VHS to DVD - Improving quality?

[Nebster]

Hi,

I’ve just purchased a Dazzle fusion to capture my VHS’s in order to transfer them onto DVD format. I am also currently working with Pinnacle’s Studio 8 software.

I have successfully captured my first video and burned onto DVD. However I was slightly unimpressed by the quality of the DVD. Can anyone help me with producing better quality DVD’s? I rendered my capture into MPEG 1 (I think).

If I tweak with some of the settings in studio 8 would this help? Here are some of the settings in ‘custom’ mode:-

Video setting – Width and Height:-
: 720x576
: 480x576
: 352x576

Data Rate Kbits/Sec – 6000 – This can be increased or decreased.

Compression – Mpeg 1 or Mpeg 2 option

I’m just wondering if I change or alter some of the above then it might enhance the quality when rendering again?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

Nebster

[teegee420]

I don't think it's possible to improve the quality of VHS when transfering to DVD but you can certainly maintain most of it. You definitely want to capture to mpeg-2 at 352x576(I'm guessing you live in Europe) using a bitrate between 4000-7000kbps(from personal experience). To gain a better understanding of what you will be attempting I suggest you head over to Lordsmurf.com. Lordsmurf is a VHS to DVD expert and I'm sure you will learn a great deal from his writings on the subject.

[rcb]

FWIW, here's the current Fusion capture specs from pinnacle's website (they bought out Dazzle last fall) :

Capture Specifications

Format: NTSC Only
Compression: Proprietary
Maximum resolution: 320 x 240
Maximum frame rate: 30 frames per second

Nebster - if you are dealing with PAL format, you may have an incorrect hardware match...

[sacajaweeda]

Maximum resolution: 320 x 240

If that's correct you shouldn't even waste your time with that thing if you have a DVD burner.

Unless you're a big VCD nut.

[disturbed1]

DVD supports mpeg1 upto 1856kbit/s. So the fusion will be fine, though Pinnacle studio may not be.

I'd capture to the default best setting avi with the fusion. Then use a stand alone mpeg encoder, TMPGenc is free for Mpeg1 use, and one of the best for mpeg1 out put.

If the included DVD authoring tools don't support mpeg1 video, use the free dvdAuthor along with Liquid's gui. It supports mpeg1 output just fine. And is rather easy to use for simple projects.

You will lose a bit of quality going from 320x240 to 720x480. Considering that VHS isn't that good to begin with. 352x480 (interlaced) would be a much better choice, with little to no quality loss.

Capturing to 320x240 then using TMPG to mpeg1 352x240 you should be able to preserve the quality. Using Virtual Dub, Avi Utilities, or avisynth to filter and process you may be able to achieve slightly better results at the trade off of time and experience with these tools.

------------------------
edit- adjust ###x240 and ###x480 to PAL if need be (###x288 ###x576)

[lordsmurf]

If you know how to filter, you can make the DVD so much better than the VHS source that you would not even know the DVD came from that tape.

[Hambone]

Do you restoring and filtering guides viewable on your site. I see it in your index but it's not clickable.

[lordsmurf]

Do you restoring and filtering guides viewable on your site. I see it in your index but it's not clickable.

They were delayed a lot of times, but should be completed here soon.