VHS footage to go on 30p DVD... best way? Possible?
 

I am making (if I can figure all this out) a 30p DVD. However, I have been provided with a bunch of archived VHS footage that they would like to include on the DVD. The VHS footage is natively interlaced-- do I have to de-interlace it to make it progressive or can I capture it progressive? or...?

Not sure if this should go in this thread or in the DVD thread. Apologies.

Any input/advice/suggestions are appreciated/
THANKS!

You would want to capture the video using as good a capture device as possible, then use your editor to deinterlace. This will require some rendering time.

-Troy

great. thanks.

I'm trying to get my hands on a vcr with s-video so I can transfer s-video to mindidv...I think thats my best bet with the tools I have.

If anyone knows if going directly from the camera to the PC would result in better quality... what capture codec would I use?
I'd have s-video or rca into prem pro.

My only other alternative is to go svideo to minidv...

~jeff

I transfered a bunch of old (10 years old) 8mm video tapes to minidv and it worked out really well. I was using the composite video out on the camera of course (going through an s-video adaptor into minidv) but the footage turned out fine.

There may have been a better way to do it, but to be able to do it with stuff I had laying around was definitely a benefit. Most of the old footage held up well in the transfer to DVD, considering the source format.

Pat-
Thats really good to hear! Question- is there a an ideal capture setting? I'm assuming you used just regular firewire DV capture settings?

~jeff

Yep, once it was on minidv I just captured it like normal - NTSC DV. It was really great to go in and use the power of a modern NLE (in my case Vegas) on old home movies. Plus, now all that stuff is archived in a digital format.

While S-video is the better of the analog format choices, going direct to digital is the best bet. One option is find one of the JVC S-VHS/Mini DV decks - play the vhs and capture on the mini DV side. Another option - get a VHS/DVD combo deck and transfer to DVD.

Good luck

May I ask why 30P? Are you just going for that specific look, and want the VHS footage to match?
There is no "direct to digital" from VHS other than via an S-video connection, so there is no signal benefit to using a VHS/Mini-DV deck or VHS/DVD deck, which internally use the equivalent of the S-video signal. They are just more convenient.

why 30p
 

I wanted to experiment with a progressive DVD- shot in 30p with my Canon XL2...

I opted to shoot 60i to play it safe until I figure out all the ups and downs of different frame rates and meshing them together...(24p/30p/60i)

Any pointers on that (I know its been addressed billions of times on this forum, but sometimes it takes the right 'explanation' for me to get it)-- would be helpful.

I understand the progressive vs interlaced thing-- but why would one shoot 30p over 60i? Perhaps for computer only output? Or for the look of progressive footage on a dvd... But doesnt a DVD 'deinterlace' once put on TV (assuming your tv isn't up to date)?