Screen captures from a DVD

[Gary7]

I've tried to do screen captures from a DVD video source, but it doesn't work--I get a black image. I tried it with several different media players and tried a number of settings variations. Nothing has worked. I think it may have something to do with overlays, but I disabled "use overlays" and that didn't make a difference. I also disabled hardware acceleration. I do have "SnagIt", but that didn't do the job either. I'm wondering if I need to try another media player (I've used WMP and WinDVD).

Does anyone have a link to a website with really good details on doing screen captures from DVD's?

 

[Starbreaker]

I used to take screencaps with PowerDVD, it came with my computer. You can't just press Print Screen, though. There was a specific option in the software.

 

[Mr. B]

Using the "print screen" function isn't going to work, even if overlays are disabled. Download VLC (free), it has a screencap function.

 

[backstept]

Using the "print screen" function isn't going to work, even if overlays are disabled. Download VLC (free), it has a screencap function.

VLC is the way to go
haven't found a video that wouldn't play in it, and no fussing with shady codec packs

though I wish they had a dedicated screencap button instead of just a context menu command

 

[RAMA]

Try VLC!

Edit: Someone else mentioned it first, but it works really well!

RAMA

 

[RAMA]

Using the "print screen" function isn't going to work, even if overlays are disabled. Download VLC (free), it has a screencap function.

VLC is the way to go
haven't found a video that wouldn't play in it, and no fussing with shady codec packs

though I wish they had a dedicated screencap button instead of just a context menu command

Go to tools-->advanced controls...the button will appear at the bottom left.

RAMA

 

[backstept]

Using the "print screen" function isn't going to work, even if overlays are disabled. Download VLC (free), it has a screencap function.

VLC is the way to go
haven't found a video that wouldn't play in it, and no fussing with shady codec packs

though I wish they had a dedicated screencap button instead of just a context menu command

Go to tools-->advanced controls...the button will appear at the bottom left.

RAMA

hmm . . . I tried dearly to find that option a couple years ago . . . I guess I gave up and it's been added in a subsequent release


hehe who would have thought that a traffic cone would play videos

 

[Michael Chris]

For screencaps I find The KMplayer the best out there. It has configurable hotkeys for capturing images. VLC is good, but can be a little hard to do if you want a lot of screencaps.

 

[RAMA]

For screencaps I find The KMplayer the best out there. It has configurable hotkeys for capturing images. VLC is good, but can be a little hard to do if you want a lot of screencaps.

So does VLC. Shift+s is the default snapshot hotkey, but it is configurable.

RAMA

 

[ManOnTheWave]

Great googly moogly, I've been looking for something like this. I don't care for the newer versions of PowerDvd.

 

[Hermiod]

I'll join in the VLC choir. I don't use anything else for playing video on my PC or my Mac.

 

[Jadzia]

I've tried to do screen captures from a DVD video source, but it doesn't work--I get a black image. I tried it with several different media players and tried a number of settings variations. Nothing has worked. I think it may have something to do with overlays, but I disabled "use overlays" and that didn't make a difference. I also disabled hardware acceleration. I do have "SnagIt", but that didn't do the job either. I'm wondering if I need to try another media player (I've used WMP and WinDVD).

Does anyone have a link to a website with really good details on doing screen captures from DVD's?

Yes, it depends on how the image is rendered. Graphics is an expensive operation on computers, so video is often drawn by 'bypassing' normal methods, rendering it direct to screen without passing it through the screen buffer.

The result is that when you take a normal screen capture, the video isn't there in the screen buffer, so all you get is a black hole.

The two ways around it:
1. Use a player which doesn't bypass the screen buffer. Most video players give you the option to enable/disable this, but it usually gives you slow jerky video and your computer grinds to a halt. But you can then take screenshots.

2. Use a more advanced player which interrupts the normal screen capture function and inserts the video frame into it. This function may be interwoven into directx methods if the video player uses that.

 

[Amaris]

I'll join in the VLC choir. I don't use anything else for playing video on my PC or my Mac.

Yep. What's great about VLC is for Mac it lets you get around the disabled screencap when playing DVDs.


J.

 

[Garrovick]

I used to take screencaps with PowerDVD, it came with my computer. You can't just press Print Screen, though. There was a specific option in the software.

Me too. Works fine.

PS: VLC is great on my Ubuntu machine.

 

[Roshi]

My latest screen cap with VLC:

 

[Gary7]

Awesome--I'm glad I took a chance on asking. Thanks for the tip on VLC, folks!