This is what I do. Try cutting them directly together with no black frames. Play it back to see if there are any audio or video jumps. Finally, check that single part against a VHS, DVD or any complete source of the movie if possible. You have to make sure there are no fades or missing frames. If not then you're good, if so then you have to take those missing pieces from the other source.

If you have watched the movies enough you will know what is right, and if not check out your VHS, if you are using VDub just start your file and set your start point, then go to the end of that file, which would be LD side1 right? and set your end point, then choose in VDub how you want to save that file with what compression, I use Lagarith, then save that portion, that would be side 1, do the same for all other sides and then join them up, now you have a completed movie for further processing.

Just make sure you have a lot of HD space.

Big thanks for the responses.

I've got a 1TB drive just for this.  What was worrying me most is really the side flips....I didn't want to be missing a fade or something when I connect them together.

Example...

When I get to the end of Side A, the last visible frame is the one I make my end cut at.  Beginning of Side B, the first visible scene I mark and then go all the way to the end of that side and again cut the last visible scene I see.

I'm recording 1 side at a time and then I go back and trim each one separately so I can put them all together at the end.

Is that confusing?  I think I lost myself......LMAO

Jetrell Fo said:

Example...

When I get to the end of Side A, the last visible frame is the one I make my end cut at.  Beginning of Side B, the first visible scene I mark and then go all the way to the end of that side and again cut the last visible scene I see.

Yes, that is what you do.

Sweet, I'm happy to know I've learned something from reading things here and from searching out my own answers.  It certainly helps.

:) 

captainsolo said:

This is what I do. Try cutting them directly together with no black frames. Play it back to see if there are any audio or video jumps. Finally, check that single part against a VHS, DVD or any complete source of the movie if possible. You have to make sure there are no fades or missing frames. If not then you're good, if so then you have to take those missing pieces from the other source.

I'm finding that this post is worth it's weight.  What I thought was a strange audio transition in a test capture is actually missing frames that I cut thinking I had some semblance of understanding.

On Side 2 of Empire where Luke leaves Yoda & Ben to go to Bespin there is like a 12 frame fade before we see Luke leaving the atmosphere of Dagobah.  I noticed it because I turned on the "view audio" option in Virtualdub so I could time the trim and figured the audio wave form would help guide me through.  Turns out I was misunderstanding what I was seeing and it made my test capture "skip a beat" so to speak.....thank you. 

Of course, this now means I'm gonna have to scrap some of the work I've done.....good thing I did not delete the raw captured sides yet.....at least I got that part down....LMMFAO

Jetrell Fo said:

When I get to the end of Side A, the last visible frame is the one I make my end cut at.  Beginning of Side B, the first visible scene I mark and then go all the way to the end of that side and again cut the last visible scene I see.

I'm recording 1 side at a time and then I go back and trim each one separately so I can put them all together at the end.

Is that confusing?  I think I lost myself......LMAO

It also depends on your source. The side breaks are different between the SW Def. Col. and the THX Faces set. They break at the same parts, but the audio carries on past the video on one of the sets (I don't recall which). This was especially apparent when Alderaan is destroyed.

MeBeJedi said:

Jetrell Fo said:

When I get to the end of Side A, the last visible frame is the one I make my end cut at.  Beginning of Side B, the first visible scene I mark and then go all the way to the end of that side and again cut the last visible scene I see.

I'm recording 1 side at a time and then I go back and trim each one separately so I can put them all together at the end.

Is that confusing?  I think I lost myself......LMAO

It also depends on your source. The side breaks are different between the SW Def. Col. and the THX Faces set. They break at the same parts, but the audio carries on past the video on one of the sets (I don't recall which). This was especially apparent when Alderaan is destroyed.

The Special Edition seems to be no different in regards to this....it's like 1/2 a frame during the scene I described above when Luke leaves Dagobah in Empire. 

What is the best way to deal with this if you don't mind me asking?  Maybe there is someone here who knows the frame count for each side that might be able to shed some light on how far to go or not to go.

First of all, what video editor are you using?

Secondly, don't worry too much about a frame here or there, as long as your audio and video line up. That frame is one of 30 that will be shown in a single second - it's not going to be missed.  ;)

MeBeJedi said:

First of all, what video editor are you using?

 

Secondly, don't worry too much about a frame here or there, as long as your audio and video line up. That frame is one of 30 that will be shown in a single second - it's not going to be missed.  ;)

I captured in Virtualdub using the huffyuv codec and I have gone back to square one with trimming the sides to create a full AVI.  After that, I haven't figured out what I'm going to use 

I've decided I'm going to try to capture 1 copy of each of my LD sets....no tweaking except for IVTC and what I've found so far is that this sure is a task for a newbie like myself. 

I actually had to adjust my monitors slant to see the last couple of frames at the end of a side so I could edit them together properly.  The fades are tough to catch if you don't look hard enough. 

I noticed it by accident after watching my test capture.  Definitely a learning game.....LOL.

:) 

Through trial and error I've learned a few more things that weren't answered here or elsewhere.  Back to the old drawing board......lmao.