Capturing Failure error -- VSP X4

[natbr]

Hi,
Reading your forum, it looks like this problem has been around as late as last Aug -- but I don't see a way to fix it. Can you point in the right direction?

I am using VideoStudio Pro X4 to capture some home videos from my circa 2000 Sony HandyCam via a Firewire cable. At the end of each tape, I get an error message that says "Capturing Failed." The file created is corrupted and unstable. And will be deleted" This error message only has an OK button -- which automatically starts the delete files process. However, if I open Task Manager and kill the whole VSP application, and go into the folder with the video downloads seem to be fine -- I can open them, play them. Not corrupted, not unstable. Odd behavior.

I'm running the latest version of Win7. I've upgraded the Firewire card in the computer to a Win7 compatible one, have lots of RAM (4g), gobs of hard drive. I've tried running the FireWire card in "legacy" mode... VSP -- sees my HandyCam and seems to record it just fine -- until the very end. Under the Capture tab (at top of page) I've selected "Capture video" (not DV Quick Scan, Import from Digital Media ... etc). My capturing format is DV.

I chatted with Aland S of the Corel support staff this afternoon who recommended I download new codecs -- which I did, for: Real Player, Quicktime, DivX and Direct X. I am running the latest version of VSP X4 with SP2.

Any ideas?

Nat

[BrianCee]

Hi and welcome

Not really a solution to the problem with VideoStudio but a 'work around' which does not cost you any money is to download the FREE programme called 'WinDV' from http://windv.mourek.cz/ and then import the video into VideoStudio

In fact several of the members of these forums always use WinDV as it provides facilities to name clips as you import them instead of using the VideoStudio 'datestamp' type naming.

[natbr]

Thanks Brian,
I may try that route if there are no other solutions... (I'd rather not complicate things with another piece of software if I can avoid it) One other thing: I noticed that other folks mentioned that Nero 9 seemed to be causing this problem earlier (in Aug posts) -- my machine is really quite clean (as yet) about the only thing I've added to it other than VSP is Java 7 and no other DVD burning - Video editing software.

Anybody else have a workaround?

Thanks !

Nat

[lata]

Hi Nat

I assume you are using a Mini DV type camera.

Just a thought about Mini Dv Tapes

A new DV Tape does not have a time code set on the tape till you record.
It is recommended that you set the timecode by recording from beginning to end without a break usually with the lens cap on.

If you have not done this then the capture could fail when loosing the timcode.

Does your video recording go to the end of the tape or stop short.?
If it stops short -- record over the last portion to complete the timecode. Dont leave any gaps.

As a test capture the last few minutes of the tape.
I may be completely off track here..............

Win DV
Corel Video Studio does have some small issues with capturing DV via firewire regarding the accuracy of split by scene.
I would recommend using Win DV, as far as I know works with Windows 7
The extra advantage of naming your captured files is useful, something that VS does not do.

As far as I know Win DV is a stand alone program so does not actually install files to your system.

I use Win DV

[natbr]

Hi Trevor,

Thanks for the info! I'm actually recording off of High8 DV tapes -- which is probably just a different name for Mini DV tapes. And occasionally, I do find the capture session stops mid tape -- usually when there is a significant gap between on scene and the next. Curiously, the camcorder (Sony DCR-TRV230) and VSP x4 seem to be in sync -- VSP controls the Camcorder via FireWire just fine. The captures, actually, look quite good. Its just this curiously nagging error that pops up either at a gap mid tape or at the end -- which says the files are corrupted and tries to automatically delete them when you click "ok". Curious that something so seemingly simple and which has been a identified bug for several versions of VSP ... is still around. You'd think Corel would not want folks looking at other software solutions due to issues with their software (ie: now I'd think twice about upgrading to VSP x5 etc.)

I'm testing the WinDV solution now ...

Thanks for your input.

-- Nat

[lata]

Hi Nat

I have just tested capturing a new DV tape without a completed time code.
Using a new tape I started recording from about 10 seconds in, I then recorded a section of video.

I started capture from the first frame a black screen, the recorded section eventually showed as though capturing then ran through to the empty tape, no timecode.

The file although created contained no data, the file size being zero.
This test was completed using Win DV.

Using Video Studio X5 i was able to capture as above, however adding another recording section caused problems as the capture ran over the empty tape.

When using a DV type tape you must record the tape in full from beginning to end to embed the timecode.
Then future recordings will not have any breaks in the timecode.

Your comments regarding
"stops mid tape -- usually when there is a significant gap"
"Its just this curiously nagging error that pops up either at a gap mid tape or at the end"

The problem is the incomplete time code, the capture program does not recognise a video stream and either terminates or does not capture, after all there is nothing to capture.

I think you will have problems with capture whatever program you use.

DV video does not get re-coded during capture unlike analogue capture.
You do not set capture properties, only choosing Dv-Type 1.
The video stream is literally copied from the tape and pasted to the pc, you get dv-Avi at 13Gb per hour.

[natbr]

Hi Trevor,
Very interesting ... I guess with DV tapes so far in the rear mirror, there isn't really much interest in addressing the problem. Anyway, I've been using WinDV successfully and had no error or even dropped frames for that matter. Just seems to work and seeing as I have a relatively small library of DV-8 tapes, I'll just get them on the PC via WinDV and then edit them in VSP.

The issue with time stamping is interesting ... since I recorded most of these tapes ~= a decade ago (toddler movies of my kids), I'm sure there are date stamp gaps because I was unaware of the issue and wouldn't have prepped a tape by recording it through with the lens cap on. Now that they are shot -- and are the only records I have of certain events, I have to work with what I have.

Thanks for your help and insights.

-- Nat