DVD frame capture

[Jiggy1965]

When I capture a frame from a dvd using Nero Showtime I mostly get a kind of image, where you can see lines (interlace lines?). Normal frame when pauzed looks fine in Nero. What can cause this and how to get rid of it so I can get a sharp image to save? Attached an example.

[DrinkOrDie]

Your image is a result of Nero Showtime's default video setting, specifically the "adaptive deinterlacing" setting. To fix the frame capture problem, simply right-click the video screen as it's playing, then select Options < Video Mode. Then check the option for "No Deinterlacing". Then close Nero showtime. Reopen it, playing your DVD/VOB and capture your frame. It should then come out clear and sharp although in some fast action scenes you will still see a little bit of the "comb" effect. Also note that DVD's use rectangular pixels so the captured image sometimes looks stretched vertically.

You are right that the lines or "comb" effect that you see is a result of interlacing. When you capture the frame, you see the lines. Of course the lines are always there even when you're playing the video but it happens so fast that the eye and mind do not notice it.

[Jiggy1965]

Tried that but it hardly made any difference. What I further tried is using the frame capture version on dvd files on my hard drive. They turned out in good sharp quality. Could the dvd itself be the problem? That although I chose 'no deinterlacing' the screenshot still had this 'comb' effect, just because of how the dvd is put together? Or is there something else which can explain why a screenshot made on dvd files on the harddrive turn out good, but when a screenshot is made from a dvd in the dvd player I get this interlace effect?

[Jiggy1965]

I've tried it on another dvd and screenshots from that one where perfect. So it had to be something in the dvd I used for above screenshot. Any ideas what it could be?

[DrinkOrDie]

I really don't have an idea why one DVD would work ok, and not another. I also don't know why a hard drive VOB would work better than the DVD. Sorry. I wonder if perhaps the framerates are different for each DVD, or if one or the other uses pulldown. Might have something to do with it, but I dunno. Maybe you could rip the VOB's to the hard drive and use gspot on them to shed some light.

EDIT: I just remembered that PowerDVD can capture frames straight from the DVD and they come out perfect every time so if you have that...

[drfsupercenter]

Well DrinkOrDie, the problem with using frame-by-frame on DVDs is that each frame is actually two frames: the upper and lower field. Which basically means that if the DVD is badly made, blending them together has that motion blur effect that you see in his screenshot.

What you need is some better deinterlacing. I would try out VLC, it has numerous deinterlacing settings, just fool around with those. Media Player Classic has the best deinterlacing I've ever seen on a computer program, but does not have a "capture frame" option. However, you can set it to VMR-9 rendering and then use the "print screen" key.

Let me know if you need more in-depth help!

[paglamon]

Media Player Classic has the best deinterlacing I've ever seen on a computer program, but does not have a "capture frame" option.

File/Save image.

[DrinkOrDie]

Well DrinkOrDie, the problem with using frame-by-frame on DVDs is that each frame is actually two frames: the upper and lower field. Which basically means that if the DVD is badly made, blending them together has that motion blur effect that you see in his screenshot.

What you need is some better deinterlacing. I would try out VLC, it has numerous deinterlacing settings, just fool around with those. Media Player Classic has the best deinterlacing I've ever seen on a computer program, but does not have a "capture frame" option. However, you can set it to VMR-9 rendering and then use the "print screen" key.

Let me know if you need more in-depth help!

Yes I am aware of the fields you mention. The thing that doesn't make sense is that I get better frame captures with deinterlacing turned OFF.

[drfsupercenter]

File/Save image.

LOL. Nice trick. I wish I knew about that

Yes I am aware of the fields you mention. The thing that doesn't make sense is that I get better frame captures with deinterlacing turned OFF.

Well, I think it depends on the source. If the camera is relatively still, it shouldn't need to be deinterlaced. Interlacing really only looks bad on camera pans and high motion, so if you pause it on a scene like that you'll want some sort of correction for it.