problems with sound when capturing in X5

[SheilaN]

I actually need help with video studio prox5 ultimate. I am capturing footage using a canon dv video camera, 1394a firewire adapter and firewire cord. I purchased video studio in October 2012. Now, while capturing the footage, I am experiencing a problem with the audio being captured very choppy, like there is static in the audio. This just started happening. The audio is playing fine on the camera but not capturing smoothly. Can anyone help me with this please?? I am a novice at video editing and do this for my church. I don't know much of the technical stuff.

[Terfyn]

I have had problems with my Canon HV20 and firewire. It was cured by replacing the firewire cable.
The plug on the original cable was not always making a good connection in the camera socket. The new cable had a very slightly longer plug.

Do you have to push the plug firmly into the camera socket? If so this may be the problem.

[Ken Berry]

When capturing your DV, which encoder type are you selecting: Type 1 or Type 2? While VS should be able to capture either type, it seems to have a preference for Type 1. Since you have trouble with your audio stream, and Type 2 captures video and audio in separate streams while Type 1 does not, this could be another cause of your problem...

[SheilaN]

Thank you both. I don't see where I would select Type 1 or Type 2. I plug the camera in, select capture video, video studio finds the camera. Start capture blinks, then I click on it and it starts the camera operating. Can you help me find where I would make that selection? I looked in options on the capture tab and also in preferences under the capture tab. Not sure where else to look.

I was also wondering if my fire wire cableand/or adaptor needed to be replaced. I don't have a firewire port on my computer, so I use an adaptor and a cable.

[SheilaN]

I looked at what I was doing. I was using DVD setting for capture instead of DV. When I selected DV, I saw the option for encoding. It was on type 1. I tried capturing some of the footage and I still have the problem with the sound. What is the difference in selecting DVD and DV?

[Ken Berry]

Sheila -- I assume you are talking about a firewire to USB adaptor. If so, then that is probably the culprit. I just can't see them working properly. If you have a desktop PC, then you may be able to add a Firewire card to your motherboard and capture direct via that. Firewire cards are pretty cheap these days, and fairly easy to insert, though you might need to get a computer tech to do it if you are not confident about opening up your box.

[Terfyn]

Sheila -- I assume you are talking about a firewire to USB adaptor. If so, then that is probably the culprit. I just can't see them working properly. If you have a desktop PC, then you may be able to add a Firewire card to your motherboard and capture direct via that. Firewire cards are pretty cheap these days, and fairly easy to insert, though you might need to get a computer tech to do it if you are not confident about opening up your box.

I would second that and I would let a tech expert do the job!! It took my dealer all morning to find and load the correct drivers (software) for my combination of HV20 and PC. Having said that the "new" setup of new firewire lead and card works without any problem.
I may be telling you something you already know but do connect everything up before switching on. There were a number of cases of Canon cameras being blown as the result of connecting the firewire cable with the equipment switched on.

My old computer had a firewire connection built in but for some reason, probably that most "add-ons" use USB, my new tower did not. Reading posts here and on other sites suggest, as Ken says, these firewire to USB converters rarely give good results so, if you can, go for the card. If you have a laptop, I read there is a plug in board, but do test before you buy.

[lata]

Hi Shella

DV--DVD

Your camera records footage to Mini-DV Tape, the format is DV-Avi
(Digital Video.)
When you capture your footage you should connect directly to the pc using Firewire.
Selecting DV as the capture format will transfer the video to the pc without re-coding, the footage is literally copied to the pc, what you get is DV-Avi it should be the same quality as on the camera. (13Gb per hour)

If you choose DVD, this will re-code the incoming video stream, converting DV-Avi to Mpeg2. The footage is converted on the fly. The video is Mpeg2 DVD a compatible format used to burn a DVD Disc. (Approx 4 Gb per hour)

Your best option is to use DV-Avi, edit in that format then convert to Mpeg2 DVD.

As mentioned by Ken and Terfyn the problem is almost certainly the USB/firewire adaptor.

There is a free program called Win DV that is used specifically to capture/transfer DV to the pc.
However I think you will have similar problems.

http://windv.mourek.cz/

Hope this helps

[SheilaN]

Thank you all for your help!!! The adaptor is an express card adaptor. It "clicks" in the card slot. Does that make any difference? No USB port is used.

[skier-hughes]

As first suggested check and try a new cable.
Second, it could be that the laptop (I assume from the fact you are using an express card) may not be fast enough to capture the signal.
What are the specs of the laptop (?)
How much free space do you have to capture to?
Have you defragged recently?

[SheilaN]

Thank you so much for helping me with this.

I am using Windows Vista Home Premium
Intel(R) Core(TM) 2 Duo CPU P7350 @ 2.00GHz 2.00GHz
Memory (RAM) 4.00 GB
System type - 64 bit operating system

That's as much as I can figure out about my specs.

I have my computer set to defrag automatically and the last defrag was 3/29/2013 with the next scheduled for this week. I have 67.7gb of free space to capture to.

I will try a new cable. Until last week, this has worked fine since I started using it in November. I capture video weekly.

I do have a desktop that is older, with WindowsXP. It has a 6 pin firewire port, but I have not tried to use it, thinking the laptop, which was newer, would work better.

[lata]

Hi

I would have thought the iEEE adapter for the laptop would work ok, that’s what its designed for.

If the XP pc is still serviceable then try a capture using the Firewire connection. Should work equally as well as the LapTop.
If you get the same results then suspect the cable or camera

If its improved then suspect the adaptor.

[Terfyn]

I do have a desktop that is older, with WindowsXP. It has a 6 pin firewire port, but I have not tried to use it, thinking the laptop, which was newer, would work better.

This was the situation I found myself in, my XP based computer was 2005 vintage. Unfortunately the processor was too slow and would not address enough memory so it was replaced with a "state of the art" machine. It is possible to replace the innards of an older computer but better to go for the latest bit of kit.
Video and photo editing are demanding programmes and IMO a tower system is better simply because it is possible to specify a machine to do the job. I took the computer requirements for Pinnacle Studio 15 to my Dealer and he put the necessary bits into a box. This included a FireWire card and lots of USB ports. I now run two screens, one for the control of the program and the other, a 16:9 size screen, for the Player panel. This set up cost less that a high spec laptop and, because it is like a Lego set of computer cards, can be added to or changed to keep up with the newer program specs. It just takes up a lot of room and is not portable!!
I do hope you can get the FireWire port attachment to work OK with your setup.

[Ken Berry]

You might also want to try that small freeware capture program Trevor mentioned above: WinDV. You can find it at http://www.windv.mourek.cz But if you have trouble with that too, then that would definitely imply there is something physically wrong with your set-up -- either the cable or the card.

[SheilaN]

Thanks again for all of your help!!!

Tried to find a firewire cable today after I got off work. It would seem trying to find one of these at the local Best Buy electronics store or computer parts/accessories store is like trying to find 5" floppy disks. Everyone kept telling me how old and outdated firewire was, so, I am left to order a cable online.

When I get a cable, I will let you know if it solves the problem. While I am waiting for the cable I will try the capture on my desktop with windows XP, which will let me know if it is the cable since it has a port. I need to install the video software first. I will let you know how that works and I will also try WinDV. Thanks for the link to the software.