Best way to preview Video from ADVC 110

[Dominik78]

Hi,
I tried searching the forums, but I might not be using the right keywords. Like many, I'm using the ADVC 110 to digitize (mostly PAL) VHS tapes from the 90s. I'm about to invest in an AVT-8710 in the hopes it will help a little with some of the more problematic tapes.

The Question:
I've been using WinDV for the capture, but the problem is the preview in WinDV is of course a lot different from the final quality. Is there a way/software that would allow me to see the video coming from the canopus exactly as it's going to be recorded? I'm asking because I might want to play with some of the settings on the AVT and be able to see how they will affect the video and I don't have a physical display I can use other than the computer.

[smrpix]

the preview in WinDV is of course a lot different from the final quality.

This is simply not true if your monitor and players are properly set up and calibrated. Until you fix this, any "corrections" you introduce may or may not be making things worse.

The enosoft dv processor has more options for modifying your image, but of course will not stabilize like a TBC.

[2Bdecided]

The WinDV preview is nothing like the final result here. It's a bit like its deinterlaced incorrectly. It's OK for checking what's on the tape, but no good for checking the quality of it.

I wonder if it's an PAL/NTSC thing - I've only captured PAL tapes. Maybe its fine with NTSC?

I've seen the same thing on three different PCs (one Win98, two WinXP) with various camcorders (at least five).

Cheers,
David.

[smrpix]

David, I certainly take you at your word. Curious whether your issues were solely the interlacing or if you experienced color level issues as well (which is how I interpreted the original question.)

[DB83]

Well the OP has not clarified what he means by 'a lot different from final quality'

BTW I capture DV (PAL) through a Canopus ADVC 300 and my picture looks fine when using the WinDV preview. Of course I also have an advantage since the 300 also has its own preview should I want to adjust it's settings.

[Dominik78]

Maybe my phrasing of 'a lot different' wasn't a good choice of words. But it definitely is different from the final capture, in that it is a lot more pixelated for one. The degree of pixelation (for lack of better term) seems to vary throughout the capture. From what I've read it might depend on what your computer is doing in the background etc.

Thanks for the feedback David, glad I'm not the only one.
So for you guys (DB83, smrpix), what you see in the WinDV preview is exactly how the capture ends up looking?

Edit:
For me this is the same with PAL or NTSC

[DB83]

You might care to fill in you PC specs in your member's profile.

If you are getting pixelisation (assuming you have the correct word) at preview then you should also get it in the final capture. My guess is that it is not the correct word so, again, you may care to expand on exactly what you see.

[manono]

I also use WinDV (and a Canopus ADVC 300) and see nothing different after PAL VHS captures compared to what WinDV shows me. I'm capping mostly movies so interlacing isn't usually present.

[Dominik78]

Thanks, I updated the specs. I monitored the system resources while capturing and there really isn't anything going on. I've also searched this and other forums and it does seem a number of people are seeing previews that look more blocky than the final capture. In my case I also tried two machines, (my laptop actually being beefier than main computer) with the same result.

Let's assume for a moment that this is a given. What other programs would you suggest that also have an accurate (in your experience) preview of what the final capture will look like? I will definitely try the enosoft dv processor as suggested as well.

[DB83]

I would expect a better result with a PC than a laptop UNLESS, again, you are capturing with only one HDD.

'Blocky' does describe pixelisation and that can be caused by the HDD not being fast enough to process the high DV bit-rate and the OS also acessing the HDD at the same time.