I am using VirtualDub 1.4.9, TMPGEnc Plus 2.5 and VCDEasy 1.1.1 to capture VHS tape to VCD. Most of the KVCD templates I want to try are labeled as "NTSCFilm." My question is, since a normal TV signal is 29.97fps. which rate do I capture at?

Do I:

1. Capture at 24fps and when encoding (TMPGEnc) leave the frame rate alone (23.97fps)

2. Capture at 29.97fps, when encoding (TMPGEnc) leave the frame rate alone (23.97fps) and let TMPGEnc convert it

3. Capture at 29.97fps, when encoding (TMPGEnc) apply the template and change the frame rate to 29.97fps

You always capture at 29.97fps. If your VHS tapes are movies, they were shot FILM (24fps), so you have to "Inverse Telecine" your captures, so that you encode at 23.976. You can IVTC with TMPEG, but it's better to do it with an AviSynth script using the decomb.dll. Read the manual on AviSynth, and pay special attention to the finctions Telecide() and Decimate()

-kwag

Hi Kwag,

If I capture at 29.97 and then discover that IVTC is necessary, this will encode at 23.976 (as you state above). However; the Mintek 1600 only plays at your templates at 29.97. So could I check the 3:2 pulldown box in "other settings" so that after the IVTC it encodes at 29.97?

Also, some captures (even from the original VHS source) result in faded colors (especially whites and yellows). Is there any setting or filter that should be used when encoding to combat this?

Thanks.
100571

If your original was FILM, you should IVTC. If your DVD player doesn't play 23.976fps, then don't IVTC. Just deinterlace. The 3:2 pulldown is used on MPEG-2. Not on MPEG-1. Use the "Flaxen" VHS filter on Vdub to stabilize your image.

-kwag

Thanks, Kwag.

Lastly, if I do not IVTC and just deinterlace, should I still plan on capturing at 352x480 to get both fields for best results? Not sure if this holds true for those of us encoding at 29.97.

Thanks.
100571