How do I transfer VHS video -->mpg-->CD?

[BITM@D]

I know that all this information is on the Internet but I'm hoping that you guys will help sharpen the learning curve on this one for me.

I have a short training video for a product (17 minutes long) and I need to transfer it to CD so it is readable on PC (probably as an .mpg or an .avi) or even so it can be read in a DVD player. What format plays on a DVD. Is it VCD?.

I presume I'll need a fair amount of Hard drive space and a decent CPU on a modern motherboard - all of which I have. (20Gb 7200, 1100Mhz Intel on CUSL2-C, 512mb ram, GeForce2MX with video out)

I know I need some sort of a video capture card but this is the first time I've had to look into it, so I wouldn't mind a few suggestions if you guys have time - Preferably PCI.

The signal will be coming from a normal household VCR player (VHS format - as used in Australia) from look like RCA-style leads. As you can tell I don't know much about this but I'm willing to give it all a try.

Any help will be appreciated.

[radbasa]

I haven't personally made VCDs from VHS but I have made VCDs from mpgs I have d/led.

Yes, you certainly need a video in card, one with the same broadcast system as your VCD (PAL or NTSC). These cards have software of their own to convert the capture to usually mpd or avi. I sure there are better third party software out there.

Some CD writing software have apps for converting mpgs to VCD format, I have used Roxio/Adaptec Easy CD Creator 5.
http://www.vcdhelp.com may help.

[muno]

Yep, a capture card is needed. For that I cannot suggest, I'm using vivo card which I suggest you get too if you plan to transfer more movies. It's a buy you won't regret.
As for the transferring, you need a scart->rca/svhs->svhs plug. There's a composite/svhs in in the capture card/graphics card. Then all you need is a program that captures video. Windows media encoder can do that, assuming you have fast enough processor you can encode it in real time. If you have a video card with video in they usually have some prog that does the capturing. My asus has asus live/asus digital vcr, they capture it in asv/avi format which can be converted to mpg/avi/wmv/asf, or whatever the desire is.
If you got the hardware, use vcdgalaxys rippack //edit (www.vcdgalaxy.com)//. It's designed for dvd->vcd but it can be used for converting vhs to vcd also.
Stand-alone dvd-players usually read vcd's. But be careful, it has to be able to read cdr's also as homemade vcds are cdr.
-M

[This message has been edited by muno (edited 07-10-2001).]

[jokostel]

I was in the same boat as you the card that is use for this is called a Dazzle DVC-II..
www.dazzle.com (http://www.dazzle.com)
its a pci card that take video in from vhs,dvd,camera, WHATEVER through a rca connector then pipes it to mpeg in form of vcd,svcd,mini dvd. whatver you set it up for.

then if you want to play them on your dvd player, first make sure before you jump head first into this that is supports svcd and vcds.... only a handfull of them do.


The card costs about 300$$ usd that is..
but it does exactly what you and I need.. http://www.sysopt.com/forum/smile.gif
hope this helps


jokostel

[BITM@D]

Thanks guy's, you've given me some good leads.

The local guys talk of using an ATI all in wonder card but I'm not too keen and having to remove the GeForce card as the ATI is an AGP card as well.

Thanks again for your input

[BITM@D]

oops, double post.


[This message has been edited by BITM@D (edited 07-10-2001).]

[rh71]

Just discovered this via techbargains.com ...
http://www.lifeclips.com/Free2.asp ... it's not a do-it-yourselfer, but it's a free job if you only need to do it once.

[BITM@D]

Thanks for the input Warthog.

Sounds intriguing, care to explain? Is there something you think I should know?

[Warthog]

Sounds intriguing, care to explain? Is there something you think I should know?

Who me?

Warthog

[BITM@D]

Yes you Warthog.

It sounds like you have something to say about a non-ghetto way of doing it.

[charmler]

You can get a Creative Moviemaker USB for $179US that will allow you to hook all kinds of inputs to the PC.

Here (http://www.videoblaster.com/product/moviemakerA.asp)

[muno]

Explain to me too warthog http://www.sysopt.com/forum/smile.gif
As I'm not native american I don't understand what does 'ghetto way' mean? I'd suppose it's not something good http://www.sysopt.com/forum/smile.gif
-M

[Warthog]

Buying a new video card is the ghetto way of doing it http://www.sysopt.com/forum/biggrin.gif

Warthog

[jokostel]

dazzle also makes a usb version of the dvc_II card but its for ONLY VCD compliance... http://www.sysopt.com/forum/smile.gif


jokostel

[Warthog]

lol I mean that purchasing a new video card is stupid. That's the cheapy way of doing it, IMO, when you can buy a PCI card that can do even more. That is the "correct" way of doing it. http://www.sysopt.com/forum/wink.gif

"ghetto" meaning stupid, sort of. I have a tv tuner card that I bought last November. I could've bought an ATI All-in-Wonder to replace my 64mb Geforce2 GTS and save a PCI slot. I have a 15" subwoofer. I could've built an alternate subwoofer system by purchasing 20 6 1/2" subwoofers and putting them all together on the same amp. I have an air conditioner in my room that needs replacing (it's old, low output). I could go find a used one and just add another one in the other window in my room...that would be cheaper, right? Nope, I'm going to buy a new A/C because having two is the ghetto way of doing things. See what I mean?

I don't know if that makes sense...I don't really care
http://www.sysopt.com/forum/smile.gif
Warthog

[This message has been edited by Warthog (edited 07-11-2001).]

[BITM@D]

So, Warthog,
Thanks for the explanation (even though you don't care?). You still didn't suggest a card. Would you care to suggest a PCI capture card so I don't have to ghetto my way through this?

You mentioned that you bought a TV card. Unless that captures video as well, it won't help me. If it does, than could you please mention the brand and model?

Thanks

[Bsdboy]

I use an AIW Radeon it works good,Read RobRich's review here:
http://www.sysopt.com/reviews/radeon-aiw/index.html

Bsdboy

[Warthog]

Sorry, I thought you were gonna go with somebody else's idea.

Ok, I have done this the "ok" way (sort of). I just think buying an entire new video card JUST to do what you said when you have a perfectly good video card is ridiculous. Anyways, I have the Pinnacle Studio PCTV Pro tv tuner card. You can do exactly what you want to with this card.

The only catch is that the visual quality will slightly suffer when you record. The audio will be fine unless you turn it up loud, then you will have a steady, annoying bass signal.

Warthog

[This message has been edited by Warthog (edited 07-11-2001).]

[flash4master]

the ghetto way is the way of sayin its teh cheap way...i personally like my Hauppauge WinTV card...works nicely...does capture, tv tuning, etc...check out the hauppauge site

[muno]

Will the capture cards change now as the digital tv is coming? Yeah, I know they will send the analog signal til 2006 but I'd imagine they would need something else to get that work.
-M

[MrLuigi]

Take a look over at http://www.pinnaclesys.com/start.asp

[Warthog]

dunno about digital...I doubt I'll have my tv tuner card in 6 years anyway http://www.sysopt.com/forum/wink.gif

Warthog

[AdamAdsy]

Ive done this quite of often, im using an Asus v7700 deluxe (geforce2GTS) which has a video input so all I do is capture to an avi file (takes about 1gig per 15mins) and then I use avi2vcd ( http://www.mnsi.net/~jschlic1 ) which then compresses the avi's to mpg vcd format which can be played on a dvd player which supports it.

You could probably do this with the asus V8200 geforce3 deluxe as well.

[BITM@D]

Thanks to all who responded.

AdamAdsy, your solution sounds the simplest but my GeForce2mx only has video out so I guess I'll have to consider buying GeForce with the video in.

I found that the BELKIN F5U208 USB Video input adaptor is an interesting solution. I'm seriously considering it. http://catalog.belkin.com/IWCatProductPage.process?Merchant_Id=1&Product_Id=88962

[Brian48]

I simply took the cheapskate way of doing it. Recently converted 1.45 hrs of my wedding video to .mpg format and burned it onto a CDR.

Bought an ATI TV Wonder VE ($39.95 after $10 rebate at BestBuy). Now unlike the regular TV Wonder ($79.95), this version does not support on-the-fly mpg compression. Not a problem as all I did was simply record the segment using ATI's proproprietary VCR1 format (a form of .AVI) and then converting it over to a more generic .mpg format using a freeware utility like Avi2mpeg.

The image capture and TV tuner works great also, but I rarely ever record clips off the air.

[Brian48]

I simply took the cheapskate way of doing it. Recently converted 1.45 hrs of my wedding video to .mpg format and burned it onto a CDR.

Bought an ATI TV Wonder VE ($39.95 after $10 rebate at BestBuy). Now unlike the regular TV Wonder ($79.95), this version does not support on-the-fly mpg compression. Not a problem as all I did was simply record the segment using ATI's proproprietary VCR1 format (a form of .AVI) and then converting it over to a more generic .mpg format using a freeware utility like Avi2mpeg.

The image capture and TV tuner works great also, but I rarely ever record clips off the air.

[BITM@D]

Thanks Brian. Another good suggestion worth looking into. Speed is not an issue really. All that matters is that I end up with a file that will play on a PC - preferably at full screen - and/or a DVD player.

I hope this is helping other folks as well.

[JohnC]

BITM@D,

The Pinnacle card does a good job and is relatively cheap. My brother got one for $159 at a computer show.

A couple of years ago I worked for a company that makes training videos.

As a suggestion I would recommend breaking your video up into manageable chunks as you capture it. Later on, using some form of editing software like Adobe Premier or the U-Lead editor that comes with the Pinnacle card, put everything back together to make the avi file. With smaller chunks, it's easier to edit and add in transitions/wipes, etc. Also, if the computer crashes during the capture, you won't end up with a totally useless video and have to start over completly.

An avi-mpeg converter will then make your mpeg file. We used to use a Broadway card for that. They were about $999 about two/threee years ago. There are a couple of nice avi-mpeg converters (software) out now. Just check the compression levels. Sometimes you'll end up with video that's too compressed to look any good.

Good luck.

[agilchrist]

Pinnacle is really cool. Its dirt-cheap and they have just released Studio 7 which takes all the shortcomings of the previous product and fixes them.
THey have a really good users discussion board where you can get any problem solved because someone else has already had the problem and found a way around it - you're not alone.
Its a PCI card and so long has you have UDMA disks with lots of space, plus 256Mbytes of memory and at least a 500MHz P3, you'll have agreat experience.
It outputs MPEGs, but to get a VCD, you should know that not all DVD players play VCD.
Check out www.vcdhelper.com (http://www.vcdhelper.com) to find out if your player supports it.
You can search "VCD" in the Pinnacle discussion board for lots of good info.
To burn the CD, the burner SW of choice is Nero.
I've done it using all of the above and it was reasonably easy.