How steady is the WorkPrinter? Check this out...

[MovieStuff]

Here is a sample of regular 8mm footage transferred by a customer using the WorkPrinter and a basic home video camera:

http://www.jetfamily.com/grandpaboat.mpg

Note the sprocket holes at the edges!

Roger

[tfunch24]

I'm impressed. That clip looks very good, considering they utilized a camcorder.

Since I'm ordering a Video Cinemate 20, would there be any great difference in quality if the above image were transferred using the VC-20 rather than the Video Workprinter? I'm planning on using a VHS camcorder with my VC-20 when it arrives later this summer, and I'm interested in how the quality will turn out.

Tom

[eddie]

hello

sorry if this is a dumb question, but can you tell me if this was filmed at 18fps, then the transfer done frame by frame, so what we see here is it running at 30 fps (and slightly sped up) ?

thanks

[MovieStuff]

Hi, Eddie!

Not a dumb question at all! I didn't do the transfer but it would appear to be running faster than normal. The WorkPrinters do transfer frame by frame and you can then determine the playback rate after the fact. A few customers prefer to let the older 8mm stuff (generally shot at 16fps) play fast since that's pretty much how they've viewed them for the last 40 years! I think he was going for a nostalgia look, hence the sprocket holes on the side. At any rate (no pun intended) I think the registration is even more notable, considering the faster play back speed. If I can buy some decent software to encode movie clips, I'll try to post some on my website. Otherwise, I think I'll contact my customer and see if I can't use this as a good example of DIY transfers.

Roger

<font color="#a62a2a" size="1">[ June 06, 2002 10:39 AM: Message edited by: MovieStuff ]</font>

[MovieStuff]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size=2 face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><table border="0" width="90%" bgcolor="#333333" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="0"><tr><td width="100%"><table border="0" width="100%" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="2" bgcolor="#FF9900"><tr><td width="100%" bgcolor="#DDDDDD"><font size=2 face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Originally posted by tfunch24:
I'm impressed. That clip looks very good, considering they utilized a camcorder.

Since I'm ordering a Video Cinemate 20, would there be any great difference in quality if the above image were transferred using the VC-20 rather than the Video Workprinter? I'm planning on using a VHS camcorder with my VC-20 when it arrives later this summer, and I'm interested in how the quality will turn out.

Tom</font></td></tr></table></td></tr></table></BLOCKQUOTE>

The WorkPrinter provides a crisper image due to its frame by frame transfer characteristic where there are no "shared frames". The CineMate is almost as good but inspection of individual video frames will reveal frame sharing where parts of two film frames occupy a single video frame. Looks fine at running speed and there's no flicker but the CineMate's lack of "frame discretion" that you find on the WorkPrinter or the Rank naturally limits the ultimate apparent sharpness of the image. That said, however, the CineMate is still the best thing for personal transfers next to a WorkPrinter or the Rank. The Elmo TRVs and Goko units don't even com close. If you had never seen a WorkPrinter transfer, you'd never know there was something better than the CineMate. But if you need the crispness that comes from ultimate frame discretion, then the WorkPrinter is the way to do. The only thing better is a Rank.

Roger

[digvid]

Roger -

If you want to encode your movie clips as mpegs, the most "decent" software in my opinion is a shareware product called TMPGEnc. It is available at TMPGEnc Net. If you want to purchase it, I believe it is fairly inexpensive also.

- Jeff

[digvid]

One more thing: the "Grandpa Boat" clip looks fabulous! I've had some of my own old home movies Ranked, Elmoed, and Gokoed, and haven't seen anything that looks that good. Granted, it looks like your customer started with good source material, which helps. For some reason, I've always loved watching home movies that show those old cars & trucks whizzing past...

- digvid

[mcarter4121]

Why purchase an encoder when this may be had for free?

http://www.mnsi.net/~jschlic1/

It is very easy to use.

[digvid]

Michael -

Of course, quality is in the eye of the beholder, but my humble opinion is that the quality of TMPGEnc is significantly better than avi2mpg/vcd. Both are well known and popular encoders, but I think if you are looking for the best quality for a reasonable price, TMPGEnc is it.

- digvid

[mcarter4121]

Wow, that sample movie is terrific!
I never used to try that program because my computer was lower than recomended speed, however, I did finally try an earlier version and it worked. It was 0.11.28.112 and it worked on a 300 PII