Is it the Card? Is it the Software?

[Guest]

I'm trying to convert Hi-8 video to DVD and have grown disappointed so far
with the results that I'm receiving when i author to DVD.

Here's my configuration
P4 2 ghz, ATI AIW 8500 card
I use Virtual Dub to capture the video
Tmpgenc to convert avi->mpg
and DVD Movie Factory to create the dvds

When I capture at 720*480, the fast-moving scenes (such as my son playing
soccer) are very "jaggy"
This is with and without using Huffyuv 2.1.1 compression, and selecting YUY2
format - i'm not using
other compression schemes - and with viewing the AVI itself - not even
looking at what Tmpgenc does with the video

When I capture at 320*240, the "jaggieness" disappears but the images are
softer - in the AVI

So, to improve the quality of the video capture
1. Is the card the problem?
2. If not the card, what would be the best video capture settings to use?

Thanks

 

[ST]

yes, the capture ability of your card is poor. Sorry, for most its ok but
for archiving Analog video to DVD its about as poor as you can get.

This is a GREAT device thats not expensive.
http://www.canopus.com/US/products/advc-100/pt_advc-100.asp#technical_specification

Its about $275 from Newegg.com

These devices convery Analog to DV then stream to your HD through USB2 or
Firewire. Quality is about as good as its going to get out of your Hi8.

The problem is the compressors. Tour ATI can not capture with a hardware
CODEC. You can either capture uncompressed (RAW) and deal with the headach
of VERY large files or compress on the fly and get crap quality.

I use Pinnicle cards that use MJPEG hardware CODEC. Its better but still not
as good as the Canopus.

 

[Shrivel]

Dude, you just asked the same question yesterday and it was answered
correctly yesterday: uncompressed captured AVI video is supposed to look
this way on a PC due to the interlacing artifacts.

The card is NOT the problem and you are using the best capture settings.
Once you compress the video to MPEG2 and play back on your television, the
problem will be gone. If you want it to look correct on a PC, de-interlace
it as you convert to MPEG2.

 

[Guest]

I asked the question in a broad sense - and at the time i posted the 2nd
question, it hadn't been answered. I read some additional questions on the
ATI board that gave me pause to question whether it WAS the hardware
instead. So I added my hardware configuration to the second message.
Of course I'd like to avoid purchasing additional hardware if i can avoid
it, but i needed to ask the follow up question with my hardware set up.
Sorry for taking up so much of your valuable time. Ass.