Help me transfer VHS to DV?

[JFrancisco]

Thank you ever so much Brian; all you guys have been super. With your help, I believe I might just be able to start producing DVDs after all! (Unless Authoring/Burning proves to be another bump on the road.) Thanks a million guys; I hope someday I'll know enough to be able to help other "amateurs" in return.
Saludos de
JFrancisco

[geemac]

Hi
I would like to join this discussion and ask questions about the ADVC-100, but first.

I have been capturing Hi8 video from my camcorder using a Matrox G400tv, installed on a Aopen AX4GE Max P4 motherboard with Intel 845GE chipset and Intel 3.06Ghz HT processor. I have installed the latest drivers from Adis website, but the capturing was done with Virtualdub/YUY2/PICvideo compression. Have also tested AVI_IO but similar results are obtained. With both of these methods the video is deinterlaced (not sure if this is the correct term) which results in having to use Alparysoft filter to correct this.

After doing some editing I have output to DVD, but have noted that the quality of the picture is reduced when compared to the original Hi8 direct from the camcorder to the TV. (Am I expecting too much?)

Several of the posts in this thread have indicated that the ADVC-100 produces superb results and I wonder if these are better than I have produced. Can any of you who use the ADVC-100 quantify your results or otherwise provide some examples of finished DVD clips, so that I can have an idea of what is achievable with the ADVC-100?

Also would there be any problems with doing the editing in Adobe Premiere and would I still have to apply a deinterlacing filter to the captured files?

I look forward to hearing the responses.
Gordon

[Brian Ellis]

The ADVC-100 will work with almost any software that can accept a DV type 1 stream, through an IEEE-1394 OHCI card, on any platform. The resultant file (e.g., AVI under Windows) will be interlaced, so is "TV-ready". You can therefore edit it, as is, encode it to MPEG-2 and burn a DVD, ready for viewing on a TV. The only time you need to deinterlace is if you are sure you wish to view it only on a computer.

As for the quality, your weakest link, by far, is the Hi8 tape. You will not observe any significant loss of quality. That having been said, you MUST realise that everything you do will cause some loss of quality; the criterion is that it is not normally observable. I suggest you will see little difference, compared critically, with your MJPEG PICvideo compression, assuming the latter is set to the highest quality settings.

[JFrancisco]

Hi Gordon, how are you doing today? I tried almost every video card with Video Inputs in the market (Matrox + Rainbow Runner, ATI Radeon All-in-Wonder, etc.) and almost every Video Converter device without results. The ADVC-100 was my answer; I've been able to convert my VHS video tapes into Digital Video first, and into avi, mpeg1 and 2 files without any loss of quality. As a matter of fact, I'm now considering upgrading to the Canopus AVDC-300 unit, as it reportedly improves and "cleans" the quality of the original VHS signal itself (some of my VHS tapes are not in the best shape, signal-wise), but the price is quite steep. Would you be interested in buying my AVDC-100? I've only had it for a few months and only by selling it first ($250 and I ship?) will I be able to talk the wife into letting me have the 300.

Saludos de
JFrancisco

[geemac]

Hi folks
Thanks for the responses, JFrancisco you seem to have tried most pieces of equipment, it must have taken you a while!! But you certainly seem to be praising the ADVC very highly. I have started to look round a bit closer to home to see if I can pick upi one but if I can't I might get back to you.
Gordon

[Brian Ellis]

Originally posted by JFrancisco
Hi Gordon, how are you doing today? I tried almost every video card with Video Inputs in the market (Matrox + Rainbow Runner, ATI Radeon All-in-Wonder, etc.) and almost every Video Converter device without results. The ADVC-100 was my answer; I've been able to convert my VHS video tapes into Digital Video first, and into avi, mpeg1 and 2 files without any loss of quality. As a matter of fact, I'm now considering upgrading to the Canopus AVDC-300 unit, as it reportedly improves and "cleans" the quality of the original VHS signal itself (some of my VHS tapes are not in the best shape, signal-wise), but the price is quite steep. Would you be interested in buying my AVDC-100? I've only had it for a few months and only by selling it first ($250 and I ship?) will I be able to talk the wife into letting me have the 300.

Saludos de
JFrancisco

If you go the -300 way, be aware there are problems with it. Have a look through http://forum.canopus.com/postlist.ph...&Board=GenADVC before taking the plunge. Apparently instructions are minimal, the software is flaky and difficult to control and there is no "hidden feature" to save copy-protected tapes or those that it thinks are copy-protected. I was also interested in one, but I renounced spending my $$$ when I saw all the complaints.

[JFrancisco]

Hey Brian... Thanks for the tip; I'll be sure to look up the suggested website. It's just that I had found the -100 to be such a great little box (after YEARS of frustration with everything else) and I just assumed the -300 would be even better.
Again, thanks for the advice!
Saludos de
JFrancisco