VHS directshow capture using ffmpeg

[vidblue]

Hi,

I'm trying to capture some old movies on VHS ( NTSC/PAL) tapes using ffmpeg on Win7-64bit. I've Panasonic AG1 VCR and I'm using Elgato USB device

 https://www.elgato.com/en/video-capture

connected through the composite out. The software came with the device support x264/mp4 output however it doesn't provide any options to change the x264 parameters or any filter options. This device does provide directshow interface. So I thought to use ffmpeg command line and capture the video but it's not working for me. This is my first attempt using ffmpeg. I would appreciate if someone could help or provide some suggestion to make it work. Thanks!

ffmpeg -rtbufsize 1500M -f dshow -video_size 720x576 -framerate 25 -pixel_format uyvy422 -threads 0  -audio_pin_name 3 -video_pin_name 2 -i video="Elgato Video Capture" -vcodec libx264 -preset:v slower -crf 20  -x264-params keyint=240:min-keyint=20 -c:a aac -b:a 128k test.mkv
ffmpeg version N-82117-gc117343 Copyright (c) 2000-2016 the FFmpeg developers
  built with gcc 5.4.0 (GCC)
  configuration: --enable-gpl --enable-version3 --disable-w32threads --enable-dxva2 --enable-libmfx --enable-nvenc --enable-avisynth --enable-bzlib --enable-libebur128 --enable-fontconfig --enable-frei0r --enable-gnutls --enable-iconv --enable-libass --enable-libbluray --enable-libbs2b --enable-libcaca --enable-libfreetype --enable-libgme --enable-libgsm --enable-libilbc --enable-libmodplug --enable-libmp3lame --enable-libopencore-amrnb --enable-libopencore-amrwb --enable-libopenh264 --enable-libopenjpeg --enable-libopus --enable-librtmp --enable-libschroedinger --enable-libsnappy --enable-libsoxr --enable-libspeex --enable-libtheora --enable-libtwolame --enable-libvidstab --enable-libvo-amrwbenc --enable-libvorbis --enable-libvpx --enable-libwavpack --enable-libwebp --enable-libx264 --enable-libx265 --enable-libxavs --enable-libxvid --enable-libzimg --enable-lzma --enable-decklink --enable-zlib
  libavutil      55. 33.100 / 55. 33.100
  libavcodec     57. 63.103 / 57. 63.103
  libavformat    57. 55.100 / 57. 55.100
  libavdevice    57.  0.103 / 57.  0.103
  libavfilter     6. 64.100 /  6. 64.100
  libswscale      4.  1.100 /  4.  1.100
  libswresample   2.  2.100 /  2.  2.100
  libpostproc    54.  0.100 / 54.  0.100
Input #0, dshow, from 'video=Elgato Video Capture':
  Duration: N/A, start: 39455.522000, bitrate: N/A
    Stream #0:0: Video: rawvideo (UYVY / 0x59565955), uyvy422, 720x576, 25 fps, 25 tbr, 10000k tbn, 10000k tbc
Codec AVOption b (set bitrate (in bits/s)) specified for output file #0 (test.mkv) has not been used for any stream. The most likely reason is either wrong type (e.g. a video option with no video streams) or that it is a private option of some encoder which was not actually used for any stream.
File 'test.mkv' already exists. Overwrite ? [y/N] y
No pixel format specified, yuv422p for H.264 encoding chosen.
Use -pix_fmt yuv420p for compatibility with outdated media players.
[libx264 @ 00000000002fcee0] using cpu capabilities: MMX2 SSE2Fast SSSE3 SSE4.1 Cache64
[libx264 @ 00000000002fcee0] profile High 4:2:2, level 3.1, 4:2:2 8-bit
[libx264 @ 00000000002fcee0] 264 - core 148 r2721 72d53ab - H.264/MPEG-4 AVC codec - Copyleft 2003-2016 - http://www.videolan.org/x264.html - options: cabac=1 ref=8 deblock=1:0:0 analyse=0x3:0x133 me=umh subme=9 psy=1 psy_rd=1.00:0.00 mixed_ref=1 me_range=16 chroma_me=1 trellis=2 8x8dct=1 cqm=0 deadzone=21,11 fast_pskip=1 chroma_qp_offset=-2 threads=3 lookahead_threads=1 sliced_threads=0 nr=0 decimate=1 interlaced=0 bluray_compat=0 constrained_intra=0 bframes=3 b_pyramid=2 b_adapt=2 b_bias=0 direct=3 weightb=1 open_gop=0 weightp=2 keyint=240 keyint_min=20 scenecut=40 intra_refresh=0 rc_lookahead=60 rc=crf mbtree=1 crf=20.0 qcomp=0.60 qpmin=0 qpmax=69 qpstep=4 ip_ratio=1.40 aq=1:1.00
Output #0, matroska, to 'test.mkv':
  Metadata:
    encoder         : Lavf57.55.100
    Stream #0:0: Video: h264 (libx264) (H264 / 0x34363248), yuv422p, 720x576, q=-1--1, 25 fps, 1k tbn, 25 tbc
    Metadata:
      encoder         : Lavc57.63.103 libx264
    Side data:
      cpb: bitrate max/min/avg: 0/0/0 buffer size: 0 vbv_delay: -1
Stream mapping:
  Stream #0:0 -> #0:0 (rawvideo (native) -> h264 (libx264))
Press [q] to stop, [?] for help
[dshow @ 00000000006a8fe0] real-time buffer [Elgato Video Capture] [video input] too full or near too full (62% of size: 1500000000 [rtbufsize parameter])! frame dropped!
    Last message repeated 1 times
[dshow @ 00000000006a8fe0] real-time buffer [Elgato Video Capture] [video input] too full or near too full (62% of size: 1500000000 [rtbufsize parameter])! frame dropped!
    Last message repeated 4 times

ffmpeg -f dshow -list_options true -i video="Elgato Video Capture"
ffmpeg version N-82117-gc117343 Copyright (c) 2000-2016 the FFmpeg developers
  built with gcc 5.4.0 (GCC)
  configuration: --enable-gpl --enable-version3 --disable-w32threads --enable-dxva2 --enable-libmfx --enable-nvenc --enable-avisynth --enable-bzlib --enable-libebur128 --enable-fontconfig --enable-frei0r --enable-gnutls --enable-iconv --enable-libass --enable-libbluray --enable-libbs2b --enable-libcaca --enable-libfreetype --enable-libgme --enable-libgsm --enable-libilbc --enable-libmodplug --enable-libmp3lame --enable-libopencore-amrnb --enable-libopencore-amrwb --enable-libopenh264 --enable-libopenjpeg --enable-libopus --enable-librtmp --enable-libschroedinger --enable-libsnappy --enable-libsoxr --enable-libspeex --enable-libtheora --enable-libtwolame --enable-libvidstab --enable-libvo-amrwbenc --enable-libvorbis --enable-libvpx --enable-libwavpack --enable-libwebp --enable-libx264 --enable-libx265 --enable-libxavs --enable-libxvid --enable-libzimg --enable-lzma --enable-decklink --enable-zlib
  libavutil      55. 33.100 / 55. 33.100
  libavcodec     57. 63.103 / 57. 63.103
  libavformat    57. 55.100 / 57. 55.100
  libavdevice    57.  0.103 / 57.  0.103
  libavfilter     6. 64.100 /  6. 64.100
  libswscale      4.  1.100 /  4.  1.100
  libswresample   2.  2.100 /  2.  2.100
  libpostproc    54.  0.100 / 54.  0.100
[dshow @ 00000000004a28c0] DirectShow video device options (from video devices)
[dshow @ 00000000004a28c0]  Pin "Capture" (alternative pin name "2")
[dshow @ 00000000004a28c0]   pixel_format=uyvy422  min s=88x72 fps=25 max s=720x576 fps=25
[dshow @ 00000000004a28c0]   pixel_format=uyvy422  min s=80x60 fps=29.97 max s=720x480 fps=29.97
[dshow @ 00000000004a28c0]   pixel_format=uyvy422  min s=88x72 fps=25 max s=720x576 fps=25
[dshow @ 00000000004a28c0]   pixel_format=gray  min s=88x72 fps=25 max s=720x576 fps=25
[dshow @ 00000000004a28c0]  Pin "Audio Out" (alternative pin name "3")
[dshow @ 00000000004a28c0] Crossbar Switching Information for Elgato Video Capture:
[dshow @ 00000000004a28c0]   Crossbar Output pin 0: "Video Decoder" related output pin: 1 current input pin: 0 compatible input pins: 0 1
[dshow @ 00000000004a28c0]   Crossbar Output pin 1: "Audio Decoder" related output pin: 0 current input pin: 2 compatible input pins: 2
[dshow @ 00000000004a28c0]   Crossbar Input pin 0 - "Video Composite" related input pin: 2
[dshow @ 00000000004a28c0]   Crossbar Input pin 1 - "S-Video" related input pin: 2
[dshow @ 00000000004a28c0]   Crossbar Input pin 2 - "Audio Line" related input pin: 0
video=Elgato Video Capture: Immediate exit requested

[jagabo]

Even if you get it working it probably won't get you what you want. If it's like my older El Gato Game Caputure HD the DirectShow driver simply decompresses the AVC/AAC streams that come over the USB cable. So you'll get exactly the same video with the same compression artifacts, just decompressed, forcing you to re-compress it, wasting more CPU time, and adding more compression artifacts.

[pandy]

Increase buffer size, try to use fastest h264 preset possible...

[raffriff42]

(deleted after reading post #2)

[hech54]

What is this obsession with trying to accomplish things by going backwards to the days of typing in DOS-like commands?

[JVRaines]

Often, power-for-ease-of-use is a fair trade.

[pandy]

What is this obsession with trying to accomplish things by going backwards to the days of typing in DOS-like commands?

Automation? Avoiding human error?

[vidblue]

Thanks guys. Any recommendations for a better way/setup to capture the tape at source to produce mkv/x264 encode?

Thanks

[dolpsdw]

I have been playing with my "Elgato Video Capture".

I wanted the full raw signal because i wanted to feed it to a Neural AI Video enhancer.

My current gess is:

1)The Main software is doing stuff, Mainly Deinterlace, Re-Encode the progressive video, sync audio?
2)The Analog Audio In (Elgato Video Capture) dshow device is for internal use only (at least in windows)
3)Playing around with it, i managed to get a video and audio signal. If you have been using VirtualDub or the original elgato software please restart PC.
(RESTART PC SHOULD RESET ALL DSHOW CROSSBAR SETTINGS)

ffmpeg -rtbufsize 1500M -f dshow -show_video_device_dialog true -show_video_crossbar_connection_dialog true -i video="Elgato Video Capture":audio="Elgato Video Capture"
-c:v ffv1 -level 3 -threads 6 -coder 1 -context 1 -g 1 -slices 24 -slicecrc 1
-field_order tt -color_primaries bt470bg -color_trc gamma28|bt470bg -colorspace bt470bg
-c:a copy lossless.mkv //-c:a libfdk_aac -b:a 128k -ar 48000 -channels 2 losslessVideoOnly.mkv

ffmpeg -filter:v idet -frames:v 900 -an -f rawvideo -y NUL -i lossless.mkv
ffprobe -i lossless.mkv -debug 1

First dialog put the "format" of the record. Second dialog use it to link the audio to the video stream.


I am not 100% confident about the quality that is being output but ffmpeg reports input stream as uyvy and pcm_s16le max settings both.