Disappointing quality on Studio 10 DVD

[Betsy Og]

Taking from analog source so I guess thats the problem. However the analog output - i.e. a normal video tape, is quite good - so its a pity that theres so much loss when it goes to DVD. The "preview" function before you burn it appears to show fairly decent quality - but when you use the actual burned DVD its a bit "furry" - i.e. looks like it was made in the 60's or 70's.

The capture was done to MPEG2, I think, and first burned it on "Automatic quality" which fitted everything on 1 DVD.
I then went for "Best Quality" DVD but it only fitted 40 mins and the quality looked the same.

Given that only 40 mins on "Best Quality" then think will have to be limited to Automatic Quality.

Does the speed at which you make the DVD matter?? My burner, the blank DVD & the max burner output are 16X which I used. I'd be happy to go at slowest factor if this improved the quality.

Any thoughts? (Apart from buying a DV camcorder....)

 

[DrMoriarty]

I don't think a slower burn speed would make much difference to image quality. The 'weakest link' is probably on the capture — could you try again, using a better quality VCR for the output?

 

[Betsy Og]

I don't think a slower burn speed would make much difference to image quality. The 'weakest link' is probably on the capture — could you try again, using a better quality VCR for the output?

I presume you mean better quality VCR for input. The input is coming directly from the 8mm tape through the camcorder and is good quality in itself. It seems to be the conversion onto the DVD format that weakens it a bit.

 

[DrMoriarty]

Sorry — when you said 'a normal video tape', I assumed you were converting from a standard VHS cassette being played on a VCR. I don't think 8mm camcorder tapes — or even 'Hi-8' — can hold anything near DV quality. I used to have one myself, and while they played back OK-ish directly on the TV set, I suspect the raw data itself is not of that high quality... which is why you notice the loss on conversion to MPEG. If you're then further converting the MPEG output file to DVD format, that may be making it even worse...

Have you tried just recording the MPEG onto a data DVD? Most DVD players will handle unconverted MPEG-II files — and if not, at least you can play it back on a PC.

Otherwise, as you said initially, you may just have to save up for a digital camcorder!