Color of DV camcorder capture

[deb]

Hi,

I am new to this, but have made a couple of DVDs of movies I captured with my Digital 8 camcorder.

I noticed the color is sort of washed out compared to the original movie. From other posts, I guess this is normal for DV camcorder. Is there any remedy for it? Or do any of the capture or rendering methods lessen it?

I also noticed when playing the DVD there were a couple of spots where the picture was pixellated - or there were large blocks in the picture. I looked at my mpeg file and they weren't there. Is this likely to be from a cheap DVD (I was using an ESBUY brand) or my DVD player (I have a Panasonic DV-30, which plays the DVD, but it is listed as not compatible. It looks good to me, though, and the menus worked.)

Thanks for any input!
Deb

[vhelp]

Morning Deb,

Their are several things you can do, assuming you are using TMPG
for all your DV-to-DVD encoding projects. . .

1 * in TMPG, go to: Setting/QuantizeMatrix/SpecialSettings and
check [x] "Output YUV..." box their. Then re-encode a small
sample clip to see if that helped. Usually, that's all that is
needed for a straight DV conversion in TMPG. However,

2 * assuming you know how to FRAMEserve, and have a DV codec
installed, you could start up VDUB and load your DV footage and
then frameserve it to TMPG. Since you have a DV codec installed
in vdub, it will properly decode your DV AVI file's color more
accurately in TMPG. And, you don't need to have the check box
checked for [x] "Output YUV..." in tmpg for this. vdub's DV
codec should be enough for this. However, some people like to
have that extra emphasis on the washed out color, and check this
box anyways. You'll need to experement/test for yourself.
3 * their are maybe a few other ways to adjust the washout look
but the above 2 should be enough for you.

If you don't know how to frameserve, head on over to the <<FAQ>>
and do a little reading up.
Trust me, when you go to it, you'll love it. Once their, Press
the Ctrl+F key combo and type in "frameserve" so it searches for
for example. ...continue to hit the <enter> key to see more findings.
Another example, Ctrl+F, type in "AVIsynth" to see anything on
AVIsynth, ie frameserving with, etc.
Everything you need to know if their, and then some.
Do a search for codec, etc.
Theirs also a "What is" section their. Just scroll down the page
you find everything, and just read at your own pase.

Codec:
Do you have one installed for vdub?
you need to install one if you don't have one installed yet.
Buy, you may already have one, and vdub will recognise it. How will you know if you have a DV codec installed??
Easy, you'll notice that the color is not washed out. Hows that? If you don't already have a DV condec installed, then
just D/L "MainConcept" codec and install it. I forget the website,
but it's down here somewheres in the TOOL section, just click
to your left the "TOOLS" button.

Please let us know if any worked for you so that others here, with
the same problem can learn.

I have the Canon ZR-10 DV cam. But, I don't use it for DV firewire
trasnfering to my HD anymore these days. I use my good old ATW
card and capture analog'wise and get great looking, color video
w/out the color washout issue.

Hope you fix your color washout.

-vhelp
-----------------------------------
For Standard VCD samples, you can jump over to this FORUM's link
here: VHELP's Samples... - last updated: 06.21.02

[deb]

Thanks for the reply Vhelp.

Is the improvement gained by just checking the box in TMPGenc equal to the improvement by frameserving from virtualdub? (I'm sure you can tell that I don't know how to frameserve.) How does the quality compare between the two methods?

I don't know how to frameserve, but will try to get a handle on it if it makes a big difference in results.

Regarding your own method, how do you capture from your camcorder - through the ATW card? What actually causes the color washout - the dv camcorder's recording or the conversion process?

Thanks,
Deb

[vhelp]

deb,

I'm in the middle of making a long post to another
thread, so i'll be brief here.

Frameserving:
* just go to the FAQ and search on frameserving

Color washout issue:
* YES, its actually the compression of DV. That's
the nature of DV's small size. It compresses the
video, hence the washout look. In short, this is
based on the human's eye not being able to distinguesh
or see any difference at a certain intensity or
something like that - - yeah, right! Anyways, thats
why DV looks washed out. Not an error, as I thought
in the past. It's just the type or part of compression
DV is in.
= when you load in the DV AVI file into vdub, vdub
automatically loads in the proper codec and so when you
see the video image color quality, it will look good.
but if you're looking at the color image via your
firewire transfers video window, it will look washout
out, cause that's how it is suppose to look. What the
codec is doing is decompressing the footage, and correcting
the color space (as best it cane) Remember, DV is lossey,
hence the color space issue (washout)
* in tmpg, [x] "Output YUV..." will use a slitly different
set of color values or something like that that helps
DV type sources look better.
* as to vdub vs. tmpg's settings, they'll both pretty much
the same, as far as I can tell, but I haven't really
compared them, they do come out the same, so its just
a matter of your personal taste.

My video transfer method??
* I use my ATW (ati tv woner) card to capture from it.
Sometimes I use the s-video, but mostly I use the RCA
(yellow plug) to capture from cause there really is
no difference in quality - though many will argue that
there is. You can see my samples (below) and judge for
yourself. Everyone who has D/L'd my samples and played
them on their TV 13" to 60" always ask me S-VIDEO ??
I know they don't belive me when I tell them NO! ...RCA!!
I do a lot of VHS-to-VCD/CVD and I have no choice
but to use the RCA plugs. I do have a JVS SVHS w/ s-video,
but the quality is awlful!!
When I'm doing Satalite capturing... see my DV note.
* I've AVI_IO and VDUB to capture from. I mostly capture
at 352x480 to AVI via huffy codec (free)

DV cam
* I do a lot of Sat-to-DV-to-miniDVtape-to-ATW-to-VCD/CVD
Basically, this how I do it...
= I use monster cable w/ S-VIDEO and connect to my Sat and to
my DV cam (Canon ZR-10) and record to a miniDV tape in SP mode.
= I then, when I have the time, capture from the DV unit's
miniDV tape into my ATW card using either the RCA or S-Video,
but mostly I'm using the RCA cause its more conveient and I
have the cable set up in my 5 switch box setup that way.
= using my DV cam as a mini TIVO, I capture the scenes from
the tape (or whole TV show/movie) to my harddrive at 352x480
resolution and proceed to encode them to VCD/CVD etc.
That's about it.

The above is pretty techicle and out of your legue for the
moment, but that's pretty much my process in brief.

-vhelp
-----------------------------------
For Standard VCD samples, you can jump over to this FORUM's link
here: VHELP's Samples... - last updated: 06.21.02

[deb]

Thanks Vhelp for directing me to the FAQ. I had this FAQ confused with another DVD FAQ out there and never bothered to check it. I see many of the answers to my questions are there.

I am currently downloading your Star trek sample and have to admit I'm not sure what to do with it. It says VCD, so burn it to cd and play? I'm a little lost here.

Question - do some of the capture devices also capture in DV and have the color issue? For example Canopus or Dazzle? Or are they similar to your card? How can you tell when the DV is an issue?

Thanks,
Deb

[vhelp]

deb,

just burn the clip using Nero.
If in the Wizard, select the Video-CD icon and select New, and then just
drag the sample clip *.mpg file into the window on the bottom, where
you'll see:
Track | Title | Duration. . . .etc.

And then just select menu/File/WriteCD...

That's it!! then play in your DVD player.

To burn my CVD (its an MPEG-2) sample you have to select the
SuperVideoCD icon and uncheck the [] compliant so that Nero will
burn it. (as above)

I suppose you could capture in DV using the DV codec, but if you have
the trial version ie, MainConcept's DV Codec, it places a watermark
in each frame. Don't worry so much about the color. It's only if you
are transfering DV form your DV camcorder (I'm assuming) via a
firewire card and encoding directly in tmpg w/out the [x] "OUTput YUV..."
checked.

-vhelp

[deb]

Hi Vhelp,

I downloaded the Main concept codec to try but my Studio 7 wouldn't work with it. I could get it to list it, but it wouldn't run.

Did you just install it using the directions at the site? What software do you use to capture with it? And do you think it improves the faded color?

Thanks,
Deb

[vhelp]

evening deb,

>> Did you just install it using the directions at the site? What
>> software do you use to capture with it? And do you think it
>> improves the faded color?

* I installed it, period.
once installed, the next thing for you to do (AFAIK) is nothing!
* shut down system (or reboot) and...
.
.
* Now, go into vdub and load in your freshly captured - - oops, I
mean, firewired DV AVI file.
* Ok, once loaded into vdub, to to MENU: File/FileInformation
* have a look at the top, and see what CODEC is being used.
If it says MainConcepts, then you have successfully installed this
codec for DV. Besides, you'll know, cause you'll be improved
color, vs. the color washout!! But, just in case you wanna know
for sure which codec is installed, follow my method just outlined.

>> software do you use to capture with it? And do you think it
AFAIK, you don't capture with it. Though, in vdub, if you are
capturing analog'ly, you can (under vdub's compress menu) select
this DV codec like you would Huffy, or divX, etc. But be worned,
MainConcepts codec puts a watermark in EVERY frame - - a frawback
in lue of it's trial versoin'ness, he, he...
However, I don't recommend capturing with this codec. As it is
lossy!! Use HUFFY!! ...if you want to captur via analog instead
of transfering via firewire to your harddrive.

>> improves the faded color?
Yes, it will improve the color as I said above.

I think that's about it for now.

Good luck!
-vhelp