EasyCap w/Ulead on Win7 - what a mess!

[ChaunceyK]

Picked this up for under $10 on eBay. Comes with Ulead, so I'm kinda familiar with it, but this is a different version from what I used to use. Now, on to my problems...

I can see the vhs video as it plays, but I can't hear the audio through Ulead (yet I hear it when I play it back with WMP).

There are at least 2 places in Ulead (that I've found so far) to determine settings for video capture:

1. Project Properties (off the File tab)
2. Capture Video (off the Capture tab) which brings up more choices (Source, Format, and Options)

I can't figure out which one to use, because whenever I change one, I get an error message saying that its out of sync with the other. And even when I do try to sync them together, that doesn't always work either because they seem to have different options. And by the time I've got it recording accurately, the tape is playing well into the event & I have to stop it & rewind it & when I try to re-start the capture process...I get more error messages & I'm back to square one.

I just want to capture roughly 3 hours of sports from 1 vhs tape to 1 standard 4.7gb dvd & not have it look crappy. I haven't done it in a few years, I've gone through a couple of computers since then, but if I recall 352x480 @ 3000kps looked good enough for me. But I suppose the resolution & bitrate are kinda irrelevant since I can't get the damn thing to work right!

Can someone who has used these please offer some help?

[DB83]

What version of Ulead ?

And IIRC Windows versions after XP did not support analogue capture using Ulead beyond version 10.

[ChaunceyK]

It says its version 10.0.0.0 (that's a lot of ".0"s)

[DB83]

The Project Properties (File Tab) is for the editing mode. But its safer to set that the same as the capture properties.

You need to set the source to the capture device. You should then see the picture and hear the sound from your VHS.

Set your required format ie DVD, avi, VCD etc - these could be limited in your version of Ulead.

Set the capture folder - filename is automatic

The video and audio capture settings will vary according to the selected format. I do not think 352*480 is supported.

[ChaunceyK]

Thank you, you painted a clearer picture for me of what I was supposed to do (and what I was doing wrong). Now I've got it recording. I'm still not actually hearing the sound, but when I play the file back with WMP, the sound is there.

We'll see how this went in 3 hours, when its done recording the entire tape. If I have any further issues, I'll post them. I appreciate your help.

[EDIT] I figured out why I wasn't hearing the sound. Just had to change a Device Setting.

[ChaunceyK]

Ok, it captured just fine with the DVD format setting, but...now I've got a 3 hour mpeg that takes up just short of 10gb. I can run the resulting mpeg through TMPGenc Plus to reprocess it down to something that can fit on a 4.7gb dvd-r, but is there a way with Ulead to record directly to something closer to that size? I tried tinkering with the video settings to capture at a lower bitrate, but Ulead kept giving me errors. Any tips to save me from having to reprocess the video after recording?

[DB83]

I would certainly not reprocess 3 hours down to fit on one 4.7 gb disk. The required data rate would be approx 2500 kbps and if you keep the full frame 720*480 you end up with a very poor picture quality.

If you require DVD-compliant video you can recapture as VCD. SVCD would give better quality but is not DVD-compliant.

There is no need to use TMPGenc for this anyway as you can now import your capture into the editing mode of Ulead. Your options here would be VCD or half-DVD 352*480 which @ 2500 kbps is more acceptable than full DVD.

Another option but one that will require more disks is to cut the full capture in to smaller chunks of not more than one hour and resave them in Ulead using 'Same as project settings' option. If this is identical to your capture properties it will just stream the copy with no re-encoding.

[ChaunceyK]

There is no need to use TMPGenc for this anyway as you can now import your capture into the editing mode of Ulead. Your options here would be VCD or half-DVD 352*480 which @ 2500 kbps is more acceptable than full DVD.

So I've hit the Edit tab and I've dragged-and-dropped the video down to the storyboard. Where is the option to output as half-dvd?

[DB83]

Share >> Create Video File >> Options button >> General Tab >> Frame Size(Standard) should give you a choice

[ChaunceyK]

I found a program that lets me set the expected recording time & desired size of video file before capturing...and then my computer's plug came loose & I lost it. Now I can't find it again. I don't know if it was a Win7-bundled piece of software or an HP-bundled piece of software...this is a pretty new computer & I haven't figured out everything on it yet.

Any idea what it might have been? Because this would be ideal for what I want it to do. It's definitely not...

Windows Live Movie Maker
Windows DVD Maker
Cyberlink DVD Suite

...dammit, I wish I could find it again. I think I came across it while using Help and Support.

[DB83]

But whatever that program is it can not give you better quality if the capture is to be dvd-compliant.

The figures are quite simple to fit one 4.7 gb disk:

1 hour @ 720*480 = 8,000 kbps
90 minutes @ 720*480 = 6,0000 kbps
2 hours @ 720*480 = 4000 kbps

You will not read on here of anyone recommending you to go below 4,000 kbps for full frame dvd

You can only increase the recording length then by reducing the frame size.

VCD is 352*240. It only requires 1150 kbps and then you will get up to 6 hours on that disk. But it sure will not look very pretty.

Some stand-alone dvd recorders have an 'Extended Standard Play' mode which is effectively a 3 hour mode at full frame. Picture quality can be acceptable.

[TimA-C]

Use a bitrate calculator to give you an idea of what bitrate to capture your recordings at then you won't have to do any re-encoding afterwards.

[lordsmurf]

Ulead is a brand. Like Microsoft, Adobe or Ford.
Ulead's what?

[ChaunceyK]

Ulead VideoStudio SE DVD
BitRate Calc says to go at 3159 (which is about what I remembered, and what I was happy enough with for vid quality)

So is there a way to get Ulead's program to capture at a specified bitrate? And does anyone have any idea what program it might have been that I stumbled upon (and still can't find again)?

[DB83]

The full program has an options wheel below the Capture Folder dialogue. And an 'Advanced' button under 'Capture Property Settings'

From there you can select 'Constant Bit Rate' and input a number between 1777 and 8264 for the Video Bit Rate. I also selected the LPCM audio but you may also have a Dolby option which will give you smaller files and thus record even more (or even increase the bit rate slightly)

I did a quick test at 3100 kbps.Quality is just passable but you can expect some blockiness (pixelation) if there is a lot of movement in the source.

[ChaunceyK]

Is it just the Ulead program you have, or Ulead & EasyCap? Because when I try changing those setting you mention from the options wheel, I get various errors as soon as I start recording...I'm thinking maybe its just the EasyCap device that has limitations.

[DB83]

I do not have an easycap.

But what errors ?

[ChaunceyK]

I've found the program I was looking for...it was Cyberlink DVD Suite Deluxe after all, under Power Director in the dvd options. I'm gonna give this program a shot tonight & see how it goes.

[DB83]

If I had a spare shilling I would wager that you would get approx 2 hours for that recording.

I am still interested to learn what errors you are receiving under Video Studio.

[lordsmurf]

It's not really a good capturing program, anyway.
Use VirtualDub.

[ChaunceyK]

It's not really a good capturing program, anyway.

Which one? Ulead or Cyberlink?

[RabidDog]

ANd dont worry about fitting three hours on a DVd, it can be done, as we have Dual layer DVD's now! they will take approx 8.7gb per disk. I found PowerDirector7 works ok for me, after a bit of trial and error with the settings, especially the audio. I just use it for editing and adding a few transitions. Fast disks in Raid0 are really a godsend though.

[TimA-C]

Isn't a dual-layer DVD a bit excessive for a 3hr VHS capture?