how to capture a still from a commercial DVD

[Ernest Burden III]

Is there any easy way to capture stills from a DVD movie playing on a PC?

 

Fot the record, I just want to study architectural imagery in films, and its hard within a moving shot. I would rather use stills, since I can complare them side-by-side.

 

Is this possible?

[MJL Imaging]

ok, don't laugh at me, but the first, quickest, easiest way that comes to mind is to hit the "print screen" key, then paste it into a photoshop layout. it'd be best to try and maximize the dvd playback screen on your monitor when doing this. Other than using software to do this,..that's all I can come up with. I hope it helps.

[Onslaught]

WinDVD

 

http://www.intervideo.com/jsp/WinDVDPlatinum_Profile.jsp

 

PowerDVD

 

http://www.gocyberlink.com/english/products/features.jsp?ProdId=28&ProdVerId=31&SeqId=525

[Frosty]

screen captures will, in all likelyhood result in a green/grey block of colour. the video is protected and cannot be captured in this way

[Fran]

My Pioneer DVD drive came with PowerDVD and there is a function in there for saving still images. I got a couple of cool shots of 2001: A Space Odessey, thinking I would try to recreate them, but I haven't done anything with them yet.

[Ernest Burden III]

My Pioneer DVD drive came with PowerDVD and there is a function in there for saving still images. I got a couple of cool shots of 2001: A Space Odessey

 

So did my DVD drive, I see the PowerDVD icon right there on the desktop. Do you remember the key sequence? Or is this a RTFM situation? If it can be done with that player then I'm good.

 

As a matter of fact, 2001 was one of the DVD titles I bought today to study...along with Blade Runner and Yellow Submarine. I already have AI (amazing architectural work). Eric Hanson already has fantastic Fifth Element stills on his site, so no need to buy that one for a few stills to look at. Minority Report has some good stuff, too.

[Fran]

So did my DVD drive, I see the PowerDVD icon right there on the desktop. Do you remember the key sequence? Or is this a RTFM situation? If it can be done with that player then I'm good.

 

There is no FM. There's a little camera icon on the Cyberlink control panel. When you click that, it copies the current image to the clipboard. Then you can paste it into a new file however you like. It's kind of clutzy, but it works.

 

As a matter of fact, 2001 was one of the DVD titles I bought today to study...along with Blade Runner and Yellow Submarine. I already have AI (amazing architectural work). Eric Hanson already has fantastic Fifth Element stills on his site, so no need to buy that one for a few stills to look at. Minority Report has some good stuff, too.

 

They filmed some of Minority Report in Beaverdam Park, which is just down the road from where we live. It was kept secret until they were done. Kind of neat to think of Spielberg being less than a mile from my house.

[Frosty]

You might want to check out Dune as well, and the upcomming Neuromancer if you can score something.

[Ernest Burden III]

Fran and Onslaught were right, PowerDVD captures stills. Thank you for the help.

 

Fran, it can be set to capture to a file, if you don't want the copy to clipboard. In the general settings/advanced there are several choices.

 

Perfect!

[Fran]

Fran, it can be set to capture to a file, if you don't want the copy to clipboard. In the general settings/advanced there are several choices.

 

Perfect!

 

Good to know.