#Output to VHS
10 messages in this thread
John et al,
I've been browsing thru some of the messages on this forum and you're all way
above me, but I'm hoping you might still be able to help me.
I have the AI Tech Pro PC/TV Plus. I teach computer graphics nationwide, and
use it to connect to large TVs for teaching groups. I also use it to produce
my videos. I am using Astound and producing self-running presentations, then
videotaping these via the VGA->NTSC converter and a Sony Hi-8 deck.
This produces beautiful originals, but when copied for distribution, they are
not nearly as good as professional video. Although I know that I cannot hope
to get to professional video on my tiny budget, I am looking into trying to at
least get my resolution to 800 x 600 in hopes it will improve the quality
somewhat.
I have been eyeing the AVerKey 3, their zoom feature fascinates me, although I
don't know if I'd be able to integrate it with my Astound presentations. I
also saw advertised on the same page of the JDR catalog, a RocGen VGA Video
Production Card. If I'm reading the specs on it correctly, I could use it to
do all that I am doing, plus I would get video capture too 🙂 I have no need
to do live video now, but I might want to in the future. I show slides of
artists work, and it might be fun to have the artist talking about the work in
a little window. I have a video caputre card now that does single frame
capture, but it is only 640 x 480, and the images are practically useless
because of that.
My question is….for what I want to do, which is be able to hook to TV's
easily for teaching, AND be able to output decent quality Hi-8 originals of
artist's slides… what would you recommend? My budget is definitely under
$1000 and really more like $500.
Also, will a card like this be compatible with Windows 95? I am part of the
Preview program, and hope to be installing it within the next couple weeks.
Thanks in advance for any advice.
Jan Cabral
You might try using the S-Video input on a SVHS deck for making VHS copies
for distribution. I haven't tried this yet but I'll bet it makes an
improvement. Maybe you have an SVHS deck or could borrow one for a test.
For the cards you mentioned I really don't know but maybe someone here can
help. Otherwise I'd suggest calling B&H Photo or Electronic Mailbox (speak
to Gary).
Hope this helps some.
-jts
John,
My message was misleading, I apologize. I am having the dupes made
professionally. My problem is that I want higher resolution between the
computer and the Hi-8. My current converter does it at 640 x 480, and I see
one advertised at 800 x 600. However, if NTSC is 500 lines max (I think that's
what our new TV is), would it even help? And would uping the resolution I'm
using on the graphic images from 100 dpi to 200 or 300 help the final product?
In other words, how does all the resolution stuff work when it is output to
NTSC?
Thanks for your help.
Jan
Jan, my genlock is 640×480 so I don't have first hand experience to know the
answer to your question. NTSC is 525 lines of vertical resolution at 30
frames/sec … but only half that is contained in each field at 60
fields/sec. This interlacing reduces flicker w/o increasing the frame rate.
From what I've read I believe up to a point better resolution from the
source can be noted on even a lower resolution NTSC monitor. But I'm not
sure how much above 525 this applies. I suppose unless other factors
improve along with the resolution then anything over 525 is not a factor at
the NTSC stage. But I suspect the better resolution would still make a
difference in the same sense that 'bumping' the Hi8 up to a higher
resolution format for editing makes a difference even at the lower VHS
resolution. Of course this means you'd need something better than Hi8 as
your intermediate medium.
In going to 800×600, that's fine for a computer monitor but I wonder if
aside from an improvement in sharpness for smaller images whether you'd
really make use of the increased resolution for teaching. It's usually best
to have only one new idea per 'slide', right? The additional information
you could place on each 'slide' might not be a good thing unless it involved
graphic images that now have insufficinent resolution. In other words the
sharpness may well be real but you may be restrained from making use of this
unless you're dealing with graphics that now are not sufficiently resolved,
like graphs, etc.
Of course, bottomline, I'm not able to answer your question … only
speculate. I suspect Marc Wielage or Bill Rood, sysops on CEVIDEO, could
answer your question.
-jts
John,
Thanks for your thoughts, they are helping <g>. I'm wanting increased quality
for slides of contempoary art quilts, where quality is a prime consideration.
For teaching, I have some stuff in presentation programs, but most I do "live".
I won't go above 640 x 480 because they need the largest image possible to see
from the back of the room, even on a large screen TV.
Thanks again …
Jan
Ah, for slides a dedicated device made by Tamron, the Fotovix IIIs, is
recommended for best results. How are you converting your slides to video?
I believe it's about $350 from B&H Photo. I haven't used it but I'm thinking
very seriously about it.
-jts
Jan, I was interested to see you were having such good luck with the >
AI Tech Pro PC/TV Plus<…> I am using Astound and producing self-running
presentations, then videotaping these via the VGA->NTSC converter and a Sony
Hi-8 deck.
This produces beautiful originals, but when copied for distribution, they are
not nearly as good as professional video.<
I am interested to know if you are using the "Pro" or the "Multi-Pro".
One of the differences is that the "Multi-Pro" is all hardware (I guess) and
the "Pro" uses software drivers and of course the "Multi-Pro" is more
expensive. I was wondering if you could share
any advise on how you are managing to obtain such great results with basically
an inexpensive device. – Seriously.
I noted that you later stated what you were looking for – >.for what I
want to do, which is be able to hook to TV's easily for teaching, AND be able
to output decent quality Hi-8 originals of artist's slides<. I was wondering if
since you were having good luck producing
beautiful Hi-8 originals, that you might want to stick with a system that is
working for you and
look at the path between your beautiful Hi-8 and your copies. Use a good
quality cable and
don't make it any longer than it has to be and consider a Time-Base Correcter
for copies
between you Hi-8 and you copies. A TBC has a myriad of other uses as well as
being one of
the separator's between home and prostyle video.
I am also curious if you hear anything about the RocGen, it is listed
in the March-95
Videomaker in the Genlock/Overlay list, and I have read some data on it, but I
am still not clear on how it works.
PMJI, but I am extremely interested in this issue.
Could you or anyone advise me if there is a way (for under $1,500) to translate
PC graphics (e.g.,Corel Draw), moving, fancy text, animation and
presentatations using programs like ASTOUND to video tape which, when copied,
will provide at least industrial quality – say S-VHS.
Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
Michael Miloff
Hi Mike –
We have a used InSync board at Videology. It is a plugin which replaces the
PC's video card, and outputs NTSC directly from the PC's bus. It was being used
for video conferencing for Windows applications, so it's resolution output must
be decent.
If you would like to try it, give me a call and we'll set something up.
Hank
Videology, Inc Where service is our business with
P.O.M.P. under all circumstances
Hi Henry,
You're everywhere!!
I will tell Russ about the InSync as he is looking into this issue. Thanks.
Michael