4 HR VHS to 1 DVD? HOW should i do this?

[fourthquark]

Well, if you want to fit 4 hours of video onto one DVD, your total bitrate (audio + video) can be no higher than 2600Kbits/sec, regardless of what resolution you choose. Simply do the math and you will see that 2600Kbits/sec translates to 325KBytes/sec which in turn translates to 1.17GB per hour which means 4.68GB for 4 hours. You might even have to go a bit lower to account for overhead.

[Mordant]

Does the 1850 constant bitrate for DVD low quality include audio?

That's mpeg 1 correct?

[rhegedus]

You might find this helpfull:

https://www.videohelp.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=127563

[ridergroov]

well i'm back,

I ripped some video and i wanted to put it into TMPGE to trim up the top of the video cause there is some problems with it and as soon as i try to use the file that windvr created, assuming an MPEG 1, it says runtime error, the runtime has cause the application to terminate in an unusual way....what's up with that....whta a process this is...

[jgandara]

There is a template in temgenc for DVD low quality. It includes audio. I do that all the time with no problem. I think you must encode at 1850 CBR, for compatibility issues.

You don't have to encode the audio separately!. It should be a guide around here to burn VCD in DVD. Search the forums. Actually what u r doing is to burn VCD quality in a DVD.

[Mordant]

I don't see the template in my TMPGenc folder, but I did find it in the Wizard mode. I'm going to give it a try. 1850 CBR is a fair bit better than VCD (1150) and should turn out pretty much like a VHS...at least thats what I'm hoping. =)

Thanks for the help.

[vhelp]

I like some of these response :P ..some made me laugh

Anyways..

@ ridergroov,

Here's my TWO cents worth on VHS to DVD...

* First, your capture divice (can be Analog cap card or DV device)
* Second, this (above) cards noise level. Yes, most Analog cap cards exhibits
...some form of noise (or feedback noise, or whatever)

The reason why I gave the list above was because your source is VHS.
And, in so many words, by nature, the final outcome is a noisy source, and
it don't even have to be Noise as we know it. Mostly, you could consider it
the Source itself (VCR liminitation ie video specs, and machanics and such)

But first, lets briefly talk about the capture device...
Most Analog card out there, (given your cpu/motherboard setup) will in the
end, result in noisy .avi source.
In my expeirence, the only Analog capture card that produce zero noise, was
the DC10+ card. A hardware MJPEG card. Truely noisless, imo.
The next type of card, is in the form of an external box, the ADVC-100.
This also produces zero noise.

Next, your VCR...
* for VHS projects, I would recommend at a minumum, one that is S-VHS, and
* has S-Video (IN/OUT) connections
* drop the composite connections (aka, RCA) route

Then, your connections and Video medium.
* Use S-Video and best cable (ie, gold) for maximum output quality, and
* capture (if Analog card) at 720 x 480

VHS is such a louzy source, that you want to obtain the maximum that you
(and your budget) can allow. So, don't observe those that say 352 x 240
resolution, yada yada yada.. Instead, go for max (ie 720x480) (skip the
352x480 too, but if all else fails, use it as a minimum)

Ok, so next comes the Editing and Encoding...
* do any necessary editing (ie, croppint, cutting, ivtc etc)
* then, encode...
...use good encoding techniques, and you can fit 4 hours on a DVDR disk!!
...But, this part requires lots of reading, studying and practicing :P

The above is a fairly good start, AND, down to earth, ...but if you're a beginner,
it probably won't help (for now) (except for those already on their way)

Good luck,
-vhelp

[DaveS]

these posts made me chuckle too, so thanks

ridergoov, I'll put in my unrequested 2c here too, which is the same 2c that I put in for the two college girls who wanted to do all this without reading anything:

- if your conversion is a one shot deal, go to wal mart or best buy, et. al. and pick up a stand alone dvd recorder (panasonic). use it once, keep all the boxes & manuals in pristine condition, re-pack it, and return it.

- if your conversion is not a one shot deal but you don't have time to spend on this, do the above, but keep the recorder.

- otherwise, be prepared to spend time reading, experimenting, etc. - you seem to be off to a great start on it...

I don't have nearly 1/1000th of the expertise these guys do, and don't mean to be curt, but as you can see, this stuff requires quite a bit of time (and as I've learned, $$) investment. You've really got to have a bend to want to learn all this stuff along the way..there's quite a bit to each of the topics you mentioned & my two cents is these guys are really going out on a limb to be helpful to you -

Good luck to you...

[overloaded_ide]

Set your bit rate for capturing 4,000 if you can.
Set your capture to half D1 (352X480)
Capture as mpeg2.

If you can't change the settings, don't worry about it, just capture mpeg2 anyway!

Open you capture in Tmpgenc DVD author! If you don't have it, get it. FREE fully working for 30 days!

Open you mpeg 2 file (any size under 8gigs) and make your DVD, create the file to the hard drive.

If over 4gigs use DVDshrink 3beta5 and shrink it to fit 4gigs.
Burn to disk using DVD authors built in burner!

If your mpeg2 file is over 8gigs (might be 9gigs) then do above, but when authoring the DVD go into edit clip and cut off last half, create a dvd of the first half! Then do same thing but this time cut off first half and make DVD of second half. Choose spot you can find easily and write down the
numbers, makes a smooth joint when you combine to one disk latter.

Shrink BOTH DVDs the same amount! You need to get each under 4gigs for the next step, 2 gigs is good if you don't need to drastic of compresion.

Go back to tmpgenc DVD author agian. Choose add DVD video and import both halfs you already made and shrunk. Make one new DVD (any size under 8gigs is fine) this time it either fits, or you shrink the final time.
Now burn this last DVD with the built in burner!

IT WORKS! It's not that hard, or take that much time.
I did it once for testing, captured Titanic at 8,000bps and 2 tapes were total 12gigs!! Results were good for me!

Tmpgenc DVD author will give you a warning if the DVD exceeds DVD -r size, ingore it and make the DVD files! The progam will actually do a DVD9! So that's why I say stay at or under 8GIGS. 9gigs or over it writes to DVD 9 size then gives an error and your DVD crashes and goes away!

If you don't have time to read and learn to do it right, or money for buying stuff to work with, THAT WILL WORK!!

I think I will make that a guide!
NEWBIES fast and be done with it, without learning anything guide.

Course everyone does want to get that first disk burned soon as they install a burner the first time

[lordsmurf]

what programs to use?? Thanks!

When a person asks about a computer solution, I'm starting to see more answers like this...

Ok..Heres what I do.
1. Set Panasonic DMR E30 recorder to SP (ie 4 Hours)
2. Put VHS tape in VHS player
3. Press Play on VHS Player
4. Press Record on Panasonic DMRE30
Easy

... which are not helpful to the question asked and something I actually find to be quite obnoxious.

Reminds me of the wreck I got in once, where the front bumper was shaved off... and they actually told me it was totaled and that my best option was to just buy a new car. One bumper later, from another mechanic, I was driving again. I needed a fix, not a suggestion for something new to buy.

The DVD recorder is just a digital VCR, not some amazing device that makes computer methods old and archaic.

Just my 2 cents.

And I'd say use a bitrate calulator for fitting that much on one disc. Use 352x480 interlaced MPEG2 at some VBR that gives you the desired results. I'd stay away from low-res 352x240 or MPEG1 if at all possible.

[overloaded_ide]

I agree lordsmurf.
I think Windows has taught too many people they don't need to know how to do anything, just to point at it and click, and then how to cry when it don't work!

A one button answer is not the best answer, but sometimes it might work!

When some says something like I don't have time to learn to do this just give me an answer now so I can get it over with, then I tell them get a set top recorder! We had at least one post like that just a few weeks ago!

[nick101181]

I've been tinkering with this myself. I found so far for my system the best way to fit alot (almost 3 hours) onto dvd with good quality is to use windvd recorder and capture at 352x480 at 5 mbps. I used to try to capture at 720x480 with ulead dvd movie factory 2, but when I tried to capture at higher kbps it would look like a slideshow and not have any movement at all. so when I captured at 352x480 it really gave better quality without the video being jerky or freezing up. so far I've converted 3 wrestling vhs tapes the first one was cap'd at 720 x 480 @ 4 mbps then re-encoded to 352x480 mpeg2 (took 28 hours). Then for the second tape I captured to huffy codec using virtualdub then encoded with tmpgenc using an avisynth script with 3d convolution ( but that filter makes jagged edges on some things in the pics using the settings I was suggested to use) so that dvd didn't turn out too good ( took 32 hours). The third tape I captured to 720 x 480 with ulead dvd movie factory at 6 mbps but the preview window had jerky video but when I played it back it looked fine but after encoding and doing a final burn the quality is good but when people move they tend to jerk every2 or 3 seconds. Like for example Undertaker runs across the ropes then it looks like he stops really quick then drops an elbow then runs then stop but runs again. it's weird. anyway now I've bought a good set of composite cables with gold ends and oxygenated cables for 17 bucks at wal-mart and now I can see the quality blows away a normal cable. so now I think my vhs to dvd conversions will go without a hitch.