best or most versatile capture software?

[susie12]

Anyone have a good system to capture, then be able to use that captured video with various authoring software programs (with least amount of problems) to create your projects? Having problems with trying to create projects with clips were captured with Sonic MyDVD (version 4)and work fine within Sonic and will work with other authoring software (moviefactory3, winproducer3, etc) as long as I don't trim or edit the clips. My conclusion leads me to ask "is it the capture software you use determine how versatile your captured clips will be to use with various authoring software?" Clueless
Thanks

[Capmaster]

Susie,
The software shouldn't affect the file's compatibility if it is a true DVD-compliant MPEG2 file. If it does, then it's time to get new software.

I'm not exactly objective when it comes to MyDVD. I hate the software since some bad experiences I've had with it and all the time I wasted when it was the software app causing the trouble.

Any MPEG you capture and save as an MPEG file should be compatible with any other MPEG editing or authoring apps like DVD Movie Factory or Winproducer. It shouldn't matter if you change it as long as you save it as ".MPG" it should be OK. If it's not, ditch MyDVD and find another

[susie12]

So what I feared is true, the hours capturing video clips using MyDVD were for the most part wasted.
What would be a reliable capture software to get? Do you feel Moviefactory3 to be reliable to produce consistent DVD-compliant MPEG2 files.
Thank you for your advice.

[sacajaweeda]

So what I feared is true, the hours capturing video clips using MyDVD were for the most part wasted.

As long as the clips you captured are DVD legal you can use them. What are the specs on your video and what format is the audio?

https://www.videohelp.com/dvd#comp

[Zetti]

So what I feared is true, the hours capturing video clips using MyDVD were for the most part wasted.
What would be a reliable capture software to get? Do you feel Moviefactory3 to be reliable to produce consistent DVD-compliant MPEG2 files.
Thank you for your advice.

Instead of blaming the sw imediately, are you sure its settings are perfectly adjusted to capture in compliant format ?

In case you're sure, I recomend Ulead Video Studio and recomend to avoid ATI MMC;

Zetti

[susie12]

I see now way in MyDVD to adjust settings except "Best" or "good" in capturing so I don't know what I have. What should they be or will i find that in a search on this site?

[lordsmurf]

You never said what card.

[susie12]

don't understand what you are asking "You never said what card". Capture card?
Thanks for links

[lordsmurf]

don't understand what you are asking "You never said what card". Capture card?
Thanks for links

That's implied given the conversation. Yes. Capture card.

[Zetti]

I see now way in MyDVD to adjust settings except "Best" or "good" in capturing so I don't know what I have. What should they be or will i find that in a search on this site?

Although I don't know MyDVD, I believe that most capture sw's are able to capture in compliant DVD MPEG2 format; actually this is what everybody aims nowadays and it's senselless that a Company releases a sw or a card that isn't able to capture compliant files..

So, make sure to search on this site for what are exactly the specifications of DVD compliant files, study the manual of MyDVD and you'll very probably be able to get compliant files;

As I said earlier, in the very unprobably possibility that MyDVD sucks, spend $ 100 on Ulead Video Studio and say bye-bye to all your problems :P
Let me add that now it has an AC3 plug-in (extra price though), get it and flyyyyyyyy......


Zetti

[sacajaweeda]

Download and install VirtualDubMod. Load one of your clips and after it parses the file, click File>File Information. There you will find the specs on your file....frame size, frame rate, audio format and sampling rate, etc. Check that info against the DVD specs found in the link in my earlier response to you in this thread. If the files you have meet those specs you can use them. You may have to convert the audio depending which application you are using to author your files. I'm guessing your files audio streams are LPCM.

[susie12]

Lordsmurf, Excuse the ignorance, the capture card is Adaptec FireConnect.
Zetti, I bought Ulead trial disc of their products including Video Studio so I will try capture and edit with it and see if the project works, eliminating MyDVD from the picture. My intention was to find a editing software to improve my videos (using the captured clips) by spending up to $300, which this is under easily.
Thanks also sacajaweeda for telling me how to verify the files specs, which I will try first.
Time to donate.

[Capmaster]

Susie,
Sounds like you're getting close. Just one question - this Adaptec Fire Connect card ...is that just a firewire adapter card? If so, are you using it to download DV from a camcorder?

[susie12]

Yes, I installed the card so I could use my Sony camcorder to download DV and use the the pass thru conversion I believe is the term, to get my 8mm tapes from older camcorder into digital media. Even a couple of old vhs tapes, though most is from old 8mm or DV.

[sacajaweeda]

1. Capture/Download DV/AVI to PC
2. Convert (encode) DV/AVI to (DVD-legal) MPEG2
3. Author DVD title set (create menus, chapters, etc)
4. Burn to DVD


Putting your movies on DVD is a 4 step process.

You seem to have step 1 down ok.
Have you successfully completed step 2 yet?

[FulciLives]

Sounds like you are trying to capture the DV straight to MPEG-2 DVD spec which is generally a bad idea.

You should do a DV AVI "capture" which is really just a data transfer from your camcorder to the computer since your video is already digital.

Many programs can do this type of capture.

For instance DVIO is free and can work for this type of capture.

Then you need to use a software MPEG encoder such as TMPGEnc or Cinema Craft Encoder or Mainconcept MPEG encoder ... those are the 3 most popular.

Then you need a DVD Authoring program ... one that will not attempt to re-encode your MPEG files. Many choices here but I use the popular TMPGEnc DVD Author myself. Many people also like DVD-Lab though I feel it is a bit buggy myself. I'd go with TMPGEnc DVD Author and get the AC-3 "plug-in" which will convert your audio from PCM format to AC-3 format. I would only use PCM audio on the DVD if the DVD is only around 60 minutes or less.

- John "FulciLives" Coleman

[susie12]

I followed the MyDVD instructions not knowing that the capture to mpeg that it did by default without any options, was not the best thing to do. The 4 step process is what I should have been following instead. I will try to figure out if Moviefactory 3 will not try to re-encode the TMPEnc files or use DVD Author. I will have to get the home movies out and re-capture again the preferrd way and then convert with TMPEnc and then try Moviefactory 3 or DVD Author and hopefully all will be well. As simple as it seems to you, I didn't put together the 4 steps (obviously), thanks for simplifying for me.
Great forum.
Thanks