Log in

View Full Version : Help for a newbie wanting to convert LDs to DVDs.


Jedi Master Matt
15th July 2002, 23:22
I debating getting started converting my laserdiscs over to DVDs. I feel like I'm jumping into the deep end, so I was wondering if somebody can help fill me in on what I'm going to need. I'm willing to learn. I've already gathered a lifetime of knowledge from this forum. I just need a place to start.

Here's what I'm interested in. Taking my LDs and bringing them over to DVD with the best quality possible - within reason. I'd like to use a PC solution without going to a standalone DVD recorder. It would be perferable to take the LD capture and scale it up from a 4:3 image and convert it to 16:9 - this would basically involve zooming the image with the PC instead of using the crappy scaler in my Mits 65819. I'd like to encode using 3:2 pulldown and here is the kicker - I have to KEEP the 5.1 sound if possible.

Here is what I think I need to get.

LD player to capture card to caputure video. I will need a good capture card, any recommendations?

LD player to RF convertor to DD/DTS decoder. Take the analogue outputs from the decoder into a sound card to capture sound. I will definaltely need help with this choice. If possible I'd like to do this in one pass to keep from syncing up the six channels to each other, but I could always capture them in separte passes, syncing them to the right channel or something.

Once audio and video have been captured and put on the hard drive, I can then use TMPGE to manipulate the image, but what should I use to scale the 4:3 to 16:9? Should this resizing be done before TMPGE conversion?

What do I need to do to convert the audio over to DD 5.1 AC3? What software? AC3Machine I assume.

I then need to author the DVD, I suppose I could use the software that should be included with the DVD burner I purchase, but what would be the best choices?

Burn the DVD with Nero and viola....

All my laserdiscs are protected from my LD player dying on me.

Please offer any advice you can. Thanks in advance.

Matt

Arky
19th July 2002, 09:39
Apologies that what follows is a very incomplete answer to your question (I am not familiar with the data specs of Laserdisc, so I do not know if they are digitally rippable, or if they require analogue capture instead - I suspect the latter is required, since there are no PC-compatible digital interfaces that I know of which would support digital ripping of a laserdisk. Unfortunately, you may experience problems with analogue-capturing Macrovision-protected material, but you would have to experiment with an analogue capture card to confirm this).

Whatever the case, I do nt recommend increasing your frame sizes artificially (i.e. interpolating). See the following thread for some reasons why:

http://forum.doom9.org/showthread.php?threadid=29095

Good luck, let us know how you get on.


Arky ;o)

Chauncey
19th July 2002, 19:03
Check out this thread:

http://forum.doom9.org/showthread.php?s=&threadid=17792

You will need an analog capture card. I bought the Pinnacle Studio Plus (http://www.pinnaclesys.com/ProductPage.asp?Product_ID=520&Langue_ID=7), and it has worked well for me. Also, laserdiscs are not macrovision protected, so you do not have to worry about that.

Good luck,

Chauncey

DJ Bobo
19th July 2002, 20:10
Some comments:
1) Keep your encoding in 4:3 if the LD is 4:3 as Arky stated, because upsizing will make quality only worse! (and will need more bitrate ;))
2) you better IVTC of course. My favourite AviSynth IVTC filter is IVTC2.2 with the setting ivtc(44,11,95)
Then encode to progressive 23,976fps for highest quality (interlaced requires indeed far more bitrate to achieve the same quality).
NB: IVTC don't have influence on the duration of the movie.
3) Don't hesitate to give a high bitrate for the sound:
AC3 2.0: min 192kbps and the higher the better (I think 256k is optimal) or if you wanna use MP2: min 224kbps
AC3 5.1: min 448kbps, here again you may go for 512k or even 640k if you like!