View Full Version : Capturing tv show thumbnails? Differences in methods?
ethan_9219
2009-04-25, 05:52
I'm just having a few problems when capturing my thumbs to use with TV shows. The problem is illustrated in the image below;
http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd24/ethan_9219/Comparison.jpg
As you can see the aspect ratio is different between the images, as are the colours.
The bottom image is the one i see when watching the video.
Does anyone know why this is happening? Or how to do something about it?
jmarshall
2009-04-25, 06:46
DVD video has non-square pixels. You therefore must resize any resulting image.
DVDs are Anamorphic (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anamorphic).
ethan_9219
2009-04-25, 08:47
Okay...Thank you both for the replies. thanks Hitcher for that link.
So which of the images is the correct one? I mean, which one is stretched/squished and which is normal?
From what i can tell by the link you posted, Hitcher, the top image that i posted (720 x 480px is how the movie is stored on the DVD), but the bottom image (767 x 429px) is being shown at its original AR by the software.
Or is this all wrong?
I'm just not sure, as i want to create video thumbs for all my episodes, but have no idea what to do really, in terms of this.
LaTropa64
2009-04-25, 10:47
Bottom is the correct AR. As for the colors, it looks like PowerDVD is doing some post processing to enhance the image.
Change the aspect ratio to 'Stretch 16:9' for the correct one.
ethan_9219
2009-04-27, 04:00
Change the aspect ratio to 'Stretch 16:9' for the correct one.
You mean as a configuration setting in PowerDVD?
Because, when i am watching it in PowerDVD i am seeing it in the correct AR, but the captured image is different...
But, just not sure i understand exactly what it is you mean:blush:
Sorry, I thought you were using XBMC to play it.
ethan_9219
2009-04-28, 04:16
Sorry, I thought you were using XBMC to play it.
That's okay...Quick question, though; may XBMC be better than PowerDVD for capturing thumbs? I mean, XBMC has a button/action or something for taking a screenshot doesn't it (separate from Windows' printscreen)?
I'm guessing for taking thumbs XBMC might be faster is browsin by library becaus when in Windows i have to browse the folders, find the season, the episode folder and then click on the .ISO to play the episode...In XBMC, i can just open the episode, exit the episode and quickly open the next one.
So, i guess what i'm ultimately asking is that there isn't any difference in taking a capture from PowerDVD or XBMC, is there?