Screen capture of Windows Media Player

AI Thread Summary
To capture a video image as a JPEG from an MPEG file, using Windows Media Player may not work due to its use of DirectX, which prevents standard screen capture tools from functioning properly. Recommended solutions include using Windows Movie Maker, which allows for snapshots of videos, or Media Player Classic, which can also save frames. VLC is another option for extracting single frames from videos. For more advanced needs, VirtualDub can import MPEG files and copy frames to the clipboard. SnagIt is suggested for general screen captures, including video layers. Adjusting video card hardware acceleration settings may also enable Paint Shop Pro to capture the video image. The discussion also touches on a specific video from Bob Lazar's website, which is critiqued as potentially fraudulent based on its visual inconsistencies. Additional tools mentioned for capturing video images include Screen VidShot and Avidemux, both of which offer functionality for saving images as JPEGs.
pmb_phy
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I have a mpeg video which I can play using Windows Media Player. I tried to do a screen capture using Paint Shop Pro. However the screen capture was unable to capture the image of the video on my screen. How can I get a video image into a jpeg file?

Pete
 
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Try using windows movie maker. It will allow snapshots of your video . Also Animation shop would break up the movie into frames, then just save the individual frame as a jpeg.
 
Media player uses diectX to draw directly to the video bypassing windows - so most screen capture won't work it just 'sees' the reserved area that directX is drawing into.
You could use something like VLC ( a free media player) to save a single frame or search for a screen capture that can do directX
 
As suggested, Windows Movie Maker is the simplest solution with what you already have [in Accessories...].

An alternative to using VLC, I prefer "Media Player Classic"... which can also save frames to a file. (Media Player Classic is my main video player... instead of using WMP.)
[command-line] MPlayer can extract frames from video into a file... which can be used in a script.

For something fancier than a media player...
try Virtualdub [which can import MPEG]... which can copy a frame to the clipboard.

For general screen-captures, including these video layers, try SnagIt.

I wonder if its possible for Paint Shop Pro to do the capture
by setting your video-card hardware-acceleration (in Display Properties->Settings->Advanced->Troubleshoot) to "None"...
possibly turning off DirectX features.
 
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Thanks everyone. I was able to capture the photos I wanted and was able to construct the web page I wanted to create.

The video is from Bob Lazar's web site. Its at
http://www.boblazar.com/closed/download.htm#DISCFLIGHT.MPG

On the web page I just created I show that the video is a fraud. Its not as if it was hard to do either. Lazar claims to be a physicist who worked at Area 51 where the tested alien flying discs. He claims he was involved in the back engineering of the flying disk (although all he has for proof is a W2 form which shows he received $900 from US Naval inteligence in 1987). The video is quite reminisent of a commutor generated animation. The obvious fault, which Lazar either missed or didn't figure out, was that the light rays which are casting a shadow of the disk on the desert floor cannot have come from the Sun but had to come from a nearby point source! Its really obvious so you don't need the diagrams I created nor the web page either. Take a look and see what a poor job this so-called physicist did. :smile:

Best wishes

Pete
 
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I prefer use the program Screen VidShot, it very helps me in work.
 
Avidemux is a utility which has movie maker capability and also an option to save images as jpeg. It is available through snapfiles.
 
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