Virtualdub can not capture high resolution video

[szwangyh]

Computer: Atholon1G/256MB PC-133/IBM60GXP 60G；
Capture Card: ATi TV-Wonder

When I try to set the capture resolution higher than 352*288 in "video-format" menu, it always says "Error 418: unsupported video format".

I have tried to set different code, like RGB, yuy2, yvu9, and also tried
different compression code, like huffy, divx.

2nd, at the bottom of the video menu, it displays "Microsoft WDM Image
Capture(Win32)". I thought it should be something about Ati...


Thanks, guys.

[M1dnight]

try this........

in vdub during capture mode go to the tab capture or the tab video or something and ul see overlay selected
try selecting previeuw instead then going for higher resolution


this is what i need to do with my wintv card
its also possible that your card doesnt support higher, check your manual on that one

Good luck!

[wertigo]

I think you have WDM drivers, and Virtualdub only supports VFW- drivers. But there is a wrapper thouhg, but its really crappy...

Try iuVCR, VirtualVCR or showshifter instead

/wertigo

[Mr Walker]

Uncheck both "preview" and "overlay". This works for me, you wont see any picture during the capture but you save cpu-power.

[Lamont Cranston]

I think you have WDM drivers, and Virtualdub only supports VFW- drivers. But there is a wrapper thouhg, but its really crappy...

Try iuVCR, VirtualVCR or showshifter instead

/wertigo

The WDM->VFW Wrapper produces exactly the same quality as the WDM. You got some faulty information.

If you want to capture using VirtualDub or AVI_IO and your capture card only provides WDM you will need to install the WDM->VFW wrapper becuase both capture programs only capture vfw. Set your vidoe format to YUY2. The WDM Microsoft Capture (win32) looks (the win 32 )like you have the wrapper already installed. If not you can download it here:
http://faq.arstechnica.com/subcat.php?i=95

I have an ATI AIE 128 Pro (WDM Driver) and I capture NTSC 720 x 480 48KHz DV type 2 (MainConcepts DV codec) with AVI_IO using WDM->VFW wrapper. VirtualDub can do the same. Running Win2K & 1.8AGHz Pentium 4.

[fisheez]

I was about to ask a related question, so this works well for me.

The TV-Wonder (which I also have) won't capture resolutions higher than 240 height (the second number is height, right?). I was wondering if there was a tweak to work around that problem or if I really just needed a better capture card.

I regularly capture music videos and the quality of the vcd would be tons better if the original capture could be 640x480, but I'm stuck at 320x240 right now.

[wertigo]

My information is based on my own experience....
I still think that the wrapper isnt that good since i got problems with it even after a clean installation of XP..... So my choice is that if you have WDM drivers you should use iuVCR, since the digital sound option is really nice...

I forgot to mention that i have a Pinnacle PCTV Pro, with pinnacles WDM drivers....

/wertigo

[Lamont Cranston]

So my choice is that if you have WDM drivers you should use iuVCR, since the digital sound option is really nice...

iuVCR is a nice package but it does not support, that I could find, NTSC 720 x 480.

[ChrisX]

You say, "Virtualdub can not capture high resolution video". Not many capturing programs can.

I am not aware if any that can do more than 352*288 successfully without using up the CPU with excessive frame drop outs. Not worth trying and anyway the bigger the resolution video, the bigger the capturing file will be. Any bigger than 352*288 will be too big to store in the HD.

I am at the moment using "Virtualdub" capturing a DVD musicvideo, an hour long and will use 1GB of the HD. The video file I am using is .avi for DivX and this is not much difference to MPEG 2. The visual and sound on the DivX video as not bad. 1GB is enough on the HD.

Virtualdub isn't the default capturing program in the computer. The resolution problem is nothing to do with Virtualdub, it has the setting fixed on a default program such as WinTV with the TV card for example. WinTV is worse, smaller resolution of 320*240 and this is the limit. I don't use the USB TV card anyway, too small with lousy video image.

[fisheez]

an hour long video @ only 1gb? are you capturing with any decent quality?

if so, i'd love to see your DivX/VirtualDub settings.

[ChrisX]

an hour long video @ only 1gb? are you capturing with any decent quality?

if so, i'd love to see your DivX/VirtualDub settings.

To fisheez

Hello, the settings are from the left side of this web page. I followed the instructions on how to capture a DivX clip in "How to Capture". The quality of the video is average and don't expect to be as good as the DVD movie. Thank you.

[Craig Tucker]

CJGS

You say it's not worth capturing greater than 288 vertical resolution. Do you realise by doing this you are only capturing half of the information. PAL is 25 fps but is interlaced so each frame contains odd and even lines which are 180 degrees out of phase. Thus giving a frequency of 50hz. If you capture at a vertical resolution of 288 you will only capture either the odd or even lines. If you capture at a vertical resolution of 576 you capture both the odd and even lines, and will get a better quality capture.

If you are creating SVCD you can leave the video interlaced, as it is supported with SVCD. If you are making VCD you need to deinterlace the video, with software such as virtualdub. This blends the out of phase odd and even lines into one frame.

Although doing this takes up more hard drive space and is more time consuming, the image quality will be increased.

And by the way I can capture at 704x576 using huffy compression without dropping frames. This is a capture rate of approx. 13Mb/Sec 0r 45GB/Hour.

If you have the hard disc space it is worth it for the increase in quality, as this is only a temporary file, once converted to MPEG1 that 45GB is reduced to 600MB, and the 45GB file can be deleted.

Craig

[ChrisX]

CJGS

You say it's not worth capturing greater than 288 vertical resolution. Do you realise by doing this you are only capturing half of the information. PAL is 25 fps but is interlaced so each frame contains odd and even lines which are 180 degrees out of phase. Thus giving a frequency of 50hz. If you capture at a vertical resolution of 288 you will only capture either the odd or even lines. If you capture at a vertical resolution of 576 you capture both the odd and even lines, and will get a better quality capture.

Craig

CRAIGTUCKER

I don't know what are you talking about, it is alright for you. However, I have system limitations. I can't increase the resolution and change the vertical resolution size. My HD is limited to 40GB.

I haven't research for other options yet using VirtualDub. There is some limits on capturing size with the video card and it's application before I deal with VirtualDub. I don't have the software to makes changes for capturing like you suggested. This is why I can't change the vertical on the same resolution size. I have limits and I am unable to create SVCD yet due the limits and the time. There will be problems in my system making a SVCD, I have to wait and see.

[Craig Tucker]

I was just pointing out that you said it was not worth going any higher than 288 vertical resolution, where as in fact, if you can, then it is worth going to 576 vertical resolution and capturing both odd and even fields.

You say you don't know what I am talking about. I thought I explained it quite clearly.

Check this link and look at the high vs low res. and interlacing topics for a more detailed explination.

http://www.geocities.com/lukesvideo/

Craig