Capturing VHS

[jagabo]

Any quick way to append multiple M4V files into one file? I tried to do it in virtual dub but it said that M4V was an unsupported file type.

VirtualDub only appends AVI files. Try YAMB. Or maybe AviDemux.

should i be cleaning up the vhs tapes prior to capturing?

You mean using a proc amp to filter it? A TBC to provide stable sync? Some problems need to be take care of before capture. Like horizontal jitter. Others are better handled in software (if you're willing to spend the time learning the tools and processing). Like noise reduction.

[buyabook]

should i be cleaning up the vhs tapes prior to capturing?

You mean using a proc amp to filter it? A TBC to provide stable sync? Some problems need to be take care of before capture. Like horizontal jitter. Others are better handled in software (if you're willing to spend the time learning the tools and processing). Like noise reduction.

I meant as in placing the VHS tape into a separate machine that cleans the physical ribbon. I have never read a workflow that includes this process but my VHS captures are very unfriendly compared to my Handycam Hi8 captures. I am most probably going to purchase a Datavideo TBC-1000. For example, I am capturing my VHS to an AVI file using Huffyuv, trimming the file in virtual dub and converting to MP4 in Handbrake (with a m4v file extension.) Unfortunately, I can't play any of my captures on my Samsung UN65H6350 TV even though I was able to play the handycam captures that I converted to MP4 on the same TV (with an M4V extension.) When I try to play the MP4 files for the vhs captures on my TV, I get a prompt that says that the file cannot be played. Please note I can play these files on my computer. I'll update this post with the actual message that is displayed on the TV when I get a chance.

[manono]

Why can't you encode them to have an MP4 or MKV extension?

...converting to MP4 in Handbrake (with a m4v file extension.)

Then it's similar to but not the same as an MP4. You might be able to get your television to play them by simply renaming them to MP4.

[buyabook]

I captured DV-AVI from my handycam. I converted the DV-AVI file to MP4 with a m4V file extension using handbrake. I can play these files on my TV.

I captured my VHS using Virtual DUB with the HUffyUV codec. I trimmed the file in virtual dub and saved as avi. Converted to MP4 with a m4V file extension using handbrake. I cannot play these file on my TV.

[manono]

I cannot play these file on my TV.

I understood. And I replied:

You might be able to get your television to play them by simply renaming them to MP4.

Have you tried?

[jagabo]

I captured DV-AVI from my handycam. I converted the DV-AVI file to MP4 with a m4V file extension using handbrake. I can play these files on my TV.

I captured my VHS using Virtual DUB with the HUffyUV codec. I trimmed the file in virtual dub and saved as avi. Converted to MP4 with a m4V file extension using handbrake. I cannot play these file on my TV.

It shouldn't matter whether a source was dv or huffyuv. After reencoding in handbrake there is no way for the TV to know what they used to be. I suspect you're just using a different preset in handbrake.

[buyabook]

I renamed the file extensions to mp4 but it still doesn't work.

I am using the same apple TV 3 preset with the same settings that I used for my handicam files. I don't know what is wrong and I don't want to continue capturing if I can't play them on my TV.

When I try to play any of the 4 m4v/mp4 files I encoded in Handbrake, I get the following error, "The file you've selected is not currently supported."

When I play the DV-AVI files, I would get the following error, " The file format is not supported video codec: DV Video"

[jagabo]

Then try another preset for your conversions.

I don't think there's any tv or standalone media player that plays DV.

[LMotlow]

[buyabook]

i will try another preset (even though, those exact settings worked for my handicam Transfers.) My handicam transfers were originally transferred to DV-AVI by the way.

I know that I can't play dv-avi files on my tv. I figured that out when I tried playing my handicam transfers about a month ago.

I was specifically pointing out the differences in the error messages in order to provide more information as to what could be causing this error. Please remember that my VHS captures have been captured to huffyuv and not DV-AVI. But I will try another preset, test and see if I get lucky.

Has anyone had any success doing what I am doing: Capturing VHS to huffyuv and converting to MP4/M4V in order to play on their Smart TVs? I add the converted files to windows media player and then I am able to access the files on my TV for playback.

Please note that MKV files do not show up in my TV's browser. Only MP4 files show up on my tv.

[LMotlow]

Please note that MKV files do not show up in my TV's browser. Only MP4 files show up on my tv.

Which means that your tv isn't designed for MKV. See the tv user guide.

[buyabook]

According to the Samsung UN65h6350 manual, MKV is supported. I tried all the other presets in handbrake, included a bob deinterlace, modifed the frame rate to a constant 59.94 frame rate but it my VHS captures won't play on my TV. By the way those handbrake settings are the ones that created files for that work on my TV for my handicam captures.

I also tried to capture the VHS footage to dv avi using cedocida codec in virtual dub but it doesn't work.

My handicam transfers work on my tv but I used windv to transfer them instead of virtual dub.

[buyabook]

Does anyone know why this is happening? I want to finish this project soon but I can't figure out this issue.

I am able to play the original DV-AVI files (.avi) that were captured using a handicam on WINDV in windows media player.

I experience issues when playing my huffyuv VHS capture files (.avi) that I captured using virtualdub in windows media player. When I play them, I only hear the audio but there is no video. I able to play the DV-AVI VHS captured file (.avi) that I captured using virtual dub in windows media player.

[buyabook]

I tried to capture a video using my ATI600USB with WINDV but I keep getting an error: Can't find DV Output pin

[jagabo]

I thought WinDV can only capture from DV sources?

[manono]

I tried to capture a video using my ATI600USB with WINDV but I keep getting an error: Can't find DV Output pin

The first line on the WinDV page here says:

"WinDV is a small and easy to use Windows application for capturing videos from DV device (camcorder) into AVI-files...". Your ATI card isn't a DV device. It only works when being fed DV-AVI. I use WinDV with a Canopus box which handles the conversion to DV.

I thought WinDV can only capture from DV sources?

That's right.

[buyabook]

other than trying another preset in handbrake, is there anything else i can do to get it to work that I haven't already tried?

I have tried the following presets. I will try the rest when I get a chance. The only presets that work in windows media player on my pc is android & normal. THis is weird because my appletv3 files that I converted from my handicam captures work in windows media player but the appletv3 files that I captured from VHS do not work.

appltv3
windows phone 8
android tablet
android
appletv2
appletv
high profile
normal

[jagabo]

Try forcing mod 16.

[buyabook]

is that a virtual dub setting or a handbrake setting?

[jagabo]

Handbrake. Modulus : 2/4/8/16

[buyabook]

When I used modulus 16 and changed the file extension to MP4 in Handbrake. I enabled Bob deinterlacing on the Filters tab and On the video tab I selected Framerate 59.94 with constant frame rate & I was able to encode MP4 files using multiple profiles (normal, high profile, apple tv3) and add them to my windows media player library. I was able to locate them on my Samsung UN65H6350 Smart TV through the TV browser over my wifi network and play the files successfully on my TV. I am capturing vhs using a jvc HR-S9500U s-vhs vcr with a TBC-1000 connected to a ATI600USB stick. This setup works. Thanks Jagabo!

[jagabo]

Also try mod 8 and 4 with a video that didn't work before. Use the lowest value that works. Many devices choke on mod 2.

[buyabook]

When I change the mod value, it tends to drop the width value from 720 to another value. Does the modulus value affect video quality?

[jagabo]

Handbrake is cropping small black borders from your video. The modulus setting limits on the frame dimensions of the resulting video. Mod 2 means any integer multiple of 2. Mod 4 means only integer multiples of 4. Etc. So at 16 only the only allowable widths are 720, 704, 688. Many devices have limitations on what frame sizes they will accept. So you need to set the modulus to whatever your TV will accept.

The difference is quality between the different settings is so small you won't notice it.