Messages

26

General Software Discussion / Re: Video Editors

« on: March 06, 2014, 01:08 PM »

Vurbal, what did I do to deserve such help?
Can't say I disagree with your views on their integrity, I attempted to contact them four times and each time they asked me for my order ref "so they could verify which version I had" and never came back again. ArcSoft go one stage further and tell me that as I'm using bundled software I can "go pester the hardware supplier!" I may have been misleading about the audio quality. The EZCAP successfully downloaded from my set top box and produced decent stereo using ShowBiz 3.5, it was only when I ran into the "copy protection" problem with the camcorder and had to use 5.x with its slugged AAC CODEC that I encountered the audio problem.
All that's bye the bye though - It's my intention to get a copy of VirtualDub and then hopefully I can set it up and do the whole project all over again. Perhaps I can pick your brains when I set-up and get the optimum configuration and resolutions for any other wrinkles I create.

27

General Software Discussion / Re: Video Editors

« on: March 06, 2014, 12:52 PM »

Hej på dig Curt, Google Translate eller pratar du Svenka

28

General Software Discussion / Re: Video Editors

« on: March 06, 2014, 06:03 AM »

As I made all the original files at the "normal" setting for the capture device I imagine that was It's optimum. Is there a way to verify this?
Would the secondary processing where I modified the audio and then re-saved in the same format and resolution likely have adversely affected the true video data or is that likely to be negligible?  Arcsoft use their own CODEC whereas Power Director (I think) use a more "industry standard?" CODEC. Or am I talking complete rubbish

29

General Software Discussion / Re: Video Editors

« on: March 06, 2014, 05:11 AM »

My apologies, I'm so unused to Forum procedures that I didn't fully understand the shorthand Curt was using.
I did go straight into the [preview] pane and then inserted the text by [ctrl]+v as I couldn't identify any other way to do it. It certainly copied the info so I thought I had "cracked it" - I obviously need yet further instructions.
As I mentioned, the files I have now, are already reprocessed from the original Hi8 tapes and are the result of encoding by Arcsoft Showbiz 5.x and then power director 10. I tried not to change anything apart from ensuring the project was always defined as 16:9 as opposed to 4:3 and that the file size remained fairly consistent but I have no idea whether there is actually a better way to get the info of the Hi8 tape.
Camera comes with 3.5mm AV and s-video out ports but as the signal is analogue the only way to make them PC usable is via a converter. I used the EZCAP USB analogue converter which has provided usable MPEGs but I'm not sure whether the aficionados would consider this more "Mickey Mouse" than "Cecil B. DeMille"
Should I start all over again with a better tape transfer mechanism?

30

General Software Discussion / Re: Video Editors

« on: March 06, 2014, 03:44 AM »

Well, I think I've spotted one thing from the output.
Showbiz 5.x is stated as having the AAC CODEC slugged for the trial period which is probably why the audio was so poor!
Curt: I hope I'm the "new generation youngster" you're referring to.

31

General Software Discussion / Re: Video Editors

« on: March 06, 2014, 03:06 AM »

Did I at least get that bit right?

32

General Software Discussion / Re: Video Editors

« on: March 06, 2014, 03:02 AM »

General
Complete name                            : C:\Users\Colin\Videos\Home Capture\Camcorder\Trimmed but not edited\Tape01_Oct2001-Mar2002.mp4
Format                                   : MPEG-4
Format profile                           : Sony PSP
Codec ID                                 : MSNV
File size                                : 3.96 GiB
Duration                                 : 1h 32mn
Overall bit rate mode                    : Variable
Overall bit rate                         : 6 126 Kbps
Encoded date                             : UTC 2014-03-04 11:08:50
Tagged date                              : UTC 2014-03-04 11:08:50

Video
ID                                       : 1
Format                                   : AVC
Format/Info                              : Advanced Video Codec
Format profile                           : [email protected]
Format settings, CABAC                   : Yes
Format settings, ReFrames                : 2 frames
Codec ID                                 : avc1
Codec ID/Info                            : Advanced Video Coding
Duration                                 : 1h 32mn
Bit rate mode                            : Variable
Bit rate                                 : 6 004 Kbps
Maximum bit rate                         : 8 000 Kbps
Width                                    : 640 pixels
Height                                   : 480 pixels
Display aspect ratio                     : 4:3
Frame rate mode                          : Constant
Frame rate                               : 25.000 fps
Color space                              : YUV
Chroma subsampling                       : 4:2:0
Bit depth                                : 8 bits
Scan type                                : Progressive
Bits/(Pixel*Frame)                       : 0.782
Stream size                              : 3.88 GiB (98%)
Language                                 : English
Encoded date                             : UTC 2014-03-04 11:08:50
Tagged date                              : UTC 2014-03-04 11:08:50

Audio
ID                                       : 2
Format                                   : AAC
Format/Info                              : Advanced Audio Codec
Format profile                           : LC
Codec ID                                 : 40
Duration                                 : 1h 32mn
Source duration                          : 1h 32mn
Source_Duration_FirstFrame               : -21ms
Bit rate mode                            : Constant
Bit rate                                 : 117 Kbps
Nominal bit rate                         : 128 Kbps
Channel(s)                               : 2 channels
Channel positions                        : Front: L R
Sampling rate                            : 48.0 KHz
Compression mode                         : Lossy
Stream size                              : 77.4 MiB (2%)
Source stream size                       : 77.4 MiB (2%)
Language                                 : English
Encoded date                             : UTC 2014-03-04 11:08:50
Tagged date                              : UTC 2014-03-04 11:08:50
mdhd_Duration                            : 5549385

33

General Software Discussion / Re: Video Editors

« on: March 06, 2014, 02:52 AM »

It just occurred to me that the only data files I have are already converted from the native tape format to MPEGs
'They were captured using Arcsoft Showbiz through an EZCAP analogue converter. The bundled early version of ShowBiz 3.5 couldn't process the analogue stream, claiming it was copy protected, so I downloaded a trial version of 5.x and captured the files using that. As the audio in the captured files was a simple mono on one stereo track, I then stripped the audio into a WAV file (Audacity) and got Power Sound Editor to then append a mirror track to make it twin track mono. Much better reproduction but still simply two inherently inferior tracks. Then the original video and the new audio were loaded into power director and the original audi track stripped out and replaced with the twin track mono. Everything was then output again in MPEG4 with all the setting targeting the familiar 4Gig threshold. It occurs to me that as I have up to 4TB of Hard Disk and numerous 16Gig Sticks I could easily accommodate much larger files.
You clearly type and/or think fastr than I do as this post is also overlapping another of your responses.

34

General Software Discussion / Re: Video Editors

« on: March 06, 2014, 02:38 AM »

Vurbal, I was in the process of typing this as your earlier response came through, I suspect that some of what the mediainfo screenshots convey will also contribute to the answer for this query.
As I was copying Hi8 tapes with two as ancient as 20 years and possibly already transcribed from cine film, and the rest dating back as much as 10 years and all probably saved in whatever passed for high res in those days, I thought it would be overkill to use the highest resolution digital format available from the capture device. Consequently, files are all under four Gigs for each 90 minute tape. I actually captured them on an old XP machine and intended to transfer them via FAT32 USB sticks, so the 4Gig file limit was a consideration. Clearly, I can re-format the Sticks to NTFS or even utilise a pluggable NTFS hard disk to transfer them if I reimport them into MPEG files.
In your opinion would I be wasting my time grabbing a higher resolution?
I shall now go and download mediainfo and provide the screenshots.
Thanks

35

General Software Discussion / Re: Video Editors

« on: March 06, 2014, 01:33 AM »

Just read most of your post.
If that's where I've got to start, can you hold my hand a little more along the way :-)
Thanks!

36

Easy Screencast Recorder / Re: LATEST VERSION INFO THREAD - Easy Screencast Recorder - v1.12.01 - Apr 22, 2015

« on: March 06, 2014, 01:31 AM »

Hey Vurbal,
If anybody ever accused you of being a "Gentleman and a Scholar" - you should take their word for it :-)

37

General Software Discussion / Re: Video Editors

« on: March 05, 2014, 11:59 PM »

I think I need to become more familiar with the subject before I venture too far into the unknown. As a rank amateur I was rather hoping there was an easier solution. Still, I have plenty of time to learn.
I was trying to preserve my wife's "video snapshots" for posterity but it appears that "point and shoot" really means "point and shoot and something dies" - the dreams you thought you were capturing :-).
Thank you all for your time and endeavours.

38

General Software Discussion / Video Editors

« on: March 05, 2014, 11:40 AM »

Hi there,
Anybody know of, or feel like writing a utility to scan video files MPEGs, AVIs etc for the gaps between "scenes".
The target market would be all amateur video photographers who tend to use their new toy more like a video snapshot camera and produce 90 minute tapes with loads of dross between the scenes.
That dross needs to be edited out and finding the stuff - almost frame by frame, takes an eternity.
These gaps are "normally" a few frames - or seconds, with the snowy interference pattern you get on a screen when the transmission ends but the TV is left on, or sometimes just black frames.
If the entire file could be scanned and an index built giving the position to within a couple of seconds, or frames - then it would make life so much easier.
I imagine it would be "simple" enough for the user to edit a few frames from an existing video containing nothing but the type of frame being sought and then saving this as a sample.
The sample would then contain a template of the data that triggers an entry into an index.
There are obviously dozens of CODECS but I think they are identifiable by the header and the saved sample would contain both the header and frame data.
I checked some commercial products with no success so it could be either too complex to incorporate into a sophisticated editing package or, hopefully, something nobody thought of writing as a simple standalone utility.
I would imagine a product like that could generate quite a lot of exposure for the originator.

39

Living Room / Re: did you ever throw your back out?

« on: December 02, 2013, 09:40 AM »

Three mega throws, two operations, a truck load of dolcontin (our name for oxycontin) and a disability pension. Sucks. Still, at least I'm no longer expected to go get a sick note

40

LaunchBar Commander / Minor Cosmetic Surgery

« on: December 01, 2013, 05:41 AM »

Small cosmetic error with one of the selection boxes in the "Docking Bar 2" panel of the node configuration pane.
Image attached.
Yes I am getting desperate :-)

41

LaunchBar Commander / Re: Folder Node Hints incorrect

« on: November 28, 2013, 01:26 PM »

Works Fine now

42

LaunchBar Commander / Re: Change Icon pop-up menu has gone on the "missing" list

« on: November 28, 2013, 01:24 PM »

Two birds with one stone

43

LaunchBar Commander / Folder Node Hints incorrect

« on: November 28, 2013, 11:43 AM »

WIN XP(SP3) LBC 1.139.01

The hints being displayed for a Folder Node are being presented as the file location as opposed to the specified hint.

Removed the link as it appeared to be giving direct cleared access to my account

44

LaunchBar Commander / Re: Change Icon pop-up menu has gone on the "missing" list

« on: November 28, 2013, 10:53 AM »

Is it possible that ".....A Dock is can be ..." is a typo?

45

LaunchBar Commander / Re: Change Icon pop-up menu has gone on the "missing" list

« on: November 28, 2013, 10:51 AM »

The blank space to the right of the "Icon" File details. Mouseover reveals it.

46

LaunchBar Commander / Re: Change Icon pop-up menu has gone on the "missing" list

« on: November 28, 2013, 10:26 AM »

In the Configuration pane on the third line of the top right panel there's a facility to choose the icons.
The file details are in plain sight but to access the "choose icon image" it's necessary to mouseover the empty space to reveal the pop-up menu.

47

LaunchBar Commander / Change Icon pop-up menu has gone on the "missing" list

« on: November 28, 2013, 09:48 AM »

WIN XP(SP3) LBC 1.139.01
Configure preferences pane - the change icon pop-up is now invisible. Still there but you have to mouseover to display it

48

LaunchBar Commander / Re: LATEST LaunchBar Commander VERSION INFO THREAD - v1.139.01 BETA - Aug 18, 2013

« on: November 28, 2013, 09:09 AM »

LaunchBar Commander
Requires: Microsoft Windows XP/NT/2000/Vista/Win7/Win8

LATEST BETA (1.139.01) Download:

Isn't the release date wrong?

-mouser (February 28, 2006, 03:06 PM)

49

LaunchBar Commander / Re: User directory incorrectly set

« on: November 28, 2013, 08:58 AM »

I can now switch back and forth between the accounts, leaving LBC open in each one and everything is as it should be in both accounts.

And to confirm, if you exit LBC and restart it, it remembers that each user had a different file opened on the last exit, and loads up the proper different last file for each?

-mouser (November 28, 2013, 08:48 AM)

Obviously, my bad grammar. My test procedure was to move back and forth with all the discrete permutations of LBC active or inactive, 1 account or 2 accounts and the results were the same. I didn't however do a full system shut down.
Which bit of perfect was confusing you?

50

LaunchBar Commander / Re: User directory incorrectly set

« on: November 28, 2013, 08:32 AM »

LBC 1.138.05 Nailed that little bug(gar)!   
One small anomaly - When LBC first launched (in TFC) it correctly picked up the local account's parameters. I exited LBC and then switched to the colin account and it started up with the TFC parameters. However, I experimented further and closed the incorrect (TFC) user file and opened the local (colin) file. That did the trick. I can now switch back and forth between the accounts, leaving LBC open in each one and everything is as it should be in both accounts. That was quite fortuitous because I could so easily have exclaimed "Oh darn, it didn't work" or something similar.
I didn't test the portable version but can give it a whirl for you if there is the slightest possibility it may have different code.
Now to surprise the wife and surreptitiously activate it in her account. 
Thanks Mouser, I appreciate having all your efforts devoted to solving MY problems.