by Lunkhead on July 24th, 2005, 10:40 pm
Thanks Umday.
Yes, I get the images from DVDs. The pc software I'm using is called PowerDVD. I play the DVD on the pc, pause it, and then capture the picture to a bitmap image file. Some other DVD Player software packages also feature screen capturing, such as Sonic CinePlayer and WinDVD.
Afterward, I use software like Adobe Photoshop to touch up, resize and save the images as JPEG files at lower kilobyte sizes so they load faster from the web. Takes a little bit of practice to balance quality and size, but after a while it gets easier.
It is possible to pull images from VHS tapes, but you need to have a video capture device and its accompanying software. The device can be an internal capture card, but even more common now are external devices which connect via USB. I bought one a couple months ago, with the idea of transferring old video tapes to DVD. Unfortunately, the software didn't work well on my system. It kept freezing, and after spending days trying unsuccessfully to fine tune it, I returned it and the capture device.
Most of my stooge short collection is on VHS too - so when I get to those, I won't be able to post as extensively (picture wise). I hope to remedy that though eventually by getting a stand-alone DVD recorder and transferring the tapes directly through it. Then afterward, I'll still be able to play the DVDs on the pc and continue doing the image captures.
Hope this info helps. If you want to pursue it, I'd suggest gathering all your computer specs. Then, go to BestBuy or CompUSA and tell them what you're looking to accomplish. They should be able to point you to the right stuff for your system.
"I'm telling you man. Who is on first."
