Huffyuv vs. Cineform video capture?

[qiko]

Hi everyone,

I am still learning to do video capturing, video codecs, and NLEs. I am planning to convert VHS to DVDs. Majority of all tapes are 30+ years old. Problem is, it is slow to edit in my NLE, which is movie studio hd platinum 11. Transitions, effects, etc are slow in preview. I read Cineform is a better codec for editing.

My current setup is VCR > ES10 >ATI HD 600 USB + X-Fi Titanium HD > VirtualDub. I don't have a TBC yet.

I am saving them in an AVI container using HufYUV in YUV 4:2:2. Next I add filters to clean up the video and save again in HufYuv. I noticed in media info, HufYuv uses a higher bit rate for playback.

Is HufYuv a better codec for VHS capturing than Cineform ? Or should I capture in Cineform from the beginning? Or convert HufYuv to Cineform?

[sanlyn]

The Cineform codec is not lossless.

VirtualDub and most NLE filters work in RGB. If you're saving the results as RGB, you'll use more data and get larger files.

Why do you need a tbc if you're using the ES10 as pass-thru? The ES10 has both line-level and elementary frame sync circuitry. If you insert a frame-level tbc between your VCR and ES10, the ES10's line-level tbc won't work. You should also be aware that the ES10's tbc for pass-thru is available on its Line-1 input only. Line-level and frame-level tbc's do different things-- for VHS you need both functions, which are in the E10.

[lordsmurf]

Quote:

Originally Posted by sanlyn

The Cineform codec is not lossless.

VirtualDub filters work in RGB. If you're saving the results as RGB, you'll use more data and get larger files. Regardless of which compression codec you use, Virtualdub will run RGB, and most NLE's add the effects you mention using RGB as well.

Why do you need a tbc if you're using the ES10 as pass-thru? The ES10 has both line-level and elementary frame sync circuitry. If you insert a frame-level tbc between your VCR and ES10, the ES10's line-level tbc won't work.

^ This is all correct.

For VHS, the Huffyuv > VirtualDub is ideal, yes.
Whatever minor YUV>RGB colorspace conversions are present will have little effect on this kind of source.

[qiko]

Thx, very informative.

[Goldwingfahrer]

post 2 sanlyn....

Quote:

You should also be aware that the ES10's tbc for pass-thru is available on its Line-1 input only.

"Line 1 Output" is correct

Player CVBS or S-Video to Front on ES10