Size Matters: Capture settings for Sony HDR-HC1E video.

maxfrost01 · Post by **maxfrost01** » Fri Jan 05, 2007 9:39 am

Don't ask me why (stupidity?) but I captured some of my High-Def tapes with the capture Format set to 'DV'. Takes about 10 gig for 60 mins of tape and the icon appears as an MPEG file.

Then I referred to the bible on High Def (jchunter's excellent tutorial which I keep by my bed with a cup of hot cocoa) and realised the capture setting should be MPEG. So I captured a tape in MPEG and it took about 1 gig of space (for 60 minutes) but when I play the video it's badly pixilated. I've also tried capturing with the capture Format at AVI which takes me back to about 10 gig for 60 minutes tape.

Question 1: what is the right setting? And if it's MPEG, why the small file size and pixilation? Surely (in video editing) size DOES matter and a larger file size means better quality?

Question 2: for my slowly growing education in video editing, what is the difference between MPEG/DV/AVI?

Trevor Andrew · Post by **Trevor Andrew** » Fri Jan 05, 2007 11:05 am

Hi

For normal capture to Mpeg you should expect 4Gb+ per hour.
For normal Dv-Avi 13Gb per hour.

So your capture of 1Gb per hour is way to low. ( I would expect poor quality)

How are you connecting the camera to the pc, I assume using firewire????????

Insert the Dv captured file into the timeline, right click and select properties.
What are they??

HD capture uses Mpeg and should be simular to:-

Extract from Johns Tutorial.

5) The capture properties can not be changed in the capture module and are locked to the following values:

MPEG files
24 Bits, 1440 x 1080, 29.97 fps {or 25 fps, in PAL countries}
Upper Field First (just the opposite of DV capture)
(MPEG-2), 16:9
Video data rate: 25000 kbps
Audio data rate: 384 kbps
MPEG audio layer 2, 48 KHz, Stereo

edited

Trevor

maxfrost01 · Post by **maxfrost01** » Fri Jan 05, 2007 11:28 am

Hi, Trevor

So MPEG capture is a smaller file size than AVI. What about quality? Doesn't big mean best?

I'll play around with the MPEG capture again to see if I can see what's going wrong and why the file size was so small.

Took a look at the Properties for a 'DV' file and it clearly says 'MPEG-2 Video, Upper Field First'. If you can tell me how to include a screen shot on the forum I can do that too.

Can you explain the difference between DV/MPEG/AVI? I always find it easier once I grasp the concepts!

Appreciate your help.

Trevor Andrew · Post by **Trevor Andrew** » Fri Jan 05, 2007 11:36 am

Hi Max

How are you connecting your cam corder to the pc?

Are you using Firewire?

Trevor

maxfrost01 · Post by **maxfrost01** » Fri Jan 05, 2007 11:40 am

Sorry. Missed that point in my reply.
Yes, the connection is firewire.

Trevor Andrew · Post by **Trevor Andrew** » Fri Jan 05, 2007 11:49 am

Hi

Are you sure your camcorder is Hi Def or a Digital Dv Type?

What make and type of camera are you using.

Read My Quick guides to Dv-Avi and Mpeg from the link below.
Read the recomended procedure from the link above.

Trevor

maxfrost01 · Post by **maxfrost01** » Fri Jan 05, 2007 12:02 pm

Hi, Trevor

My camera is a Sony HDR-HC1E (I included the info in my subject header) and if it's not High Def then I paid a lot of money for nothing!

I will certainly read through your guide (which looks great) but will it explain the difference between DV and AVI? At first glance you seem to treat them as the same or similar but it they are two different options when capturing video into VS10+

Thanks for your help.

Trevor Andrew · Post by **Trevor Andrew** » Fri Jan 05, 2007 12:14 pm

Hi

Can you explain the difference between DV/MPEG/AVI? I always find it easier once I grasp the concepts!

A Mini Dv camcorder records its footage to mini dv tape.

The camcorder is connected via firewire using DV as the capture format.
This method copies or transfers the data to the pc, no losses no re-coding, what you have is what you get.
The data is saved to a Avi file. The avi is just a container to hold the data (DV-Avi)
It uses 13 Gb per hour and is probably the best method of capture.

The properties of the avi were created within the camera, you cannot change these, what u have is what u get, good quality.
The file is then edited and finally converted to Mpeg2, to be suitable for burning a dvd.

Mpeg2
Mpeg is the format that is required for burning a Dvd.
You can capture to Mpeg but choose DVD as the capture format.
VS will use a standard compatible template for the capture properties, These capture properties can be changed using the options button, if required.
The Avi from the camcorder is re-coded during capture to these properties. Top quality will produce a file about 4.3Gb for one hour of footage.
Edit, re-render using the same properties, burn a dvd.

Does that make sense

Trevor

Trevor Andrew · Post by **Trevor Andrew** » Fri Jan 05, 2007 12:29 pm

Hi

Sorry must read the headers next time.

Your comments on mpeg file sizes through me a little, John indicates that the capture settings cannot be modified, so why the small file sizes.
Give it an hour or so and John should be logging in.

Using HD Afaik you will be working with Mpeg files only.

Does video Studio recognise your Sony¡XHD camcorder.

From Johns tutorial,

4) The Capture panel opens and the Source control should display Sony-HDV, the Format control should display Mpeg. Leave the Duration control set at 00:00:00. Note that Mpeg2 HDV is the native format on the tape. Capturing in this format places the least computing load on the computer.

! If your HD camcorder is not recognized by Video Studio 10+, check for any instances of ADSCirrusUSB.dll in your computer. If so, rename them and then reinstall Video Studio 10+ !

Unfortunately I do not have a HD camera to check this procedure, so it¡¦s a little like wearing a blind fold.

Regards Trevor

maxfrost01 · Post by **maxfrost01** » Fri Jan 05, 2007 1:23 pm

Hi, Trevor

You say "Using HD Afaik" - is this a typo or is Afaik yet another editing term I need to learn about?

Video Studio definitely recognises my camcorder.

I guess my biggest worry are the tapes that I have captured with Format set to 'DV' and which then appear with an 'MPEG' icon on the hard drive of my computer. Are these HD videos or not? If 'not' then I've wasted a lot of editing time!

btw: I don't yet have the hardware to burn HD DVD's. So I'm working on the basis that if I create and save the HD videos now (on my hard drive) the day will come when the Blue Ray/HD DVD battle is won and I can afford the hardware. I would be a little upset to discover that what I've actually got is Standard Definition videos!

Let's see what guru John makes of this!

Trevor Andrew · Post by **Trevor Andrew** » Fri Jan 05, 2007 2:05 pm

Hi Max

Again sorry for the confusion

Afaik (as far as I know) when capturing to mpeg HD (High Definition) your capture properties should be

MPEG files
24 Bits, 1440 x 1080, 29.97 fps {or 25 fps, in PAL countries}
Upper Field First (just the opposite of DV capture)
(MPEG-2), 16:9
Video data rate: 25000 kbps
Audio data rate: 384 kbps
MPEG audio layer 2, 48 KHz, Stereo

Insert a captured file, mpeg to the timeline
Right click and select properties
What are they?

Trevor

maxfrost01 · Post by **maxfrost01** » Fri Jan 05, 2007 2:42 pm

Hi, Trevor

Thanks for staying with this. And if you're with the story so far you'll know that I've captured tapes with three different Format settings: DV, AVI and MPEG.

Starting with the first (DV) the Properties are EXACTLY the same as John says they will be in his Tutorial. I guess this is good news as almost all of my editing has been done on tapes captured in this way and I'm now hopeful that it is indeed High Def.

AVI capture has different properties. The key difference is 720x576 (not 1440x1080) and Audio is 'DV Audio-PAL'.

Tape captured with the MPEG setting is also showing 720x576 and an audio data rate of only 64kbps.

Hope this helps you to understand!
[/img]

maxfrost01 · Post by **maxfrost01** » Fri Jan 05, 2007 2:47 pm

Trevor,

I've just taken another look at the Capture screen which shows the Source as 'Sony--MSDV'

I have always assumed this was recognition of my Sony HDR-HC1E but maybe not..................

tyamada · Post by **tyamada** » Fri Jan 05, 2007 3:12 pm

It sounds like you have your camera set to SD(standard definition) output. To capture in High Definigion you camera must be set to HD or Auto and you firewire setting must be set not to convert to DV.

This link should help you set your camera to capture HDV:
http://phpbb.ulead.com.tw/EN/viewtopic. ... highlight=

Check the third post to set your camera.

Black Lab · Post by **Black Lab** » Fri Jan 05, 2007 3:18 pm

maxfrost01 wrote:Trevor,

I've just taken another look at the Capture screen which shows the Source as 'Sony--MSDV'

I have always assumed this was recognition of my Sony HDR-HC1E but maybe not..................

If I remember correctly (I'm at work and can't check) that's what shows when my Sony Digital 8 is connected.