Need Tips -- Help Me Catch A Thief! at DVinfo.net

Jordan Orberg · January 3rd, 2008, 03:11 PM

Hello,
A friend called me a couple hours ago and said that the bank he worked at had been robbed and that they had survelence video of the robber. However, the footage is bad, and they can't tell who it is. I'm doing this as a favor to him, so if I'm unable to help the situation it won't be a big deal.

I was wondering if anyone here has any tips. I have the entire CS3 Master Suite, and will be capturing off of a VHS tape.

Thanks for your help!
-Jordan

George Ellis · January 3rd, 2008, 03:19 PM

I know you want to help but why not let the FBI handle it? They do this every day and have the technology for it. If those are the masters, they may *insist* that they do it.

Jordan Orberg · January 3rd, 2008, 03:26 PM

Yeah I know, its just a little thing to do....they alerted the authorities and everything. I just wanted to take a shot at it so my friend is bringing a copy of the tape home. And he has permission! :)

Paul Cascio · January 3rd, 2008, 05:06 PM

The FBI is not going to let you get anywhere near that video, but it would be fun.

Chris Harris · January 3rd, 2008, 06:26 PM

Haven't you watched CSI or Law and Order? Any video editor worth his salt can take a grainy VHS video, zoom into the suspect's face, and "enhance" the image, making it look clear as day. Bonus points if the video program automatically cross-references the face with a database of all known criminals in the world, and gets a result within 10 seconds.

Bill Mecca · January 3rd, 2008, 06:42 PM

and tells the authorities where they had lunch based on the small stain on their clothing that is nearly invisible to the naked eye. LOL

Jordan Orberg · January 4th, 2008, 03:19 PM

No tips? Well it was worth a shot. :) Thanks anyway --

Don Bloom · January 4th, 2008, 04:52 PM

you have about as much chance to enhance that video as I do of becoming the leading candidate to be president ;-()

Oh wait, I'm not running!

Anyway back to the matter at hand. IF the FBI can't do anything with it with all of our money that was spent for fancy hardware and software then it's pretty much a lost cause. No not pretty much. It IS a lost cause.

The bank should invest in better quality gear-say some new cameras and a computer that records to DVD instead of the VHS. I don't believe it's all that expensive anymore. Plus it keeps customers happy.

Don

Chris Hurd · January 4th, 2008, 05:28 PM

Back in 1993 I did some work with a bank security investigator in Austin, and a big part of his daily routine involved very careful analysis of low-quality VHS time lapse security tapes. He had an interesting and challenging job and he did it well. Could he get useful information out of low-grade VHS? Yes. Could you or I? No. There is nothing you can do with this video except stand back and let the FBI (or whoever the official investigating agency is) do its job.

Gary Chavez · January 24th, 2008, 10:01 AM

I often wonder, as I see these awful images on my newscasts, why banks don't invest in better cams.
We have much better cams pointed at our construction sites. And they only cost about a grand apiece and dump to a hard drive.

Nate Benson · January 25th, 2008, 08:19 AM

what's vhs?

I kid, I kid.

January 3rd, 2008, 03:11 PM	#1
Jordan Orberg Regular Crew Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Redmond, Virginia Posts: 84	Need Tips -- Help Me Catch A Thief! Hello, A friend called me a couple hours ago and said that the bank he worked at had been robbed and that they had survelence video of the robber. However, the footage is bad, and they can't tell who it is. I'm doing this as a favor to him, so if I'm unable to help the situation it won't be a big deal. I was wondering if anyone here has any tips. I have the entire CS3 Master Suite, and will be capturing off of a VHS tape. Thanks for your help! -Jordan

January 3rd, 2008, 05:06 PM	#4
Paul Cascio Trustee Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Bristol, CT (Home of EPSN) Posts: 1,192	The FBI is not going to let you get anywhere near that video, but it would be fun. __________________ Paul Cascio www.pictureframingschool.com

January 3rd, 2008, 06:42 PM	#6
Bill Mecca Major Player Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: New Jersey Posts: 475	and tells the authorities where they had lunch based on the small stain on their clothing that is nearly invisible to the naked eye. LOL __________________ Award-winning Pine Barrens Documentary! Video, Audio, Music & More

January 4th, 2008, 05:28 PM	#9
Chris Hurd Obstreperous Rex Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: San Marcos, TX Posts: 27,369 Images: 513	Back in 1993 I did some work with a bank security investigator in Austin, and a big part of his daily routine involved very careful analysis of low-quality VHS time lapse security tapes. He had an interesting and challenging job and he did it well. Could he get useful information out of low-grade VHS? Yes. Could you or I? No. There is nothing you can do with this video except stand back and let the FBI (or whoever the official investigating agency is) do its job. __________________ CH Search DV Info Net \| 20 years of DVi \| ...Tuesday is Soylent Green Day!

January 3rd, 2008, 03:19 PM	#2
George Ellis Trustee Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Suwanee, GA Posts: 1,241	I know you want to help but why not let the FBI handle it? They do this every day and have the technology for it. If those are the masters, they may insist that they do it.

January 3rd, 2008, 03:26 PM	#3
Jordan Orberg Regular Crew Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Redmond, Virginia Posts: 84	Yeah I know, its just a little thing to do....they alerted the authorities and everything. I just wanted to take a shot at it so my friend is bringing a copy of the tape home. And he has permission! :)

January 3rd, 2008, 06:26 PM	#5
Chris Harris Major Player Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: San Francisco, California Posts: 487	Haven't you watched CSI or Law and Order? Any video editor worth his salt can take a grainy VHS video, zoom into the suspect's face, and "enhance" the image, making it look clear as day. Bonus points if the video program automatically cross-references the face with a database of all known criminals in the world, and gets a result within 10 seconds.

January 4th, 2008, 03:19 PM	#7
Jordan Orberg Regular Crew Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Redmond, Virginia Posts: 84	No tips? Well it was worth a shot. :) Thanks anyway --

January 4th, 2008, 04:52 PM	#8
Don Bloom Inner Circle Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Chicago, IL Posts: 6,609	you have about as much chance to enhance that video as I do of becoming the leading candidate to be president ;-() Oh wait, I'm not running! Anyway back to the matter at hand. IF the FBI can't do anything with it with all of our money that was spent for fancy hardware and software then it's pretty much a lost cause. No not pretty much. It IS a lost cause. The bank should invest in better quality gear-say some new cameras and a computer that records to DVD instead of the VHS. I don't believe it's all that expensive anymore. Plus it keeps customers happy. Don

January 24th, 2008, 10:01 AM	#10
Gary Chavez Major Player Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: San Antonio Posts: 355	I often wonder, as I see these awful images on my newscasts, why banks don't invest in better cams. We have much better cams pointed at our construction sites. And they only cost about a grand apiece and dump to a hard drive.

January 25th, 2008, 08:19 AM	#11
Nate Benson Regular Crew Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Buffalo, New York Posts: 157	what's vhs? I kid, I kid.