Transferring footage from a DVD to CS4Pro

Question

About a year ago I was asking what item to use/purchase to transfer video from VHS into my computer so that I could capture it into my CS4pro.  This year I snuck an old '86 DVD from my brother's wedding album and now I want to edit this video so that I can give it to him for Christmas as a surprise. The dvd was created from a VHS tape.  The colors and clearity are just awful. My question to anyone of you out there, is, what item can I buy to transfer a DVD video into my CS4 software that is friendly to use and works great? 

Answer 1

It can be, depending on exactly how the DVD was created.
I have been handed some DVD's, that were created via DVR units (some consumer, but some pro from TV stations), and have just used my ADVC 300 with my dual VHS/DVD deck, to run the deck to the computer.This allows me to Capture from that DVD (a DVR) into PrPro.
Some, like Jim Simon, use a software program, to handle those problem DVD's. As I already had the hardware hooked up, I have not explored that possibility/workflow, but if Jim recommends it, I have zero reason to doubt it.
However, and depending on how the DVD was created, you might not even need that extra step. However, the VOB Import capability was not included until about the CS 4.2 update (might have been CS 4.1?). That will only yield good results, with 100% DVD-compliant VOB's, say ones created with a program, like Adobe Encore. Even some DVD authoring programs, create less-than-perfect,100% DVD-compliant discs. The issue is usually with the first VOB, that along with probably part of the spanned MPEG-2 AV file, also contains Menus and navigation. That is where things can go very far off.
As that first VOB (~ 1GB) contains the navigation and Menus, if it is filled, say with intricate navigation, then the user does not need anything from it, as the MPEG-2 will not start until the second, and probably the other VOB's. With many DVD's, that first VOB will NOT be filled to max with the navigation and Menus, and getting to just the MPEG-2 (the first part of the video), can take some work.
Sorry for any confusion above, and I wanted to point out that PrPro, as of the last update to CS 4, can actually work quite nicely with many VOB's. Depending on how the disc was originally created, you might not need any additonal software, or hardware. Still, the ADVC-110 is a good unit, and though you might not need it on this Project, if you have much VHS (or other analog source material), it is great to work with. As you mention the colors in the VHS, and again predicated on how much such work you plan to do, the ADVC-300 might be a real time-saver. It has the capability to do some pretty nifty correction, at Capture. That correction can certainly be done in PrPro, but with a ton of tapes, it can share hours off the total Project, and in my case, justified its higher price. For just a few tapes, I'd save the $, and stick with the 110.
For corrections on VHS source material, I usually go with a group of Effects: Levels, Shadow & Highlight (turned OFF of Auto), and then the Fast Color Corrector. It is surprising what just a few Effects can do, to enhance old tapes. Even with the TimeBase Corrections in the 300 unit, I still often do some tweaking with those Effects, but then it's usually pretty minor and quick.
Good luck, and sounds like a great present.
Hunt