Anybody know of a good VHS to DVD+R guide or technique

[trossin]

Ok. I can make beautiful backups of DVDs using:

DVDDecrypter->Dvd2One->RecordNowMax4.5->hp dvd200i

When I try to make a backup of a VHS tape the process is much harder. I'm using a WinTV PVR-250 to capture a DVD compliant MPEG2 stream. I have a Ulead "tool" that came with the capture card and DVDit that came with the dvd200i. I'm using Windows 98 SE so 4G is my limit for one file. The capture card splits the movie into two files.

Neither DVDit nor Ulead can read the second file. Ulead hangs if I try to load the 4 Gigabyte file. DVDit converts the MPEG audio to AC-3 and makes the output VOBs total 5.3 Gigabytes. If I feed Ulead a smaller file it does not mess with the audio and it plays fine on my Panasonic RV31 player.

My current technique is to use the MPEG "editor" that came with the PVR-250 to cut the files into smaller parts (3G each) and feed these into Ulead. The result is noticable skips in the playback when the parts change. The video quality is not all that great due to the low bit rate required to fit the video on the disk.

I would like to capture at high bit rates and author to something as large as a comercial DVD-9 and then use dvd2one to shrink back down to one DVD+R disk.

Anybody know of some good settings for the PVR-250 to make smaller files that still look good or some better cheap authoring software that can be used.

My current technique produces results that do not look as good as the original tape. My goal is to reduce the physical area consumed by VHS tapes.

[Bob W]

I use this program which works flawlessly for capture, importing, edit, authoring, copying, and burning. I think it sells for $39 in the states at CompUSA. I capture at the highest quality then the program allows three settings for making a DVD so one of the three will fit on a single DVD.
http://www.mediostream.com/products/neodvdplus/index.html

[oldfart13]

Had to give up on it. My Mpegs are already DVD compliant so why should I have to re-encode them to fit a set size? Should be like Video Studio and many other programs in that it accepts the current Mpeg-2 DVD compliant profile and uses that (in the case of an imported file). Instead, I get another 5 hour encoding job that makes a mess of the sync and picture...

[Bob W]

Here is what I do and the resulting DVD looks as good as or slightly better than the VHS copy. First I'm using a capture card that came with a $29 USD program called "AVerDVD EZMaker" which I bought at CompUSA (I think the capture card is an Aver). Next I have this gadget (Sigma Video CopyMaster model SED-CM) that goes from the output of the VCR before the capture card that amplifies, levels, and filters the output of the VCR video. I bought that at BestBuy for $40 USD.

I capture the movie (mpeg2) at the highest quality in a program called NeoDVD plus http://www.mediostream.com/products/neodvdplus/index.html and with that program after capture it will encode the whole movie to DVD in about 15 to 20 minutes (fast) on my P4-2.53 system. I may add menus and chapters if I want to then I burn the DVD using NeoDVD or use RecordNow both of which work just fine. I have done this to at least thirty VHS movies that are not available yet in DVD and the results are more than satisfying.

[oldfart13]

I'm glad it works for you. I have a PIII 1GHz system and Neo just doesn't work very well at all for me. My option is to upgrade to a faster system and run XP and cap in AVI and encode to DVD spec OR get a new standalone DVD recorder like the Pioneer 77H or 99H when they are released here later this year. That will make all my transfer from VHS to DVD headaches go away...

[ghoster]

why not just rent the movie on dvd then copy it?

[Bob W]

why not just rent the movie on dvd then copy it?

Not all movies are available as DVD and some may never be.

[Jester700]

Here is what I do and the resulting DVD looks as good as or slightly better than the VHS copy.

How can a copy look BETTER? You haven't mentioned any filters or noise reduction...

[bhutchins]

1. capture to .avi (I use Canopus AVDC-100 and DVIO)
2. convert w/ tempeg to .m2v @ .wav, settings:
352x240 low res dvd - looks better on my tv,
(720x480 High res dvd looked equally good on lower res tv's)
2 pass vbr
filters per http://www.vcdhelp.com/dazzlecapture.htm
3. Author & Burn (I use sonic, no synch problems)

[yg1968]

Your headaches are mostly related to your capture card. The ADVC-100 would be a wiser choice. An equivalent option is a DV camcorder with a passthrough feature (most Sonys and Canons). I have a digital camcorder with a passthrough feature and the quality is very good. The process is hassle free. The only time consuming part is the encoding but I do that while I am sleeping.

Upgrading to Windows XP or 2000 would obviously help with your 4 gig limitation. However, in my mind, a pentium III, 1 Ghz is still a very fast computer. That would be the last thing, I would spend money on. I have an AMD Athlon, 1 ghz and I have no problems. I also have an HP 200i. So your setup is similar to mine except your capture card and your OS.

I should say that some people are able to make the PVR-250 work for them but I just find that editing mpeg is a hassle and bound to give you problems.

[oldfart13]

The AIW 7500 AGP caps just fine. I can easily do 6+ mbps without dropping frames. Some programs just don't like the output. NeoDVDPlus gives me hell about the GOP headers but it's set to the default of closed GOP = 3 and Sequence Header = 1 which just about every other program accepts. I was putting up with the ridiculous encode times when doing VCDs and SVCDs. Now I have the DVD burner and my problems begin anew.

As to changing to XP, I tried unsuccessfully over 4 days last month to get XP to accept itself onto my computer but it failed. Pulling cards, pulling drives, etc. was no help. It basically wants a new system out of me in order to install. Seemingly similar to problems I have with VirtualDub and registering the VFW wrapper for that program. It says it installs successfully but when VDub gets run it goes into panic mode and can't find the driver! That means I can only do small AVI caps or else cap in Mpeg-2.

Guess I have to weigh my options and act accordingly...

[TBoneit]

why not just rent the movie on dvd then copy it?

Why Copy tapes?

a. Not available on DVD
b. I'm sure I/m not the onlyperson with old VHS/Beta/8MM, Home movies, Taped from OTA/Cable/Sat TV, Specials series, Documentaries, Britcoms from PBS, etc. That we want to preseve on DVD.

Examples: I have many SVHS camcorder tapes from vacations. I have Many old specials on VHS from the very early days on HBO when they were the only Premium channel and before they even went to 24hour a day showings. I recorded them on the first RCA VHS 2 speed ( 2 & 4hr), 1 event 1 day timer, turret type tuner, piano key controls, well you get the picture on how basic the first VCRs were. I believe if I was lucky I could get blanks for under $20 each. I remember paying around $800+ for that machine.

Hope this clear up why. It's not all about movies.

Cheers

[yg1968]

Well, if you try a new install (as opposed to an upgrade), you might have better luck with Windows XP. Although, you would have to burn all your files on CD-Rs or DVD+Rs as a clean install will not keep your old programs on your hard drive.

Another option would be to create a dual boot system. This option was easy for me because I had two hard disks. So I just installed Windows XP on the second hard drive and left the old OS on the first one. I also partionned my new 80 gig hard disk into two drives: one for video editing (60 gig) and another for Windows XP (15 gig). (Windows XP allows you to partition hard disks into separate drives).

[oldfart13]

Yeah, I hear you! Came from the same environment. I also used to do a lot of Sci-Fi conventions when I was younger and now, several of the organizers of those cons want me to transfer my footage (one of a kind) to disk so it can be shown/shared. I have a list of 900 movies NOT coming out onto DVD anytime soon so capping to VCD, SVCD or DVD is the only option.

Hey, you still got your VBT-200 (RCA)? I still have mine!

[oldfart13]

Well, since the price of new machines has come down so much, I'll probably go for a Hyperthreaded P4 2.4 GHz system when the chips come out. The 3+ GHz are too expensive for me. Then I'll get them to install the OS for me.

Yeah, my cap system has 4 hard drives in it as well 2 burners (48X CD and the Pioneer A05) so it's pretty complicated. I'll just link them by a LAN as that equipment has gone down in price as well...

[yg1968]

I just realized that I was confusing you with the initial poster. So some of my comments probably don't make any sense. I thought that you had a PVR-250.

[Tiribulus]

Just for reference I'm capturing on a p3 800/256megs of memory with a PVR-250. I can do 8000/program/cbr/48/160 with no frame loss and zero A/V sync issues. Edit til my hearts content and no troubles whatsoever. I think the key is the program/cbr settings. When I was using dvd and or vbr it was a nightmare no matter what the source. I captured a 3 hour A&E special on the Titanic a few days ago and it came to over 10 gigs before editing and no problem. I captured our wedding from vhs, home movies from hi8 all with no issues at all. I do most of my editing on different machines though so it's 20 minute trip across the network for files that big to get to my wife's machine with the dvd burner or the Frankenbox for Divx encoding.
@ Trossin,
IMHO nothing else you do will make near as much difference as expunging that hideous 9x OS from hell from your system. I mean that with only the friendliest of intentions. That's step one.
Tiribulus

[trossin]

Thanks for all the replies. I have figured out a process using InfoEdit to take multiple seqments and combine them into one long movie with multiple VOBs. I take the resulting VOBs and have InfoEdit create new IFOs and then feed this through dvd2one to shrink. I have only tried some small segments so far but the results look and sound promising.

One day I will upgrade to Win XP but I'm having too much fun to be shut down for a week getting my machine working again after doing an OS upgrade. I'm sure I'll find lots of drivers that I'll have to download new versions of (if I can find them) to get back to where I am now.

I also don't like that I have to tell Bill Gates all about my computer in order to run the code that I legally purchased. Also, if I upgrade my machine I have to let him know again.

[Tiribulus]

One day I will upgrade to Win XP but I'm having too much fun to be shut down for a week getting my machine working again after doing an OS upgrade. I'm sure I'll find lots of drivers that I'll have to download new versions of (if I can find them) to get back to where I am now.

I also don't like that I have to tell Bill Gates all about my computer in order to run the code that I legally purchased. Also, if I upgrade my machine I have to let him know again.

2000 is just as good if not as pretty. Unless you have something really wierd 2000 or XP will have at least basic drivers for it. You should be able to get a full manual install done start to finish except for maybe some lesser used programs in a few hours. Also the product activation in XP has been trimmed to the point where I doubt you would ever see it. Black Viper has some excellent guides on installing NT based operating systems when you decide to do it. 98 is a toy, you'll never want to go near a 98 machine again once you've had a little time with a serious OS. My 2 cents
Tiribulus [/url]

[trossin]

Tiribulus,

Yes, I know Win98 is a toy OS. In my day job I do chip design using Verilog and Synopsys on an HP UNIX workstation. I'm just cheap and lazy.

It sounds like the upgrade is not so bad so I guess I'll just have to join the crowd. Thanks for the push.

[Tiribulus]

I promise when you do it you will come back and report how much heartier, stabler and just plain better it is. I promise. And yes the upgrade to either XP or 2000 is not too rough and Black Viper's install guides will show you how to get going with configuration tips n stuff right off the bat.
Tiribulus

[oldfart13]

Well, I dunno. My friend with his $4K everything system with XP has had it in the shop since last August with Win XP problems at least 4 times with reinstallation being the only solution. That definitely isn't as stable as this Win 98SE system which has not required something as drastic as that for the past 4 years! And now with all the service packs XP apparently needs...well, I think you get my drift. This system ain't all that broke. But it could be if I try to install XP again...

[Tiribulus]

Well, I dunno. My friend with his $4K everything system with XP has had it in the shop since last August with Win XP problems at least 4 times with reinstallation being the only solution. That definitely isn't as stable as this Win 98SE system which has not required something as drastic as that for the past 4 years! And now with all the service packs XP apparently needs...well, I think you get my drift. This system ain't all that broke. But it could be if I try to install XP again...

I can't definitively speak to the particulars you mention, but I do this for a living and maintain a home network with 3 2000 machines, 2 XP machines 1 98/2K dual boot machine (my daughters old kids games require 9x) two
linux servers and a Mac. I am telling you that any 9x kernel / fat 32 based operating system is a ghastly joke compared to 2K or XP, especially in the reliability department. And they're a ghastly joke compared to Linux, but that's another story. I'll bet a weeks pay that the troubles your friend is having can be placed squarley at the feet of the nit picky proprietary hardware in the computer itself and have nothing whatever to do with XP. I'm not trying to give you a hard time, but I've just never seen anybody try to declare 98 superior to anything except 95.
Tiribulus

[Kristoffer]

I have Windows XP and would like to transfer lots of tv shows recorded on VHS to DVD. Since the quality of the VHS tapes isn't the best, I suppose I don't need to use a very high bitrate when encoding my MPEG2 stream. Correct?

I am only interested in embarking on this route IF I can fit at least 5-6 hours on each DVD - with no quality loss.

Is this possible? If so, what capture card should I buy? I don't want to spend more than US$200-250 on this.

Any help appreciated!

[Tiribulus]

Is it necessary that they be playable on a standalone player or only on a pc?
Tiribulus

[Kristoffer]

I want to play my DVDs on a standalone player, a Pioneer NS-DV55.

[spiderman2k1]

The first thing people do not know is that you need a really good VCR at a JVC for arounf $300.00 buck's at http://www.crazyg.com/ or http://www.jandr.com/ that can has noice reduction ofr the picture the
WINTV 250 I would say is fine I use the Dazzle 2 from what I read the WinTV 250 and Dazzle 2 are the best for capture's. If you backing up movies that are not on DVD I this what I do cap at CBR 80000 then use Ulead to make the VOB files then use DVD2ONE to make it 4.3gig's. I have a high end Panasonic VCR that does that the JVC's do but you have to get a high end one these VCR's can not be bought at Best Buy or at the Mall.. WHen I take a tape and make a DVD out of it I my self can not tell it from the tape. High bitrate's are your friend as VHS is only 300 line you by capturing your resizing it to 700 line's. So a DVD capture at let's say 3000 VBR a VCD capture would look better. DVD to VHS you need high bitrate's you can also use SVCD try 2600 VBR and CBR but DVD at 80000 CBR is the best about 1 hour and 15 minute's a DVD again if you doing movies or long tape's just use Ulead to make the vob's then use DVD2ONE to get it 4.3

[Tiribulus]

I am only interested in embarking on this route IF I can fit at least 5-6 hours on each DVD - with no quality loss.

According to the above statement I don't see how you will get anywhere near that much on a single DVD that is authored and standalone compatible without stooping to intolerably bad quality. I agree with this guy though that high bitrate is your friend generally speaking. Even with VHS captures which I use a PVR-250 for with splendid results. I use a computer to view all our video though and recompress all my high bitrate mpg2 captures to DivX which does give me 4-6 hours on a single DVD @ excellent quality. No offense, but this is the main reason I haven't bothered with a standalone player. The sound system and tv-out on the computer in my livingroom is more than adequate for home entertainment and I'm not shackled to certain file or filesystem formats. Any ol video file will play on my TV just fine. All the options are up to me.
Tiribulus

[digitalmaster]

Go to www.kvcd.net and read the guides and forums. Use the 6 hour template that is there in TMPGEnc. This stuff really works.

[Kristoffer]

Okay ... Now I have heard different opinions about this. It's crucial that the DVDs can be played on my standalone player and the templates on kvcd.net do indeed seem to make this possible. Or am I missing something here? You who say that I can't fit 6 hours on a DVD, what are your comments to the kvcd.net template? Can it really work?