PowerDirector 18, bitrate problem

[billybatts]

I'm recording some VHS tapes using the Hauppauge USB live 2 than capturing the footage on PowerDirector 18.

The customs settings are in the photo I provided. Even though it says 25000, the most it went was 15000 on a few minute test video I did.

Problem is when the full capture was finished, it only gave me a video bitrate of 11200 mbps and changed it to variable. How do I make it to be a constant 15,000 to 20,000 bitrate video?

[DB83]

I do not use Power Director but I do have a USB Live 2. Something puzzles me.


Reading your OP literally you are capturing with the USB and then re-capturing with Power Director. Surely I have that wrong. Maybe you meant encoding/exporting with the latter. And I ask this since I can see no such instructions for capture settings in the Power Director User Guide.


But also assuming that this is an encode/export why so much bitrate. What is your final storage medium ? Certainly dvd maximum bitrate is lower than what you are attempting and there is no point in encoding higher than what you capture in the first place (assuming that was done in the USB Live)

[manono]

Most likely you've 'saturated the codec'. That term means it's using all the bitrate it can. It's maxed out the quality,

You don't want constant bitrate and you'd probably be better off using a quality-based encode, rather than a bitrate-based one. It might be called CRF or something similar and needs only a single pass. I don't use Power Director either.

[_Al_]

Did you I'd try to fill in that box with max bitrate, same effect?
11000kbps for SD resolution (and guessing H264) should be fine.

Maybe it is following your set profile or a default profile, Main 3.0 and keeps max values by specs:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/H.264/MPEG-4_AVC#Levels
Or change your profile if it is possible, maybe it will allow higher max values.

[billybatts]

Most likely you've 'saturated the codec'. That term means it's using all the bitrate it can. It's maxed out the quality,

You don't want constant bitrate and you'd probably be better off using a quality-based encode, rather than a bitrate-based one. It might be called CRF or something similar and needs only a single pass. I don't use Power Director either.

Let me ask you this, I don't know whether to get an external dv converter like the Canopus ones or should I get a PCIe capture card? I need an s-video and 2 rca audo inputs.

What would be the best option to preserve quality? And which ones would work with the Cyberlink Power Director 18?

[dellsam34]

Power director cannot preserve quality, Use vdub to capture lossless and encode with handbrake.

[billybatts]

Power director cannot preserve quality, Use vdub to capture lossless and encode with handbrake.

vdub has given me a lot of problems. Plus, I don't really want lossless quality. It's too big, I don't have the space. I'm just looking for a good lossy convert.

[LMotlow]

There's no such thing as a "good lossy convert" from VHS. What you're getting now with PowerDirector is the usual crap that most amateurs get, but don't complain because it can be just as bad with Canopus (which is also lossy, full of artifacts with VHS sources, and cooks colors). If you have a good player and a good Hauppauge card you may as well go lossless. Try this VirtualDub capture guide: http://www.digitalfaq.com/forum/video-capture/7427-capturing-virtualdub-settings.html, or use AmarecTV.

[davexnet]

A number of years ago I used to use HuffyUV (lossless/compressed) and Picvideo MJPG (not lossless).
The MJPG wasn't as good as HuffyUV, but it was still very good

[billybatts]

There's no such thing as a "good lossy convert" from VHS. What you're getting now with PowerDirector is the usual crap that most amateurs get, but don't complain because it can be just as bad with Canopus (which is also lossy, full of artifacts with VHS sources, and cooks colors). If you have a good player and a good Hauppauge card you may as well go lossless. Try this VirtualDub capture guide: http://www.digitalfaq.com/forum/video-capture/7427-capturing-virtualdub-settings.html, or use AmarecTV.

Is USB-Live2 Video Capture good enough to go along with vdub?

[lordsmurf]

Do not use Power Director.
That is terrible software.

VirtualDub is what needs to be used. If problems, figure out why, don't just give up.

[billybatts]

Do not use Power Director.
That is terrible software.

VirtualDub is what needs to be used. If problems, figure out why, don't just give up.

Is USB-Live2 Video Capture good enough to work with lossless vdub?

[dellsam34]

I don't see why not?

[billybatts]

I don't see why not?

So is the usb live only a pass-through? Where the signal gets passed on to vdub and doesn't damage the quality? Or does it damage it somewhat?

[dellsam34]

The video on tape is analog and the video on computer is digital, So USB live device's function is to capture that analog signal video into PC and convert it to digital video using a PC app like Vdub, As long as you use a lossless method first and encode later you can always go back to the captured lossless files and change whatever parameters that suits your needs. But if you encode while you are capturing (also called encoding on the fly) whatever quality that comes out it's baked in you can't change it unless you capture the tape again and change parameters. I hope this helps.

[billybatts]

The video on tape is analog and the video on computer is digital, So USB live device's function is to capture that analog signal video into PC and convert it to digital video using a PC app like Vdub, As long as you use a lossless method first and encode later you can always go back to the captured lossless files and change whatever parameters that suits your needs. But if you encode while you are capturing (also called encoding on the fly) whatever quality that comes out it's baked in you can't change it unless you capture the tape again and change parameters. I hope this helps.

It has helped, thanks. Just one more thing I wanted to know. Everybody is promoting vdub, what usb capture device should I get? That has me stuck right now. I tried using the Hauppauge USB live 2 on vdub and it didn't work. I need a device that will work with it, not many out there unfortunately.

[DB83]

It does work on vdub. Just select the right Device source


'Haupaugge Cx23100

[billybatts]

It does work on vdub. Just select the right Device source


'Haupaugge Cx23100

I did, I get nothing.

[DB83]

And Video source etc. from the Video menu.

[DB83]

Still have issues ? A quite complete guide showing all the various settings here:


http://www.digitalfaq.com/forum/video-capture/7427-capturing-virtualdub-settings.html


I would also try the Hauppauge capture program. Methinks the highest quality is 6000 kbps. High enough for mpeg2. But lossless will always be better.