Problem with Honestech VHS to DVD conversion

[KaiserD2]

There are a number of forums this might go but this looks as good as any.

I am having a crazy problem with Honestech 5.0 VHS to DVD software, which I bought a couple of weeks ago. I have a substantial VHS conversion including vintage sporting events which I am trying to convert, as well as some movies. Here is what is happening.

I have a pretty new HP desktop and the DVD burner that comes with it. It has burned a lot of DVDs, mostly on dual-layer Verbatim disks, with very few problems, using various different programs. Now Honestech, as most of you know, connects a VCR to its hardware with RCA cables and then connects with USB to the computer. You can stream up to two hours at beset quality and fit it, in theory, on a dual-layer disk. (Comes to about 6 gigs usually when I stream 100 minutes for a soccer game.) Then it reformats it and burns it as a standard DVD. You can also take the option to reduce the quality if you are using a single-layer disk.

Now I have a Samsung blue-ray player, and a Panasonic mutistandard DVD player. And here is the problem.
Any DVD made from a file created by the Honestech software at full quality will not play in my blue-ray player. The player announces, "Cannot play this disk. Check TV system." I also checked two of them with a Sony player belonging to some one else. They wouldn't play there, either.

They will play on the multistandard DVD player. At first I thought this was because for some reason Samsung was recognizing the DVD code as PAL or something, but now I don't think that. (Obviously I have checked the Honestech software settings repeatedly and they are set to NTSC.) I think that player plays the disks because it isn't a blue-ray player. (I do have one other DVD player which won't play them either but it is very old.)

Now here's the really crazy part. If you burn one of these files at less than full quality, the blue-ray player will play them just fine. I have done this with Windows DVD maker (which automatically produces less than top-quality DVDs) and with the Honestech program. The trouble is that I'm using old tapes and I really need the best quality and the Blue-ray player quality.

I have been in intense discussions with honestech about all this. They have been very polite. They claim no one else has had this problem, which I simply cannot believe. They are working on it, but I want to know if anyone else has run into it. I can't see any explanation other than a bug in their software. I have run into this problem with both Verbatim dual-layer disks and Sony single-layer. If I use full quality, they won't play--end of story.

Looking forward to replies. Let me know if this should go on another forum.

[Baldrick]

Is it a standard dvd-video(VIDEO_TS folder with vob,ifo,bup files) ? It could be too high bitrate, open the main vob with mediainfo and check the details.

And what kind of video files can you get from honestech? Mpg files? Then can you try make a dvd from it using other dvd authoring software like dvdstyler, guifordvdauthor, etc.

[DB83]

There seems little point at what this program is attempting to do if you are indeed using it properly.

I suspect that this 'best quality' mode is intended for a recording of not more than one hour. Then, there is no need for it to reencode the video(assuming that it is recording in Mpeg2 format). Reencoding will reduce the quality of the recording so if indeed if you must put 100 minutes on to a disk just start with a lower quality capture.

[KaiserD2]

There seems little point at what this program is attempting to do if you are indeed using it properly.

I suspect that this 'best quality' mode is intended for a recording of not more than one hour. Then, there is no need for it to reencode the video(assuming that it is recording in Mpeg2 format). Reencoding will reduce the quality of the recording so if indeed if you must put 100 minutes on to a disk just start with a lower quality capture.

I'll reply to this one now, the other one later (I'm not at home and can't get the information yet.)

The program makes mpg files. The best quality mode will fit about an hour on a single-layer disk, a little less than two hours on a dual layer. (about 4 or 6 gigs, respectively.) But when you put just 45 minutes on a single-layer disk it won' t on the Blue-Ray--I tested it.

[DB83]

I am just guessing here as I know nothing about this software. I suspect it has an option that reencodes the capture to fit the disk size that you have told it.

So in one scenario your 100 minutes, which consumes 6 gig, is then shrunk to 4 gig.

Now in your second scenario your capture will consume some 3 gig but the program attempts to expand it beyond the dvd spec which results in the player not accepting the disk.

Shrink to fit would work as the data rate is below the maximum for the dvd spec.

I suggest that you look at all the parameters that this software allows. Look carefully for any 'fit to disk' option. If that is standard then the only course is to capture at a lower bitrate. That 45 minutes should then be captured at 5,000-6000 kbps to allow it to safely expand and remain within the dvd spec.

[KaiserD2]

Is it a standard dvd-video(VIDEO_TS folder with vob,ifo,bup files) ? It could be too high bitrate, open the main vob with mediainfo and check the details.

And what kind of video files can you get from honestech? Mpg files? Then can you try make a dvd from it using other dvd authoring software like dvdstyler, guifordvdauthor, etc.

OK, I downloaded media info and ran it on the main (first) vob file. Here is what it showed in text version.

General
Complete name : C:\Users\David\Documents\VHS to DVD\DVD Folders\20110330_2029\VIDEO_TS\VTS_01_0.VOB
Format : MPEG-PS
File size : 270 KiB
Duration : 934ms
Overall bit rate : 2 368 Kbps
Writing library : honestech

Video
ID : 224 (0xE0)
Format : MPEG Video
Format version : Version 2
Format profile : Main@Main
Format settings, BVOP : Yes
Format settings, Matrix : Default
Format settings, GOP : M=3, N=15
Duration : 934ms
Bit rate mode : Constant
Bit rate : 2 500 Kbps
Width : 720 pixels
Height : 480 pixels
Display aspect ratio : 4:3
Frame rate : 29.970 fps
Standard : NTSC
Color space : YUV
Chroma subsampling : 4:2:0
Bit depth : 8 bits
Scan type : Progressive
Compression mode : Lossy
Bits/(Pixel*Frame) : 0.241
Stream size : 285 KiB
Writing library : honestech

Text
ID : 189 (0xBD)-32 (0x20)
Format : RLE
Format/Info : Run-length encoding
Muxing mode : DVD-Video

Menu

the capture originally creates an mpg file, and I will try one of the programs you mentioned. Thanks. Look forward to your comments.

[DB83]

Same details for VTS_01_1.vob please. VTS_01_0.vob is not part of the actual movie.

Can you also post a full folder listing i.e the total file size and the run length of this sample. Is it the 45 minute one ?

[KaiserD2]

Ask and ye shall be given:

General
Complete name : C:\Users\David\Documents\VHS to DVD\DVD Folders\20110330_2029\VIDEO_TS\VTS_01_1.VOB
Format : MPEG-PS
File size : 1 024 MiB
Duration : 17mn 2s
Overall bit rate : 8 399 Kbps

Video
ID : 224 (0xE0)
Format : MPEG Video

Here is the info on the entire folder, which is more than an hour and a half long.
General
Complete name : C:\Users\David\Documents\VHS to DVD\DVD Folders\20110330_2029\VIDEO_TS\VIDEO_TS.BUP
Format : DVD Video
Format profile : Menu
File size : 12.0 KiB

Video
ID : 224 (0xE0)
Bit rate mode : Variable
Width : pixel0
Height : pixel0
Display aspect ratio : 16:9
Frame rate : 0.000 fps

General
Complete name : C:\Users\David\Documents\VHS to DVD\DVD Folders\20110330_2029\VIDEO_TS\VIDEO_TS.IFO
Format : DVD Video
Format profile : Menu
File size : 12.0 KiB

Video
ID : 224 (0xE0)
Bit rate mode : Variable
Width : pixel0
Height : pixel0
Display aspect ratio : 16:9
Frame rate : 0.000 fps

General
Complete name : C:\Users\David\Documents\VHS to DVD\DVD Folders\20110330_2029\VIDEO_TS\VTS_01_0.BUP
Format : DVD Video
Format profile : Program
File size : 82.0 KiB
Duration : 1h 35mn
Overall bit rate : 117 bps

Video
ID : 224 (0xE0)
Format : MPEG Video
Format version : Version 2
Duration : 1h 35mn
Bit rate mode : Variable
Width : 720 pixels
Height : 480 pixels
Display aspect ratio : 4:3
Frame rate : 29.970 fps
Standard : NTSC
Compression mode : Lossy

Audio
ID : 0 (0x0)
Format : MPEG Audio
Format profile : Version 1
Duration : 1h 35mn
Channel(s) : 2 channels
Sampling rate : 48.0 KHz
Compression mode : Lossy

Menu
Duration : 1h 35mn
00:00:00.000 : Chapter 1
00:04:59.933 : Chapter 2
00:09:59.433 : Chapter 3
00:14:58.933 : Chapter 4
00:19:58.933 : Chapter 5
00:24:58.433 : Chapter 6
00:29:58.433 : Chapter 7
00:34:57.933 : Chapter 8
00:39:57.433 : Chapter 9
00:44:57.433 : Chapter 10
00:49:56.933 : Chapter 11
00:54:56.933 : Chapter 12
00:59:56.433 : Chapter 13
01:04:55.933 : Chapter 14
01:09:55.933 : Chapter 15
01:14:55.433 : Chapter 16
01:19:55.433 : Chapter 17
01:24:54.933 : Chapter 18
01:29:54.433 : Chapter 19
01:34:54.433 : Chapter 20
List (Audio) : 0

General
Complete name : C:\Users\David\Documents\VHS to DVD\DVD Folders\20110330_2029\VIDEO_TS\VTS_01_0.IFO
Format : DVD Video
Format profile : Program
File size : 82.0 KiB
Duration : 1h 35mn
Overall bit rate : 117 bps

Video
ID : 224 (0xE0)
Format : MPEG Video
Format version : Version 2
Duration : 1h 35mn
Bit rate mode : Variable
Width : 720 pixels
Height : 480 pixels
Display aspect ratio : 4:3
Frame rate : 29.970 fps
Standard : NTSC
Compression mode : Lossy

Audio
ID : 0 (0x0)
Format : MPEG Audio
Format profile : Version 1
Duration : 1h 35mn
Channel(s) : 2 channels
Sampling rate : 48.0 KHz
Compression mode : Lossy

Menu
Duration : 1h 35mn
00:00:00.000 : Chapter 1
00:04:59.933 : Chapter 2
00:09:59.433 : Chapter 3
00:14:58.933 : Chapter 4
00:19:58.933 : Chapter 5
00:24:58.433 : Chapter 6
00:29:58.433 : Chapter 7
00:34:57.933 : Chapter 8
00:39:57.433 : Chapter 9
00:44:57.433 : Chapter 10
00:49:56.933 : Chapter 11
00:54:56.933 : Chapter 12
00:59:56.433 : Chapter 13
01:04:55.933 : Chapter 14
01:09:55.933 : Chapter 15
01:14:55.433 : Chapter 16
01:19:55.433 : Chapter 17
01:24:54.933 : Chapter 18
01:29:54.433 : Chapter 19
01:34:54.433 : Chapter 20
List (Audio) : 0

General
Complete name : C:\Users\David\Documents\VHS to DVD\DVD Folders\20110330_2029\VIDEO_TS\VTS_01_0.VOB
Format : MPEG-PS
File size : 270 KiB
Duration : 934ms
Overall bit rate : 2 368 Kbps
Writing library : honestech

Video
ID : 224 (0xE0)
Format : MPEG Video
Format version : Version 2
Format profile : Main@Main
Format settings, BVOP : Yes
Format settings, Matrix : Default
Format settings, GOP : M=3, N=15
Duration : 934ms
Bit rate mode : Constant
Bit rate : 2 500 Kbps
Width : 720 pixels
Height : 480 pixels
Display aspect ratio : 4:3
Frame rate : 29.970 fps
Standard : NTSC
Color space : YUV
Chroma subsampling : 4:2:0
Bit depth : 8 bits
Scan type : Progressive
Compression mode : Lossy
Bits/(Pixel*Frame) : 0.241
Stream size : 285 KiB
Writing library : honestech

Text
ID : 189 (0xBD)-32 (0x20)
Format : RLE
Format/Info : Run-length encoding
Muxing mode : DVD-Video

Menu

General
Complete name : C:\Users\David\Documents\VHS to DVD\DVD Folders\20110330_2029\VIDEO_TS\VTS_01_1.VOB
Format : MPEG-PS
File size : 1 024 MiB
Duration : 17mn 2s
Overall bit rate : 8 399 Kbps

Video
ID : 224 (0xE0)
Format : MPEG Video
Format version : Version 2
Format profile : Main@Main
Format settings, BVOP : Yes
Format settings, Matrix : Default
Format settings, GOP : M=3, N=15
Duration : 17mn 2s
Bit rate mode : Constant
Bit rate : 8 000 Kbps
Width : 720 pixels
Height : 480 pixels
Display aspect ratio : 4:3
Frame rate : 29.970 fps
Standard : NTSC
Color space : YUV
Chroma subsampling : 4:2:0
Bit depth : 8 bits
Scan type : Progressive
Compression mode : Lossy
Bits/(Pixel*Frame) : 0.772
Stream size : 972 MiB (95%)

Audio
ID : 192 (0xC0)
Format : MPEG Audio
Format version : Version 1
Format profile : Layer 2
Duration : 17mn 2s
Bit rate mode : Constant
Bit rate : 256 Kbps
Channel(s) : 2 channels
Sampling rate : 48.0 KHz
Compression mode : Lossy
Stream size : 31.2 MiB (3%)

Menu

General
Complete name : C:\Users\David\Documents\VHS to DVD\DVD Folders\20110330_2029\VIDEO_TS\VTS_01_2.VOB
Format : MPEG-PS
File size : 1 024 MiB
Duration : 17mn 2s
Overall bit rate : 8 399 Kbps

Video
ID : 224 (0xE0)
Format : MPEG Video
Format version : Version 2
Format profile : Main@Main
Format settings, BVOP : Yes
Format settings, Matrix : Default
Format settings, GOP : M=3, N=15
Duration : 17mn 2s
Bit rate mode : Constant
Bit rate : 8 000 Kbps
Width : 720 pixels
Height : 480 pixels
Display aspect ratio : 4:3
Frame rate : 29.970 fps
Standard : NTSC
Color space : YUV
Chroma subsampling : 4:2:0
Bit depth : 8 bits
Scan type : Progressive
Compression mode : Lossy
Bits/(Pixel*Frame) : 0.772
Stream size : 972 MiB (95%)

Audio
ID : 192 (0xC0)
Format : MPEG Audio
Format version : Version 1
Format profile : Layer 2
Duration : 17mn 2s
Bit rate mode : Constant
Bit rate : 256 Kbps
Channel(s) : 2 channels
Sampling rate : 48.0 KHz
Compression mode : Lossy
Delay relative to video : -502ms
Stream size : 31.2 MiB (3%)

Menu

General
Complete name : C:\Users\David\Documents\VHS to DVD\DVD Folders\20110330_2029\VIDEO_TS\VTS_01_3.VOB
Format : MPEG-PS
File size : 1 024 MiB
Duration : 17mn 2s
Overall bit rate : 8 400 Kbps

Video
ID : 224 (0xE0)
Format : MPEG Video
Format version : Version 2
Format profile : Main@Main
Format settings, BVOP : Yes
Format settings, Matrix : Default
Format settings, GOP : M=3, N=15
Duration : 17mn 2s
Bit rate mode : Constant
Bit rate : 8 000 Kbps
Width : 720 pixels
Height : 480 pixels
Display aspect ratio : 4:3
Frame rate : 29.970 fps
Standard : NTSC
Color space : YUV
Chroma subsampling : 4:2:0
Bit depth : 8 bits
Scan type : Progressive
Compression mode : Lossy
Bits/(Pixel*Frame) : 0.772
Stream size : 972 MiB (95%)

Audio
ID : 192 (0xC0)
Format : MPEG Audio
Format version : Version 1
Format profile : Layer 2
Duration : 17mn 2s
Bit rate mode : Constant
Bit rate : 256 Kbps
Channel(s) : 2 channels
Sampling rate : 48.0 KHz
Compression mode : Lossy
Delay relative to video : -335ms
Stream size : 31.2 MiB (3%)

Menu

General
Complete name : C:\Users\David\Documents\VHS to DVD\DVD Folders\20110330_2029\VIDEO_TS\VTS_01_4.VOB
Format : MPEG-PS
File size : 1 024 MiB
Duration : 17mn 2s
Overall bit rate : 8 399 Kbps

Video
ID : 224 (0xE0)
Format : MPEG Video
Format version : Version 2
Format profile : Main@Main
Format settings, BVOP : Yes
Format settings, Matrix : Default
Format settings, GOP : M=3, N=15
Duration : 17mn 2s
Bit rate mode : Constant
Bit rate : 8 000 Kbps
Width : 720 pixels
Height : 480 pixels
Display aspect ratio : 4:3
Frame rate : 29.970 fps
Standard : NTSC
Color space : YUV
Chroma subsampling : 4:2:0
Bit depth : 8 bits
Scan type : Progressive
Compression mode : Lossy
Bits/(Pixel*Frame) : 0.772
Stream size : 972 MiB (95%)

Audio
ID : 192 (0xC0)
Format : MPEG Audio
Format version : Version 1
Format profile : Layer 2
Duration : 17mn 2s
Bit rate mode : Constant
Bit rate : 256 Kbps
Channel(s) : 2 channels
Sampling rate : 48.0 KHz
Compression mode : Lossy
Delay relative to video : -241ms
Stream size : 31.2 MiB (3%)

Menu

General
Complete name : C:\Users\David\Documents\VHS to DVD\DVD Folders\20110330_2029\VIDEO_TS\VTS_01_5.VOB
Format : MPEG-PS
File size : 1 024 MiB
Duration : 17mn 2s
Overall bit rate : 8 399 Kbps

Video
ID : 224 (0xE0)
Format : MPEG Video
Format version : Version 2
Format profile : Main@Main
Format settings, BVOP : Yes
Format settings, Matrix : Default
Format settings, GOP : M=3, N=15
Duration : 17mn 2s
Bit rate mode : Constant
Bit rate : 8 000 Kbps
Width : 720 pixels
Height : 480 pixels
Display aspect ratio : 4:3
Frame rate : 29.970 fps
Standard : NTSC
Color space : YUV
Chroma subsampling : 4:2:0
Bit depth : 8 bits
Scan type : Progressive
Compression mode : Lossy
Bits/(Pixel*Frame) : 0.772
Stream size : 972 MiB (95%)

Audio
ID : 192 (0xC0)
Format : MPEG Audio
Format version : Version 1
Format profile : Layer 2
Duration : 17mn 2s
Bit rate mode : Constant
Bit rate : 256 Kbps
Channel(s) : 2 channels
Sampling rate : 48.0 KHz
Compression mode : Lossy
Delay relative to video : -647ms
Stream size : 31.2 MiB (3%)

Menu

General
Complete name : C:\Users\David\Documents\VHS to DVD\DVD Folders\20110330_2029\VIDEO_TS\VTS_01_6.VOB
Format : MPEG-PS
File size : 602 MiB
Duration : 10mn 1s
Overall bit rate : 8 399 Kbps

Video
ID : 224 (0xE0)
Format : MPEG Video
Format version : Version 2
Format profile : Main@Main
Format settings, BVOP : Yes
Format settings, Matrix : Default
Format settings, GOP : M=3, N=15
Duration : 10mn 1s
Bit rate mode : Constant
Bit rate : 8 000 Kbps
Width : 720 pixels
Height : 480 pixels
Display aspect ratio : 4:3
Frame rate : 29.970 fps
Standard : NTSC
Color space : YUV
Chroma subsampling : 4:2:0
Bit depth : 8 bits
Scan type : Progressive
Compression mode : Lossy
Bits/(Pixel*Frame) : 0.772
Stream size : 572 MiB (95%)

Audio
ID : 192 (0xC0)
Format : MPEG Audio
Format version : Version 1
Format profile : Layer 2
Duration : 10mn 1s
Bit rate mode : Constant
Bit rate : 256 Kbps
Channel(s) : 2 channels
Sampling rate : 48.0 KHz
Compression mode : Lossy
Delay relative to video : -480ms
Stream size : 18.4 MiB (3%)

Menu

I am delighted to report that one of the programs you recommended is making satisfactory DVDs out of these files!



Format version : Version 2
Format profile : Main@Main
Format settings, BVOP : Yes
Format settings, Matrix : Default
Format settings, GOP : M=3, N=15
Duration : 17mn 2s
Bit rate mode : Constant
Bit rate : 8 000 Kbps
Width : 720 pixels
Height : 480 pixels
Display aspect ratio : 4:3
Frame rate : 29.970 fps
Standard : NTSC
Color space : YUV
Chroma subsampling : 4:2:0
Bit depth : 8 bits
Scan type : Progressive
Compression mode : Lossy
Bits/(Pixel*Frame) : 0.772
Stream size : 972 MiB (95%)

Audio
ID : 192 (0xC0)
Format : MPEG Audio
Format version : Version 1
Format profile : Layer 2
Duration : 17mn 2s
Bit rate mode : Constant
Bit rate : 256 Kbps
Channel(s) : 2 channels
Sampling rate : 48.0 KHz
Compression mode : Lossy
Stream size : 31.2 MiB (3%)

Menu

[KaiserD2]

I have a further question.

Now that I have a solution to the problem I have about half a dozen DVD folders created by the software which I could reburn so that they would work. (I am still a bit disappointed by the quality but there may be little to do about that.) However, I can't tell what is in those folders--they don't have descriptive names. What is the easiest way to preview a DVD folder (actual video is VOB files) on your computer? Thanks. I'm also looking forward to the follow-up on the previous question.

[DB83]

Thank you for that detail. It was not exactly what I was looking for. That seems to be a folder on your hard drive. I assume it was made by the software but it would not fit on to a single layer (DVD5) disk so it would have to be shrunk.

What I was looking for was similar information from a disk you have actually created . One that will not play on your player and ideally one, as you have stated is some 45 minutes running time captured at full quality.

You can test that large folder on your hard drive in a software DVD player such as PowerDVD. If it does work - there is nothing obvious from those files why it should not - then the fault lies with the burning mode of your software.

Of course you may not wish to persue this matter now since you have a solution.

The quality issue is something else. You will never get anything good by a simple USB device connected direct to your VCR. You can aim to improve by capturing to a lossless format rather than to lossy Mpeg2 and do post-processing. Plenty of guides and tips on this in these forums.

[KaiserD2]

Thank you for that detail. It was not exactly what I was looking for. That seems to be a folder on your hard drive. I assume it was made by the software but it would not fit on to a single layer (DVD5) disk so it would have to be shrunk.

What I was looking for was similar information from a disk you have actually created . One that will not play on your player and ideally one, as you have stated is some 45 minutes running time captured at full quality.

You can test that large folder on your hard drive in a software DVD player such as PowerDVD. If it does work - there is nothing obvious from those files why it should not - then the fault lies with the burning mode of your software.

Of course you may not wish to persue this matter now since you have a solution.

The quality issue is something else. You will never get anything good by a simple USB device connected direct to your VCR. You can aim to improve by capturing to a lossless format rather than to lossy Mpeg2 and do post-processing. Plenty of guides and tips on this in these forums.

Thanks very much. For the record, the folder I sent you was part of a DVD folder that did fit on a dual layer disk. Actually I have sent the single layer disk you mention to the software maufacturer.

Could you please be a little more specific on pointing me to a forum where better quality will be discussed? Thanks.

[DB83]

NP. You could try the 'Capturing' forum or even the 'Editing' forum or even the 'Restoration' forum.

You can even just put some items into the search function, for example 'improve video capture' and it will produce lots of results.

Of course, as in any forum, you will receive lots of opinions with different methods.

[Skip1142]

I cannot see the preview when trying to record from VHS to DVD. Not sure if it is burning. Any suggestions?