capture problem VS9

[ykozousash]

I am trying to capture dv via firewire to MPEG 2. Few issues here:

1. Every 2:20 minutes it is transcoding which is good but it does not continue the process of caturing and I need to baby sit.
2 the other problem is that the tape continue to run without capturing and then it stops. In order for me to start at the last point it captured I must rewind the tape to the last place the tape was manually.

I would prefer to do the whole thing in one batch. I am not into editing at this point. From MPEG 2 I know my way to create a DVD with other programs

[GeorgeW]

No doubt you'll get plenty of folks telling you to capture to DV first, do all your editing, then convert to mpeg for DVD as the final step (using the software, and not directly capturing to mpeg2). This approach works for many, but takes longer as you have to wait for the rendering. Also requires more disc space (about 13gb per hour of dv .avi).

It all depends on your workflow -- Ulead does give you an option to capture directly to mpeg2 from dv -- but your system needs enough power/speed to do this conversion on-the-fly (good time to request you to update your system specs).

What type of editing are you planning to do? None at all, straight cuts, or adding crossfades/titles/overlays

Also, is the DV device a dv camcorder, or are you doing some sort of analog-to-dv conversion (using a dv camcorder as pass-throug, or a converter like the Pyro A/V Link or Canopus ADVC-3xx uints) ?

If a dv camcorder, make sure you have device control set properly -- because when it stops (to flush the transcode buffer), you want it to stop tape playback. But if your original source is analog, you will not be able to control the analog tape playback (like a VCR feeding into a converter). So when capture pauses (during the flushing), the analog tape keeps on rolling (which you cannot prevent).

Regards,
George

p.s. forgot to mention -- have a look at the first sticky post for some pointers...

[ykozousash]

Thanks for the reply,
I do not want to edit. Just capture with this software. My camcorder is digital

[garana]

I have been using the settings recommended (recommended procd: for success with Video Studio) to capture from my Sony camcorder.

settings on capture -

Source - Sony - MSDV
Format - DVD

Mpeg settings

DVD PAL (720x576)

Mpeg type DVD


Lower field first

frame rate 25

variable bit rate

8000kbps

Mpeg audio


I don't have to baby sit the capture however so far the max capture has been about 1.5 hrs only.

I edit - trim/add effects / transitions/background audio and then follow above to create video file and then after to burn, adding titles etc.

So far the quality played back on TV has been the same as direct from the camcorder.

However I have some old vhs clips which I first record onto the camcorder and then use above to capture and edit but the final product on TV has some quality loss.

Any suggestions to improve above?

Sorry for hijacking the original subject, or should I post as a seperate topic?

[heinz-oz]

@ykozousash

If I understand your original post right, your capture is interrupted because the system stops to flush the transcode buffer, right?

This is due to your system not being powerful enough or the capture not having high enough priority in your sytem settings. There is a lot of number crunching involved converting a DV signal from the camcorder to mpeg2 format in real time. That is not a fault of VS but a shortcoming of your system and its settings.

Try shutting down all non essential processes prior to capturing to mpeg and keep the sequences short. Trial and error should give you an understanding of how long a capture your system can sustain.

[Ken Berry]

garana -- sorry to tell you but you have to live with the quality loss. VHS tape is simply not of the same quality as a good DVD, and transferring it, even via your digital video camera, cannot improve the quality. At best, you can only expect to get a picture quality of roughly the same quality as the original VHS, though in practice it might be slightly lower quality. This will be particularly so depending on how you transferred your VHS material to your digital camera. If you did it via S-video, then this is as good as it will get. If you did it via RCA composite video (yellow/red/white cables), then the quality will be less.

About the best quality you can expect from VHS source material would be obtained by using a bitrate of 6000 kbps; and even 4000 kbps is probably acceptable too. But it is never going to look quite as crisp and clear as good digital DV video burned via the recommended procedure to DVD.

[Trevor Andrew]

Hi

I do not think ykozousash when he says (the tape continue to run without capturing and then it stops) is not referring to Vhs.
He is talking Mini Dvd. He is capturing via firewire direct to the pc. Capturing from a digital camera is easy and controlled by VS. Start capture is automatic, but when capture ends the camera may continue to run until the captured frames are loaded to the timeline or library. By un-checking the ‘Capture to Library’ option does speed up the process, but with a slow pc it can take some time.

At least this is my experience. It only happens using VS 9 previous versions were ok.
Canon and Panasonic cameras were the same
Reports to Ulead Tech Support were a waste of time.


Ykozousash

As others have commented if you want top quality capture to DV.
This is 13 Gb per hour.
Capture should be completed without the transcode buffer.
Provided your time code within your camera is complete your capture should be ok.
I think your camera will still over run when you stop capture.

Then re-code / render the video to Pal-Dvd. Or Ntsc-Dvd.

If you have to capture to Mpeg then select DVD as the format not Mpeg. Otherwise select DV.

Trevor

[garana]

Thanks Ken. Its not too bad and livable anyway.


On the other point when I stop capturing, the camera runs for maybe a second or 2 only before stopping. I read somewhere either on the forum or the ulead book that if the DV tape is formatted first (recorded blank for full length) before any video shoot, it sets the time code properely.

[Bugs]

been having problems with the capturing using UVS9 and my jvc with my athlon 64 3000+ cpu and 512 memory.

when UVS9 refused to capture using the Nvidia video card, we decided to put Radeon video card instead... fortunately, the UVS9 worked and captured successfully!

i just want to ask since my other pc is using an Nvidia video card and that it also wouldnt capture once more..

is there a conflict between UVS9 and teh Nvidia video cards? should i tweak something with the settings to make UVS9 work with my other PCs Nvidia video card?

pls help... thanks...

[Ken Berry]

There is no inherent reason why there should be a conflict with an nVidia card. Many of us one this Board, including myself, happily use them and they work perfectly with Video Studio. You might want to check, however, that you have an up to date driver for it.

[Bugs]

thanks. my husband had already downloaded the latest drivers anyway. oh well that isssue is at least cleared up.

still having same problems though with capturing.
also, when in capturing mode, how come the preview window is working and actually capturing when our videocam is set to camera mode, but NOT when the camera is in playback mode?

it is really getting very frustrating.. i hope you can help us solve this problem...

[Ken Berry]

You asked "how come the preview window is working and actually capturing when our videocam is set to camera mode, but NOT when the camera is in playback mode?"

In VS9 File > Preferences > General > Instant Playback Target, what do you have selected? I have it set to Preview Window. But you might have it set, say, to 'DV Camcorder' or 'Dual Head Device' which, IIRC, was the default setting when I first installed the program for some silly reason.

[Bugs]

i checked my preferences and my preview was set to Preview Window and DV Camcorder. i will set this to Preview Window and try again. i hope it works.

by the way, did i mention that i had no problems of this kind with UVS8 using the same firewire card, same jvc camera but different desktop... does this info help?

as soon as i try this later, ill update you. thanks for always helping out...