(1) from [log in to unmask]
We use a breakout box from AJA, model IO LA, that works pretty well. I would
think it works probably the same as your Canopus box (i.e. just select it as
a source in Quicktime and record). You can set the record preference to
encode in a smaller format, rather than the native DV stream, which will
indeed be unnecessarily large. If you're doing this in iMovie you can export
the project in a compressed format (anything using mpeg4 H.264 will still
give you good quality with a better resulting file size). I can't speak to
the actual quality of how the video looks. What specifically looks bad about
it? I know depending on the codec you record in you can get some pretty
horrible interlacing going on (giving you choppy lines through the screen).
If that's the case I'd play around with recording and export options till
you find the sweet spot.
--John Beals
GVSU Language Resource Center
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(2) from [log in to unmask]
Hi Mike,
We've been doing a lot of this for film classes over the last two years. For
VHS tapes we use a JVC vhs/mini-dv deck that connects to the mac via firewire.
For DVDs we use handbrake. We import the clips into iMovie HD (we're avoiding
the new iMovie that cam e with iLife '08).
We usually import the entire movie as in general for film classes 20 clips or so
per film are needed. Then we have the instructor come in on their own and use
iMovie to simple not the start and stop times for the clips as well as giving
them a name.
Once we have the list, we cut the clips, usually add a fade in and fade out,
then we save them as full quality dv files, which are quite large. (5 mins=1GB)
We use Compressor which is part of Fincal Cut Pro studio to compress them into
several formats, however with Quicktime Pro you could output to these formats
directly without having to use the FCP package, and skip the export to DV step.
The advantage of Compressor is that we can cut all of the clips and export them
and then batch encode them to several formats.
For the web we either use "Movie to Quicktime Movie" and choose the h.264 codec
which produces a great picture at a small size, or we use the Adobe Flash Video
Encoder and stream them through our university's flash server.
For PowerPoint presentations we generally export as MPEG. Although not full
screen it seems to be the most compatible with both Mac and PC formats.
Quicktime files seem to have some trouble on the Windows version of PowerPoint
if the files are created on the Mac. They work, however the professor usually
needs to relink the movie files whenever they switch platforms.
As of late we have been using compressor to output to MPEG-2/AC3 DVD files and
using DVD Studio Pro (part of FCP 2) to create a DVD of the clips. DVD Studio
Pro has a bit of a learning curve. The first few DVDs we made took a long time
to make, but now that we've made almost 100 clip dvds I can amke one in about 30
minutes once I have all the source material compressed.
Shawn
---
Shawn M Provencal, Systems Administrator
College of Arts & Sciences
CAS Language Center
Boston University
685 Commonwealth Avenue Room 540
Boston, MA 02215
(617) 353 2640
http://www.bu.edu/geddes/
+++++++++++
(3) from [log in to unmask]
We've used a Canopus ADVC 300, and gotten acceptable quality from it.
It has been annoying in other ways, such as capriciously shutting down,
after apparently deciding that video that we are inputting or
outputting is copy-protected. This is with video that we produce, with
no copy protection of any kind.
Most often, I use one of our mini-DV camcorders to do the analog to
digital conversion. We have Sony, Canon, and Panasonic comsumer-level
camcorders which will accept composite analog video input from a VHS
VCR or Laserdisc player, and send a digital video signal (DV25) to the
computer via FireWire. I capture the video signal via iMovie usually.
Sometimes via Final Cut Pro.
With either the Canopus or the camcorder, the resulting video looks
just about as good as the original VHS. With clean VHS footage, there
is little degrade of the general appearance, although careful viewing
will reveal some digital artifacts.
I'm not sure what would be causing the problems that Mike reports.
When I convert a VHS tape, I get the file sizes that I would expect
from a similar amount of material shot on a mini-DV digital camcorder.
This could reasonably be described as huge, requiring roughly 212 MB
per minute and a bit more than 13 GB per hour of video. That's huge,
but it's normal for the consumer/prosumer digital video standard:
DV25-encoded video. Converting to MPEG-2, as used for DVDs, will cut
the file size to about one third at maximum quality level. For file
size and portability reasons, I produce a fair number of DVDs for
classroom use.
If I want smaller file sizes for QuickTime movies, I usually convert
the video to MPEG-4 using the h.264 codec. The latter option gives
good quality when played from the local computer, as expected. More
surprisingly, it retains most of its quality when uploaded to YouTube,
which our students and faculty sometimes desire.
Derek
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(4) from [log in to unmask]
Mike- we aren't using Macs, but we've had great success using a standard
PC with a video card from Osprey (about $300) that allows us to accept
line level inputs from a dvd/vhs/or whatever other peripheral you have.
I'm not sure what sort of resolution you are looking to achieve, but
we've found it to be more than sufficient for webstreaming.
Cheers,
Steven
**********************************************************
Steven Doellefeld, Ph.D.
Assistant Director
Institute for Teaching, Learning & Academic Leadership
University at Albany
+++++++++
(5) from [log in to unmask]
Hi Mike,
I have been using a Canopus DV/VHS capture card to capture from VHS.
It is fine if the source quality is good, but it is certainly
impossible to get better quality than the source. After the clips are
captured, they should be compressed to MPEG2 for standard DVD, or MP4
(in various formats and frame sizes). Their quality should be similar
to or the same as those on the VHS tapes.
You are right that it is tough to get very good quality from VHS
which does not have enough information. In addition, to display your
video very well on a multimedia projector, you will need higher
resolutions than the SD DVD because ours DVD videos cannot be as good
as Hollywood's.
I read an ad online that a Chinese video broadcast company can get
VHS source to get on a very good DVD, but I don't know what they use.
They do not want to tell me. I know that there are other famous video
capture cards that I have no hands-on experiences. If you happen to
find it out, please let me know. Thanks.
Joe
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