Snapshots of video

[fergiz]

I'm not sure if this is the correct forum for this question but here goes.

How do I take snapshots of the programme playing in my Skystar2 and save as Jpeg files, do I need special software to achieve this.?

BTW I'm using progDVB, dunno if that is relavant or not.

[BGonaSTICK]

There is an option in ProgDVB to take a snapshot (File/Make Snapshot) but I could never get it to work.

It could just be me though as I hate ProgDVB and the clunky way it goes about its business >

What I do, is to record the video to disk as an MPG2 stream, then play it back in PowerDVD and take a snapshot with that. It saves as .bmp in a configurable directory but I usually convert to .jpg for reasons of size.

Sounds like a lot of messing about, but I find it easier to get exactly the frame I want having the video recorded, and I usually want to edit, crop, lighten or whatever the resulting image anyway (which I do in Paint Shop Pro).

[fergiz]

I didn't realise there was an option to do it in ProgDVB, I'll give it a go, but if it aint working for you I can't see it working for me.

I think I have a copy of PowerDVD somewhere, so i'll try out the method you use..........if I ever get my SS2 working again, it's playing up on me this morning.

Thanks again Stick.

[$ly]

Get that woman off the computer and that file bundle loaded mate





L.

[fergiz]

:roflmao: LOL How did you know about the Mrs on the computer? ( Did you ever get the feeling Big Brother is watching you? ) Or have you been chatting my Mrs up while I was watching the football on Setanta? >

I've loaded the bundle mate and the keyfinder etc. appears to be working, only problem is that the picture is freezing now and then as if i'm loosing signal strength or something.

Thanks for your help, mucho appreciated.

[fergiz]

Snapshot didn't work for me either Stick, computer just rudely beeped at me.

I have another more pressing issue now that I wondered if any of you guys can help with.
I was at the football on Saturday and whilst I was there my son (Student, who was home from his p/t job, on his lunch break) found a live feed on the SS2 (in 422 format) for the game I was at, and recorded it.

Now through a friend of a friend, the father of the boy who scored the winning (wonder) goal for the team I support got to hear that I have a recording of the game, and has asked me if I can oblige him with a copy.

That's where my problem arises, I don't have a clue how to get the 422 changed into a format that can be burned to a dvd that will play in a normal dvd player, so far i've only been able to play the disc I burned in Windows Media Player. Is there a tried and trusted way to make "normal" dvd's from 422 feeds?

Jings,crivvens and help ma boab. :?

[fergiz]

Oops, maybe I should have started a new thread for my queston, sorry bout that I just got carried away.

I'm at a baad age.

[BGonaSTICK]

I should tell you that I have a very short answer for you

My advice is to burn the .mpg file onto a disk and tell your friend to watch it in Windows Media Player or PowerDVD.

I should also say that it's not the standard answer, and you may wish to try the long answer (below).

I'm not an expert, but I don't think that the .mpg file recorded from the 4:2:2 feed in ProgDVB is any different to one recorded from a 4:2:0 format transmission. I might be wrong on that though. I'm not sure when the downsampling takes place.

Either way, the integrity of the frame layout for DVD recording is very strict. For satellite it's very sloppy. If you verify it properly, huge numbers of frames are dropped.

I tried umpteen packages and techniques all 'guaranteed to work'. They all produced crappy jittery DVDs that went straight into the bin. Actually, depending on the original SR and a few other factors I found some to be appalling, and some to be reasonable if you fiddled about with settings and options endlessly.

I'm a perfectioninst though, and anything less is bin-fodder ops:

To my mind, digital video should be faultless given the limitations of the format, resolution etc. There should be no errors.

Do yourself a favour and save hundreds of hours of pain :roflmao:

He'll be chuffed to bits with it in any format. He can always convert it in the future, when it's a lot easier to do!

If you really like pain, check

http://dvddemystified.com/dvdfaq.html

and

www.doom9.org

The latter used to have a step-by-step guide on how to go from satellite mpg2 to DVD, but I can't find it there now. Others I know have burned a DVD-Video disc straight from the mpg2 file in Nero.

Whatever you do, good luck. The whole experience left a bad taste in my mouth

[satsid]

hi fergiz convert with nero this works fine for me to dvd then just burn.
all the best.
from.
sid

[fergiz]

Thank's for the answers Stick & Sid.

The first programme I tried was actually Nero but the it just seemed to freeze on me, I will have another go and see how I get on, I probably didn't do it properly.

If unsuccessful I can always, as you say, revert to your "very short answer" Stick The only thing is that I'm not sure if he even has a PC.

I'll keep you posted if I have any joy, oh and I meant to tell you that I was able to get the snapshot to work using the Powerdvd method you suggested.

Cheers guys