What model of Sharper Image video glasses are these?

Image-grab from a home video?

• So we are trying to do an image-grab (take one frame from a video shoot to use as a photograph), and are having trouble with blurriness. We shot with a Sony HandyCam (model #DCR-DVD203) using mini-discs, and are using an extraction program called VLC Media Player. When we follow the instructions, we are able to save an image as a picture (.bmp or .jpg) but it is BLURRY. Any suggestions for why this is happening and how to correct it? As well, we have tried to use the Sony-provided software (Picture Package) and keep getting errors that prevent the program from even opening. Any thoughts on this problem? Does anyone have any suggestions for how to either get the Sony software working, or get a clear image-grab? If you can suggest some software links as well that would be helpful. Thanks for your time!

• Answer:

  The problem is that you are not using good source material. First, the video you are watching is 60i... that is 60 interlaced frames. That mean 1/2 of the picture (every other line) is rendered in the video window, then the other 30 lines are interlaced with the first thirty to make one frame - because this is happening REALLY fast (at 30 frames per second - if you want to get technical and do all the math, it ends up being 29.97 frames per second, but most folks just call it 30 FPS), your eyes see the smooth motion when the video is playing. Then, when you freeze a frame, you are looking at that mess of 30+30 lines that are interlaced when the moving video looks smooth. On top of that, you are using miniDVD based storage which is the absolute worst video quality storage because it compresses the video so much in order to fit all the video on that little disc you use. You may be able to find a tool like Handbrake that might help...HandBrake is a DVD ripper and will rip the video from the DVD (similar to what VLC does). There is an option to de-interlace the video. It *might* improve the still image you are trying to get over what you are extracting using VLC... http://handbrake.fr/ As for the Picture Package software - you can try removing it and then re-installing it, but I have never found the camcorder-vendor-included software very good. Good luck!