Outputting from VS to TV monitor

[Andy Callaway]

Folks -

I'm a newbie here so I apologise in advance for any mistakes...
Wink

I'm trying to get some sort of full screen preview on my PAL video monitor.

I have three options as to how I achieve this, but have had limited success with them.

Option 1. TV out on the graphics adapter (Nvidia GEForce 4200)

Option 2. Video out from the DV camera (Sony Handycam DCR-HC40E), via the firewire card (Actually a Pinnacle DV/AV video capture card).

Option 3. Video out direct from the DV/AV card.

VideoStudio (10) manages it some of the time if I plug the monitor into the graphics card. Setting the "Instant Playback Target" (under File > Preferences > General) is erratic and rarely makes any difference, but if I set up the graphics adapter to play back video full screen it works, but again not all the time. I think the graphics adapter (Probably the driver) "recognises" video playback and automatically directs it to the TV out port. But it doesn't always recognise the video playback, therefore doesn't always work.

The video out through the camera works, but the output is jerky, and it's a nuisance having to plug the camera in every time.

I have had no success with the video out from the Pinnacle DV/AV card.

At some time in the past, another video editing program I tried (I think it was either Pinnacle Studio itself, which included the AV/DV card, or maybe Premiere Elements) worked very nicely, outputting all video, plus previewing all effects, menus, titles etc. to the TV monitor. I don't expect to get this from VS, as that functionality is probably not built into it (maybe a topic for their suggestions page...), but it would be nice to at least get some reliable video output from somewhere.

Sorry. This post is a bit longer and more involved than I had intended, but if anyone else has had similar experiences, I'd like to hear their thoughts, and if you have a solution, so much the better!

Thanks

AC

[Trevor Andrew]

Hi

I am not sure that this is what you are after, and i am unsure about exporting to the tv for playback, but you can playback in full screen using the pc monitor.

Double click the preview window whilst playing.

Trevor

[Andy Callaway]

Thanks, Trevor. That works, but not on the TV screen.

The reason why I'd prefer the TV screen is that you get an exact representation of what it's going to look like. The computer screen is subtlely different in regards to colour etc.

AC

[heinz-oz]

It's not all that subtle to be honest.

To do what you want you will need to get a true dual head video card. It needs to have video overlay on both heads. Most so called "dual head" cards do not have this feature. I use a MATROX Parhelia card which is tripple head. I have spread my desk top over two monitors and simultaneously can view the preview output on my TV monitor.

[etech6355]

Sounds like your video card can support Dual-Head, mine works GeForce6600GT.
On Nvidia cards you first have to setup your primary computer monitor and the TV as Dual-Head. With Nvidia they call this "TwinView", it's an extended desktop but you must select "TwinView" and not Horizontal span or other choices.

Then in the Nvidia control panel you make this change
"Full Screen Video = Automatic" (usually this says Disabled).

Then in VS you select "Dual Head".
With Nvidia cards it works VS8/9/10/10+

[MrA]

EASIEST way to accomplish this is to have a firewire card/cable to your camcorder to the PC, and the Audio/Video RGB cable to a VCR, which is in turn connected to your TV. (or however you connect to your tv, i.e., hdmi)

In VS, there is an output option that sends the vid signal from the software to the camcorder and through the above mentioned connection back through all the hardware connected. (F6 - Instant Playback Target)

If You have a technical problem with the above recommendation, consult your harware vender. Basically, that is how VS is setup to work, in that situation..

The SERIOUS Pros to this setup is, while you are editing, you can see in REAL time, what the output is REALLY going to look like before you BURN it..

works with PAL, and NTSC

[Andy Callaway]

Thanks to all those who replied.

Unfortunately, the various suggestions didn't work. Some of them I had already tried.

On reflection, the preview via the firewire>camcorder is the most acceptable (or least unacceptable) option, but it is jerky and stuttery.

The other option, using the dual head option of the graphics card, wasn't really acceptable, as it was erratic, kept insisting on running in NTSC, and at one stage caused my Windows XP to become deactivated.

I guess the problem is that my computer, which is getting old, is not quite up to the task. It only just had enough grunt for editing video when I built it, and it's probably time for an upgrade.

That's my excuse anyway.

AC

[MrA]

Yes, it IS jerky and shaky, which tells me the video was not rendered yet. I _think_ if you play it all the way through, then replay it, it should be fine, or close to fine. VS creates a render only if it's played, and only to the point were you stop playing it.

Remember, you are editing at this point, so, expect not so great play back.. Your goal is the final on DVD version. If that final version is jerky, etc., then I'd really worry about it.

[Andy Callaway]

So, today it makes a liar out of me.

I turned on the box this morning, and everthing is working fine.

So what happened overnight? Well I tried etech6355's suggestions, which apart from one minor difference, is what I have tried before. No luck with that, or at best I got the card to display something, but it was NTSC, and the monitor is PAL.

I even went as far as rebooting. The only thing I didn't do was to power everything down.

So I guess that must have been the trick...

I'd better finish my project before I decides not to work again.

AC

[etech6355]

That's great it's working.
But are you using the video cards overlay feature or the firewire to output to the TV?
Just Curious, I use both TV & Firewire for previewing, depends if the video is highdefintion or not, I can switch between the 2 when needed.