Recording VCR Tapes

[baysidetech]

Hi All.

I am new to SageTV and HTPC (just built my own). I would like to record some of my VHS tapes to PC but so far I have have video quality issues (a little choppy on action areas..what I would call "stuttery").

Here is my config:
1) pvr-150
2) using latest nvidia encoder under video settings ("MPEG2 video decoder filter")
3) using VMR9 for "Video Render" setting
4) Running XP Pro with all lates SPs
5) SageTV Beta
6) I am connected to HDTV 42" plasma
7) Quality setting "Best"

Any help would be appreciated.

-b

[AWS]

VC what?

what are your HTPC hardware specs? CPU, RAM, video card, etc?

[baysidetech]

Hi, Thanks

specs,

ASUS A7N8X-E Deluxe Mobo
Mobile AMD cpu (2600)
512 MB RAM
I am connected to VC"Argh" via R6 Coaxial
Got the new nvidia 6600GT video card

-b

[AWS]

Are you using the SATA or IDE for your system? HTPC storage on SATA and OS on IDE or one HDD for everything? If one HDD, is it SATA or IDE?

For me, my HTPC stuttering was because my original IDE HDD couldn't keep up with the I/O I was subjecting it to. I later upgraded my primary drives to SATA (OS and program files on c: (SATA), HTPC (SageTV recordings) on e: (SATA), and DVD storage on f: (IDE)). But that is only one possible fix for the stuttering.

Another possibility is that your CPU can't keep up. Have you checked out the CPU usage within Windows? Right click on your task bar, select task manager, then select the Performance tab. If it's at 100%, then you know it's the CPU falling behind. Unfortunatly I don't know the specs for an AMD mobile Athlon. But that would be my best guess since you said "2) using latest nvidia encoder under video settings ("MPEG2 video decoder filter")" and "7) Quality setting "Best"". But what is weird is that the PVR-150 HAS hardware encoding on it. Humm. Nothing else is currently running when you do this?

[baysidetech]

Thanks,. R U saying that the the "MPEG2 video decoder filter" setting is meaningless when using the PVR ?

I don't have SATA drives but I am going to reformat my recording drives to NTFS w/64Kb blocks

My CPU running at 2-4% when recording. And Cable TV show recordings look great it's just the VHS tape...I wonder if the decoder is causing issues due to "unscaling" VHS video to DVD-type quality.

-b

[AWS]

ahh, somehow I didn't realize that your only have the stuttering problem when you do the VCR conversion. I wouldn't think that should change anything. What I did for mine, is that I used the coax out off of the VCR to the coax in on the PVR card. I didn't think the signal was any different than that coming out of the wall for my std. cable. Umm. Now I'm really not sure.

[briands]

Is the coax affected by macrovision?

Just a thought. I am trying to convert some of the Kids tapes using my DV camera and it chokes on macrovion on the composite input. I'm probably going to put my old dscaler card in there and try that next.

[baysidetech]

No, not really...It's a Baby Einstein video and I haven't noticed Macrovision issues it's just not as "smooth" and the vhs tape itself.

-b

[Menehune]

If the stuttering is only when you record a VHS tape to the Harddrive, the problem is probably due to the noise and grainyness of the analog VHS signal. This is a big problem especially when converting old VHS videos to DVD. Noise in the video can throw off the compression and in certain cases, the video becomes pixelated and looks worse than the analog original. Sometimes the video looks choppy like it's dropping frames.

One thing that might help is to get one of those boxes that allows you to adjust the video signal so you can try to reduce the detail in the picture.