HDVSplit & Cineform HDLink failing miserabley! Could anyone help me ple

[leeuk321]

I have captured 8 tapes worth of HDV footage to m2t files, using HDVSplit. Each file is about 8gb. I'm going to be editing the project in Premiere CS3, and was planning on using Cineform Prospect HD to do the grunt work of handling the HDV footage (I downloaded the 15 day trial).

The problems are:

• When I went to capture the footage originally, I tried to use HDVSplit's Scene Detect function, but it failed. So I captured the footage to complete m2t files.

• I then tried to use the Scene Splitting function after in HDVSplit, to split the files (so then HDVSplit could take it's time with the footage)...but it failed.

• I then tried to convert to Cineform Avi using their HDLink program and their Split Scenes function...but it failed.

• Finally, I thought I'd simply convert each massive m2t file into massive Cineform Avi files (then subclip in Premiere)...but it failed.

There's no way that I'll be able to chug though this project using native m2t files in Premiere, it can barely manage just normal trims, let alone stuff like color correction. I've got 2 weeks to do this project

If anyone can give me any advice on how I can get from my m2t files into some sort of Cineform workflow (or alternative codec-based workflow) then it'd be greatly, greatly, greatly appreciated. I'm in a bit of a fix here.

Thanks a lot guys.

Lee

[guns1inger]

A lot seems to be failing, but you have provided no useful information to work with. Things like error messages or codes, points in the process where failures occurred, versions of software used - basically anything that might help pin-point what is going wrong for you.

[leeuk321]

Thanks for your reply. You're right - apologies about the lack of specifics. I'm using HDV Split 0.77 beta and Cineform HDLink v3.4.9 build 193.

When I use HDVSplit to try and split the files, it purely splits up a minute of two of it (varies each time), and then says 'Process COMPLETED'.

When I use Cineform HDLink it gets 5-20 mins into the footage, splitting it up ok into Cineform avi files, but then just freezes.

When I try to use HDLink to purely convert it into a single Cineform avi file, it starts processing it but then just freezes a few minutes into it. Neither program is giving me any specific error codes or reasons, which is frustrating.

I hope this helps, and thanks for your help.

Lee

[leeuk321]

can anyone please help me?

[minidv2dvd]

is it the programs freezing or the computer?

[leeuk321]

Thanks for your reply. It 's the programs that freeze. Well - HDVSplit doesn't freeze, it just incorrectly says that it's 'successfully completed'. HDLink freezes.

Are there any alternative programs that might do the job?

Thanks.

[filmboss80]

You DO have a separate hard drive for video projects, right? I mean, you're not putting your video footage on the same drive as your operating system...right?

Just gotta check before going forward.

[minidv2dvd]

what are you expecting hdvsplit to use for scene detection? did you make timestamp discontinuities in the tape?

[joy]

Try using HDLink to capture your HDV footage. It will scene detect and convert the files into cineform avi files at the same time. Then import these files in cs3.

[edDV]

HDVSplit is only looking for time code breaks to determine a "scene". I've got no idea why it would fail in progress other than disk space issues. Try capturing shorter segements.

I agree with Joy to try the Cineform HDLink capture (transfer) program. It will capture directly to the Cineform codec.

[leeuk321]

Hi, thanks for your replies. Although I don't usually get an error code I just tried converting/splitting another m2t file using HDLink and I got the error code: 'Got EC_ERRORABORT notification 0 0x80040228'.

Wouldn't it be nice if software programmers actually told you the error in english, like 'Break in timecode' or 'RAM failure' or something. I've got no idea what this means

Any help, as always, would be greatly, greatly appreciated! Thanks.

[leeuk321]

p.s. sorry I forgot to mention - the timecode was perfect on tape - I don't know if HDVSplit brought it in ok with the m2t file - how do I check? I no longer have the camcorder to re-capture but when I did have it I tried to capture individual scenes using HDVSplit and HDLink, but didn't have any success with either.

I only had a day with the camcorder so I needed to just capture the entire tapes, just so that I could at least get that step out of the way. I thought that maybe the reason why it couldn't split-up-scenes-on-the-fly was because of my processor (P4 3ghz) or something?

I've got the m2t files on a separate (not the O/S drive) 500gb SATA-II internal drive, and there's plenty of space, so that can't be the problem.

Hmmm, I'm stumped. One thing's for sure, I'm never, ever, ever using HDV again. Any other help would be great - I've got about 10 days left to do this project and I should really have a rough cut now, but I'm instead still trying to figure out the footage

[minidv2dvd]

by "the timecode was perfect" do you mean it's one continuous shot? if so there are no "scenes" for any program to find. you will have to cut it manually in your editor and save out the pieces.

[leeuk321]

minidv2dvd - sorry, I meant that the timecode was not broken. The camcorder was stopped n started during production (and a script supervisor logging on the go) creating points for scene detection.

I think at this point I really just need to try any and all other programs, to try to figure this out purely by process of elimination. Does anyone know of any other programs that will split m2t files by scene detection? Please.

Thanks. Lee

[minidv2dvd]

i'd borrow or rent an hdv cam if you don't have one and start over. if the cam was started/stopped/started for scenes the discontinuities are there on the tape. maybe try vegas, it has a built-in capture routine and will split the files on breaks in the timecode.

i don't recall any program that does scene detection for hdv on the hard drive.

[edDV]

If you have the the log sheet best to just split it manually and be done with it.

A Pentium 4 3GHz should handle capture but would be weak for 1x playback and nowhere near adequate for Premiere Pro CS3 editing HDV. You may get adequate cueing with the Cineform digital intermediate.

If you were to do it again for that hardware, it would have been better to capture direct to Cineform, that is if the P4 can keep up.

[edDV]

I just looked at system requirements for Prospect HD
http://www.cineform.com/prospecthd/requirements.php

OS
Windows XP / 64 SP3
Vista 32 / 64 SP1

CPU Min: Core 2 Duo 3GHz
Preferred: Core i7 or Dual Nehalem

RAM 3GB or greater

You will need a stronger machine. You may be able to compress cineform on a faster machine and then edit on your P4.