Can't capture video image

[w.edelstein]

I have tried to use otherwise reliable screen capture software to get a
single frame from a video. The frame sits there nicely, but when I try
to capture it, I get a black rectangle where the image should be. I
have tried displaying the single video fram this with several video
players.

Is this some kind of protection, or is there something about video
frames that makes them different from other images displayed on the
screen.

Thanks for your help,
Bill Edelstein
Schenectady, NY

 

[LittleMoo]

Video isn't protected in this sense. It's probably a fluke with your
software. Maybe it's an issue between whatever Codec is being used to
display the video and the image capture software. Do you still have the same
problem with different software?

One other thing you can try - when you get the frame up that you want to
capture do a screen capture, then paste the screen capture into your
favorite image editing software, edit it, then save it. Granted this way is
a little slower, but it gets the job done. To get a screen capture just
press the Print Screen button on your keyboard.

-Dan

 

[Richard Urban]

If you used a decent playback program, such as PowerDVD, you would be able
to do what you want.

--

Regards,

Richard Urban
Microsoft MVP Windows Shell/User
(For email, remove the obvious from my address)

Quote from George Ankner:
If you knew as much as you think you know,
You would realize that you don't know what you thought you knew!

 

[w.edelstein]

Richard,

I am using Power DVD.

I would be happy to send you the pdf I made (see posting to Little Moo)
and have you play with it.

Thanks,
Bill Edelstein

 

[LittleMoo]

If it's a DVD that you're trying to capture an image from then to figure out
if PowerDVD is the cause, put your DVD in fire up Windows Media Player, go
to Play -> DVD, VCD, or CD Audio. After you get to the frame that you want
to capture go to View -> DVD Features -> Capture Image. (You can also use
Ctrl + i without going through the menus) If you can capture an image here
then you at least know that PowerDVD is the problem, and maybe an update to
it would fix the problem.

-Dan

 

[w.edelstein]

My version of Windows Media Player does not have capture image under
view->DVD features.

Would you like to see the pdf file containing this image that I have
generated? It is very strange indeed, and I would like to understand
it. If so, please send me an email address.

Bill Edelstein

 

[LittleMoo]

This would be easier for me: Upload the file to http://www.filefactory.com/
All you have to do is use the browse button to select your pdf file, click
Upload File, then when it's done you'll see 'Your download url:' followed by
(on the next line) the link to the file. Copy the link and post it back
here.

After 7 days of inactivity FileFactory will automatically delete the file
from their servers.

I'll take a look at it, but I can't guarantee anything will come of it.

Another thing you can do in the meantime is download WinDVD from here:
http://www.download.com/WinDVD/3000-7970_4-10532832.html?tag=lst-0-1
It's very similar to PowerDVD.
If you can get the screenshots with WinDVD then there is some problem with
PowerDVD that won't allow you to take the screenshot of the video. In this
case you might need to either see if there's an update for PowerDVD or maybe
uninstalling it and then re-installing it would cure the problem.

-Dan

 

[w.edelstein]

Dan,

OK, I have solved the problem.

I downloaded Win DVD and indeed was able to capture the frame. Once I
saw how to do it there, I found the correct controls for DVDMAX and
made them work. The capture I had previously mentioned was done with
separate software, which did not work. It had a very strange effect,
but life is too short to figure out everything.

Thanks for the help.

Regards,
Bill Edelstein
Schenectady, NY

 

[LittleMoo]

Great, glad to hear that you were able to solve your problem.
Thanks for providing info on the outcome.

-Dan