Capturing Problem

[antzpompeii]

Hi Everyone,,,

Hopefully someone will be able to help me with this one as i've tried everything....

First of all my video tape was recorded with blank sections in between. I did this because it was my first recordings when i purchased my handycam. Anyways, now i capture the first section as:

AVI/DV Type 1
DV Audio -- PAL

Obviously once this is finished it places it in the library for me for editing.

Then i go back and position my tape to the next section and capture with the same settings. (this is where the problem lies)

After capturing the second segment - i play it back on my pc and there seems to be a sync problem.... the first couple of minutes is very jumpy and the voice also seems to be jumpy. I have also rendered the video and burnt onto dvd and the problem is still there.

Any suggestions how to fix this?

Thanks in advance.
Regards,
Antz

[2Dogs]

Hi Antz, and welcome to the forum!

Which version of Video Studio are you using and what is your camcorder?

First of all my video tape was recorded with blank sections in between.

From now on, I trust you will shoot each new tape with the lens cap on, in a quiet place, and rewind it before its first proper use. That will ensure that you have a continuous timecode, which allows the use of some of the split by scene capture options.

Anyways, now i capture the first section as:

AVI/DV Type 1
DV Audio -- PAL

I think the audio will be LPCM, but otherwise the settings are as they should be.

Obviously once this is finished it places it in the library for me for editing

.
Does this result in a problem free AVI clip? It's not completely clear if that is the case or if the problems are only with subsequent capture.

Then i go back and position my tape to the next section and capture with the same settings. (this is where the problem lies)

After capturing the second segment - i play it back on my pc and there seems to be a sync problem.... the first couple of minutes is very jumpy and the voice also seems to be jumpy. I have also rendered the video and burnt onto dvd and the problem is still there.

Is the source footage OK? Can you confirm that there is no jumpiness or the other problems you described with the captured clips in the source footage? Does it play OK in the camcorder?

If in fact your first captured clip is OK, and there are no problems with the source footage on the camcorder, you might try capturing a larger segment as a test, including the gap between the first footage and the next, and see if you suffer the same problems.

It might be that you are suffering dropped frames during capture. In VS9, you can enable the dropped frame counter, which is disabled by default, by clicking on "File>>Preferences..." then hit the "Capture" tab and check the "Show drop frame information" box.

When you then capture video, you will see the drop frame counter as a rectangular grey icon at the bottom right of the darker grey box below the video preview window. The number immediately to the right of this icon should remain at Zero at all times, and is the number of frames dropped.

From your system description, you don't seem to have a super-fast pc, and you also have limited hard drive capacity - so it will be extra important for you to optimise your pc for video editing by shutting down unnecessary services and programs. To begin with, make sure you shut down any firewall and antivirus programs, and disconnect from the net so as not to leave yourself vulnerable. Do a search on this forum too since there are numerous posts regarding the various things you can do. Using task manager, check to see how many processes are running when you wish to capture video. I typically have around 23 on my desktop pc, 31 on my laptop, but get these down to 12 for video editing work.

Also, make sure you run the XP disk error checks on your hard drive to eliminate hadr drive failure as a cause.

Good luck!

[maddrummer3301]

Hi,
As a suggestion you probably have to go into a manual mode of operation and control of the camcorder.

Start playing the tape by pressing the play button or VS controls.
Start previewing and when you get and see the section of video you want to record then click on the record icon. Make sure the video is at least 2-5 seconds into playing the video you want. This way a steady data flow is sensed and monitored by the system. When you hit the record button the program will be synced better.
Probably your camcorder is also transmitting an audio track of 12 bit 32khz until it hits the good part of the tape and senses the real audio settings.

You will loose a few seconds of video when doing this but is a solution and should work.

MD

[antzpompeii]

Which version of Video Studio are you using and what is your camcorder?

Version 8 SE

From now on, I trust you will shoot each new tape with the lens cap on, in a quiet place, and rewind it before its first proper use.

Sorry for my stupidity here but i don't understand what you mean... are why would i shoot the new tapes with the cap on in a quiet place? Ok - i completely understand

Does this result in a problem free AVI clip? It's not completely clear if that is the case or if the problems are only with subsequent capture.

No the problem lies in the footage captured as DV/AVI

Is the source footage OK? Can you confirm that there is no jumpiness or the other problems you described with the captured clips in the source footage? Does it play OK in the camcorder?

it plays perfect - no jumpiness or choppiness.... very smooth.

If in fact your first captured clip is OK, and there are no problems with the source footage on the camcorder, you might try capturing a larger segment as a test, including the gap between the first footage and the next, and see if you suffer the same problems.

Going to try this today. ok - reporting back... sorry but i tried to capture the whole tape and when it reaches the blank unrecorded bit - VS8 tells me that there is no DV Camcorder detected. ???? it doesn't seem to recognise the unrecorded space.

It might be that you are suffering dropped frames during capture. In VS9, you can enable the dropped frame counter, which is disabled by default, by clicking on "File>>Preferences..." then hit the "Capture" tab and check the "Show drop frame information" box.

ohhh i think this might be the problem - i just had a look at the footage captured and the rectangular box you described has a number 4530!!!!! How do i fix this!!!!

To begin with, make sure you shut down any firewall and antivirus programs, and disconnect from the net so as not to leave yourself vulnerable.

Yes i turn off all unecessary processes specially AVG antivirus and also disconnect from the internet.

Also, make sure you run the XP disk error checks on your hard drive to eliminate hadr drive failure as a cause.

Will do.

Thanks a mil and will report back once i've captured the whole tape including the blank space in between and will await your/anyones response to the frame rate issue!

Regards,
Antz

[antzpompeii]

As a suggestion you probably have to go into a manual mode of operation and control of the camcorder.

Isn't this the same as fast forwarding on VS8 before capturing?

Start playing the tape by pressing the play button or VS controls.
Start previewing and when you get and see the section of video you want to record then click on the record icon. Make sure the video is at least 2-5 seconds into playing the video you want. This way a steady data flow is sensed and monitored by the system. When you hit the record button the program will be synced better.

No way of salvaging those couple of seconds at the start?

Probably your camcorder is also transmitting an audio track of 12 bit 32khz until it hits the good part of the tape and senses the real audio settings.

I had a look at my Handycam and yes it confirms that it was taped at 12 bit 32khz.... how can i fix this? I thought that it is the standard.

Thanks
Regards,
Antz

[Ken Berry]

Just to be sure, I guess the other thing to check is that VS8 has not reverted to DV Type 2 encoder (it seems to be set at that by default on installation and you have to manually change it to the recommended Type 1.) However, since you have apparently already captured in Type 1, it would be strange for the program to jump to Type 2 without some human intervention. But the type of capture you describe -- jumpy video and/or audio, sounds awfully like an under-resourced computer trying to capture Type 2 DV. To check, on the Edit page, and with your camera connected and switched on and the capture format set to DV, click on the Options cogwheel icon about a third of the way down the left hand side of the screen. This will show what Encoder Typer has been set. Make sure it is set to Type 1.

(In order to forestall the next question , Type 2 captures video and audio as separate streams, though in the same channel. Type 1 captures them as one stream and is far less demanding on a computer. Moreover, it is really only professional editors, and a very small number of programs, that need to work with Type 2 video. And for practical purposes, for the home user, the end results are indistinguishable anyway, as long as your computer does not play up while capturing Type 2...)

As for dancing in the dark, the idea is that with each new DV cassette you buy, you should first run it through your camera -- at normal speed with the lens cap on -- in order to lay down a continuous time track on the tape. Then later, when you use it for your masterpieces, it will already have a continuous time track on it, so you won't be bedevilled by blank spaces or, more to the point, the breaks in the time track caused when you leave a blank between your shots. As you have found, this can at the very least cause some inconvenience when later trying to capture a continuous stream of video... The downside of the practice is that it adds to wear and tear on your camera recording heads.

[Ken Berry]

To change your audio bit setting, you will need to consult your camera manual on how to do that. But normally you would go into your camera's menu and find a set-up button which will (normally) allow you to toggle between 12 bit and 16 bit. Change it to 16 bit and leave it there for future filming.

[antzpompeii]

Good-morning Ken and thank you once again for wonderful knowledge!:)

Just to be sure, I guess the other thing to check is that VS8 has not reverted to DV Type 2 encoder (it seems to be set at that by default on installation and you have to manually change it to the recommended Type 1.) However, since you have apparently already captured in Type 1, it would be strange for the program to jump to Type 2 without some human intervention. But the type of capture you describe -- jumpy video and/or audio, sounds awfully like an under-resourced computer trying to capture Type 2 DV. To check, on the Edit page, and with your camera connected and switched on and the capture format set to DV, click on the Options cogwheel icon about a third of the way down the left hand side of the screen. This will show what Encoder Typer has been set. Make sure it is set to Type 1.

I've checked and definately its capturing as Type 1 DV.

(In order to forestall the next question , Type 2 captures video and audio as separate streams, though in the same channel. Type 1 captures them as one stream and is far less demanding on a computer. Moreover, it is really only professional editors, and a very small number of programs, that need to work with Type 2 video. And for practical purposes, for the home user, the end results are indistinguishable anyway, as long as your computer does not play up while capturing Type 2...)

Thanks for this information,,, as i had no idea what the difference was between both.

As for dancing in the dark, the idea is that with each new DV cassette you buy, you should first run it through your camera -- at normal speed with the lens cap on -- in order to lay down a continuous time track on the tape. Then later, when you use it for your masterpieces, it will already have a continuous time track on it, so you won't be bedevilled by blank spaces or, more to the point, the breaks in the time track caused when you leave a blank between your shots. As you have found, this can at the very least cause some inconvenience when later trying to capture a continuous stream of video... The downside of the practice is that it adds to wear and tear on your camera recording heads.

oh how silly of me,,, i completely understand this now.

[antzpompeii]

To change your audio bit setting, you will need to consult your camera manual on how to do that. But normally you would go into your camera's menu and find a set-up button which will (normally) allow you to toggle between 12 bit and 16 bit. Change it to 16 bit and leave it there for future filming.

Will be doing this now...

Thanks.
Regards,
Antz

[antzpompeii]

Just a thought.... whatabout if i was to tape the blank space in between? obviously i would need to take note of the ending and starting point... my first video footage stops at 35:48:21 and the next one starts at 00:00:00.

Would that work?

[Ken Berry]

I'm not quite sure what you are getting at... Why would you want to capture a blank spot?

[antzpompeii]

I'm not quite sure what you are getting at... Why would you want to capture a blank spot?

because VS does not seem to be capturing once the first part of my tape is finished.

Footage - Blank (unrecorded space) - Footage

If i set VS to capture from the begining of the tape all the way through, it seems to stop when the first footage finishes and will not continue to the next footage due to the unrecorded space on my handycam.

[Ken Berry]

Yes, but it is never going to capture the blank spaces if you try to do it all in one go because of the time track thingo. Which means you have no alternative (since you didn't do the dancin' in the dark business with this particular cassette) but to manually capture from roughly the start of each new piece of video on the clip. Which means in turn there is little point in capturing the blank bits...

[antzpompeii]

Yes, but it is never going to capture the blank spaces if you try to do it all in one go because of the time track thingo. Which means you have no alternative (since you didn't do the dancin' in the dark business with this particular cassette) but to manually capture from roughly the start of each new piece of video on the clip. Which means in turn there is little point in capturing the blank bits...

So is there any way i can solve the 'drop frame' problem? do i just delete those scenes?

[Ken Berry]

I hate to complicate your life, but if you are really worrying about dropped frames, you can download a tiny, free program called WinDV from http://windv.mourek.cz/ I have used this program occasionally, and it is dedicated to nothing except capturing DV. It can do it in Type 1 or 2, and boasts no dropped frames. I have never detected any. You can try it, and if it works, open the captured video in Video Studio. One thing I like about it is that you can assign your own central name to the files you capture, though it then assigns subsidiary alpha-numerical titles to that root name to subsequent clips.