Archived from groups: alt.comp.periphs.videocards.ati (More info?)

I just bought an ATI All in Wonder Radeon 7500 video adaptor. I'm
using the TV Viewer / Personal Video Recorder software to capture
input from a VHS tape deck. The quality of the video is bad and I'm
trying to figure out why ... I bought the AIW card thinking I would be
upgrading my video capture capabilities ... not taking a step
backwards!

The scene I'm using to test my new ATI card is handled just fine using
the same PC but different "preview hardware/software" (see end of
message for details).

I think this problem is related to the ATI's "TV software" DISPLAY
capabilities more than the CAPTURE capabilities. The "bad quality
video" I'm referencing shows up when I preview/watch the video in the
ATI TV viewer, even before I capture it. And I see the same bad
quality if I go ahead and capture the video, burn the digital video
onto a DVD, and then play it on my set-top DVD player (on the TV). The
problem is there at every step along the way (i.e., the CAPTURE
process is working fine ... it's just that what's being captured is
not good!).

The "bad video" I'm referencing involves "jagged edges" on what should
be smooth vertical lines. For example, person standing in front of
wroght-iron fence ... the bars in the fence should be straight and
smooth ... the person's silouette should be smooth (but not straight).
In both cases, on my display, what should be straight edges are jagged
instead.

I can post an image showing this phenomenom, if that would be helpful.
In fact, I can post two images ... one showing the problem (as it is
with the ATI card) and one showing the same image but with NO problem
(video captured on same PC, using different setup ... no ATI hardware
or software).

Any ideas on why this is happening or how I can correct it? I've tried
playing with the ATI TV / Personal Video Recorder "video soap"
settings, and other ones too, but none seem to make any difference.
And I cannot find any settings in the TV viewer to change ...

My PC's has Soyo Dragon Lite P4X400 mobo, with Intel Pentium 2.4 Ghz
CPU, 1.5 GB DDR SDRAM, the ATI video adaptor, etc. I have loaded
VIA's Hyperion drivers version 4.48, ATI MMC 8.9 (even though the TV
application says "8.1" on the splash screen), and 7.991 ATI video
drivers (6.14.10.6430 Radeon driver).

The setup used to capture my "test" video was:
1. Configuration that works (no "jaggeds" ): VHS deck connected to Sony
digital camcorder (where MPEG2 encoding takes place) which is then
connected to PC via IEEE 1394 cable. Ulead VideoStudio7 used to
capture (really just transfer) video.
2. Configuration that does not work (introduces "jaggeds" ): VHS deck
connected to "input head" that came with ATI AIW card, which in turn
is connected to the AIW card. ATI TV 8.1 / Personal Video Recorder
used to catpure the video.

Thanks!

Archived from groups: alt.comp.periphs.videocards.ati (More info?)

On Fri, 16 Apr 2004 20:11:17 +0000, Adam White wrote:

> I just bought an ATI All in Wonder Radeon 7500 video adaptor. I'm using
> the TV Viewer / Personal Video Recorder software to capture input from a
> VHS tape deck. The quality of the video is bad and I'm trying to figure
> out why ... I bought the AIW card thinking I would be upgrading my video
> capture capabilities ... not taking a step backwards!
>
> The scene I'm using to test my new ATI card is handled just fine using the
> same PC but different "preview hardware/software" (see end of message for
> details).
>
> I think this problem is related to the ATI's "TV software" DISPLAY
> capabilities more than the CAPTURE capabilities. The "bad quality video"
> I'm referencing shows up when I preview/watch the video in the ATI TV
> viewer, even before I capture it. And I see the same bad quality if I go
> ahead and capture the video, burn the digital video onto a DVD, and then
> play it on my set-top DVD player (on the TV). The problem is there at
> every step along the way (i.e., the CAPTURE process is working fine ...
> it's just that what's being captured is not good!).
>
> The "bad video" I'm referencing involves "jagged edges" on what should be
> smooth vertical lines. For example, person standing in front of
> wroght-iron fence ... the bars in the fence should be straight and smooth
> ... the person's silouette should be smooth (but not straight). In both
> cases, on my display, what should be straight edges are jagged instead.
>
> I can post an image showing this phenomenom, if that would be helpful. In
> fact, I can post two images ... one showing the problem (as it is with the
> ATI card) and one showing the same image but with NO problem (video
> captured on same PC, using different setup ... no ATI hardware or
> software).
>
> Any ideas on why this is happening or how I can correct it? I've tried
> playing with the ATI TV / Personal Video Recorder "video soap" settings,
> and other ones too, but none seem to make any difference. And I cannot
> find any settings in the TV viewer to change ...
>
> My PC's has Soyo Dragon Lite P4X400 mobo, with Intel Pentium 2.4 Ghz CPU,
> 1.5 GB DDR SDRAM, the ATI video adaptor, etc. I have loaded VIA's
> Hyperion drivers version 4.48, ATI MMC 8.9 (even though the TV application
> says "8.1" on the splash screen), and 7.991 ATI video drivers
> (6.14.10.6430 Radeon driver).
>
> The setup used to capture my "test" video was: 1. Configuration that works
> (no "jaggeds" ): VHS deck connected to Sony digital camcorder (where MPEG2
> encoding takes place) which is then connected to PC via IEEE 1394 cable.
> Ulead VideoStudio7 used to capture (really just transfer) video. 2.
> Configuration that does not work (introduces "jaggeds" ): VHS deck
> connected to "input head" that came with ATI AIW card, which in turn is
> connected to the AIW card. ATI TV 8.1 / Personal Video Recorder used to
> catpure the video.
>
> Thanks!

I have an AIW 7500. It is not too tolerant of imperfections in the
video signal.

My VCRs are a bit long in the tooth, so I ended up getting a new one
to get good recordings on some of my tapes. I got a low end JVC SVHS
for about $129.

I also have a DVICO Fusion II which isn't so bothered by out of spec
video. Unfortunately it seems to add sampling artifacts to the analog
audio during recording.


--
Chuck Forsberg caf@omen.com www.omen.com 503-614-0430
Developer of Industrial ZMODEM(Tm) for Embedded Applications
Omen Technology Inc "The High Reliability Software"
10255 NW Old Cornelius Pass Portland OR 97231 FAX 629-0665

Archived from groups: alt.comp.periphs.videocards.ati (More info?)

Adaptive De-Interlacing for DVD Playback

The de-interlacing feature may be enabled from both ATI Displays (lower
right-side button) or from the ATI Config Menu in your menu bar.

This feature is intended for use with interlaced DVD content (often material
that was originally shot on video, such as TV programming, or deleted scenes
and documentaries included on many DVD titles as extras). Turning it on
while watching non-interlaced movies may slightly degrade certain elements,
such as static text displays. An interlaced source can easily be identified
on a monitor; you will be able to see horizontal stripes in the video
(easiest to see with fast moving subjects and high contrast areas).

The feature defaults to OFF when you restart your computer.

From ATI Displays you may enable de-interlacing on a per-card basis. From
the ATI Config Menu you may only make a global (all cards) change. ATI
Config Menu will show a check-mark next to the de-interlacing option if it
is enabled for all cards and it will show a blank space if is disabled for
all cards. If enabled only on some cards and disabled for others, it will
show a dash (-).

"Adam White" <adam.white@nospam.sbcglobal.net> wrote in message
newsfe080pq9hcli2nifqpndupqd7r459irek@4ax.com...
> I just bought an ATI All in Wonder Radeon 7500 video adaptor. I'm
> using the TV Viewer / Personal Video Recorder software to capture
> input from a VHS tape deck. The quality of the video is bad and I'm
> trying to figure out why ... I bought the AIW card thinking I would be
> upgrading my video capture capabilities ... not taking a step
> backwards!
>
> The scene I'm using to test my new ATI card is handled just fine using
> the same PC but different "preview hardware/software" (see end of
> message for details).
>
> I think this problem is related to the ATI's "TV software" DISPLAY
> capabilities more than the CAPTURE capabilities. The "bad quality
> video" I'm referencing shows up when I preview/watch the video in the
> ATI TV viewer, even before I capture it. And I see the same bad
> quality if I go ahead and capture the video, burn the digital video
> onto a DVD, and then play it on my set-top DVD player (on the TV). The
> problem is there at every step along the way (i.e., the CAPTURE
> process is working fine ... it's just that what's being captured is
> not good!).
>
> The "bad video" I'm referencing involves "jagged edges" on what should
> be smooth vertical lines. For example, person standing in front of
> wroght-iron fence ... the bars in the fence should be straight and
> smooth ... the person's silouette should be smooth (but not straight).
> In both cases, on my display, what should be straight edges are jagged
> instead.
>
> I can post an image showing this phenomenom, if that would be helpful.
> In fact, I can post two images ... one showing the problem (as it is
> with the ATI card) and one showing the same image but with NO problem
> (video captured on same PC, using different setup ... no ATI hardware
> or software).
>
> Any ideas on why this is happening or how I can correct it? I've tried
> playing with the ATI TV / Personal Video Recorder "video soap"
> settings, and other ones too, but none seem to make any difference.
> And I cannot find any settings in the TV viewer to change ...
>
> My PC's has Soyo Dragon Lite P4X400 mobo, with Intel Pentium 2.4 Ghz
> CPU, 1.5 GB DDR SDRAM, the ATI video adaptor, etc. I have loaded
> VIA's Hyperion drivers version 4.48, ATI MMC 8.9 (even though the TV
> application says "8.1" on the splash screen), and 7.991 ATI video
> drivers (6.14.10.6430 Radeon driver).
>
> The setup used to capture my "test" video was:
> 1. Configuration that works (no "jaggeds" ): VHS deck connected to Sony
> digital camcorder (where MPEG2 encoding takes place) which is then
> connected to PC via IEEE 1394 cable. Ulead VideoStudio7 used to
> capture (really just transfer) video.
> 2. Configuration that does not work (introduces "jaggeds" ): VHS deck
> connected to "input head" that came with ATI AIW card, which in turn
> is connected to the AIW card. ATI TV 8.1 / Personal Video Recorder
> used to catpure the video.
>
> Thanks!
>