Stuttering video when reviewing clip or project

[Ken Berry]

First, that message after capture ends is absolutely normal. As for the different final lines, the bottom one relates to your camcorder's audio settings. By default, they seem to use 12 bit audio at 32,000 kHz. The top one is the VS setting and gives a slightly better audio output in your final project. You will find if you look at your camera's Manual, that there will be an instruction which will let you adjust the camera's audio settings upwards too.

[Carroll]

First, that message after capture ends is absolutely normal. As for the different final lines, the bottom one relates to your camcorder's audio settings. By default, they seem to use 12 bit audio at 32,000 kHz. The top one is the VS setting and gives a slightly better audio output in your final project. You will find if you look at your camera's Manual, that there will be an instruction which will let you adjust the camera's audio settings upwards too.

Found it and changed it. Thank you Ken
Carroll

[Carroll]

Hi Trevor

It has affected two other videos which were taken immediately before this one. Coincidence or not, these were all filmed indoors.

The stuttering is part of the original video which is a 9,132,612 AVI in size. The mpeg2 file is 618,329.

When playing the original on my PC, using WMP and Media player classic the stuttering is there although, not all at the same time frame. I brought them both up on screen and lined up the time code and clicked start on both of them (1 sec difference) and watched them. For about 2/3 of the time the stutter occurs at the same spot but, the remaining 1/3 doesn't. In dragging the slider back to replay those sections, quite often the stutter is in a different spot.

When I view it in QuickTime it just about tears itself apart and the noises that come out of it are weird to say the least.

For uploading to 4Shared are you requesting a clip from the original or from my project?

Carroll

I am wondering if the stuttering would have anything to do with the age of the Mini DV tapes I use. They came with the camera when my cousin bought it 6 or 7 years ago. There are times, when taping over another video. that equal in depth horizontal bars go cross the screen and in every other one I can see glimpses of the video being recorded over. When I use a head cleaner a lot of that disappears. In the past when problems arose, although, nothing like what's going on now, I captured the video again and the second copy was much better then the first one.

I just finished doing that to the one previous to the one I'm working on and it turned out to be a piece of crap. I guess the best thing to do is the best I can with this one because it's a video of a beautiful layout and the other 2 I'm just going to dump them. they were of our clubs train show last weekend and at a members meeting night. It'll be a year before they are scheduled again so, maybe I'll have a better camera by then.
Thanks all for your help.
Carroll

[Ken Berry]

I am wondering if the stuttering would have anything to do with the age of the Mini DV tapes I use.

I don't know for sure, but I expect that could be the case -- especially if the tapes have been used over and over again. The reason I can't say for sure is that in my own case, with both my mini DV and HDV camcorders (HDV also uses mini DV tapes), I have never -- not once -- reused a tape. So apart from any human screw-ups, I have always got top quality video.

But I imagine that age and (over)use would almost undoubtedly cause the tape to deteriorate, thus affecting anything filmed on it. Add to that the regular cleaning of the tape heads in the camcorder, which I likely to cause physical degradation over time, and anything is possible.

So the first thing I would be doing is look for some new tapes for future projects. Unfortunately, they are becoming scarce as hens' teeth. I just managed to find some the other day, so if you look, say, in a higher end photographic shop, you might luck out. While tape-based cameras are no longer attractive consumer items, more professional-end photographers still see value in them.

[Carroll]

Hi Ken

I just did an eBay search and there is a ton of the Mini DVs on there, from singles to 100 packs but, something tells me these ($4 to $8 each) are not the type you would find at the 'higher end photographic shop', correct?
Carroll

[lata]

Hi Carroll

Have we mentioned using Win DV to capture your footage.
This will capture Split By Scene. And also give you the option to name the files prior to capture, something that Video Studio does not do.

I find naming the files helpful in identifying them on the hard drive.

Video studio can also do split by scene.
The captured footage is split into smaller files, usually one every time the record button was pressed, then loaded to the timeline in order.
I find the files easier to edit, the need to use Multi Trim is reduced as the bad portions are already cut.
In fact I do not use Multi Trim but simply cut/delete the clips on the timeline using the scissors.

Just to add a comment re the audio settings, changing the cameras settings only affect new recordings, any recordings using 32.000 kHz, 12 Bit will remain as that, don’t worry about this, its not a problem.

[Ken Berry]

Carroll -- you are obviously luckier than we are here in New Zealand. As I said above, I recently had to do quite a search to find some tapes -- went to big shops that sell a wide range of photo and video gear, with no luck. I eventually found just one box of three in a high end camera shop, and they cost US$36 for three. Maybe I should buy some from eBay!!! But sure, go ahead and buy those that are available, but get brand names like Sony, Panasonic or TDK if possible. They're the ones I usually use.

[Carroll]

Hi Carroll

Have we mentioned using Win DV to capture your footage.
This will capture Split By Scene. And also give you the option to name the files prior to capture, something that Video Studio does not do.

I find naming the files helpful in identifying them on the hard drive.

Video studio can also do split by scene.
The captured footage is split into smaller files, usually one every time the record button was pressed, then loaded to the timeline in order.
I find the files easier to edit, the need to use Multi Trim is reduced as the bad portions are already cut.
In fact I do not use Multi Trim but simply cut/delete the clips on the timeline using the scissors.

Just to add a comment re the audio settings, changing the cameras settings only affect new recordings, any recordings using 32.000 kHz, 12 Bit will remain as that, don’t worry about this, its not a problem.

No "Win DV" has not been mentioned. Is that part of my windows system or a 3rd part download. I remember when I first went to use VS2 that - I believe this is it - Microsoft Visual Studio popped up and I kept knocking it down till I finally got some settings changed then VS2 became the default.

I have used the Split by Scene feature but, it didn't apply only to when the record button was pushed. It applied split scene throughout downloading of a continuous recording. It split out scenes where it detected lighting changes like sun to cloud, any jumping of the tape, sometimes splitting it where a subject being filmed was replaced by another one. It was sensitive to more then those I mentioned to be split by scene also. At times I'd have about 25 separate scenes when the download finished.

Yes, I assumed that the camera settings would be applied to any new videos.
Carroll

[canuck]

It is not "Win DVD" but "Win DV". It is a small 3rd party utility that captures from your digital (tape) camcorder via Firewire connection to DV avi video files. It splits the video into small files based on the timestamp of the recordings and not based on any scene change.For example. suppose to did 2 recording a and you stopped recording for about a minute and then did another recording. WinDV would the capture the recorded video as 2 separate files. There may be problems if there are gaps on the tape between recordings.

[lata]

Link to Win DV

http://windv.mourek.cz/

Split by Scene, 25 separate frames is quite small, depending on the total duration, a 60 minute tape could have hundreds, it depends on how many times the record button is pressed, and indeed the definite scene changes.
The bad sections having those horizontal bars will be identified and easier to delete.

[Carroll]

Link to Win DV

http://windv.mourek.cz/

Split by Scene, 25 separate frames is quite small, depending on the total duration, a 60 minute tape could have hundreds, it depends on how many times the record button is pressed, and indeed the definite scene changes.
The bad sections having those horizontal bars will be identified and easier to delete.

That was out of a 3min 45 sec video of a passing train. The different types of cars were split out, I think, because a string of container cars fills the screen, then comes a string of flats and everything opens up with more light getting to the lens and the bad section too get there own scene. I'm infected with Rail-fan syndrome in case you're wondering.

[Carroll]

Carroll -- you are obviously luckier than we are here in New Zealand. As I said above, I recently had to do quite a search to find some tapes -- went to big shops that sell a wide range of photo and video gear, with no luck. I eventually found just one box of three in a high end camera shop, and they cost US$36 for three. Maybe I should buy some from eBay!!! But sure, go ahead and buy those that are available, but get brand names like Sony, Panasonic or TDK if possible. They're the ones I usually use.

Permit me to tell exactly how the new tape performed. CN Rail initiated a crude oil unit train from North Dakota the 1st to this week. And today it entered NB on the last leg of the trip to our refinery in Saint John NB. So I decided to get out and film it. I called the top photo studio/camera shop in NB, as I wanted to try out a new tape to see if that would eliminate the stuttering problem. They had about 20 on the shelf ($5.49 cdn) so I stopped and got 2 for now.

Today was a beautiful sunny day except for -16c temps winds and a windchill of -26c. Anyway, I put the tape in and set the camera on the tripod. I removed the battery and put it in my pocket to keep it warm till train was in sight. When it came, I got out to put the battery in. I dropped it in the snow. I found it and blew the snow out of it and dropped it again. By then my hands were freezing up. I finally got it in place and turned on camera, pointed down track at train and did some zoom shots and then backed off to get it as it passed by. then followed through shooting it as it was going away. Then took the camera off and put it and tripod in the van and got into check out the video. Did anyone notice anywhere in that description where I mentioned about pushing the RECORD button? Exactly!!
Carroll
I live to film another day.
If this doesn't belong here then please tell me and I will delete it. CC

[lata]

Hi Carroll

Sorry but had a little chuckle there……….I’m sure the views are stunning

Had you pressed the record button do you think the tape would run smoothly given the low temperature.

I do not know what limitations are given for Mini DV Tapes nor the camera

[Carroll]

Hi Carroll

Sorry but had a little chuckle there……….I’m sure the views are stunning

Had you pressed the record button do you think the tape would run smoothly given the low temperature.

I do not know what limitations are given for Mini DV Tapes nor the camera

Hi Trevor

There are times I write a blog, I guess they call it (not published yet), of some of my exploits filming trains and the not hitting record is just a small part of what has happened to me out there. My Rails NB Yahoo group seem to enjoying reading them, for some reason.

At times last winter I was there in colder temperatures for 8hrs at a time and everything was fine. When I first get there I set the tripod up, get it level and cranked up to eye level then, add the camera to see what I see in the view screen and if I have to move the tripod to allow for me not kicking it as I follow the last car on the train through and film it going away. I take the camera off and in the van with me. When the block lights come green over red, I wait awhile then get out and put the camera back on, minus battery, but, sometimes it's maybe 30 min to 2 hrs+, like yesterday, before the train shows due to a crew change, a meet or trouble with the train however, it has always worked. My scanner has been broke since the summer before last and with that I knew where the train was and what it was doing so I'd get the camera out about 2 or 3 minutes before it came through. Scanner cost to much to fix it and even more to get a new one.

I will be going back out this week to catch my favourite train, CN305 - the beast. I also plan on hitting record this time. I could film arond home but, it wouldn't be the same conditions as it would be out there. McGivney is about 900' feet higher then where I live so, I know if conditions are bad here they are terrible out there and that's where I do all my filming.

I certainly hope it is the tapes, rather, the reuse of the tapes, that is causing the stuttering. It is so frustrating in doing the project I'm on to see the number of better parts that I can't use. I hate settling for second best in doing any project. I shall let you know how it goes later this week.
Carroll

[pvreditor]

... I finally got it in place and turned on camera, pointed down track at train and did some zoom shots and then backed off to get it as it passed by. then followed through shooting it as it was going away. Then took the camera off and put it and tripod in the van and got into check out the video. Did anyone notice anywhere in that description where I mentioned about pushing the RECORD button? Exactly!!

You are most definitely not alone. The past three or four years, several of the best shots I had turned out to be ones where I didn't press the record button. A few weeks ago, I was hired for a well-paying freelance project where I had to record various state legislators reading public service announcements. The best performance by one of them -- a perfect reading the first time -- was one where I forgot to press the record button. No subsequent take was nearly as good.

It's called "being human," I guess.

Bob Kovacs
http://www.bobkovacs.com