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josephk
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Technical information on video captures
27. Jul 2004 at 22:34
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Hi everyone.

I was wondering if anyone would like to share with the rest of us what software and methods they use to capture still images from DVDs.

I still use a method that was described by a former BA member (Link) in a guide that he had posted here a few years ago. That guide was the best I've ever read on how to make quality images from a DVD, giving step by step instructions as well as links to all the free software that was needed. Unfortunately, it was deleted from our site for some reason, so we no longer have access to it. (If anyone has a copy of the guide, by the way, I'd like to have it.)

I'm not going to go into details about the method I use (I'd have to pretty much rewrite Link's guide, and without his technical knowledge, I wouldn't do a very good job at it), but it requires the following software: DVD Decrypter, DVD2AVI and TMPGEnc. The sad thing is I don't quite understand everything I'm doing. All I know is I follow the steps and it works. (I do understand some of it.)

The reason I am asking all this is that I am currently having serious computer problems and I'm going to do a big cleanup this weekend and re-install everything from scratch. For most of the stuff on my computer, it's not a big problem. I just have to pop in the CD-ROM and follow the instructions. However, I'm afraid that I won't be able to recreate the setup I currently use for doing video captures.

I remember that it required me to install certain drivers and other things to work properly. (If I remember correctly, Ghostscript and Virtual Dub were two of these things, but I might be getting confused with something else.) Without the old guide, I'm pretty much screwed, cause I don't know of any other way to make quality caps from DVD.

Young Arthur, your caps are probably the best that I've seen on this website since Link stopped posting here. Maybe you can give me some tips?

Anyone else who has information to share, please do so. I will be forever grateful.

NOTE: I am looking for techniques to make a series of caps from an entire film on DVD, not just individual caps. I can do individual caps with PowerDVD, just by clicking on one button. What I need is a method where I can copy the raw video files from the DVD and then convert them to a series of JPGs.
  
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cal-Q-L8
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Re: Technical information on video captures
Reply #1 - 28. Jul 2004 at 10:21
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Joseph,

The reason it was deleted was because the images throughout Link's article had been chewed up by the server we used to call home.

I use a variety of methods to make captures from TV, and from the VCR and DVD players through the TV.. Of course a 'TV in' card is necessary to make caps from TV. I then use 'WinFast PVR' software to make the caps.

Making caps direct from DVD movies via my computer DVD player is done via the PowerDVD software which allows caps to be made by clicking a button. It creates caps in bmp format. I use ACDSee to resize and reformat the pics, as well as performing any filtering or cropping if necessary.

I use Virtualdub to edit movie clips that I've made and to compress raw avi files that I've captured via my TV card.

I also use Paintshop Pro's Animation Shop to make caps from Divx movies or AVI movies that I've downloaded.

If anyone wants specific details on any of the above let me know (best to make questions very specific) and I'll try to explain more carefully.
  
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josephk
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Re: Technical information on video captures
Reply #2 - 28. Jul 2004 at 10:41
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Thanks Cal. I use the same method to do single caps with PowerDVD.

It's really unfortunate that the guide was deleted. I never really bothered to look at the images anyway. They were just examples of the results and the guide was perfectly usable without them.

Again, if anyone has a copy of the guide saved on their hard drive, please let me know. I only need the text, not the images.

Otherwise, if anyone knows of another method to make a series of JPEGs from video files on DVD (.VOB files), please let me know. It doesn't have to be the exact same method that was described in the guide. Any other method that works will do, too. I just need to know what software/pluggins/drivers I need to re-install on my machine after the cleanup.

Thanks.
  
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Sir Jacob
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Re: Technical information on video captures
Reply #3 - 28. Jul 2004 at 12:27
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Ooooh, joseph!  jooooseph! 

Guess what?

I found it.   Grin

Now, what's it worth to you?   Wink

I'll see you on ICQ.  Soon.  I'm thinking about logging in there sometime before the Summer is over.

Love,
Sir J
  
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Bijou
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Re: Technical information on video captures
Reply #4 - 28. Jul 2004 at 13:00
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Hehe, sorry to thwart your plans for getting money out of josephk - it's still on the database server - (You need to Login or Register to view media files and links)
Obviously the links on it don't work.

love,
Bijou
  
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josephk
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Re: Technical information on video captures
Reply #5 - 28. Jul 2004 at 14:38
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Oh, excellent. Thank you both. Sir J, I got the copy you sent me by e-mail and saved it to my hard drive. Meanwhile, if anyone else wants to check out the guide, you can just click on Birjou's link. It's worth it if you want to learn a thing or two about how to use DVD Decrypter and other useful software.

I'm still interested in finding out how others do their caps. Link's guide was great, but it's probably outdated by now. I'm sure there are now new technologies available, perhaps better software. It'd be  interesting to find out more.
  
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YoungArthur
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Re: Technical information on video captures
Reply #6 - 28. Jul 2004 at 16:23
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Phew! I'm glad Bijou located Link's guide.  I found that I have a hard copy of it but never saved it to disc.  Stupido!! I was about to try scanning my copy.

I appreciate what you and others have said about my caps, Joseph but in only one or two cases have I thought mine were exceptional. I still only do PowerDVD caps from DVDs using the one button save feature that you and Cal describe.  I use Ulead Express to size and save as JPGs and also to lighten up caps that come out dark - that is a recurring problem with my caps and the Ulead software is very limited in 'touch-up' capacity.

If the DVD quality is great my caps come out good. If there is anything I do that is special it may be that I always pause the DVD at the part I'm after and advance one frame at a time until I get exactly what I want.  I'm a fussbudget at this and always wear myself out in a capping (and selection) session. Tongue  I do think selection is 80% of the final posting.

Oh, and I have the DVD drive on my computer that Link suggested.  Its the Pioneer 106S and maybe that makes a difference.
  
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Re: Technical information on video captures
Reply #7 - 02. Aug 2004 at 15:56
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Thanx for those lessons in movie Caps guys. I'll try them out Wink
  
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