VHS To Computer File?

[GCerbera]

Can anyone tell me the following.

1) What format is it best to save a file in for viewing on line? (MPEG etc)

2) What is required to do this?

3) How do you compress the size of the file for quicker viewing?

Mainly applies to changing VHS footage to PC, but also Video 8 etc.

Many thanks.

[agent006]

I find that WMV is the best format. I use Stoic video sometingorother. It's free and easily found with the assistance of google.

[marlboro]

For VHS I use one of these:

www.adaptec.com/worldwide/product/proddetail.html?sess=no&language=English+US&prodkey=AVC-1100&cat=%2fTechnology%2fVideo%2fVideo+Capture+and+Creation

Go for the PCI or USB2.0 product if your budget allows. Come complete with software for yor needs

I also have the PCI variant.

>> Edited by marlboro on Wednesday 7th April 19:08

[slinksport]

On a further note, how can I convert from MPEG to MP4??

I'd like to stick one or two videos on my phone, but it'll only play MP4's!!

[agent006]

marlboro said:

Go for the PCI or USB2.0 product if your budget allows.

I'd go as far as saying wait until your budget allows for the USB2 one. USB 1.1 really isn't fast enough for video.

[J_S_G]

agent006 said:

marlboro said: Go for the PCI or USB2.0 product if your budget allows. I'd go as far as saying wait until your budget allows for the USB2 one. USB 1.1 really isn't fast enough for video.

I'd agree with that. Best format for movies is currently (arguably) XVid. You can easily fit a full feature film on a single CD at near-DVD quality (none of the extras, though). After that I'd place the likes of DivX, etc. If the video is for private viewing only, I'd go for one of the nicer (if rarer) formats like that, if it's for public distribution, you're probably better off going with Windows Media format (WMV) or something equally prevalent.

[Edt]

good old fashioned MPG (1) is still the most accepted on ALL platforms, IMO

Regards, Ed

[J_S_G]

Edt said:

good old fashioned MPG (1) is still the most accepted on ALL platforms, IMO Regards, Ed

Probably right. But assuming people are running Windows (fair assumption in 95+% of cases), AVI or WMV would be a good call.

[trooper1212]

J_S_G said:

Edt said: good old fashioned MPG (1) is still the most accepted on ALL platforms, IMO Regards, Ed Probably right. But assuming people are running Windows (fair assumption in 95+% of cases), AVI or WMV would be a good call.

Even if they are not running Windows WMV won't be a problem, there are a lot of players for all different platforms that will handle WMV files, as long as they haven't been encoded in the certified media player 9 format.

AVI is a different kettle of fish though as it's just the wrapper and can be encoded in pretty much any format you like and be called an AVI.

I'd recommend QuickTime, but i'm a Mac floozy

[Edt]

That rings a bell.. it was some wmv media encoded to v9 that caused problems.. but on a PC ! Ho well. Stick in on VHS !!

Regards, Ed

[jam1et]

slinksport said:

On a further note, how can I convert from MPEG to MP4??

Download the 30 day trial of this product

>> Edited by jam1et on Thursday 8th April 16:17

[CarZee]

answers to all these questions on www.dvdrhelp.com

Quality site.

[GCerbera]

Many thanks for all the great replies.

Just tried my first ever video8 transfer, see below.
Technically not perfect by any means and the quality seems to have dropped out?
Is that due to saving it as a WMV file?

First Attempt