unable to get screenshots?

[eviltoon]

I am wondering why the newer released films seem to prevent me from taking screenshots and HOW they manage to do it. When viewing the films on my monitor they look fine, but take a screen shot and the middle half of the frozen clip has a white space throughout the enitire length. Anyone know why they do this. How they do this, and is there a way to off set this? It's weird and very frustrating.
Oh, and I know it's not my video card, or capture software, Asian and european films don't have this problem. Any advice here would be welcomed.

 

[g3pro]

i think it has to do with DivX encoding where the video is put straight to the video output, and doesn't go throught the system.

you can take screenshots using HyperSnap, though.

 

[MercenaryForHire]

What exactly are you trying to take screenshots from?

And it's a result of the video card's overlay feature.

- M4H

 

[eviltoon]

I am taking screen shot from current new films. the one today was 28 days later. I run the DVD from my player into my computer through DVI and then watch it on my monitor. I do this all the time and get great captures if I'm watching anything but big budget movies. I haven't had this happen with any Asian films or European...although 28 days later may be considered UK. What's this about the video cards overlay feature? Is there a way to offset this?

I do movie reviews and screen shots are pretty important to the web site. Fortunatley I do lesser know films, but I did want to do a feature on 28 Days Later.

 

[MercenaryForHire]

Originally posted by: eviltoon
I am taking screen shot from current new films. the one today was 28 days later. I run the DVD from my player into my computer through DVI and then watch it on my monitor. I do this all the time and get great captures if I'm watching anything but big budget movies. I haven't had this happen with any Asian films or European...although 28 days later may be considered UK. What's this about the video cards overlay feature? Is there a way to offset this?

I do movie reviews and screen shots are pretty important to the web site. Fortunatley I do lesser know films, but I did want to do a feature on 28 Days Later.

Wait, wait ... you have DVI input on your computer?

If you're using an external player, then your issue is "Macrovision". Google it.

- M4H

 

[rbV5]

I run the DVD from my player into my computer through DVI and then watch it on my monitor.

I'm sure you're backwards here. You mean you are playing the DVD and outputting to your monitor via DVI. As far as your problem, it sounds to me like you are actually using a camera to take shots of the display screen...yes? In that case, you need to set the shutter speed to match the refresh rate of the monitor. Try something like 1/50 sec for PAL and 1/60 sec for NTSC.

 

[eviltoon]

No, I have an external Toshiba DVD player that I run into my computer and watch through my monitor. I do this so that I don't take up any processing speed on the cpu. My films never lag, stutter or crash my computer...which they used to do when using windDVD or powerDVD. I like my set up, it's this damn Macrovision, which MercenaryForHire nailed for me. But rbV5, I like your idea of taking pictures of the actual screen. That might just work. Thankfully with the digital camera I won't be wasting film trying to match the refresh rate.
Thanks

 

[Zap]

Some DVD players can be hacked to turn off Macrovision. Usually the cheap off-brands, though.

 

[rbV5]

No, I have an external Toshiba DVD player that I run into my computer and watch through my monitor.

How do you have it connected to the PC? You wrote that you are using DVI, but I've never even a DVD player with DVI output, nor have I seen a PC with DVI input. How exactly does that work? What application do you use to watch the video?

 

[eviltoon]

Damn, maybe I'm using the wrong terminology. DVI sounded right to me since that's what it appearsto be doing. Using an external Toshiba brand DVD player to play the film I route the video cable out from the player attach that cable to a blue connector cable that came with the video card and insert it into the video card at the back of the com. It runs through my computer's video card and I watch the dvd on my monitor through the Leadtek program that came with the card specifically for this. Sorry, if I was at home I'd be able to tell you the cable names and the input names.

 

[rbV5]

No, it makes sense now. If it looks OK on your monitor, its not Macrovision. My guess is that you may need to adjust your capture settings because of a different format.

PAL is 25 FPS and NTSC is 29.97 FPS. Change your capture framerate to one or the other and see if that might help. You ought to think about getting a DVD ROM and just using the screencap feature of the DVD player software. It would be alot easier and higher quality than an analog capture.

 

[eviltoon]

Thanks for the info re frame capture rates. That could be it and I will give it a go.

Interesting, what makes you think that my external DVD is being turned into analog? Digital out-to digital in through the card to monitor. I would think it's all digital. Are you sure about it being turned to analog somewhere aliong the way?

I do have a DVD drive and I didn't like the way films always stuttered and on occasion froze while I was watching. I've got a P4 1.5 with tons or ram. It should be powerful enough to run the dvd but it never worked without flaws. This new way, with the external player, is flawless performance wise.

 

[rbV5]

Interesting, what makes you think that my external DVD is being turned into analog? Digital out-to digital in through the card to monitor. I would think it's all digital. Are you sure about it being turned to analog somewhere aliong the way?

I don't know that. You really haven't given any specs of your system or your external DVD player, its just an assumption on my part. DVD player, like a standalone player? Now it sounds like maybe and external optical drive, usb/ firewire I dunno? The Leadtek software is DVD software or capture software?

Yea seems lke you had some conflict with your internal player or software or something, you should have good DVD playback with a much lessor rig.