WinTV-HVR 1500MCE/1600 HDTV

[SHS]

See below link about it
http://www.shspvr.com/smf/index.php?topic=10444.0

[FulciLives]

I got this capture card making me one of three Beta testers.

Follow the link above for my comments.

- John "FulciLives" Coleman

[vhelp]

fulci,

What about using:
** virtualDUB-MPEG2 v1.6.15

..to import the video with ??

This version allows for Non-Overaly and Overaly playback. By pressing one of
the [A] / [B] play buttons respectively.

The 1st [A] button is non-overlay, and the 2nd [b] button is Overlay turned on.

Maybe the above will work for you.

This works for my (old) setup, WIN98 Gold, but I don't know exactly
what DX verison I is on my machine. I think i'ts v9.0b, but you can't
know for sure in windows unless you installed the given version and noted
which dvinfo.exe was installed. Too bad.

-vhelp 4128

[FulciLives]

fulci,

What about using:
** virtualDUB-MPEG2 v1.6.15

..to import the video with ??

I tried opening an HDTV mpg file (captured with the Hauppauge WinTV-HVR 1600) using VirtualDub-Mpeg2 v1.6.15 and it crashed on me.

- John "FulciLives" Coleman

[The_Doman]

What about using ProjectX ?
Possible it can make something meaningfull of the recorded HDTV mpg files?

[SHS]

Not very useful a pain to unstand I think I stick to mpeg-vcr

[FulciLives]

What about using ProjectX ?
Possible it can make something meaningfull of the recorded HDTV mpg files?

Holy crap you life saver you!

It seems to have fixed it.

I used ProjectX and I'm not even sure what the hell I did (it makes about as much sense as looking at my first Linux distro) but I had it process the MPEG file and it made a M2V and an AC-3 file.

I then used MPEG2VCR to multiplex back into an MPEG file.

I am now able to open that file into VirtualDubMod and VirtualDub-Mpeg2 although I am such a newbie with HDTV files I'm not sure what to do with it (my video card has TV out but not HDTV output).

I guess I want to try and convert it to standard DVD spec MPEG-2 but not sure how to go about it.

- John "FulciLives" Coleman

P.S.
When I play the "fixed" MPEG back in PowerDVD I do have what appears to be a few missing frames here or there within the first 30 seconds but then it plays smooth until almost the very end of the clip when there is another slight "stutter" due I think to missing frames ... not happy about that but at least it did stay in sync through-out.

[SHS]

Well that cool now sagetv can even play the file unlike before I never though using MPEG2VCR to multiplex back into an MPEG file after ProjectX that cool well I guest we know what bug to sent them john.

[The_Doman]

I used ProjectX and I'm not even sure what the hell I did (it makes about as much sense as looking at my first Linux distro) but I had it process the MPEG file and it made a M2V and an AC-3 file.

I then used MPEG2VCR to multiplex back into an MPEG file.

ProjectX main purpose is to fix all the small errors which often occure in Transport Stream recordings.
Specially making sure the A/V stays in sync.

You can probably skip the Multiplex step with MPEG2VCR by setting the output format in ProjectX as M2P (Mpeg2 program stream)
Open the Processwindow to change it.

[FulciLives]

As promised I have some video samples. More will be forthcoming but this is what I have now ...

I recently picked up a brand new still sealed VHS video of BLADE 2 for the amazing sum of $2.50 and I bought this commercial VHS video release to have a "quality" VHS source.

Now the WinTV-HVR unit we are discussing here does not have a composite video input but it does have a S-Video input. I have an old S-VHS VCR I have been using as my tuner (for my cable TV) and connecting the S-VHS VCR to the WinTV-HVR via S-Video. That has been working great and giving me a nice stable image.

Unfortunately the tape transport is broken so I hooked up my trusty Toshiba 6-Head Hi-Fi Stereo VHS VCR using composite to the S-VHS VCR and then that is connected as I said by S-Video to the WinTV-HVR. So in essence the S-VHS VCR is just acting as a device that does composite to S-Video "conversion".

At first I tried playing back a variety of VHS Videos that I own ... all commercial VHS Videos that have no copy protection (I know that because I copied these to DVD using my Pioneer DVD recorder which is of course is "sensitive" to copy protection) ... but I couldn't get a good stable image (despite the fact that these same VHS videos recorded A-OK on the Pioneer). BLADE 2 actually had the best image quality of all the VHS video I tried so it is my sample here.

SAMPLE #1 is called "Blade2a.mpg" and here is the link ---> http://rapidshare.com/files/4746636/Blade2a.mpg
File size is 96.6 MB
This was recorded with the set-up explained above (Toshiba composite to S-VHS VCR then S-VHS VCR to WinTV-HVR via S-Video). I used the recording profile called "DVD Standard Play" which uses 720x480 NTSC with a VBR bitrate of 6400kbps AVG and 8000kbps MAX with 384kbps MP2 audio.

Unfortunately you will see that while not horrible there is a bit of instability in the image. Note the BLADE II logo at the start and the subtitles of one character near the end of the clip.

Based on the BLADE 2 playback and the other VHS videos I tried I have to come to the conclusion that a VCR with a built-in TBC and/or a stand alone TBC is a "must" for such captures.

I've been using the S-VHS VCR as a tuner for cable TV and that image is clean and stable ... just the VHS videos had issues.

SAMPLE #2 is called "Blade2b.mpg" and here is the link ---> http://rapidshare.com/files/4760502/Blade2b.mpg
File size is 96.4 MB
I don't have a VCR with a built-in TBC nor do I have a stand alone TBC but I do have a stand alone DVD recorder (Pioneer DVR-531H-s) and this has a built-in TBC (or at least TBC like) function. So I replaced the S-VHS VCR with the DVD recorder. In short the Toshiba 6-Head Hi-Fi Stereo VHS VCR was connected to the Pioneer DVD recorder using composite video and the Pioneer DVD recorder was connected to the WinTV-HVR via S-Video.

By simply passing the VHS video signal through the Pioneer DVD recorder made the TBC function kick in. As a result the capture was stable and looked a lot better as a result.

This is the same clip as the first clip so you can see just what a difference a TBC can make. Oh and to keep everything the same I again used the "DVD Standard Play" recording profile.

SAMPLE #3 is called "Blade2c.mpg" and here is the link ---> http://rapidshare.com/files/4766263/Blade2c.mpg
File size is 93.1 MB
Since I have a stand alone DVD recorder this clip is again the same clip as the first two from BLADE 2 but this MPEG file was recorded on my Pioneer DVR-531H-s so you can compare this recording to the one made on the WinTV-HVR. I set the Pioneer DVD recorder to the 1h40m mode which forced it to use a bitrate about on par with the "DVD Standard Play" recording profile on the WinTV-HVR and the fact that the clip is about the same size proves that.

Next up ... some cable TV captures.

Oh and one last note I would like to make. These three sample files are all DVD compliant (the first two from the WinTV-HVR have MP2 audio whereas the third clip which is from the Pioneer has AC-3 audio) so feel free to author and burn to a DVD-RW or DVD+RW and test them out on your TV rather than restrict yourself to viewing them on your computer.

- John "FulciLives" Coleman

P.S.
The files are hosted at http://www.rapidshare.com/ which is a free service for hosting multiple files up to but not more than 100MB each. These files will be up for at least 45 days. In fact the files stay available 45 days after the last download.

[FulciLives]

Well I put up two more clips from a "bright" VHS video. In the other thread about this (going on at the SHS website ... see link in the first post of this thread) someone suggested that my BLADE 2 clips were not that "usable" since they were "too dark". So ...

This time I took a clip from the commercial VHS video release of NATIONAL LAMPOON'S LOADED WEAPON 1

I didn't bother to upload a clip where the VHS VCR was connected directly to the WinTV-HVR as it was just way too "messed up".

I had to run it through my Pioneer DVD recorder in pass-through mode to again take advantage of it's built-in TBC functionality. This way I was able to get a stable capture.

DOWNLOAD ONE
Link: http://rapidshare.com/files/4779762/LW1.mpg
File Name: LW1.mpg
File Size: 95.4 MB
This clip was recorded by the WinTV-HVR by way of the DVD recorder (see above) to get a stable capture. This time I used the "DVD Long Play" recording profile whereas with the BLADE 2 clips I had used the "DVD Standard Play" recording profile.

DOWNLOAD TWO
Link: http://rapidshare.com/files/4838994/LW2.mpg
File Name: LW2.mpg
File Size: 92.1 MB
This is the same clip but recorded on my Pioneer DVR-531H-s so that you have another MPEG-2 DVD spec recording device for comparison purposes. This recording was done using the SP MODE or 2 Hour recording mode. This used bitrates about on par with the WinTV-HVR "DVD Long Play" recording profile.

Again as with the BLADE 2 clips these files are DVD compliant files so you might as well author and burn to a DVD-RW or DVD+RW so you can watch them on your TV via your DVD player. Please note that some DVD players will not play a DVD Video disc unless it has at least 1GB of data on it (go figure).

- John "FulciLives" Coleman

[FulciLives]

As requested on the "mirror" of this THREAD over at the SHS website I have provided yet another VHS video capture file as an example.

Here is a new link:

Link: http://rapidshare.com/files/4853383/LW3.mpg
File Name: LW3.mpg
File Size: 96.1 MB

This file is the same clip from NATIONAL LAMPOON'S LOADED WEAPON 1 as the other two files but this one was made with the VHS VCR connected directly to the WinTV-HVR (well by way of my S-VHS VCR only to account for composite to S-Video conversion).

As I said the card seems to have trouble with this unfiltered VHS video. Bear in mind this is a commercial VHS video release devoid of copy protection and in rather good condition (not to mention being a SP speed Hi-Fi Stereo recording). There is nothing wrong with my equipment so all I can assume from all this is that a TBC of some sort is needed.

Compare this to my LW1.mpg file posted above. That is the same clip but routed through my Pioneer DVR-531H-s (a stand alone DVD recorder) so as to take advantage of the TBC benefits of that machine. The WinTV-HVR made a "solid" recording with that set-up because it was getting a "clean" video signal. No doubt a TBC is a nice thing to have but in my years of experience you really shouldn't need one with a high quality videotape.

Hence my final thoughts ... the WinTV-HVR is not good with an analog signal unless it is apparently VERY stable. In other words don't attempt unless you have a TBC or a VCR with a built-in TBC etc.

I am open to a new driver "fixing" this since supposedly the chipset supports a TBC like function that apparently is not working with the current driver.

So in conclusion the LW3.mpg clip I just posted shows what a poor capture the WinTV-HVR makes from a VHS video when no TBC (or TBC like) device is being used.

- John "FulciLives" Coleman

P.S.
The LW3.mpg clip was recorded using the "DVD Long Play" recording profile ... this was the same profile used for the LW1.mpg clip.

[FulciLives]

As promised I uploaded some recordings made from cable TV.

I only have three so far for download but I will probably do more.

I would like to point out that I have interference problems with the analog tuner (not the ATSC tuner) that is on the WinTV-HVR so I am using the tuner of my S-VHS VCR and then feeding that to the WinTV-HVR using S-Video and analog audio.

I will eventually put up a clip or two using the built-in tuner so other people can see the interference issue but I'm not sure if that is the fault of the tuner or me ... could just be a "grounding" problem and not the fault of the tuner.

DOWNLOAD ONE
Link: http://rapidshare.com/files/4860760/tvads.mpg
File Name: tvads.mpg
File Size: 76 MB
Recording Profile: DVD Standard Play
This is a short "block" of TV commercials that I recorded. I thought this would make a good recording because each commercial has totally different filming styles for a "wide" variety of "video samples" in one short clip.

DOWNLOAD TWO
Link: http://rapidshare.com/files/4871689/SUV.mpg
File Name: SUV.mpg
File Size: 85.4 MB
Recording Profile: DVD Standard Play
This is a short sequence from a re-run of LAW AND ORDER: SPECIAL VICTIM'S UNIT which I got off of my local NBC channel.

DOWNLOAD THREE
Link: http://rapidshare.com/files/4882847/cn.mpg
File Name: cn.mpg
File Size: 96.8 MB
Recording Profile: DVD Long Play
This is a segment from some CARTOON NETWORK show that I have never heard of nor watched before. It looks totally inept and is obviously geared towards children. I would have recorded something cool like FULL METAL ALCHEMIST or TRINITY BLOOD but this show I did record was what was on when I was ready to record so it is what you get. In short this clip is for animation fans so they can see how this cards deals with cable TV animation.

Well that is all for now!

- John "FulciLives" Coleman