Wide World of Women

Hey guys. I had an idea for capping...I have a new HD camera that takes both HD pictures AND HD video. I have tried to take pics of the HD tv channels...but the pics don't see to come out very well at the large size - 4000px by 2248px. I tried taking a pic of Meredith this morning, but when I bring up the pic to the full size mentioned above, the pic is all grainy and not very HD looking. So I tried taking HD video of the HD tv screen and the video actually looks great surprisingly. However, when I bring the video off the camera...it plays fine on my pc...but when I try to cap it(I use Nero Show Time), the caps are just a large black screen. The HD resolution I get for the video is 1280 x 768 I think it is. I tried converting it to xvid codec and Mpeg II at the same resolution of 1280x768 and the video looks grainy and not HD but then I opened it and the caps came out...but not the quality of the original video. I tried capping the original video in Windows Movie Maker...but the caps only come out at 424x240...not sure how to make it bigger. Any ideas on how to remedy this or is it just not worth it? Thanks in advance.

So instead of just getting a device where you can record right from the TV you want to use a camera to make vids & pics?

To keep it brief, yes you could get pics and video with a camera recording the TV screen, but to quote Chris Rock, "sh!t, you can drive a car with your feet if you want to, that don't make it a good f---ing idea."

I have a device...however it is only OTA HD...and where I live, I can't get any HD channels....

I was just asking a simple question...sheesh....

It might be a little time consuming but try this out. Put your original vid in full screen view mode, with it playing when you see what you want to cap pause the video, then hit the print screen button on your keyboard. After that just open up the paint application that comes with windows(found at start>accessories>paint). When you have paint open just click on the edit tab at the top and hit paste. Its not a perfect method and will be time consuming because you will have to keep pausing the vid, hitting the print screen key than paste each cap to the paint app but it might work out ok.

Sorry if it came across as being a jerk, but I gave you my opinion. I think you're making a simple task much more complicated and difficult than it should be.

Well I don't have the money to go buy a PVR or something that's gonna cost me more than $50. I have an HD cable box...but with my current USB tv card, I can only get the OTA HD Channels...except...I cant get those channels because I don't live in range. I tried using the the cable line from the wall to the tv tuner on my pc...didn't get any hd channels as Comcast has encrypted their $h!t.

So I got an idea of taking my new HD camera and taking pics of my HD TV which gets all the encrypted channels...FoxNews NBC HD, etc. But I found when I took pics, the pics look faded or dull...and when zoomed into full size, become grainy and almost worse than analog tv. So then I decided...why not try using the video cam option on the camera...and just video tape segments. So I did this and the video seems quite good from what I can tell. The problem is...when I tried to cap the video, the caps show up as a black/blank screen. So I tried to convert the video...and I was able to cap, but the quality of the pics was almost worse then the S-Video caps I used to do. And the video too was less than the original video. If you want I can give you links to pics I took and you can see the bad quality....and I can send a link to the HD video and see if you can cap it?? Let me know....

I tried this out...but it cut off the bottom part of the screen...so for example...if I capped a pic of Meredith Vieira on a stool...full shot of her to the bottom of her stiletto heels...when I pasted the pic to Paint...it cut off her feet...or more... Not sure why...thanks for the idea tho

Any reason you aren't trying to record with firewire? If you have a 32bit system, a STB with firewire support, and a firewire port on your computer you should be able to get a good amount of HD channels for the cost of a cable. The capture software & STB drivers are free and easy to find.

Didn't you retire on February 26

viewtopic.php?p=746029#p746029

Well the problem is...I don't have firewire on my computer. I have an HP "Ultra-Slim" computer which won't take normal size cards because they are too big. When I bought this, I took the tv tuner card out of the old tower I had, and it didn't fit. Oh well it was an analog card anyway. So I got a USB OTA HD...ATI Wonder 650. But haven't been able to get any HD channels yet on it.

Yes I did retire...but from time to time I "fiddle" with new ideas. I don't plan to come back...was just looking for some tech support...and I knew you guys would know something! :-)

here is an HD capture card for 40 USD used, probably cheaper than a few months worth of batteries

Hey yoopa...thanks for the info. However...and I am not trying to be rude here. Did you read above? My computer doesn't take normal size cards as it is an Ultra Slim. Also, after looking at the card, it isn't any better than the USB ATI Wonder 650 I have now. Unfortunately, if I get another USB TV Tuner, it would have to be the Hauppauge PVR which has the HDTV Hookups...but that is crazy money!! But thanks for the time and effort yoopa!! Good lookin out!! I really appreciate it!