Hauppauge...Im not that happy.

[breenthemachine]

So I have had the Hauppauge WinTV-PVR-USB2 for quite a while but everything I capture seems to have breaking lines throughout the screen. I dont know how else to explain it, but thats why I included a snap.

Can anyone tell me whats going on and anything I can do to fix it so I have a clear picture. It bugs me so much.

Thanks

[edDV]

Entirely normal. You are looking at interlaced video* on a progressive computer monitor.

You need to use a deinterlacing viewer like Power DVD, Win DVD or VLC (with deinterlace set). Usually a DVD ROM drive or new computer comes with one of the above players on the CD.

*broadcast video is made of of odd and even fields sent every 1/60 sec. What you see there are two fields combined to make a frame.

[redwudz]

That appears to be interlace distortion. You see it on a computer monitor, but it doesn't appear on a TV. To see the video properly on a computer monitor, you would have to use a player that deinterlaces like Power DVD.

If that's the case, burn it to a DVD and watch it on a TV and it should appear normal with no distortion.

Computer monitors show progressive video. Interlace video is made for TVs. It's not a error in this case, just viewed wrongly.

[breenthemachine]

Thats the problem though. I do see that after burning it to dvd. Its not just the computer monitor. I agree, the amount of distortion is slightly decreased on a tv monitor, for picky people like me, I cant stand it.

[edDV]

If you see it on the TV after encoding a DVD then the DVD isn't encoded as interlace. Keep the DVD interlaced (for the TV) and use a deinterlacing player for the computer.

Deinterlacing during encoding causes distortions like these that do show up on TV and computer. (blend deinterlace)

Panning camera


Subject motion

[breenthemachine]

If you see it on the TV after encoding a DVD then the DVD isn't encoded as interlace. Keep the DVD interlaced (for the TV) and use a deinterlacing player for the computer.

Deinterlacing during encoding causes distortions like these.

That makes sense. And after using one of the players above, it looked alot better. But I will have to see what I have set.

But how come I see that distortion on those videos and there is no distortion with videos i have downloaded, like for example, my Xvid videos.

[edDV]

That makes sense. I will have to see what I have set. But how come I see that distortion on those videos and there is no distortion with videos i have downloaded, like for example, my Xvid videos.

Are the xvids sports or movies? Movies are natively progressive and can be encoded to play progressive or interlace in high quality.

Sports video is almost always natively interlaced*. For interlaced content many cheat by tossing a field. This lowers vertical resolution by half and motion goes from 60 fields/sec to 30 somewhat jerky frames per sec.


*Exception is ABC, ESPN and FOX 720p.

[breenthemachine]

That makes sense. I will have to see what I have set. But how come I see that distortion on those videos and there is no distortion with videos i have downloaded, like for example, my Xvid videos.

Are the xvids sports or movies? Movies are natively progreesive and can be encoded the play progressive or interlace.

Sports video is almost always interlaced. For interlaced content many cheat by tossing a field. This lowers vertical resolution by half and motion goes from 60 fields/sec to 30 somewhat jerky frames per sec.

To be honest, its American Idol videos. So its not sports, but there is movement in them. When I record the American Idol videos using my hauppauge pvr, I can see the distortion. However, when viewing the Xvid of someone elses recording, I see no distorition, and the picture quality looks alot higher. I always wondered if the PVR that I have just inst as good as what some others use.

[edDV]

American Idol is on FOX which uses 720p for HD. Maybe you are seeing downres HDTV.

The NTSC broadcast would look just like your first picture raw.

If you post an AI frame from the xvid that has motion, I can probably tell what they are doing. Each deinterlace method adds some type of distortion.

[breenthemachine]

Well I am assuming that by installing PowerDVD, it fixed the distortion with every player I use, as I am not seeing distortion at all now. I was going to take a screen off of one of last years AI videos that I have by using my Hauppauge, and post it next to that same screen of the Xvid that I have. But its not gonna make a difference now since I see no distortion.

I checked the options of DVD Architecht, to see what I have set and I cant seem to find anything about how it encodes. The only thing that I found is reduce interlace flicker on/off. Is this what I should be looking for? If not, what should I be checking? Plus, should it be on or off? Im guessing on.

[edDV]

DVD Architect is an authoring program. Interlace vs. progressive encoding is set in the encoder settings. Are you using Vegas?

[breenthemachine]

DVD Architect is an authoring program. Interlace vs. progressive encoding is set in the encoder settings. Are you using Vegas?

I use Vegas to cut the commercials out, and I use DVD Architecht to burn them to dvd. But like I said above, I still see those lines on the tv when the DVD is played.

[edDV]

DVD Architect is an authoring program. Interlace vs. progressive encoding is set in the encoder settings. Are you using Vegas?

I use Vegas to cut the commercials out, and I use DVD Architecht to burn them to dvd. But like I said above, I still see those lines on the tv when the DVD is played.

I forgot you first encoded MPeg2 with the WinTV-PVR-USB2. The Vegas project format and render settings should be set to interlace 29.97 fps.

[Deckedout]

I'm having the same problem with those annoying horizontal lines when I transfer captured tv shows to a portable video player, namely the ZEN by Creative Labs. It plays wmv files, so the converter that came with it converts the mpg2 files and transfers them. Unfortunately there is no option for interlacing/deinterlacing, and the picture becomes so distorted when there is fast movement. I didn't have that problem with the ATI all-in-wonder, or with the MSI tv@nywhere (although this one had a picture on the monitor with vertical lines). Is there anything else that can improve the captured video? I also find these lines unacceptable. Thank you.

Vicki

[edDV]

I'm having the same problem with those annoying horizontal lines when I transfer captured tv shows to a portable video player, namely the ZEN by Creative Labs. It plays wmv files, so the converter that came with it converts the mpg2 files and transfers them. Unfortunately there is no option for interlacing/deinterlacing, and the picture becomes so distorted when there is fast movement. I didn't have that problem with the ATI all-in-wonder, or with the MSI tv@nywhere (although this one had a picture on the monitor with vertical lines). Is there anything else that can improve the captured video? I also find these lines unacceptable. Thank you.

Vicki

Same solution as above.
"You need to use a deinterlacing viewer like Power DVD, Win DVD or VLC (with deinterlace set)."

[Deckedout]

I'm talking about the video as it is viewed on the ZEN. Here the distortion is terrible for fast moving scenes. The problem only happens with video captured from a tv through the Hauppauge PVR-150. This video gets converted by software that came with the ZEN, which offers no choice of deinterlacing. I've heard Hauppauge is at or near the top of the list of tuner cards, but I'm disappointed that it is more difficult to successfully transfer watchable video to a portable media player.

[edDV]

I'm talking about the video as it is viewed on the ZEN. Here the distortion is terrible for fast moving scenes. The problem only happens with video captured from a tv through the Hauppauge PVR-150. This video gets converted by software that came with the ZEN, which offers no choice of deinterlacing. I've heard Hauppauge is at or near the top of the list of tuner cards, but I'm disappointed that it is more difficult to successfully transfer watchable video to a portable media player.

The Zen conversion software should have an easy time converting a 704x480 Hauppauge MPeg2. First drop every other field for 704x240, then filter down to 320x240. A simpe downscale with no deinterlace errors.

[Deckedout]

I'm sorry, but I don't understand about dropping every other field and filtering down. I don't have options on the ZEN's converter other than Optimum File Size, Good Quality and Best Quality (longest conversion time). This happens between chosing a file to convert and the actual conversion page.

[edDV]

The Zen format limits are spelled out on this page.
http://www.creative.com/products/product.asp?category=210&subcategory=211&product=12985
and this page
http://www.creative.com/products/product.asp?category=210&subcategory=211&product=12985&nav=1

If you're using wmv files, you may find the microsoft media encoder encoder 9 has more control.
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windowsmedia/9series/encoder/default.mspx

Zen file specs are

"Supported Digital Media Types

Plays:

* Windows Media Video and Photo Story files (.wmv, .asf) at a resolution of 320 x 240 pixels and at a bit rate less than 800kbps
* Windows Media Audio files (.wma)
* MP3 audio files (.mp3)
* JPEG image files (.jpg, .jpg, .jpe, .jfif)

Compatible(3) with:

* Windows Media and Photo Story files (.wmv, .asf) at a resolution higher than 320 x 240 pixels and/or at a bit rate higher than 800kbps
* Microsoft Recorded TV Show file (.dvr-ms)
* MPEG movie file (.mpeg, .mpg, mpe, .m1v, .mp2v, .mpeg2)(4)
* Windows Video file (.avi)(4)
* Windows Audio file (.wav) "

[breenthemachine]

Ok, later today Im gonnna burn that bengals/browns video to a dvd and see if I can see the distortion on the tv. Ever since I installed PowerDVD on my computer, I havent seen those distorted lines in the picture, no matter what player I use, even Windows Media Player.

However, I downloaded a Michael Jordan video the other day and was watching it and noticed that same distortion even when its being played in PowerDVD. I was wondering what is causing that since all my other videos do not show that distortion anymore, but this one does. My guess is that its just caused by the codec that it is using on my system. The codec that the video is using is DivX 3 Low-Motion, which is the first video I have viewed using that type of codec.