Trying to capture digital cable with ADVC-100... questions..

[OSUmaxx]

Hello all,

First post here, though I've been a regular reader for some time now. Basically, I'm trying to use the analog out from the digital cable receiver and route through the ADVC-100 to the PC. Everything is ok, and I get a large AVI file after I capture using WinDV.

My question is how to I process this file to get it back to DVDR? I have a NEC2500-A. I can encode straight back to DVD format with TMPGENC, but I need to know what to do to process the video feed. Interlacing settings, etc.

Thank you!

[redwudz]

If you are just starting in this endevor, I would try the wizard in TMPGEnc and encode to DVD format. Take this and run it through a authoring program like TMPGEnc Author and burn. Beyond that takes some studying. It depends on what quality you want, how long your video is, how much editing you want to do, and quite a few other factors. It's a learning process. There are plenty of guides to look at on this site. Interlace, don't worry about it. The video should already be interlaced, so leave it that way unless you only want to watch it on a PC, then deinterlace.

[OSUmaxx]

Thank you for the reply redwudz.

Yes, I am just getting started doing this, but I thought I'd try to get off on the right foot. I've read through some guides, but I'm having a bit of a hard time piecing everything together.

I'm basically recording 1/2 hour shows so I can watch them again at a later date. I want the quality as good as possible, so filesize on disk isn't a huge concern.

I also have another question. When I look at the .avi files on my computer, the lower 7-8 pixels are just noise. Since DVD mpg files are of a fixed resolution, how do I work around this when I go to burn them to DVD?

Thanks!

[rcb]

believe the noise is overscan related.. and should not be viewable after you encode/author/burn/play your dvd on a set top player.
suggest processing a short clip of same to a rw disk to confirm.

[Perro Grande]

Hi OSUmaxx,

Making DVDs from digital cable is not difficult. And don't worry about the noise on the bottom scan lines. This is outside the area that a TV can display, so you'll never see it except on your monitor. If it bothers you watching it on your monitor, you can crop it in TMPGEnc.

Generally, the process I use is:

Capture with WinDV to HDD as an uncompressed AVI.

Convert to MPEG2 with TMPGEnc or MainConcept.

Burn with TMPG Author.


For WinDV, I usually set it so that it doesn't detect scene changes essentially at all. That way I get one big AVI file instead of a series of AVI files. If you go for multiple files, you could use Virtual Dub to glue them back together, and probably ignore the ones that have commercials.

For the conversion process, if you don't care about space used, just crank up the highest bitrate possible. Starting with the TMPG Wizard is a great way to get your feet wet. You could go with the 8000 kbps CBR mode and see if you like the quality. If your player (set-top) will read DVD+-RW you can experiment without wasting DVDs.

Sounds like you're on the right track, though. Another option, of course, would be a set-top recorder, but now you're talking some $$ above what you've already invested in your PC...

[OSUmaxx]

Thanks for the additional help guys. This cleared up a lot for me. FedEx is dropping off my DVD burner anytime now, so I'll let you know how it goes.

[OSUmaxx]

Got the burner installed and burned a 30 minute clip to DVD+R. Plays fine on my Sony standalone! I'm happy with that, but...

When I view the video on either my computer or my television, there are slow, barely noticable, horizontal lines, travelling from the bottom to the top of the screen. I'd say that it takes about 10-15 seconds for one to get from bottom to top. I'd describe them as narrow bands of darker and lighter lines (transparent) travelling up the screen. Is there a way to filter this out? Its annoying enought that I'd really like to fix the problem.

Thanks again! You guys have been a lot of help.

[rlcoach]

Sounds like a similar problem to what I`m having. I am recording off sky plus (digital satellite) through ADVC-100 and am getting very feint vertical lines. If I can get rid of them I would be very happy with the picture, as it is its slightly annoying.

Check out my thread https://www.videohelp.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=208388 and see if you think its the same problem, the jpeg I have included doesnt look exactly right once uploaded but you may be able to recognise the problem.

[dgraham]

Just an idea... you could try running the digital cable signal through a vcr first. VCRs are great conversion boxes.

[OSUmaxx]

That's a good suggestion dgraham, but unfortunately I don't have a VCR handy to run the signal through. Any other thoughts on this problem? I can even see these slow horizontal lines when I preview in WinDV...

[dgraham]

My ADVC-100 came with an adapter that converts the composite video cable from the source (rca connector) to a connector on the back of the ADVC-100. I read somewhere that that connection was better for composite input. You could try that if you haven't already.

-D

one more crazy idea is to try holding down the digital/analong select button for 15-20 seconds which disables the macrovision protection.

[budz]

dgraham wrote:

My ADVC-100 came with an adapter that converts the composite video cable from the source (rca connector) to a connector on the back of the ADVC-100. I read somewhere that that connection was better for composite input.

It's a VIDEO IN adapter that you hook up to the back of the ADVC-100 VIDEO IN. I use it to do my capturing from digital cable box and vhs/betamax tapes.

[OSUmaxx]

Thanks for the suggestions. I haven't tried the adapter yet, or disabling macrovision, so I'll give that a shot when I get a chance!

[Bondiablo]

Are you using cheap cables to connect the box to the ADVC?

[OSUmaxx]

^^^

I was just thinking that could be my problem. I'm not using cheap cables, but I have 2 connected together. My capture box is pretty far away from the cable box so I really don't have a choice.

[Bondiablo]

I had some faint ghost bars scrolling up my captures when I first started using my ADVC and getting better cables got rid of them. Maybe a single set of cables long enought to reach would get rid of yours, or you could move the ADVC closer and get a longer firewire cable. This place has them up to 66' which should be ok for transferring DV.

www.1394store.com