Best method to transcode a 1080i HDTV capture for a DVD burn?

[ParkerV]

I have a number of 1080i HDTV captures that I want to resize and down-sample to burn on DVDs for set-top play.

I have had some success with using TMPG but I suspect there are better methods with better quality.

Has anyone successfully used CCE, REMPEG or other combination of apps? Any help would be much appreciated.

ParkerV

[Haywire]

If I may ask, how did you capture the 1080i, and from what media (cable, satellite?)

[SiC]

Although you're capturing HDTV source, the resolution is dropped due to your capture card (S-Video or standard composite), so you can treat it just like any other video that you capture and encode to mpeg 2 with your favorite encoder such as CCE or TMPGEnc. Since your source is 1080i it is interlaced (the i in 1080i stands for interlaced) and you should configure your encoder properly for interlaced material.

[ParkerV]

Haywire,

I have a Hauppauge WinTV-HD(High Definition) capture card, which like the AccessDTV and Telemann HiPix card allows you to capture raw digital transport MPEG2 streams.

The 'transport streams' are just a variation of standard MPEG2 standard that break the data into smaller packets. I use XMUXER or more recently HDTV2MPEG to convert the streams into a more friendly and familiar MPEG2 file format.

Digital broadcasts fall into two categories: "Standard Definition" @ 480P and "High Definition" @ either 720p or 1080i. There are actually 16 other variations to the standard. The quality of the broadcast depends on how the segment was filmed. HBO's Soprano's uses the full 1080i while most of the other programming is 480P.

My capture card has two separate antenna inputs. I use both an over-the-air antenna when I can and a cable input when I can't (for pay channels like HBO). My local digital Time-Warner Cable does offer HDTV signals if you know how to find and use them.

You can play back the high-def files with the capture card but they aren't transportatble unless you down-sample them. I have down-sampled, authored, and burned a few to DVD-R for play on a set-top

I have used Rempeg and avisynth/TMPG to transcode but I don't have a whole lot of expertise transcoding and was fishing for suggestions. The process is neither quick nor easy.

[ParkerV]

SIC,

I am not using an analog capture card. I am using digital/hdtv capture card which grabs the raw MPEG2 data.

My question was really geared toward what is the best way to transcode/down-sample a high-definition MPEG2 capture to the DVD standard for set-top play.

ParkerV

[Haywire]

ParkerV,

Very interesting on your HDTV setup (I hope to to the same soon with satellite Ku band and hopefully later with C band)

As to your question. Rempeg is okay. The quality is okay and the speed it okay. I would suggest you look at CCE. Check out the CCE forums (I think its the next one up) I've used it for DVD resampleing and I swear by it for better results than Rempeg and A LOT FASTER! avisynth/TMPG should give better results than Rempeg but has its difficulty. Rempeg is nice and easy to use, but when your down sampleing from 1080i to 480 for DVD you want good results.

[ParkerV]

Haywire,

I don't know anything about satellite transmission standards or whether they can even be captured in digital format. I always thought the older standards, like Ku and C, were analog signals.

I see you are in Toronto but you may want to look ar this anyway.

Hauppauge has a line of satellite capture cards on their UK site. I'm fairly positive the aren't usable in North America but it may be work a look.

http://www.hauppauge.co.uk/html/digitaltv_prod.htm

Can you buy a set-top satellite tuner with a Firewire port?

[Haywire]

ParkerV,

Actually a lot of satellite signals are now moving to Digital. The FTA (Free to Air) signals are all Mpeg2. I've read about the Hauppauge DVB-S card and it should work in North America since it is displaying a MPEG2 picture on your screen (Both for PAL and NTSC resolutions) I'm using a Broadlogic card (eBay for around $70) which captures the digital stream that you can play back on the computer. You can also get a Nokia brand receiver that actually has a SCSI connector on the back for grabbing signals, even encrypted ones if you have the CI card. Its a very interesting hobby and is really complimented by the DVD recorders. Like what you are trying to do, capture a 1080i signal with AC3 and put it on DVD. I wish I had everything setup around the time the olympics were on, to grab a HD signal of the ceramonies.. Oh well, the next big thing is FIFA 2002 in Japan. They should broadcast some 1080i.

Just checked out the Hauppauge site and I haven't noticed the NOVA series before. These card are usually hard to find in NOrth America, time to check out ebay again...

[d121]

To ParkerV,

Where did you get HDTV2MPEG?

I am going to do the same as you did. My plan is to record World Cup in Korea/Japan this June by D-VHS. In Japan, the digital boardcast is HDTV (1080i) format. And I want to make DVD from the D-VHS tape.

[ParkerV]

d121,

Confirming you received my note. Let me know if you didn't.

[d121]

Hi ParkerV,

It seems that I don't find your mail. Could you please send it again?

[ParkerV]

d121,

Select "user cp" on the forum "menu bar" and then select "private messages". It should be there.

[rishardc]

Seems like a waist. Why take something as beautiful as HD at 1080i and downsample it to 480p?

[ParkerV]

rishardc,

Agreed... it is unfortunate that I have to down-sample the HDTV capture to work in my DVD set-top but DVD quality is still preferable to VCR quality. The reality is that I can't drag PC everywhere nor do I have the harddrive space to keep these huge capture files indefintely.

There is a new DVD-HD standard on the horizon. In the short-to-medium term, however, we are where we are.

ParkerV

[d121]

ParkerV,

Thank you very much.

[d121]

Hi,

I try to connect a computer with Windows XP and JVC 35000 D-VHS recorder by i-link cable. My purpose is to capture some TV programs which are recorded in Japan in 1080i HDTV format. But it seems that XP cannot work with JVC 35000 directly.

I may need a capture card that capture the 1080i format video to computer to playback and record by i-link connection.

Do you know whether this kind of capure card with i-link input/output is available or not?

Regards,

Fred

[ParkerV]

d121,

Firewire, i-link, or 1394 are all the same thing. All you need is a firewire to i-link cable and you are in business.

I routinely connect my sony digitial camera and sony digital camcorder i.link ports to my Adaptec firewire card.

There are tons of firewire cards to pick from. The cable is the key.

ParkerV

[ParkerV]

d121,

Check this out also.

http://www.webtc.com/DVHS/default.htm

ParkerV

[d121]

Hi ParkerV,

Thanks for your link. I follow the guide and come to a situation that I can control the Play, Pause and Stop functions of my JVC 35000 via the PC.

According to the guide, by using DirectX and TSP/SP filter, a file should be formed to record the video from DVHS. But when I finishing Play about 2 mintues, I check the file size of the file which is 0 byte. Is the video saved in other directory or the capture fails?

I don't have HiPix card and I'll try Elecard video decorder to read that file today.

Regards,

Fred

[ParkerV]

d121,

Sounds like you missed a step in the guide.

ParkerV

[d121]

Hi,

Now, I can capture HDTV from JVC35000 and then play back by Elecard decoder in the PC. Next step is to convert those 1080i video to MPEG2 which could be burned to DVD-R.

I start the software HDTVtoMPEG2 ver 1.07. I press the Add button and select the file where HDTV is stord. And then I hit Open. The software close at once. Of course, no conversion is done.

Is the crash of HDTVtoMPEG2 due to the video source to be Japanese BS?

Is HDTVtoMPEG2 could only handle ATSC MPEG2 transport stream?

Or is there a bug in the software?

Regards,

Fred

[ParkerV]

d121,

You are correct.

HDTVtoMPEG only supports ATSC. I am sorry I didn't understand where and what you were capturing.

There are a number of countries that support the ATSC standard (including Korea) but I don't think Japan is one of them.

You may have to find your own local Japanese converter application.

ParkerV