Mpeg 2 Settings for Main Concept Encoder

[padillaj3]

Could somebody recommend good resolution settings for Mpeg2 capture @ 352 x 480 with Main Concept Ecoder?

There's so many different settings and i'm not sure what they all mean.


Thanks

[tipstir]

It's easy to use this Encoder. Below it an example of a test.mpg downloaded in PAL format and I want to convert it to NTSC to watch as test2.mpg.

This is how it's done:

Mainconcept MPEG Encoder

Example of PAL VCD at 352x288 Layer 2 audio
Change it to NTSC MPEG2 at 352x480 Layer 2 audio

1. Open Video Source file: Test.mpg

Output Format
MPEG Type: VCD
Stream type: Program (Video+Audio)
Video mode: PAL
Audio mode: Layer2

Under details this would look like this:

Video
Width: 352
Height: 288

2. Change settings

Output Format
MPEG Type: MPEG2
Stream type: Program (Video+Audio)
Video mode: NTSC
Audio mode: Layer2

3. Now click on Details…

Video
Width: 352
Height: 288 change this to:

Video
Width: 352
Height: 480
Click on OK

4. Browse (Save) to new location and save as test2.mpg
5. Click on Convert

One word of caution turn off or disable all defrag in the background programs and antivirus and spy ware or ad ware scanning and updates programs. Don't let your HDD go into sleep mode. Don't play games or do any work on your PC while the Encoding is in progress.

[padillaj3]

Thanks for the help, but I was asking for settings regarding capturing from S-VHS tv source, not re-encoding an existing file.

I guess I should have been more specific.

Thanks.

[tipstir]

Well it was a PAL TV capture example.

TV Capture using MainConcept Encoder are you using Mainconcept PVR program then to capture TV programs since that PVR has Encoder built-in.

So what are you trying to do? Tell me step by-step?

[lordsmurf]

See this:
https://www.videohelp.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=229193

This is a very basic version of something I've been working on for a while.

[padillaj3]

Well it was a PAL TV capture example.

TV Capture using MainConcept Encoder are you using Mainconcept PVR program then to capture TV programs since that PVR has Encoder built-in.

So what are you trying to do? Tell me step by-step?

Well, I'm doing video capture in NTSC from a SVHS source, I'm using MainConcept Encoder's Capture function, not Mainconcept PVR.

The "Advanced MPEG Settings" Window is what throws me off, there's a lot of settings in there.

So far the results I've been getting are DVD videos that look somewhat fuzzy or say slightly out of focus, I want to improve their detail so that the image doesn't look as "soft"

Thanks.

[lordsmurf]

So far the results I've been getting are DVD videos that look somewhat fuzzy or say slightly out of focus, I want to improve their detail so that the image doesn't look as "soft"Thanks.

Sorry. MC is a soft focus encoder.

[Safesurfer]

You might want to look at the PDF manual as well to understand the settings. You can download the English version at http://downloads.mainconcept.com/MPEGEncoder_en.zip

[tipstir]

Well it was a PAL TV capture example.

TV Capture using MainConcept Encoder are you using Mainconcept PVR program then to capture TV programs since that PVR has Encoder built-in.

So what are you trying to do? Tell me step by-step?

Well, I'm doing video capture in NTSC from a SVHS source, I'm using MainConcept Encoder's Capture function, not Mainconcept PVR.

The "Advanced MPEG Settings" Window is what throws me off, there's a lot of settings in there.

So far the results I've been getting are DVD videos that look somewhat fuzzy or say slightly out of focus, I want to improve their detail so that the image doesn't look as "soft"

Thanks.

How is your original source? Is it sharp or out of focus. Again you shouldn't have to touch the advance settings unless you need too. Might end up as you are now with bad copies.

Remember crap in crap out with it comes to video editing you might be able to smooth detail but it won't be the same.

[padillaj3]

How is your original source? Is it sharp or out of focus. Again you shouldn't have to touch the advance settings unless you need too. Might end up as you are now with bad copies.

Remember crap in crap out with it comes to video editing you might be able to smooth detail but it won't be the same.

tipstir:

I'm capturing from Dish Network so the source image is very sharp, yet my video captures never seem to have quite as much detail as the original source.

For example when I record a TV show and compare it with the Dish Network feed when the show is aired again, my recording does not look as sharp or with as much detail. This is specially noticeable in areas of the video that show eyes or hair.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that my captured videos are never as sharp as commercial DVDs.

I have looked at the PDF Manual from the Main Concept site but it does not explain anything about the advanced settings for video capture

[tipstir]

tipstir:

I'm capturing from Dish Network so the source image is very sharp, yet my video captures never seem to have quite as much detail as the original source.

For example when I record a TV show and compare it with the Dish Network feed when the show is aired again, my recording does not look as sharp or with as much detail. This is specially noticeable in areas of the video that show eyes or hair.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that my captured videos are never as sharp as commercial DVDs.

I have looked at the PDF Manual from the Main Concept site but it does not explain anything about the advanced settings for video capture

Can you tell what capture card are you using to bring in the images off the DishTV or what means are you doing it from?

Now I don't have the DishTV, thought about it and still have questions? I've used it and tested it out. I get my feed from Comcast Analog Cable and Comcast Digital Cable.

I use the best coax cable I can find in my case R6 Quad 3x/8x Transfer speed 2.3GHz with Digital Gold Plated connectors and AR 2.5GHz high power output low loss 24K gold plated with chip inside splitter. Thats connected to my PC through Hauppauge! WinTV PVR-150 with that 45 button remote. I use that to record , shedule, and view down to my TV using Hauppauge! Network Media MVP 1000.

Now the picture output is better than what I see on the TV but that's after doing the Sharpness tweaks and a couple of more tweaks. What I see looks like DVD HQ. No grain, no fuzz, no wavy lines, just a sharp detailed, (I like it a bit darker with high contrast) picture is what I getting now in MPEG2 720x480, I have enough HDD space 300GB for DVR. Going to get another 250GB that should max me out at 550GB.

You never have enough space I say!

I only use the Main Concept Encoder for other MPEG2 stuff.[/quote]

[padillaj3]

Can you tell what capture card are you using to bring in the images off the DishTV or what means are you doing it from?

tipstir:

Im using a Kworld BT 878 RF Pro to do my video capture in mpeg2 format with MC Encoder capture function.
I have an S-Video cable running from the Dish Network Box straight into the S-Video port on the capture card.

I'm capturing at 352 x 480

My computer is an Athlon 1.8 Ghzt with 256Mb Ram and 26 Gb HD. Running WinME

[tipstir]

Oh okay now I know what your doing...

Right now if you were to use the defaults in MC how does it come out for 352x480, can you send up a snap shot?

You got the BT chipset have you tried Morgan M-JPEG Codec V3 uses the CPU features to enhance software encoding from any input source and can be used with MC and the rest of the bunch.

[padillaj3]

Here's A capture @ 352 x 480, 4000 Kbps, although the Bps should not matter a whole lot since the image was constant.
1211133.zip
Notice the blured eges on the letters that show.

[lchiu7]

I would try capturing in MJPEG format using either Morgan or PicVideo codec (you can trial the PicVideo codec) and then converting to MPEG2 later using MC. You will find that non-realtime conversion works much better than realtime and the encoder can use my intelligence in the compression

Larry

[FulciLives]

Im using a Kworld BT 878 RF Pro to do my video capture in mpeg2 format with MC Encoder capture function.

I have an S-Video cable running from the Dish Network Box straight into the S-Video port on the capture card.

I'm capturing at 352 x 480

You should not capture direct to MPEG-2 with this capture card. If you are using the Kworld drivers then chances are your capture window for NTSC is only 688 width. So you need to capture in AVI at 688x480 then you encode later to MPEG-2 and add 16 black to either side so you end up with 720x480 for Full D1 otherwise you add 8 to either side (to make it 704x480) then resize to 352x480 for Half D1 resolution.

There is no way to do this "padding" in real time. Plus the whole fact of Half D1 really screws up the process.

If you use the BTwincap driver then you get a capture window for NTSC with a width of about 712 so if you do 352x480 you will only get a VERY small (not noticeable to the naked eye) aspect ratio error. So using the BTwincap driver I guess you could capture direct to MPEG-2 at 352x480 ... make sure you set the sharpness (on the capture card) to 51 if you are doing a capture at 352x480. Even then you will suffer some sharpness loss. The BT cards just don't work well unless you capture closer to Full D1 resolution (either 688x480 or 712x480 depending on your driver).

If you must capture direct to MPEG-2 you might want to consider a Hauppauge WinTV PVR-150 or the Hauppauge WinTV PVR-250 although my understanding is that the 150 is actually newer and has pretty much all the same features of the 250 model at a slighter lower price.

- John "FulciLives" Coleman

P.S.
Check out this here link:
http://www.arachnotron.nl/videocap/site/capture_area2.html
It has a very usefull tool for determining the capture window of a BT based capture card. This is helpfull if you are NOT using the BTwincap driver. As stated the BTwincap driver is always 712x480 for NTSC but other BT drivers can be different though as I said are usually 688x480 but this tool will confirm that for you.

[SatStorm]

Simply rules:
- With mainconcept and lower CPUs, always de-activate the noise filter.
- Always set the input the higher you can. The output can be whatever you wish (input 768 x 576 output 352 x 576 gives excellent results with all chipsets, including old granny bt8xx)
- There gonna be a field distortion at the bottom of the screen, if you encode lower than 720 x 576/480. There is a way to by pass that, and I already post it at the forum some months ago. Noone responded or seems to interest, so I guess everybody encode at 720 x 576/480
I won't tell again that setting. Search the forum for it