Virtualdub2 on WinXP can't detect video signal from VCR

[tugatomsk9]

In order to archive my PAL VHS and Betamax tapes, I created a dual boot system on my computer. Adding to my previous win10, I now also have Windows XP Pro SP2 32bit (that I can boot through the boot menu). I was lucky that the MB of my i3-2100 (Intel Corporation DH61SA (LGA1155 CPU 1)) still supported WinXP.

A friend of mine borrowed me a USB capture pen-drive Pinnacle PCTV PMC 800e, which only works on WinXP 32bit. He claims that "it was one of the last truly good ones". He advised me to archive my data using the codec FFV1 version 3, as it is very good. Virtualdub2 includes that codec, so off I went and connected my VCR via SCART directly into the composite plugs of the pen-drive. (The VCR is a Sony SLV-SX700 (Hifi with 6 heads.)

I started "Capture AVI" in VDub2 but there was no image whatsoever from the VCR. I couldn't start video capture or even test video capture because it would invariably return the error "unable to capture video". Everything seemed correct: the PAL settings, the codec, the drive in "device" was selected, the drivers had been updated, yet I still couldn't even start.

However, I discovered that the original video recording software from Pinnacle included a hardware options in settings where I could test the video preview of the pen drive. To my surprise, there was image from my VCR!

Then I found the log in VDub2. As it stands:

* with ffdshow_rev4533_20140929_clsid (32bit).exe *

"CapDShow:failed to build filter graph: create renderer (VFW error code 80040273, VFW_E_DDRAWW_CAPS_NOT_SUITABLE)"

I can't get around this error.

Then I remembered to test it with VirtualDub 1.10.4, my latest non-VDub2 version. To my amazement, there was signal and I was able to capture the video! However, with 1.10.4 I can only capture in FFV1 with ffdshow (I set to yuv422p), whose encoder settings seem a big finicky to me. I'm not sure I'm getting as much video quality and fidelity as I would be getting with VDub2's FFV1... Not to mention the interlacing seems a bit off to me...

Another strange thing is that, in Capture Filter -> Video Decoder, there's no signal or lines detected, despite clearly having video signal coming from my VCR. Is this important?

I made a test video using Virtualdub 1.10.4 with fddshow's FFV1 to show you. Tell me what you think of it.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1rgC...ew?usp=sharing

Here's the most dubious test: there are no interlaced fields even though it's a standard PAL recording from a VHS VCR!
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1uOZ...ew?usp=sharing

How can I solve the issues with VDub2? Should I just switch to 1.10.4 or even an earlier version? Is ffdshow's FFV1 just as good as VDub2's FFV1?

Thank you in advance.


PS.: Could the Hauppauge USB-live 2 provide the same capture quality as the PMC 800e I'm currently using?

Cheers.

[lordsmurf]

Quote:

Originally Posted by tugatomsk9

PS.: Could the Hauppauge USB-live 2 provide the same capture quality as the PMC 800e I'm currently using?
Cheers.

No. The card is vastly different.

However, there may be another option, I need to check something, get back to you in a bit here.

I want to address other parts of the post, but one at a time.

[lollo2]

Quote:

Could the Hauppauge USB-live 2 provide the same capture quality as the PMC 800e I'm currently using?

If you feed it with a lineTBC VCR and Y/C input the Hauppauge USB-Live 2 is an excellent card.

I do not know about the PMC800e, but here some (indirect) comparison between Pinnacle 710 / Dazzle DVC100 / USB-Live 2:
http://www.digitalfaq.com/forum/vide...-pinnacle.html
http://www.digitalfaq.com/forum/vide...ture-card.html

Judge yourself

[tugatomsk9]

Quote:

Originally Posted by lollo2

If you feed it with a lineTBC VCR and Y/C input the Hauppauge USB-Live 2 is an excellent card.

I just tried using my Sony DVR RDR-HX710 as a passthrough with S-Video out (no TBC, though) while getting the signal from the VHS VCR via SCART.

The picture quality improved, especially the dotcrawling and the colors. However, that Captain Tsubasa recording still has no interlacing fields.

Here's the test video (this time in uncompressed YUV2);
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1u9F...ew?usp=sharing

Do I really have to get a Panasonic DMR-ES10 (with a fairly good TBC, as far as I know) in order to get the interlacing right? I can't afford neither the Datacenter line TBC nor a S-VHS VCR...

[lordsmurf]

Lots of DVD recorders overprocess video. You can't use random DVD recorders.

[lollo2]

Quote:

However, that Captain Tsubasa recording still has no interlacing fields.

A telecine PAL video has the two fields coming from the same moment in time, then no interlacing. Most of movies and TV series are like that. Generally, live studio videos and home recordings are interlaced.

In addition, you video is an anime, where the fields/frames architecture is often a mess and difficult to manipulate. In your case I see several frames/fields repeated. It may be the source master.

[tugatomsk9]

Quote:

Originally Posted by lollo2

A telecine PAL video has the two fields coming from the same moment in time, then no interlacing. Most of movies and TV series are like that. Generally, live studio videos and home recordings are interlaced.

In addition, you video is an anime, where the fields/frames architecture is often a mess and difficult to manipulate. In your case I see several frames/fields repeated. It may be the source master.

But the anime video is a home recording from TV.

[tugatomsk9]

Quote:

Originally Posted by lordsmurf

Lots of DVD recorders overprocess video. You can't use random DVD recorders.

Are you referring to my Sony DVR or the Panasonic?

[lollo2]

Quote:

But the anime video is a home recording from TV.

Almost every capture comes from a home recording. TVs broadcast their video master, i.e. a PAL telecine many times. You recorded on tape what was broadcasted.

With home recording I meant camcorders.

[tugatomsk9]

Quote:

Originally Posted by lollo2

Almost every capture comes from a home recording. TVs broadcast their video master, i.e. a PAL telecine many times. You recorded on tape what was broadcasted.

With home recording I meant camcorders.

So you see we what I mean. That anime recording I linked came from a tTV broadcast, hence a PAL telecine. Any telecine has to have 50 or 60 interlaced fields (depending if it's PAL or NTSC), right? Yet I don't see the interlaced fields in my capture...

[lollo2]

Quote:

Any telecine has to have 50 or 60 interlaced fields (depending if it's PAL or NTSC), right?

No. A PAL telecine has no interlaced fields. You should start from basic to understand. Attached a helpful document.

[tugatomsk9]

Quote:

Originally Posted by lollo2

No. A PAL telecine has no interlaced fields. You should start from basic to understand. Attached a helpful document.

Thanks, I'll have a look into that later on.

Meanwhile, I made another whose master was surely PAL:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/16Tk...ew?usp=sharing

It seems to behave as expected. I guess you were right all along.

However, there's still the strange matter of why VirtualDub won't detect any signal or lines in the "Capture Filter" menu despite the obvious existence of video signal. What harm could this behaviour be doing?
Also, should I check the "VCR signal" box?

Furthermore, there's that question I asked abut whether ffdshow's FFV1 encoder is just as good as FFV1 from Vdub2 or not, just so I could get some peace of mind.

EDIT: I just found out that the audio not only doesn't work but it also crashes Virtualdub with any of the drivers I install... I can only record video without audio...

[lollo2]

Concerning VirtualDub and FFV1 I cannot help, because I only use AmarecTV and HuffYUV, sorry.