SNOW scene is too Bright <<

[edDV]

Key issue to understand is that levels need to be correctly set before capture for 8 bit systems. There is not enough dynamic range to correct seriously hot or low white levels. The image shown above cannot be fixed with a digital filter. The data is not there.

It needs to be recaptured with the correct setting for white level.

edDV -

Changing the Quantization resolution from 8 bits to 10 bits does not provide an increase in Dynamic Range. The same analog video signal that exceeds 255 at 8 bits will exceed 1023 at 10 bits.

.

You missed my point, wild video can be captured to a 10 bit card with black set high, say digital 128 and white low, say 768 to capture the analog overshoots and still have 640 quantization levels in the 0-100 IRE range. This gives digital AGC filters lots of room to work. This assumes the analog input will accept overdriven video (e.g. 1.5v).

I agree just quantizing the existing image finer will not help, that wasn't what I was saying.

[edDV]

Key issue to understand is that levels need to be correctly set before capture for 8 bit systems. There is not enough dynamic range to correct seriously hot or low white levels. The image shown above cannot be fixed with a digital filter. The data is not there.

It needs to be recaptured with the correct setting for white level.

edDV -

...
amira's problem is that his brightness/contrast controls do not affect the washed out bright scenes (see my earlier post). This is not a quantization resolution issue.

I had the same problem with my Hauppauge PVR-250. The video proc adjustments for the card did not help. But I was able to improve things quite a bit by adjusting the brightness and contrast on my Datavideo TBC-3000. I upgraded from a TBC-1000 for just that reason; I find the video proc controls on the TBC (prior to the capture card) to be very effective.

I think that this is an analog video clamping/AGC issue. My guess is that the video proc adjustments on many capture cards occur AFTER the input clamping/AGC (and the damage) has already been done.

Adjusting the brigtness and contrast BEFORE the video reaches the capture card provides better results.

Your point here is that analog video needs be adjusted for levels before analog to digital conversion, which is exactly what I am saying. I'm not sure how the PVR-250 works, but if the Pinnacle DV-500 works like the other DV or DC series card, the "Video Input" controls operate on the analog portion of the DV-500 ahead of the A/D so they are doing the same thing in concept as your manual TBC controls. The only difference is they are under computer control and can be remembered in preferences.

The clamping/AGC issue may be operative depending on how the particular card works. I've used the DV-1000 and DC30plus cards in loop-through mode and the controls operate just as you would expect. Clamping will lock back porch of blanking to 0 IRE. Video can go up or down from there. I do agree that AGC has to be turned off before you have manual control.

If for some reason these controls do not work at all on the DV-500, then an upstream level setting device such as a proc amp or TBC with proc amp controls will need to be used so that white and black levels can be set. As a poor man's alternative, many S-VHS VCR's (higher end ones) allow manual video gain control while in E-E mode. If you have access to one you could try that as a poor man's proc amp.

[edDV]

Thanks,

Brightness adjustment didn't help. I tried Brightness, Contrast, Saturation etc. And it didn't seem to affect the video problem i'm having.

It pisses me of after spending lot of hours and money into this project and i end up with this video issue. I don't know if I can afford Professional Color Corrector etc.

I'm open to peoples ideas and experiences.

Are you saying the controls did nothing or that you couldn't find the right settings formula for that image?

If the controls aren't working call pinnacle about it.

[amira]

I'm saying even when I found the controls and move the sliders, it didn't help the video image look better.

I sent Pinnacle an email about it a day ago but still no reply.

I'm going to start experimenting this weekend. And get back to you.

[BJ_M]

Pinnacle support -- thats an oxymoron

[edDV]

I remember the Miro-Pinnacle days.
Everything had to be tweaked just so.

Miro was a German company that was acquired by Pinnacle.
Their cards were good in their day. I found calling Germany got better results than the local Pinnacle guys.

The DV-500 was one of the last "Video for Windows" cards. Rather old school but worked if you could trust the drivers. It was all about drivers back then.

This review takes me back to what it was like back in Y2K. IEEE-1394 was new ($3000 VX-1000 camcorders) and required proprietary drivers (before DirectX support). Hard drives were ATA33 and almost fast enough for DV but not quite fast enough for MJPeg analog capture. RAID was needed. Everything was about getting drivers to work.

http://www.tvtechnology.com/reviews/features/pr-Pinnacle-DV500.shtml

[BJ_M]

I had a Pinnacle NitroExpress card/system if you remember those ... mega bucks in its day -- pain in the butt any day .

[Phoebos]

I am having the very same problem. "Under the sun" bright captured areas are washed out and brighteness/contrast controls do not help. See my old post : https://www.videohelp.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=250004&highlight=

Did not manage to solve it Im afraid