How to capture high quality VHS videos to VCD?

[dangel234]

Hi,

Can someone post how they make their VHS videos and then convert to mpg?

I have a Pinnacle PCTV capture card. Running Windows XP. 40GB HDD (2)

I am desperate for any help ANYONE can provide me. I've been struggling with this for a while. If there's a way to capture high quality VHS straight to MPEG (rather than avi, then convert), that'd be even better.

Hope someone can help. I have read the guides but i cant get good quality.

Thanks in advance

dangel234

[jeremypps]

hi.
for my (short) experience, you get far better quality capturing avi with no (or low) compression and then convert to mpeg using an encoder (i.e. tmpgenc), rather than capturing directly in mpeg vcd format.
you need more hdd space and more time to spend, but the result is worth the effort.
sorry for my bad english, good luck.

[LSchafroth]

I agree, the AVI then MPG is the only way to go for good quality.

You have the saem card and OS I have. Use IuVCR to capture the video at 704x480, then load into VirtualDub and apply filters and resize. Then frameserve it to TMPGEnc to convert it to your VCD compliant MPG.

I would choose SVCD then resize to 480x480. You can use higher bitrates and have higher resolution since VHS is slightly higher in rez then VCD.

Lannie

[teddymines]

I capture 640x480, mjpeg quality 18, 29.97 fps and get very good results. Apply filters (I like smoother) and frameserve to tmpgenc with Video-CD settings. Tmpgenc handles interlaced video quite well.

[luisin]

Hello, the fast and easy way its to buy a hardware call instant dvd from www.adstech.com ,its a little hardare tham comes with rca inputs to usb,it transforms directly anything with rca outputs to mpeg or vcd,for 65 bucks.

Take care

Luisin

[G-man]

The new version of Ulead DVD Moviefactory can capture and encode realtime. But I don't know if it can use your capture card.

I tried it and the results are actually pretty good (but I am sticking with TMPGEnc).

Free trial at WWW.Ulead.com

[hwoodwar]

For VCD I capture (in VirtualDub with the HuffyUV codec) to 352 X 480 avi. After the capture I either decide on VCD or CVD (I use CVD format more often than VCD) format. If I decide VCD, I deinterlace, in VirtualDub, and then send it to TMPGenc. It doesn't take TMPGenc much additional time (as opposed to capturing at 352 x 240 and no resize) to resize. I think that is because 240 is a multiple of 480.

[SatStorm]

First of all, if your VHS is good quality, don't convert to VCD. Prefer CVD or SVCD. Less time per CD that way, but better quality
The best method I know, is: Grabb with Virtualdub (or any other proggy you like) using Huffyuv (best quality) or an mjpeg codec (like Pic Video). The second one is ok for VHS captures, the benefits of Huffyuv can be seen only with Laser disc or high quality analogue sources (VHS is not one of them!)
For NTSC I suggest 640 X 480 capture. The minimum to use is 352 X 480 the maximum 720 X 480. But, believe me, with the mainstream hardware we use, 720 X 480 is an overkill, so better use 640 X 480 for NTSC.
Now load to Virtualdub and use filters! NTSC needs heavy filtering! Correct the colours (hue), the brightness, the VHS noise, etc. Read some guides for how to do it. You can even try to Inverse TeleCine it (some times, that way is much better).
Now you have to choices: Save to a different avi (better but needs lots of Hard Disc) or frameserve it to TMPGenc plus (or another encoder, but I shall tell you only for TMPGenc)

On TMPGenc, you have to decide to what to encode.
VCD ain't the best solution for me. VCD sometimes is okey for DVD backups or DVB ones. For VHS ain't a good idea.
xVCD (or better xSVCD like sefy's SxVCD) is a better idea: Encode to higher bitrates, using VBR gonna give you better results. For example, xSVCD (mpeg 2, 352 X 240) with an average bitrate 1600 gonna be excellent (if not perfect!). BUT: you are -X- for CD base formats (like VCD/CVD/SVCD). So, try first is that works for you. The positive thing is that IF you burn the same file at DVD-R as 1/4 D1 DVD you are OK! It is legal and compatible. So, long time term, you are -x- now but OK for the future... Choose.

If you want 100% of your VHS (or SVHS), then the best solution is xCVD. Yes, again -x for CD media, but again OK for DVD! Read the guides about CVD and how to do it (it is like SVCD, but with different framesize). On extreme difficult sources, you need about 3500kb/s average bitrate for perfect results! But for the 90%, an average of 2800kb/s gonna be OK

The other solution, is to encode to SVCD. Don't expect perfect results that way, but hey, try it, it might like it! Again, here it needs more bitrate for better results (so, you are again -x-) but since SVCD is the western standard nowdays, you might find it easier to master it!

This is the way I create perfect VHS transfers.
I hope I helped you!

[Sylvester2000]

Hi,

Does this work as advertised? I'm sure I wuld have heard people rave about it more if it worked like they say?

The website ordering was down so I couldn't see what they are asking for it, but did you say $65? From where?

Thanks!

Hello, the fast and easy way its to buy a hardware call instant dvd from www.adstech.com ,its a little hardare tham comes with rca inputs to usb,it transforms directly anything with rca outputs to mpeg or vcd,for 65 bucks.

Take care

Luisin

[cdolsen]

I went to the site and it cost 299. where is it available for 65?