Best quality capture program direct to MPeg2 to use???

[dsinclair999]

Hi all,

I want to record proggies from my satellite receiver via a capture card.
I want the best possible quality (as near to DVD as possible) and for the program to save the file directly as an Mpeg2 file, while maintaining maximum compatibility with set top DVD players.
I currently use Intervideo WinDVD Recorder, but using it's 720x576 resolution causes a problem with my authoring program (TMPGenc) as the bitrate is too high for it.
Any help appreciated.

Regards
Dave

[Richard_G]

So drop the bitrate then......

Seriously, what bitrate are you setting, using 720 x 576 (Full D1) anything higher than 6500 - 7000 kbs is wasted anyway on digital satellite captures. They were lower than that when sent to the bird!

[MrMungus]

Hi all,


I currently use Intervideo WinDVD Recorder, but using it's 720x576 resolution causes a problem with my authoring program (TMPGenc) as the bitrate is too high for it.
Any help appreciated.

Regards
Dave

Doesn't that program captured to deinterlaced video by default? I think I remember asking once if there's a way to capture interlaced using it. Not sure. That's a problem if you're going to output to DVD.

I use Ulead DVD MovieFactory to do capture now. Works great and fully customizable. You have to have a fast processor to do MPEG-2 in real time...but I'm not sure HOW fast. I've got a brand new 3Ghz processor and I'm only using 35% CPU on capture. Anyone know what the minimum processor is to do MPEG-2 software encoding in real time?

[SatStorm]

Capture with mainconcept 1.4.1 @ 704 x 576, using 2Pass VBR (1250min - 4000 average - 8000 maximum) and S-Video cables.
You need at least an athlon 1700 xp+ for this.

Personally, I use 1/2D1 framesize (352 x 576) for satellite captures (with my nvidia card, not my bt8xx one, those cards capture blurry to 352 x 576)

[dsinclair999]

Thanx for the replies guys.
@Satstorm
I have Mainconcept 141 installed but it throws up an error when I try to capture at any resolution!!!
I have an Athlon XP 2000+, 512MB SDRAM, 80GB HDD, running Win XP Pro, Jetway capture card.
Dunno why it won't work, as it is supposed to be one of the best in capturing direct to MPeg2 format.

Dave

[Will Hay]

Yep, MC1.4 @ 352 x 576 4000CBR.
Will


EDIT:
There might be a fix here for you and your MC1.4
(Man, I never used to be this helpful)
Will

[dsinclair999]

Cheers for that Will.
I'lve checked there but no luck, have tried posting there as well.

MC1.4 @ 352 x 576 4000CBR

Why do you recommend that resolution, it seems a bit low and the bit rate as well!!!
By the way, any idea if capturing from the telly is best done interlaced or de-interlaced, totally confusing this!!!!

Dave

[SatStorm]

For analogue captures with s-video cables and a decent card, higher resolutions (framesizes) are overkills.

352 x 576 is DVD compatible and S-VHS in quality. A little blurry compared to Lazer Disc.

I use even lower bitrates for my 352 x 576 framesize captures: Mostly 2800 average, and I'm still pleased with the results (not from VHS sources, with VHS you need 4000 average....)

[Will Hay]

Hi Dave,
SatSorm has it (as always ) but half D1 (352 x 576) at 4000CBR is the same as 720 x 576 at 8000CBR.
I'm of the camp that firmly believes anything more for broadcast/TV is overkill.
I didn't know that about VHS though SatStorm, even though I have pushed VHS to 3000 (VBR though, not CBR) I'll stop, and stick with 4000CBR
Will

[SatStorm]

If you're happy, stick with it

I prefer when I convert a VHS tape, to convert in on 1 disc. So, if a VHS tape is 4.10 min, then I have to find a way to convert it, perfect, to 1 DVD-R.
To succeed it that way, I need filtering and VBR when I encode

Also, I have to deal with the terror called SECAM on my older tapes.
SECAM and realtime mpeg 2 capture equals hospital visit after a suicide attemp!

I don't know how I made it, but when I capture MTV Dance from my digibox using 1150min, 2300 average and 4000 maximum and mainconcept I have identical results with the source! And I compare that on good TV screens ... (36" pixel plus from Philips....). Captured with my nvidia card of course, because with my bt8xx(x) ones, the difference is really noticable on those framesizes. Only 704x576 works on them good in terms of sharpness (for realtime mpeg 2 capture with mainconcept)