Dear Lazywebs: Video

[snousle]

So that HP TouchSmart I've had for a while is much more agreeable with Windows 7. MUCH. I'm actually turning it into my "main" computer and putting the usual one out to pasture.

Unfortunately, I'm back to square one with video. Previously, I'd gotten it working with some of the included shovelware, but now I can't (and don't want to) install said shovelware. I know the computer is capable of dealing with a video signal because when I go through Windows Media Center's TV setup, I am able to get to a point where I can see the output of my VCR play on the screenin a little thumbnail preview. (The VCR is connected to the S-video input on the TouchSmart). However, the process hangs when it demands that I set up some IR thingy that I can't find and really want to deal with. There is no option to skip that step (grr...)

It seems I ought to be able to record video with VLC media player, but no matter what I do, I cannot get it to display the video signal. I'm not sure what I'm missing here. I can use the Media -> Open Capture Device dialog, and under "Capture Mode" there are options DirectShow and DVBDirectShow. Under "Video Device Name" there is "Default", "None", and "AVerMedia Capture" as well as "HP WebCam". No matter what options I choose, when I press "Play", it fails to show the video signal. Am I barking up the wrong tree here?

Suggestions very welcome, I am out of ideas.

Comments

[furr-a-bruin.livejournal.com]

Hrm... have you checked the driver for the video capture hardware? It's possible there's a "generic" driver included with W7 that almost works, but for the device to work properly it needs the specific hunk 'o code. I'm sure you know the trail - Computer > Properties > Device Manager.... HP is usually pretty good about having drivers available on their website.

[snousle.livejournal.com]

I'm not finding anything in the Device Manager that seems related...

I will investigate the driver situation. However, I did have the same problem when I was using the pre-installed Vista version. It's just that I never actually solved it because I found a way to muddle through.

[furr-a-bruin.livejournal.com]

Microsoft's categorization of hardware sometimes leaves me well befuddled. It may be considered to be a function of some other system device - the graphics hardware, for instance - even if it needs its own separate software.

Best of luck....

[snousle.livejournal.com]

I have downloaded a trial of 1AVCapture and will be experimenting with it shortly. But I was wondering, since the ultimate goal is to transfer VHS to DVD, is there some interaction between capture and DVD creation that I should know about, i.e. are the steps more or less independent or do I have to consider the production of a DVD before I do any capture at all?

[furr-a-bruin.livejournal.com]

Like a lot of things, the goal does influence how you begin. If you plan to do any editing, it's better to capture with a lossless (HuffYUV) or minimally lossy (DV or MJPEG) codec, do your editing and only then encode to DVD-compliant MPEG2. There is software that will capture direct to MPEG2 - but the quality of the encoding is much lower being done on the fly, and if you want to edit anyhing, what you can do is very limited. For example - you can only cut an MPEG video stream between GOPs (Group Of Pictures), not between specific frames because of the inter-frame dependencies inside a GOP.

Always capture at full resolution; you can always scale down later, but if you don't and then change your mind - you have to re-capture the video. Since you're capturing from VHS - half-D1 should be quite sufficient for your final project and allow you to get more running time per disc, if that's important. [D1 = 720/704x480, half D1 = 352x480]

[snousle.livejournal.com]

Extremely useful, thanks!

BTW, the video I'm transferring is "Hippy Dick, The Movie". If you don't have a DVD version I can send you one (eventually). Or, if you do, you might be able to save me a bit of trouble. ;-)

[furr-a-bruin.livejournal.com]

*heh*

Indeed, I do. I have a disc that includes both Hippie Dick: The Movie as well as Gene's other completed movie, Skin And Bonz. I've been "intending to" re-author it because I made something of a mistake with the main menu background (on a regular NTSC TV, it shimmers due to interlacing) - but with so many people these days watching on progressive-scan TVs or computer monitors - maybe it doesn't really matter. I'd be happy to mail you a copy - just email me your mailing address so I don't have to go digging for it and I'll get it out to you as soon as I can. If you find you hate the menus, you can rip the MPEG video and re-author it as you please.

[f8n-begorra.livejournal.com]

On an entirely different subject and because I live on an ADHD planet, I thought you might be interested in this:

http://www.siliconrepublic.com/news/article/14890/randd/bt-science-and-tech-winner

[snousle.livejournal.com]

Very interesting. I found out about the StoveTec stove I posted about earlier via an article in the New Yorker. It was a very interesting read in light of this award, but unfortunately I cannot find a free link to the full text.

Bottom line was that solving the technological problem was only the first step - it's much harder than you would think to convince people in developing nations to stop killing themselves with wood smoke, even when you give them clean burning stoves!

[progbear.livejournal.com]

Back when I had video capture on my compy (which I miss dearly), I found the forums at Videohelp to be of great help. Maybe they could assist you.

[bleepkeeper.livejournal.com]

I don't think VLC does video capture, despite what the menu options may show. The version I'm familiar with (0.8.6f, for the Mac) definitely doesn't. Unfortunately, I don't have any suggestions for apps that do. (Well, Avid does, but you don't want to pay for that.)

[progbear.livejournal.com]

Virtualdub is serviceable, no-frills open-source software that gets the job done.