MLyons

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i would love to get into the porn business over here
i would show them how to direct and light properly
well i edit all my tapes how hard can it be haha!!

even my camcorder a sony vhs (good one) with top spotlight
seems to be adequate, how come top studios mess this up constantly, isnt the director erm!!! directing, and the lighting guy erm!! supervising the lighting, doh!!!

CHEERS WHITESTAR.

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Sorry that this is really off the original topic, but I am after a similar camncorder like you explained. How much would be to get hold of one over here in the UK??? and how much you reckon second hand??

I too want to make filth films.

SQUIDMONKEY

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Edited by - pornlord on Sep 16 2002

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I have transferred many tapes to VCD. It is a tedious process until you get the knack of it. I have found that the easiest way to do this is with Nero and it's VCD authoring plugin. In effect, you need to use your capture software to create MPEG files of appropriate characteristics for VCD (or SVCD). I am not sure of the PAL requirements, so I will let you get them from Nero's help file. Also, if there is an issue with protection on the tape (e.g. Macrovision) you will need to clean up the signal prior to capture (with a Video Clarifier for example). Once the capture is complete, you suck the MPEG file directly into a Nero VCD project and let it chew... for a long while (depends on processor speed, but 12-18 hours is not abnormal). Then, voila, Nero creates the VCD.

I have had no problems with playing the VCD discs, but many DVD players seem to have problems with the SVCD discs.

If you use VCD mode, you will find 2 sets of errors contributing to your overall viewing displeasure: 1) Original errors from the VHS tape (chromatic problems, banding, jitter, etc), and 2) there will be the blockiness introduced from MPEG encoding.

My opinion is that this process is worthwhile for rare, out of print titles that you cannot purchase on DVD. If, however, the DVD is available, I believe the better way to go is to sell your tapes on ebay and buy the DVDs. Far better quality with no hassle.

Hope this helps.

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A much better solution was using my Sony D8 Handycam to convert to DV format on the fly, and then capture it to AVI format. You could also use a specialized device to do the same thing.

Either way you do it, it is time consuming to convert the AVI to MPEG-1 or MPEG-2. I got the best results with TMPGE but on higher or highest quality settings, it takes about 10-20 hours. It is also a steep learning curve.

If you are really serious about converting your material without a lot of fuss, purchase a Panasonic E-20 or E-30 standalone DVD burner. This puppy will give you much better results without all the hassle discussed above. If you are concerned about DVDs being fragile, burn two copies and store one away for safekeeping.

-- Snowman

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hi there please can you explain what i have to do, i have a sony hi8 handycam, how do i convert to digital video format
you dont mean put on the telly and film the picture do you
sorry to be such a klutz.

advice would be very helpful.

CHEERS WHITESTAR.

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1) Record VHS into my DV camera.

2) Use firewire connection to import video into my iMac...say what you will, but the iMac is cost effective for amateur video editing. It works 10 hex better than any PC capture device I've messed with. Plus you don't lose any quality or have to worry about dropped frames.

3) I use Toast 5.0 to make VCDs. It takes the imported video footage and converts it to MPEG-1. Like aybesea said, it takes several hours to do this. Once the file is ready, you can burn it to a CD. The end result isn't very impressive and usually exhibits a fair amount of pixelation, but it's still watchable. I plan to use the same process once I get a DVD-R. That should yield much better results.

If you're using a Hi-8 format and want to convert to digital, Sony makes a device to convert analog video to digital. There are two models DVMC-DA1 and the DVMC-DA2. You can usually find them for sale on Ebay. They sell for around $200-$300. I've never used one but was considering it before I bought my DV camera.

My overall opinion: Skip VCD and wait till you can convert your tapes to DVD.

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I don't believe that Sony makes the stand alone conversion boxes another person mentioned anymore, however several other companies do.

-- Snowman

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Many Thanks for that!! I think I will have to look into purchasing one of those. It would be damn handy for all sorts of situations!!

Another question though. What equipment do you use to edit?? I'm curious

SQUIDMONKEY

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look at www.vcdhelper.com for help in vcd creation.

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- The consensus seems to be that it's technically challenging, time consuming, and expensive (meaning that you need a fast PC, capture card or digital interface, and commercial editing software) to transfer VHS to VCD.

- There's a lot of information already shared in the thread, and I suspect the contributors would be willing to answer further questions via e-mail.

- It's a sticky legal subject when it comes to copying/archiving/duplicating copyrighted works, especially since studios and content creators are active participants in the forum. There is a precedent for closing threads dealing with such topics.

- There are plenty of resources on the Internet with tutorials, FAQs, and information on products. I suggest doing a Google search to find what you're looking for.

Thanks,

- Saki

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