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tbird97

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Join date
29-Oct-2008
Last activity
13-Mar-2024
Posts
72

Post History

Post
#902103
Topic
Noob question – vhs transfer to DVD for Ewok telemovies
Time

The one I have on vhs which I just transferred is “The Ewok Adventure” as it originally aired on my local channel, I believe on November 25, 1984. Mine was recorded on VHS (extended mode). It begins with the ABC Saturday Night movie intro. It’s missing 3 or 4 sets of commercials which my dad cut out as he recorded it (some of them were still recorded). The movie is complete except for the end credits.

Post
#901998
Topic
Noob question – vhs transfer to DVD for Ewok telemovies
Time

I did end up getting this project done (or at least done for now).
I used many of the same techniques that Tasjo used for the WHIO version of the Holiday Special.
My Panasonic AG-1980 S-VHS video deck seems to be on the fritz, so I used a lesser VCR and regular coaxial video cable rather than S-video.

I tried to use the VirtualDub program to capture, but I never could get the audio and video to sync. I ended up using a program called AmarecTV to capture from the vcr using a Hauppauge USB Live 2 video capture card and it worked like a charm and provided a nice lossless .avi capture using the Huffyuv codec. I was able to capture both movies and stored them to dual-layer DVD9. My skills at creating them are not up to Tasjos, so I did have a background photo (title page), but no fancy menus. I inserted chapter stops which matched those of the commercially released Ewok Adventures DVD with these two telemovies. I did not make chapter selections available from the menu, though that would be a nice addition at some point.

I ended up with decent captures, given the source material. My Ewok Adventure movie (AKA “The Caravan of Courage”) is missing 3 or 4 commercial breaks and the end credits. It starts with the ABC Saturday Night Movie “stars” intro. Ewoks: The Battle for Endor is complete with all commercials, missing only the end credits. It has the ABC Sunday Night Movie intro and it aired in place of MacGyver that night.

The picture (and sound) from the commercially available DVD are much superior to my captures, without a doubt. However, it’s still fun to pop in my disc and revisit them just as they aired on my local tv channel in 1984 and 1985. We hoped to do that as my son and I watched everything Star Wars leading up to The Force Awakens and our mission was accomplished in that regard.

If I’m ever able to obtain another VHS copy which aired, I’d like to splice in the missing commercials and the end credits. At that point, I’d probably tinker with the menus to add chapter selections as well, but I was able to make the capture and it was a good learning experience with some tips from members of this community.

Post
#897111
Topic
Preserving the...<em>cringe</em>...Star Wars Holiday Special (Released)
Time

The Irish poet W.B. Yeats summed it up best when he wrote, “A terrible beauty is born.”

I watched a few minutes last night and was amazed at the quality. I would love to hear the story of how this master tape was unearthed. The picture and sound are truly lightyears ahead of anything I’d previously seen. Now, I have mixed emotions as I’m faced with the dreadful prospect that I have to watch the Holiday Special again.
Thanks to all those who worked on this project.

Tbird97

Post
#882148
Topic
The Ewok Adventure (a.k.a. Caravan of Courage) &amp; Ewoks: The Battle For Endor television preservation
Time

I’m still struggling with my tv broadcast captures of The Ewok Adventure and Ewoks The Battle for Endor.

I got a nice little capture in mpeg2 format using the ArcSoft Showbiz software that came with my Hauppauge USB-Live2 capture card.

I’m really impressed with the WHIO capture of the Star Wars Holiday Special that Tasjo did and trying to duplicate that effort, with little success.
Trying to capture an AVI in VirtualDub (v1.10.4), I can capture (and with no dropped frames), using that Hauppauge USB Live-2 card, but my audio and video are not synced.

I have the Huffuv codec installed.

My settings are this:

From the main menu:
Video:
Filters – none
Frame Rate – I’ve tried the options “No change” and also “Change so video and audio durations match”
Frame Rate conversion = process all frames

Color Depth:
Decompression Format = Autoselect
Output format to Compressor/display = 24 bit RGB (888) – should this be 4:2:2 YCbCr (YUY2)?

Compression: Huffyuv v2.1.1
Under Configure:
YUY2 compression mode = predict median
RGB compression method = convert to YUY2
Nothing else is checked

Video:
I capture in Direct Stream Copy

Audio:
Interleaving = checked the box “Enable audio/video interleaving”
Audio block placement = 500 ms of audio before video starts
Interleave audio every = 1 frame
Audio skew correction = Delay audio track by 0 ms

I’ve tried capturing in both Direct Stream copy and also Full Processing mode
When using Full processing mode, under the audio options:
Compression = No compression (PCM)

Conversion:
Sampling Rate = no change
High quality = unchecked
Precision = no change
Channels = no change

Under Options:
Sync to Audio

Now I go to the CAPTURE AVI AVI mode and my settings are this:

Device: Hauppauge CX23100 Video Capture (Direct Show)
Under VIDEO:
I capture blind using No Display

Video Source = currently Video Composite (for my first capture). My Panasonic AG-1980 is in the shop, once I get a first composite capture down, and this thing is working correctly, I’ll do an S-Video capture

Capture Pin:
Video Standard = NTSC_M
Frame Rate = 29.970
Color Space compression = YUY2
Output size = 720 x 480

Crossbar:
Input = 0: Video Composite in (again, I’ll do another later on in S-video when the Panasonic VCR is working correctly)
Output = 0: Video decoder out
Link Related Streams = unchecked (I believe I’ve tried checking it as well)

Compression:
Compression: Huffyuv v2.1.1
Under Configure:
YUY2 compression mode = predict median
RGB compression method = convert to YUY2
Nothing else is checked

Set Custom Format:
Frame Size = 720x480
Data format = YUY2 YUV 4:2:2 interleaved

Still in Capture, under the Audio options:
Enable Audio Capture
Enable Audio Playback is unchecked during my blind captures

Raw Capture Format:
PCM 48000Hz, stereo, 16-bit

Compression: No compression (PCM)
Audio Source = audio line
0 Capture Device

Under Capture:
Timing = drop frames when captured frames are too close together = unchecked
Insert null frames when captured frames are too far apart = unchecked

Resync mode= sync audio to video by resampling audio to a faster or slower rate
(I have also tried sync video to audio by adjusting video timing)

Audio latency determination: Automatic
Number of Audio blocks to use at start = 30

Direct Show options:
The only one checked is “Force audio clock when audio playback is enabled”

My computer stats are:

Processor: Intel Core ™ i7-2600 CPU @ 3.40 GHz
Installed Memory (RAM): 8.00 GB

When I capture, I’m not dropping any frame rates. The video looks good. Audio seems to sound okay, it’s just not synced and I’m not sure how to get it synced. I feel like I’m close, but at my wits end trying to solve this problem and haven’t gotten any closer.
The first movie runs about 1 hour, 43 minutes (some commercials were cut, not all)
The Battle For Endor runs just shy of 2 hours long.

The Ewok Adventure, captured with both video and audio in direct stream, is 44.6 GB
The same movie, captured with both in full processing mode is 43 GB
Ewoks The Battle for Endor, also captured with both video and audio in direct stream is 63.8GB

I’d really like to do a nice preservation/capture as these appeared on tv on my local channel. My videos are complete except for a couple of commercials and missing the end credits of both movies. If someone has another over air copy, I’d love to splice those in to complete them.

Any assistance is appreciated. May the Force with with you.

 

Mod Edit: an later / updated thread can be found here:-

https://originaltrilogy.com/topic/The-Ewoks-television-movies-available-The-Ewok-Adventure-and-Ewoks-The-Battle-for-Endor-TV-preservation/id/57987/page/1
 

Post
#878719
Topic
The Ewok Adventure (a.k.a. Caravan of Courage) &amp; Ewoks: The Battle For Endor television preservation
Time

Going through all of the Star Wars movies with my oldest son leading up to the release of the new movie, I recalled these forgotten telemovies from 1984 and 1985. First, unlike the Holiday Special, I AM aware they’ve been released commercially – on VHS, laserdisc and on DVD (I have the DVD sitting on my shelf at home). I recalled I had first generation VHS recordings at my parents’ house. So this is a “preservation” in the loose sense. I’m preserving them as they originally aired on television on my local channel with most or all of the commercials intact and the first movie, The Ewok Adventure, has since been renamed for official release as “Caravan of Courage.”

I did my first transfer from VCR to Hauppauge USB Live 2 video capture last night. Unfortunately, my Panasonic AG-1960 S-VHS isn’t working properly and I need to get it repaired or replaced, so I used a lesser VCR.

I’d like to do a version 2.0, second transfer. Does anyone else happen to have a VHS recording of these movies which includes the end credits? My movies are complete with all (or most) of the commercials, but they are missing the end credits. I’d also love to grab the movie of the week intro leading in to The Ewok Adventure too. If anyone has these, I’d love to borrow them. Please send me a PM. Obviously what I’d like to transfer is very little footage and can be done in no time flat. I’d also like to transfer using an S-VHS deck. If I can get mine repaired or borrow one (anyone?) or replace it.

This is kind of a fun little time capsule to preserve these movies as I first saw them.
Until the Force Awakens, may the Force be with you.

 

Mod Edit:

tbird’s superseded this project with his 2017 released… The Ewok movies; ‘The Ewok Adventure’ and ‘The Battle for Endor’ - TV Preservation (Released)

Post
#793591
Topic
<strong>The Cowclops Transfers (a.k.a. the PCM audio DVD's, Row47 set) Info and Feedback Thread</strong> (Released)
Time

Thanks to all for helping.  I was able to find it using the info stretch009 posted a couple messages above.  I snagged all three movies.

In the dashboard, it looks like The Empire Strikes Back is short by just a couple MB.  I got a message saying there are 10 parts missing.

It appears file "V.part076.rar" yEnc is incomplete.  Mine says 57.85MB.
However, when I run the verification tool on the par2 file, it says everything is complete and I can extract it.  So, I'm not sure what's going on with that.

I appreciate all the help and I really like these transfers.  Doesn't look bad at all on my Blu-ray player which upscales the picture and the sound is great.

Post
#793219
Topic
Noob question – vhs transfer to DVD for Ewok telemovies
Time

Here’s an overlooked piece of Star Wars nostalgia.  I actually own the Ewoks telemovies ("The Ewok Adventure" a.k.a. “The Caravan of Courage” and "Ewoks: The Battle for Endor") on the official DVD release.  Let me get that out of the way.

 

Listening to a Now Playing Podcast review of these two movies the last couple weeks, I recalled I still have a VHS tape from the original airings of these two movies.  I’ll have to dig it out and check that tape.  I’m pretty certain at least the first movie is a first generation copy (directly from TV).  There’s a good chance the second one is too.  I don’t recall if they are complete with all the commercials intact or not, but I will verify.


If they are in decent condition, I’d like to preserve these turkeys to DVD.  What is the best way to do that?
I am familiar I could do the quick & dirty transfer from a VCR to my DVD recorder.  I’ve browsed the forums and I read a bit on the transfer of the Star Wars Holiday Special.  What would I need to do in order to preserve these in the best condition possible?  I’m just curious if I need a special capture card or software or what the best equipment and procedures are.  I realize my source material is limited by the capacity of the VHS tape (most likely recorded in SLP too).  But, these are from my childhood and recorded from my local station and with the original commercials (I hope) and there’s something nostalgic about that I’d like to preserve before VCRs are totally extinct or the tape becomes unplayable. 

 

With a bit of input, I’ll give it a try myself.  If anyone out there is interested in taking this on as a preservation project, please PM me.


Thanks.

Tbird97

Post
#792235
Topic
Young Indiana Jones... a preservation (* unfinished project *) - a mass of info &amp; ideas
Time

I'm with you on this one too.  While I enjoyed watching my DVDs, I much preferred the shows as they originally aired (as The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles).  I don't mind old Indy with the eye patch.  The continuity doesn't bother me.  Why do we have to mash everything into one continuity?  George Hall also turned in a nice performance as old Indy and it seemed disrespectful to him to excise all of his scenes.

I think the most glaring example was the first DVD, young Indy (Corey Carrier) was hunting for the artifact stolen from Egypt (a jackal headpiece).  Then, an hour into the episode, he was visibly older and no mention was made of the artifact.  That was jarring.

I believe it was season 2 before we finally caught up with teenage Indy (Sean Patrick Flanery) who was on the trail of that same artifact.  Darn it, George, leave well enough alone!

Post
#791449
Topic
Highlander II - The ZEIST Collection (Released)
Time

Ah, Highlander 2.  I have such mixed feelings about this movie.  It's completely cheesy, but for some reason I can't explain, I love it anyway.

I have seen The Quickening version available (90 mins, I believe) which contains the mentions of Zeist and I believe it's the US theatrical cut in a full screen version.

I understand there was a French dvd release (Le Retour) which contained this same movie, but in widescreen?  I'd kind of like to have this turkey in widescreen and English, if it exists.  Does the French DVD also have an English soundtrack?
Please inform me, do you just need a region free DVD player to play it?
Just curious.  I'll hang on to my full screen version, but if widescreen is out there, I would be interested.
Thanks.

Post
#791151
Topic
<strong>The Cowclops Transfers (a.k.a. the PCM audio DVD's, Row47 set) Info and Feedback Thread</strong> (Released)
Time

dave88 said:

Why are you guys so keen on this release?

I don't mind to reply.

For me, this hits my Star Wars sweet spot.  This was the last release of the movies before the Special Editions took more liberties with the movies.

I'm not interested in a "despecialized" or recreated experience (not knocking the effort that went into creating them).  I want to recall the movies just as I grew up with them and liked them.

I've seen several people state they felt this was the best version (at least at the time) of the laserdisc transfers to DVD.  It has uncompressed sound and a widescreen anamorphic picture.  Other than making the picture anamorphic, it's my understanding this presents the definitive edition laserdiscs just as they appeared.  I own the limited edition 2006 DVDs and watch them from time to time (I prefer them to my Blu-rays).  I look forward to hearing the uncompressed audio on my home theater and watching the anamorphic picture and getting sucked into the movies all over again.

I now have two sons and I want to show them Star Wars as I first saw it and loved it.  I can't speak for everyone, but that's the reason for my interest.

Thanks to all involved in these projects.
May the Force be with you.

Post
#790614
Topic
<strong>The Cowclops Transfers (a.k.a. the PCM audio DVD's, Row47 set) Info and Feedback Thread</strong> (Released)
Time

I realize there are other, newer and desoecialized versionsout there. I'd really love to check out this cowclops (TR42) version 2.

I loved the 1993 Definitive Editions laserdiscs "THX release" best and I'd love to see them in anamorphic widescreen and the uncompressed audio.

My PM's are turned on if anyone can help me find this, I've searched the net to no avail.

Thanks.

Post
#686351
Topic
Star Wars Holiday Special - WHIO 1st Gen VHS Preservation (Released)
Time

I'm not a usual poster on here.  I'd like to find some dvd cover art and disc art for the WHIO version 2.

I think my favorite Holiday Special artwork uses the TV Guide advertisement.  That was kind of the thing which seems most akin to a movie poster for this thing.

What is kbooty?  I am not familiar with that.  Can you direct me?

I'm excited to find this version of the Holiday Special, and grateful to those to helped make it possible.  But I'm also kind of torn, because now I feel like I have to watch the Holiday Special again!

Post
#334878
Topic
Preserving the...<em>cringe</em>...Star Wars Holiday Special (Released)
Time

I downloaded one marked Angrysun Blak0019 KCCI on mini nova.  It took forever (several days!) to download on my computer.  I finally got it completed and fired it up, and it's not the KCCI version as advertised, but the KCMO version.

Talk about frustrating!

 

I really want to find the angrysun KCCI version.  Can someone point me to a torrent that is the correct one?

I just want to know for sure before I bog down the computer spending that much time trying to download it again that it will be the correct one I'm looking for.


Thanks for any help!

indyracingfan at hotmail dot com

 

Tbird97

Post
#334593
Topic
Preserving the...<em>cringe</em>...Star Wars Holiday Special (Released)
Time

I would like to purchase the best copy of the Holiday Special that I can get and am willing to pay a reasonable about.

I had previously bought a good copy on ebay, I believe in retrospect that it was the KCCI version, but I don't recall.  It had the TV Guide artwork on the dvd case and the spine of the dvd matched the official movie releases reasonably well.  I loaned my copy to a friend over a year ago and now said friend can't locate it.  With the 30th anniversary of this stinker coming up, I'd like to watch it again.

 

I can be contacted by email at indyracingfan at hotmail dot com

Thanks very much, and May the Force be with you.