While trying to capture some VHS tapes to my computer, I always get a problem when I burn them to DVD. The quality and everything is beautiful, but something seems to have gone wrong with the interlacing. When I check the video in full frames, it looks perfect, but when I do half frames, it's all wavy. I'm using "WinAVI Video Capture" and using an external "Tevion" capture card and capturing in MPEG 2. Any help is appreciated!
I don't understand your question fully, but the artifact you show (or something like it) is sometimes seen when an interlaced source is resized without first de-interlacing. Where do you see this? On the captured file itself? Describe your capture flow in a bit more detail.
Yes, after I capture it it will look like that if I burn it to a DVD (and play it on a TV, SD or HD) or if I select linear (or maybe other forms of) de-interlacing on VLC Media Player. My setup is composite cables from VCR\Blu-ray combo into my external capture card into my computer. I'm encoding in MPEG 2 with these settings. (The VHS it NTSC-J) There is an option to select "VCR input" on the card's options, and while I am pretty sure I selected it, I'm not 100% certain. Here's the card's options. If I select "apply" on this screen, this message appears. "This format is not currently available." Despite that though, other than the interlacing it captures fine. Thanks for the help so far!
If you're capturing mpeg-2, probably better to capture @ 720*480 (NTSC). If you play the captured file directly, do you see the issue? Or only after further conversion. Give this capture program a try, simple but effective. http://www.videohelp.com/tools/Stoik_Video_Capture I've seen that "VCR input" setting before, not quite sure what it does - perhaps some kind of noise reduction (but I'm just guessing). Certainly the capture works whether it's set or not.
Nope, it only arises if I burn it to DVD or select de-interlace on VLC. Though, the half-frame issue in the video is directly from the captured file. I'll test the program right now.
I don't even know why you're de-interlacing. If you want to make a DVD, the interlacing should be retained
The reason I said I was de-interlacing was to show that it happens when it is de-interlaced. The problem though it when I select progressive or interlaced (top field first) it still looks like that on a TV. I'm trying to use STOIK but it keeps freezing on me. EDIT: I got STOIK to work under a different codec (MJPG), and while the quality itself is fine, it does this. See the lines across the white part? Other codecs apparently weren't meant to capture NTSC-J media (color problems).
Did you capture @ full res? (720*480) Are those lines interlacing ? You would expect to see them if the scene is moving. I can't tell what you have with a still image. Why don't you post 20 seconds or so of your capture that you think is troublesome, and we can take a look at it. Use a file sharing site sych as mediafire.com
Here's the 720X480 mpeg. http://www.mediafire.com/?j2diqzozzx3 Also, while capturing on STOIK, the problem areas look like this in the preview box, like it's partially interlaced. Is this normal? Also, this might be a stupid question, but might it be the VCR? It is a VCR/Blu-ray combo. Might it be doing something to the signal? I tested two VCRs, and while they both have the same problem, when set at the same signal type (NTSC-J), one shows the signal brighter than the other. Is it possible one is converting the signal to USA NTSC? Some more info. Here's a breakdown of how each capture looks. VCR 1 (VCR/Blu-ray) NTSC: (Haven't tested yet) NTSC-J: Blacks look brighter than usual. (Usual being when you turn on a TV the black you see. The MediaFire link above shows how the blacks are brighter than usual in the beginning.) VCR 2 (VCR/DVD/TV Combo) NTSC: Blacks are not captured correctly, do not have "static" like tapes normally do in blacks. http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/...snap-2010-06-25-16h05m30s203.jpg?t=1277500517 NTSC-J: Blacks look exactly like every other NTSC tape I have watched in my life. http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/...csnap-2010-06-25-16h05m43s69.jpg?t=1277500545 Now I assume the test would be capture from VCR 1 in standard NTSC and see if it comes out like NTSC-J on VCR 2, right? If so, capture in standard NTSC with VCR 1, correct?
As far as Stoik's preview window - it's possible that you'll see this. I don't think it's doing an optimization there, it's only a preview after all. I took a look at the mpeg, and to me, it look like a regular interlaced image and you should treat it as such. If you want to make a DVD the video should be compliant as it is and will not need re-encoding, just authoring. Is the difference in black level the only difference between NTSC-J and regular NTSC? I would use the one that gives the best range, without the black or white being crushed.
The only problem with not re-encoding though is that I need to add subtitles. Is there a way to add them without re-encoding? Yes, that's the only difference between the two, black level. So basically use whichever looks natural? Though, if it's a regular interlaced video, why does it act like that half frame video when I select that it's interlaced TFF? Thanks for the help, I really appreciate it!
