Comparisons of images between Dazzle DVC100, EasyCap stk1160 and Hauppauge ImapctVCB-e in Linux.

[Steve Cookson <steve.cookson@sca-uk.com>]

Hi Guys,

I would be interested in your views of the comparisons of these images.  
The still is the image of a duodenum taken during an endoscopy and 
recorded to a DVD player (via an s-video or composite cable).  Although 
the endoscope is an HD endoscope, the DVD recorder isn't and the 
resulting video is 720x480i59.94.

Here are further details of the video:-

Format : MPEG Video v2
Format profile : Main@Main
Format settings, BVOP : Yes, Matrix : Custom, GOP : M=3, N=15
Bit rate mode : Variable
Bit rate : 4 566 Kbps
Maximum bit rate : 10 000 Kbps
Width : 720 pixels
Height : 480 pixels
Display aspect ratio : 4:3
Frame rate : 29.970 fps
Standard : NTSC
Color space : YUV
Chroma subsampling : 4:2:0
Bit depth : 8 bits
Scan type : Interlaced
Scan order : Top Field First
Compression mode : Lossy
Bits/(Pixel*Frame) : 0.441

The video was played through Dragon Player and the video signal has 
exited through a mini-VGA port defined as 640x480 and passed through a 
VGA->S-Video converter to an s-video cable.

The cable has in turn been connected in turn to a Dazzle DVC100, an 
EasyCap stk1160 and a Hauppauge ImapctVCB-e.

Each setting (eg brightness and contrast etc) has as near as possible to 
mid-range and a screengrab taken.

The results are shown here:

Original: 
http://tinypic.com/usermedia.php?uo=fNkd6hpTbcMrgmD6gSf74Ih4l5k2TGxc

Dazzle DVC100: 
http://tinypic.com/usermedia.php?uo=fNkd6hpTbcMaOf4QTsIefYh4l5k2TGxc

ImpactVCB-e: 
http://tinypic.com/usermedia.php?uo=fNkd6hpTbcM7i72IqGujuIh4l5k2TGxc

STK1160: 
http://tinypic.com/usermedia.php?uo=fNkd6hpTbcPO7kmQk/IS94h4l5k2TGxc

I would be grateful for your views on the quality of the images.

Is one of materially higher quality than the others, or can I adjust the 
settings to improve the quality of one of them more.

It seems to me that the Hauppauge is marginally better than the others.  
What do you think?

Can I improve the test?

Regards

Steve.