How 2 Capture HD with ATI HDTV Wonder

[NautTboy]

Yea... Anyway, learn new things every day. I guess I'm happy with my $17 HDTV card. It did what I need it to do. Is to capture clear video of SuperWhy for my boy rather than capture from cable.

One more questions guys. I haven't check, but doesn't Win7 have Windows DVD Maker or Editor? Once I get about 5 episode, I'm gonna burn it onto DVD. I heard getting WTV to work outside of Microsoft is a pain the @ss.

[usually_quiet]

To have "HD" in the program description, the program must be largely shot in HD as well as shown on an HD channel.

For example, I have recording that was originally shown on a 1080i channel. Looking at it, it is clear that the program was originally shot entirely in 4:3 SD, then pillarboxed and upscaled for broadcast. The program description does not say HD and it looks like DVD quality, even though the broadcast resolution (and recorded resolution) is 1920x1080.

[NautTboy]

Oh man, i am so pissed. I dont know what happen but my MC doesn't work anymore at least just the Live TV part. I dont know if it's other new software I'd installed or Windows updates that cause that. Now, i'm thinking do I want to walk backward unstall one program at a time and than uninstall updates one at a time or just reinstall 7 again, which I know it will work.

Good think i have dual boot to xp with ATI MMC. I'd also find out that ATI MMC you could record at HD by choosing Native options. Its also easy to transfer/convert to other format also. Native will record as ext VCR to windows WTV.

[usually_quiet]

One more questions guys. I haven't check, but doesn't Win7 have Windows DVD Maker or Editor? Once I get about 5 episode, I'm gonna burn it onto DVD. I heard getting WTV to work outside of Microsoft is a pain the @ss.

I have tried Windows DVD Maker with .wtv files. It can create nice-looking menus with several templates to choose from, all of which have the same menu buttons available. It does not include a video editor. The first time I tried it, I used video from a DVD recorder, and even with DVD compliant video, it re-encodes, but the video looked reasonably good afterwards. When I used a 1080i .wtv recording as the source, I was dissatisfied. The colors in the resized video were not true to the original. It took something like 3 hours to go from a 65 minute 1080i .wtv file to DVD and burn to disc, but doesn't need any user input once the process is started. The discs it made played fine.

I also tried Media Center's utility for converting .wtv to DVD video and burning to disc. It does not include an editor, the menus it makes are simple and not very attractive, and I wasn't pleased with the results. The colors in a video resized from 1080i were different from the original. It took 2-4 hours to go from a 65 minute 1080i .wtv to DVD and burn to disc. (I didn't check on it at the right time to know exactly when it finished.) One of the two DVD players I tried would not play the disc it made without skipping and freezing. I use Verbatim media and have not had any trouble playing discs I authored and burned myself using ImgBurn, so there is something wrong with Microsoft's process.


Here's what I have been doing instead. It took a little more time than Windows DVD Maker requires, and more involvement from me, of course. FAVC makes very simple menus, but the program video looks good and has truer colors.

1. Convert from .wtv to .dvr-ms by right-clicking on the .wtv file and selecting "Convert to .dvr-ms format".
2. Run DVRMStoMPEG to create a .mpg file. (I downloaded it from http://sites.google.com/site/dvrmstompeg/dvr-mstompegconverter)
3. Edit using MPEG2-VCR or Mpeg2Cut2.
4. Use FAVC to re-encode to DVD compliant video and create a simple menu. I used HCEnc with the "Quality" optimized preset and 9200 max bitrate. Audio options used were "AC3", "retain if present" and 448 bitrate.
5. Burn with ImgBurn

[NautTboy]

Oh my lord, buddah, alah, I have 3 35min videos @ 1080 wtv. I use the Windows DVD Maker when I left the house it was already 3 house passed. I think also was only 50+%. What do I need? A quad core and 16g ram? I will have to wait for tomorrow/tonight and try ATI vcr version with XP3.

[usually_quiet]

Oh my lord, buddah, alah, I have 3 35min videos @ 1080 wtv. I use the Windows DVD Maker when I left the house it was already 3 house passed. I think also was only 50+%. What do I need? A quad core and 16g ram? I will have to wait for tomorrow/tonight and try ATI vcr version with XP3.

A quad core couldn't hurt, but 16GB ram will make no difference

Half the problem with Windows DVD Maker is that resizing and re-encoding takes a long time no matter what. Although, if Windows DVD Maker produced a better end product than it does, I wouldn't mind so much. The other half of the problem is the fancy motion menus, which also require a lot of time to encode.

[NautTboy]

is that what you have Quad?

Ok, here's another question. You know every time you encode they say you loose quality. Would there be any different if I were to capture @1080 and encode to 720X480 for DVD and than just capture at 720X480 for DVD and burn that way. If not a difference, it would be an ideal to just go ahead and capture at 720X480 so no encoding less rendering and less time. Even with 1080, eventually it's gonna down size to 480 anyway.

[NautTboy]

ummmm Ok. I got Philip 47" 1080 and I'm happy with it. Only thing is, I think we are on the wrong subject. When I say CAPTURE, i mean RECORD, not CATCH.

Thanks for the reply anywa tho.

You are just making more data, not improving the picture quality. I also get a HDTV .it's awesome .I was comparing TVs from sony and sharp. Then I just happen to see the LG 55" 1080p LCD HDTV on sale and added it to my list. I am extremely satisfied with my choice. The picture is so clear, I didn't know what I was missing out on. I have HD cable, PS3, Wii, Xbox, and the old school Super Nintendo hooked up to this, and they all look great. The only thing I would recommend is making sure you have an HD cable box. The regular channels look like poo. That's just because when you have seen the clarity of HD you wont want standard definition.So to sum it up the sound is impressive for an lcd tv and you couldn't ask for a clearer picture.I think my choice is super wise and value for money ,much cheaper than Sony and Sharp ,for only $1700 .Yeah ,this is reliable ,i found the great deal from http://www.dealstudio.com/searchdeals.php?type=id&q=d143866&ru=279104 .It does bring much fun and relaxation to me . Truthfully I can't find anything wrong with this tv. It could always be bigger but that's a matter of opinion. This is a great tv with features that rival sony and sharp with a reasonable price.

[NautTboy]

Oh answer to the TOPIC / SUBJECT Question of how to capture in HD. Choose NATIVE options. The default might say 704X480 but it's actually record what the station is transmitting. Given it's transmitting in 720/1080.

[usually_quiet]

is that what you have Quad?

Ok, here's another question. You know every time you encode they say you loose quality. Would there be any different if I were to capture @1080 and encode to 720X480 for DVD and than just capture at 720X480 for DVD and burn that way. If not a difference, it would be an ideal to just go ahead and capture at 720X480 so no encoding less rendering and less time. Even with 1080, eventually it's gonna down size to 480 anyway.

No I have an Athlon II x 2 250 3.0 GHz CPU, and I don't overclock. I'm not much better off than you are. I'm just barely ahead of you in conversion from wtv to DVD, and not an expert by any means.

There have been discussions on this website about what CPU is fastest for re-encoding. The consensus was a speedy i7. Hardware assistance from a GPU will be part of the solution in the future when more encoders are written to make use of it. The amount memory is not very important. Encoding is not memory intensive.

Whether the quality is better capturing HD video at 720x480 depends on the encoders. When encoding is done in real time during capture, a good hardware encoder does a better job than a modest dual core system like yours or mine.

[Edit] TV tuner cards can't do hardware encoding on DTV channels. They just send an MPEG2 transport stream as is. Encoding to a lower resolution or a more highly compressed format has to be done using software. If MMC did that in real time while recording, the resulting video would not look very good. No matter what encoder you use, you can have speed or good quality, but not both at once,

[NautTboy]

Now that my Windows 7 Media Center doesn't recognized my tuner I'll settle with ATI. What's good EPG that would work with ATI MMC? I'd tried Guide Plus+ but it only works with TV and not DTV. What guide does WMC use can we integrate that with ATI?

[usually_quiet]

Microsoft uses their own service for Media Center. GB-PVR can use some version of it too. I have doubts that ATI's Multi-Media Center can use it. MMC predates Microsoft XP MCE 2005 and development on MMC ended some time back.

Even Catalyst Media Center, which is newer, definitely can't use MS program guide data. Within its TV Set Up Wizard, it gives two program guide choices for DTV using an antenna, PSIP data sent with the transport stream, and Titan TV.

[Edit]I think you are stuck with whatever options MMC lists during set up.