise! (working with a quarter size resolution on mpeg2 gives unexpected boost to Cleaner's encoding speed: with my dual 867 it encodes at 5X!!!).