Anybody taping the show on VHS?

[Hypestyle]

Keeping things on the hush-hush tip, of course-- Peep it-- I'm among the uncivilized who don't have cable-- I need eps from somebody--

Hit me back at my e-mail-- hypestyle@yahoo.com
(I hope Bruce Timm doesn't see this----)

[Maxie Zeus]

I made the tiniest edit to this post. Certain details probably shouldn't be discussed in public. ;)

[Green Lantern]

I'm taping them, and downloading them to burn onto CD's.

[Buddy Lee]

I also am taping the episodes in speed SP. If you need copies, let me know. Otherwise, I would advise waiting for the DVD release in 2002

[joshualane]

I'm recording the eps directly to my computer and making my own personal VCD set of them. I'm also doing this with Spongebob, Invader Zim, and would like to get more Fairly Oddparents if they would start airing new episodes...I already have all the ones that they've made so far. I don't do much VHS recording anymore since I'm trying to phase that out completely.

[oranthal]

i'm curious. how do you make VCD's directly from the tv? what program and capture card do you use the capture the stuff on tv directly? thanks.


Originally posted by joshualane
I'm recording the eps directly to my computer and making my own personal VCD set of them. I'm also doing this with Spongebob, Invader Zim, and would like to get more Fairly Oddparents if they would start airing new episodes...I already have all the ones that they've made so far. I don't do much VHS recording anymore since I'm trying to phase that out completely.

[joshualane]

Well, I have the cable line going into my TV Capture box (I'm not sure of the name offhand, company in Taiwan I think). The box hooks into my computer through the USB port and not only let's me watch TV through my computer, but I can capture video & screen shots through my Cute! TV program. The program captures video as raw .avi files and then I edit out the commercials (using Virtual Dub program) and convert the files to .mpeg format (using TMPGEnc program) and create VCD's with my Nero CD-burning software.

On a related note, I have another box that lets me watch TV on my Computer Monitor without needing to have my actual Computer on. This is a completely separate box from my capture one, but I can switch between using one or the other. I also got this box from the same company in Taiwain. Both boxes were about $75 each, but definitely worth it because I never have to buy another TV again, and I don't have to bother with VHS tapes that wear out over time.

...if anyone is interested in the TV boxes I own, I can probably dig through some of my old emails to see what company it was that made them.

[Beyond Batman]

Joshualane, how would you rate the quality of your VCD copies? Are they up to par on DVD quality as far as video goes?

[joshualane]

Oh god no...the video quality is definitely not DVD level. Because of VCD restrictions, I have to record the video at a smaller screen size (350x240) and when the AVI's are encoded to MPEG's, there is a small loss of quality. I could record the video at 640x480 and make SVCD's, but the software I have to encode the .AVI files to VCD compliant .MPEG files doesn't seem to want to let me do that. It always wants to adjust the size back to 350x240.

The high-quality DivX eps are probably as good as mine are, but you can't play those in your DVD Player. :p

[oranthal]

i have another question. there are some .MPEG files that i have downloaded off the net and are they VCD ready or do I have to convert those to VCD MPEG using TMPEnc? is there difference between MPEG and VCD MPEG? thanks.


Originally posted by joshualane
Oh god no...the video quality is definitely not DVD level. Because of VCD restrictions, I have to record the video at a smaller screen size (350x240) and when the AVI's are encoded to MPEG's, there is a small loss of quality. I could record the video at 640x480 and make SVCD's, but the software I have to encode the .AVI files to VCD compliant .MPEG files doesn't seem to want to let me do that. It always wants to adjust the size back to 350x240.

The high-quality DivX eps are probably as good as mine are, but you can't play those in your DVD Player. :p

[Hypestyle]

Does VCD work on computer dvd-roms?

[GrayGhost]

I still have the movie and the first two eps on my Tivo. I will transfer them to VHS soon.

[joshualane]

Originally posted by oranthal
i have another question. there are some .MPEG files that i have downloaded off the net and are they VCD ready or do I have to convert those to VCD MPEG using TMPEnc? is there difference between MPEG and VCD MPEG? thanks.

Sometimes .MPEG files you download are VCD compatible, but sometimes they aren't, I'm not sure why, but it's usually due to minor details like screen size or frame rate or something similar I think. I'm pretty sure that TMPEnc can correctly encode the .MPEG files, but I'm not 100% sure as I've never done it before. I know that with Nero CD-Burning software, it will tell you if the .MPEG file is VCD compatible or not.

...and VCD's should most definitely work on computer DVD-Roms.

[oranthal]

once again, thanks.


Originally posted by joshualane


Sometimes .MPEG files you download are VCD compatible, but sometimes they aren't, I'm not sure why, but it's usually due to minor details like screen size or frame rate or something similar I think. I'm pretty sure that TMPEnc can correctly encode the .MPEG files, but I'm not 100% sure as I've never done it before. I know that with Nero CD-Burning software, it will tell you if the .MPEG file is VCD compatible or not.

...and VCD's should most definitely work on computer DVD-Roms.