Capturing from Satellite

[TroyS3]

Has anyone else done this? I'm a newbie at this so I don't know if it is something I'm doing wrong or it can't be done. It captures fine, but it looks a little grainy. Am I suppose to capture in anything other than DVD?

Ulead Video Studio 7, Leadtek capture card, Windows XP.

thanks,

Troy

[djmattyb]

Go to www.lordsmurf.com. He has guides that explain all about what resolution to capture at when recording from satellite.

[bottle-necked]

Ulead V7 is a pretty good program, but beware that it might not be setup properly. It has a way of changing setting right in the middle of a project without warning. So check your setting several times because they might change and revert back to VCD.

V7's DVD template I believe is VBR 6.0Mbps & 720x480. That's not that bad a template. It's too bad the program doesn't have setting for max and average bitrates. That 6.0Mbps is max. You can do your math on your captured files to check this but you may be able to raise it some to help with your quality level if your file size per minute isn't already too big.

Have you checked your CPU usage during capture? It shouldn't be over 65% or that can cause you trouble too. Also, you can raise the CPU-quality slider in V7 to 100% that might help you also.

One last thing. Don't let V7 're-render' your captured files. Get your templates right to start with and don't let the program change settings on you and start rendering. Make it use 'Smart Render' for your finished projects.

Good luck

[TroyS3]

thanks for the reply. I check the cpu usage and it was below 65%. No problem there. I read in one of these forums that it may be the soundcard. I don't know.

What should I be capturing in? mpeg2 or avi? Doesn't avi take up huge amounts of hard drive space? What seems the be the program of choice? VirtualDub?

Thanks,

Troy

[bottle-necked]

You can bring down that 65% down some by streamlining your autorun programs and autostart services. That takes a little study and experimentation and may be considered 'advanced'. We'll skip that for now.

You should be ok at 65%, just keep an eye on your CPU readings and write that stuff down. If you ever develope problems later on that will help you figure out what's going on. You should also know your CPU usage % for different templates, programs, and codecs. This will help you also.

Ulead has the ability to capture high quality DVD MPEG2 files if setup properly. It's going to take a little practice on your part to get it right though. As I mentioned above, you've got to watch that program cause it will switch to VCD on you without notice.

Try capturing some short 1 minute clips with different setting, record your CPU usage% for each, view the quality of each, then write down all your findings. At the end of this little deal you'll be an expert. ok.

Start with these settings: DVD - 720x480 - 8.0Mbps - 48k - 16bit - 100% quality level - VBR - MPEG Layer 2 audio

Try those setting then lower the bitrate about 1000kbps (one thousand kilo bits per second) for each step down to about 4000kbps then change the frame size to 352x480 then go on down to 2000kbps, making a 1 minute capture at each setting. That's 8-1 minute captures total. (2@4000kbps. 1@720x480 and 1@352x480)

Ulead has a DVD burning - authorizing program built in. It's not too bad to start with. TMPGenc DVD Author is better, if not the best. Create a DVD project with these 8-1 minute files on it with a menu and all. Play these on your TV and view the quality of each. Write down your findings.

Try that stuff for now. You'll be a pro in no time.

Take notes along the way ok, that will help ya.

Get some really good video input cables. Like 'real good ones....!'

Good luck.