analogue to digital with Sony DCR-HC32E

[idam]

Hi,

This is my first post in this Forum, if I post it in a wrong session please forgive me.

I use a MiniDv Sony DCR-HC32E with iLink. to change the signal from analogue to digital.

I am trying to capture analogue video from my Sony Handycam TR511E(PAL) to My computer Compaq nx5000 Pentium M 1.5ghz.

I use WinDv for capturing the Digital signal or AM Capture for analogue.

I have VitrualDub with almost all the plugging I have found on the net.
I have almost all the biggest Encoding, Processing Authoring software needed.

I need to make a DVD from my brother 8mm wedding tape.

I have learnt how to encode and author the DVD but the processing is killing me because, I cannot clean the Digital signal change from analogue.

When I capture the digital from the digital tape of MiniDV camera the signal is OK, but when I try to change the signal coming from the analogue camera (analogue 8mm tape) to digital, the quality is bad.

I have try to record on the digital tape the signal coming from the 8mm tape but the picture is the same, bad.

I have try a analogue USB capturing card for my laptop to capture the signal from the 8mm tape but the result is the same.

I have tried even a different analogue camera, cables, but no success.

The 8mm tape looks ok on my TV and is only 2 months old.
Here you have a sample of the signal I try to clean up.

Thank you in advance for your help

Idam

[bb]

Welcome to the forum!

The picture you attached shows typical problems you may encounter when capturing analog video. As the problems you have seem to be at the borders only, you should consider to either crop the video and resize it back to full size or to cover the borders with black (= letterboxing).

The first option may blur the picture a little, whereas the latter leaves black borders around the video. The black borders should be in the overscan area, which means you probably won't see them on tv.

There are filters for VirtualDub to accomplish this, but if you don't mind reading a little, AviSynth is a better option. Using AviSynth you can filter the video and feed the result directly into an MPEG-2 encoder without the need for RGB conversion or creating intermediate files.

By the way: if your 8mm tape is Hi8, then you could easily convert the analog video to DV using a Sony Digital8 camcorder (simply play the analog tape and capture DV from the i.Link port).

bb