Widescreen camcorder video not capturing in widescreen

[Captain Gadget]

Happy New Year and hello everybody, first post here.

I am using VideoStudio X2 (updated to SP2) on a Dell Inspiron 530 2.4 GHz Core2 Quad PC with 4 GB RAM running Windows 7 Ultimate. When importing video from my Sony DCR-IP7E camcorder (which is set to 16:9 widescreen mode) the capture screen initially shows 16:9 letterbox (as I would expect, having set 16:9 on the VideoStudio splash screen) but when the tape rolls it displays in full-screen (i.e. laterally compressed) 4:3 even though the capture screen shows the legend '1440 x 1080 MPEG widescreen' - see below:



I have read the user guide linked elsewhere from this forum and understand that some camcorders do not capture true widescreen - but that does not seem to be happening here as there are no black bars on the display.

When I come to edit the movie the 16:9 Videostudio screen is back but the recording displays as 'squashed' 4:3 within it - again, see below:



Can anyone tell me what I'm doing wrong? I transferred to VideoStudio last year from Pinnacle Studio 9 because of its compatibility both with the now-defunct Sony MicroMV tape format and with Windows Vista (now 7), so although the processes are broadly similar I have not had much experience yet with VideoStudio - so please forgive the noob question! I did a search but could not find anything directly similar to what I am encountering (i.e., if the camcorder were capturing 'simulated' widescreen it would display black bars top and bottom in capture mode, surely?

Many thanks

Gadget

[Ron P.]

VS X 2 Pro or Ultimate (they're one in the same), for some reason has Smart Proxy enabled by default when you install it. I've tried to replicate this, however everytime I drop in a video shot in 16:9 (wide-sceen) VS sees it as such, and displays it correctly. So the only thing that I can think of, is that it is using a 4:3 Proxy file.

Go to Preferences (File Menu>Preferences or just press [F6] on your keyboard) and go to the Smart Proxy tab and check it.

Edited.. Yep I meant to check it as in investigate.

[Ken Berry]

... or un-check it, as the case might be!!

[Captain Gadget]

First of all, thanks for your prompt replies!

Smart Proxy was indeed enabled and I disabled it. Unfortunately it seems to have made no difference (I've left the Smart Proxy tab displayed on-screen so that you can see the settings - please tell me if they're wrong!):



I have just noticed that the title bar includes the text 'DVD PAL 720 x 576 Stereo'. 720 x 576 is a 4:3 format, isn't it? Does this depend on a setting somewhere else? And does it mean that VS thinks that the input is a 4:3 DVD, or that it wants to output to a 4:3 DVD?

I beg your indulgence once again...

Gadget

[Ron P.]

Yes that is what that means. Check the Project Properties again, and see if they are what the title bar is showing. If so, change them to match that of your video file. While your at it, open the Preferences dialog, and see if there is a check beside Show message when inserting first video clip into timeline. This will provide a prompt if the properties of your video clip are different than that of the project settings.

[Trevor Andrew]

Hi Captain

Does your camera record onto Memory Stick.
If so then you should be able to up-load your video direct to the pc as a video file.
Maybe using Sony software.

There should be no need to use the capture facility of VS.

Import the video file to Video Studio.
Then right click a clip in the timeline and select properties, what are they?

Or have I just got the wrong end of the stick.

[sjj1805]

720 x 576 is a 4:3 format, isn't it?

No.... what that means is 720 pixels wide by 576 pixels tall.
However those pixels are not square they are oblong, so you get the same number of pixels with 16.9 as you do with 4.3

[Captain Gadget]

I am still struggling with widescreen capture (no, I haven't been trying continually since January, I've just come back to it!) - but I have now noticed something else that is odd.

VideoStudio is detecting my Sony DCR-IP7E's capture output as 1440 x 1080 widescreen (see the screenshots that I posted before) - but this is an HD format, is it not? This camcorder dates back to 2002 and is most definitely NOT HD. Can someone enlighten me as to why this is happening?

If I can get the capture definition right, perhaps the rest will fall into place...

Thanks in advance

Gadget

[skier-hughes]

Micromv has always been a problem format.
Because of it's age and relative scarcity, I bet VS X2 doesn't know what it is and is guessing.
Use the Sony app that came with the cam, if it works on W7 and capture using that, then try to import this file into VS and see if that helps.
I'm suspecting not, so it would mean converting the captured file to something else, like wmv or mpeg2 and then importing editing.

Or, use this as the excuse you've been looking for to treat yourself to a new camcorder

[Trevor Andrew]

Hi Captain Gadget

The first image you posted shows VS X2 capture screen.
You can see that you have select Mpeg as the capture format.
The frame size is set to 1440 x 1080 Mpeg Widescreen.

This is not automatically input by the program but manually set under the 'Options’ cogwheel.
OK
Try capturing using the DVD format option not Mpeg 2.
From the options cogwheel choose DVD PAL GQ for 4:3 template, or the 16:9 option for widescreen.

The capture properties should be similar to these.

PAL (25 fps)
MPEG files
24 bits, 720 x 576, 25 fps
Lower Field First
(DVD-PAL), 16:9
Video data rate: Variable (Max. 8000 kbps)
Audio data rate: 224 kbps
MPEG audio layer 2, 48 KHz, Stereo

[Captain Gadget]

Hi Trevor

I am really hoping that you are onto something here - but I'm afraid that I'm not quite there yet.

The Options cogwheel in Capture mode does not seem to offer many options! There are check boxes for 'Capture audio' and 'Force to use preview mode' (both checked, but greyed out); a selection for 'Capture frame rate' (set to 29970 frames/sec, also greyed out) and another check box for 'Capture to library' (checked, not greyed out). There is also a dropdown for 'Library folder' which offers the options 'Video' (set) and 'Library organizer'. That's all! There are certainly no capture format options that I can see, and I do not recall changing any of these settings.

On the main Capture screen, although it is a dropdown, MPEG is the only option available.

Am I missing something here?

[Trevor Andrew]

Hi

I have a Mini-DV type camcorder connected.
The capture format gives me several options.
DV, Avi, DVD , Mpeg, Svcd and VCD
Usually I would select DV.
But the other options are available.

If you do not see these then I would do as Graham suggested and capture using the software that came with the camera.
There seems to be a problem with VS -- W7 and the Micromv format.
IT seems as though you are having the same problems as when using Pinnacle Studio 9
So its probably the Micromv that’s the guilty party.

[skier-hughes]

a selection for 'Capture frame rate' (set to 29970 frames/sec, also greyed out)
Am I missing something here?

This says you are still trying to capture as NTSC, get this problem sorted before trying to move on.

[Captain Gadget]

Graham

The 29970 fps capture setting is greyed out, so I can't change it - at least not in the cogwheel dialog. Is there somewhere else that I can change capture settings if the system thinks it is an NTSC import? (it is definitely a PAL camera, bought in the UK and not a grey import or anything)

Thanks

Gadget

[skier-hughes]

Need to set it on the install, so you'll need to remove and reinstall the app, make sure you chose the country, UK and change the radio button from ntsc to PAL as well.