Capturing/Snapshot-printing DVD burning issue, help?

[mikehende]

The more I look into this issue the bigger my headache gets. I wish to capture video from my TV which has a built-in VHS and DVD, also capture from my Videocam which I use to record my son's games. I purchased a cheap Hauppauge WinTV-GO Fm capture Tuner card to input anything that shows on my TV screen into my pc, this worked fine and the video that show on my pc screen looks good but when I try to take snapshots they come out a little distorted or blurry.

I then tried a Leadtek Winfast RM version card and same result so now I end up with 2 cards that doesn't do the job with the snapshots. My research led me to belive that I should use a dedicated separate Video card that also has Tuner capabilities and I have been told that either the All In Wonder 9800 Pro AIW or 9600 would definitely do everything so I am considering getting one but then I came across these 2 issues:

1] I came across one thread which stated that All in wonder cards have problems with "Drivers", this is the thread, can anyone comment on this please?

http://www.linuxquestions.org/questi...ad.php?t=47766

2] Then I read on another forum where someone said that where the snapshot is concerned, it does not matter which Hardware card you use, he says it the "software" that makes the difference and he uses Pinnacle. Here is the thread

https://forum.videohelp.com/viewtopic...ight=snapshots

Can anyone advise me what to do here please? This is very frustrating. I am thinking of using one of my cards with the Pinnacle as that guy suggested but Leadtek's Tech told me that I cannot use any other software other than the Leadtek software with that card and I am guessing that it should be the same with the Hauppauge card, what's my best options here please, anyone? Thanks.

[thecoalman]

None really, a tv video signal is relatively small in resolution. About .35 megapixels if you want to put it into digital camera terms. Add to that it's interlaced and you have a crappy still image.

There's a sticky in the newbie section on how to take screenshots, read that. It'a about the best you can expect.

[mikehende]

I entered a search on "snapshots" in the Newbie forum and came across a lot of info on the topic, I never thought of doing a simple "printscreen", I will have to look into the difference between a snapshot and a printscreen now, ay-ya-yai, I can feel more headaches coming on . I am still stuck on what to do here, use one of the capture cards I already have or try to get either the 9800 or 9600?

[thecoalman]

have or try to get either the 9800 or 9600?

You might see a slight improvement but nothing that's going to make you fall off your chair. If you're going to buy a AIW just for the screenshots it won't be worth it IMO.

BTW, however you capture the frame you're probably going to get just about the same results. VHS, hi-8 or just about any other screenshot from a source that is from a home recording device will be much worse than anything from broadcast. Those have even less resolution....

If you post one here I can tell you if that is about what you can expect.

[mikehende]

I think I am going to attack this from a different angle, instead of taking the snapshot from the "live" video, I will try recording it unto DVD then playback the DVD via a software like Pinnacle Studio Plus 9 then take the shots as that person recommended. I will try this using the Hauppauge Wintvgo card and send back the Leadtek, this way I will only have to purchase the Pinnacle software, I am searching the net to see if I can try a demo, Pinnacle's site does not appear to have version 9 on there anymore.

I will post a shot here for all to see when I get everything done, in the meantime, please keep the ideas coming, thanks.

[mikehende]

Ok, tried out the Pinnacle Studio Plus 9 and my findings were that Pinnacle's capturing of the video look real good in Pinnacle's interface but I have the same problem as before so I think now that is does not matter which card I use and that guy was right, it is the software that makes the difference as the live video looks much clearer and crisper in Pinnacle than when using either Hauppauge's or Leadteks interfaces.

I am thinking right now that I will keep the Leadtek card and will purchase the Pinnacle software but I still have to find out "why" the snapshots in every software don't turn out the way it looks on the screen when the image is paused and prior to grabbing? I have attached a grabbed image from the Pinnacle software, when you look at this grabbed image in Windows and comppare it to the pause image in Pinnacle, BIG difference! There should be something to either tweak or enhance the grabbed image, isn't there anything?

Sorry, I am trying to post the image but don't know why it is not happening, I can send it to anyone's email if anyone is interested.

[mikiem]

I've read of software that averages several frames and basically comes up with a composite that's supposed to look much better -- perhaps that's what pinnacle's doing? OTOH, I've had decent luck using various screen capture prog., though not all will capture the overlay window. If it looks good on screen in a window, then I imagine capturing that window should look just as good.

[mikehende]

If it looks good on screen in a window, then I imagine capturing that window should look just as good.

This is what I simply cannot understand! It is also the reason why I believe that there has to be something or some way to get the shot showing just like the screen.

[mikiem]

https://www.videohelp.com/tools?tool=HyperSnap-DX ?

[mikehende]

Great, will give it a try and report back here, thanks.

[mikehende]

Mikiem, thank you, you sent me on the right track, searched the net and tried a few Capturing softwares and found a really great one
http://www.creativesoftworx.com/screen-capture.html

Works really good and very easy to use too, so I don't have to purchase the pinnacle software after all, just use this with my Leadtek card, now the pics come out close to the actual image on the screen and what's really nice about it is that I don't have to pause the screen to take a snapshot, there is a feature called "directx" under the capture options that's designed for situations like this, give a go anyone and if anyone needs help, just say the word.