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  1. Member
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    I have an old Sony TRV-103 that converts my old Hi8 tapes to DV, then through Firewire to my Mac. I can see and hear the video in Final Cut Pro 7 fine when previewing them, but when I play back the captured video, the audio can barely be heard. I've tried DV NTSC 48kHz (2 chan 16 bit), DV NTSC 44.1 kHz (2 chan 16 bit), and DV NTSC 32 kHz (2 chan 16 bit) settings, all pretty much end up with the same thing. Although, unless I use the 32 kHz setting I get a warning from FCP that the audio doesn't match the capture rate.

    The video is OK (a little faded), but the audio is pretty much gone. Is this just the limitation with the Hi8 to DV conversion? Like I said, the sound is great through the preview, only bad on the playback of the captured vid. This makes me believe the conversion was OK, and its the capture settings that are the problem.

    Anyone have any ideas?
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    So it sounds okay when you play the video directly from the camcorder but, once you've captured it into FCP, the audio is just way too low? You might try iMovieHD (v6.0.x) as it is a bit more straightforward in its capture (fewer settings choices).
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    Yep, fine sounding in preview in FCP, barely sound in captured video. Thanks for the advice, I will give that a try.

    By the way, capturing original DV tapes looks and sounds great when playing the captured video. Same TRV103, same FCP setup. Pop a Hi8 in, the camcorder converts it, it sounds great in the preview and while capture is going on, but barely can hear on playback of captured video.
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    So the problem isn't there when you use DV tape in the same camcorder? If I understand you correctly, then the issue has to be with the camcorder. Try connecting the camcorder's analog outputs to a media converter (ie, Canopus) and see if the problem is resolved (at least for tapes of this type).
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    DV is perfect in preview, while capturing, and playback. Hi8 is perfect in preview, while capturing, but not playback.

    I at first thought it was the camera too, but the preview and capture video and sound is so good in FCP? It's just the playback. So it seems like the camera is doing it's job and a decent conversion is coming across firewire. I know it doesn't make sense. I have verified through the camera's menus that the sounds is going out at 16bit.
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    "seems" like the camera is doing it's job... Well, something in the audio stream isn't coming across in a Kosher manner. While you may hear the audio during capture, it's not the audio that FCP "hears". If you can borrow a media converter (or another DV camcorder maybe?), perhaps you can send the stream out via the Sony's analog ports and let something else do the DV conversion.
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    I wish I could. I have a Sony HDR-FX1, but it's DV/HDV only with no ability to take analog input. I've read on other forums where folks couldn't get the Hi8 to work at all and folks suggested they record on to a VSH tape or something else and then re-record the VSH tape back as a pure DV on the same camera. I could do that, but I'm sure I will lose all kinds of quality that way. Of course, right now I have good video, but poor audio, so....

    Another option I'm going to investigate is using Soundtrack Pro to see if I can clean up or improve the audio I am getting. It appears the audio is there, just low volume.
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    Another solution: connect the analog audio (only) to your Mac and record it using QT Pro or Audacity. Save it as AIFF. Drop it into the audio track of the FCP project.
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    First, thanks for all you help! Second, without researching it, how would I get the analog audio in?
    All I have is Firewire 800 and USB ports on my Macbook Pro.
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    The iMic works great. There are also other USB/Analog Audio conversion dongles out there. http://www.jr.com/griffin-technology/pe/GRF_GC16031/
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  11. Member edDV's Avatar
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    I've got a TRV-103 and have never seen this problem when capturing Hi8 via DV Firewire. It is a unity capture. I set my TRV-103 preferences to 16bit 48KHz for compatibility with a FCP/iMovie DV project. 12 bit 32KHz will force a resample to 48KHz during rendered preview.

    Are you sure the Hi8 captures to a lower audio level (as indicated by waveform amplitude)? Or is it a monitoring issue in FCP? One quick check is test capture to iMovie and see if the problem exists there.

    Last resort, capture analog audio through Mic jack.
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    Thanks rumplestiltskin I can go that way if I have too.

    edDV, can you think of any setting in the TRV-103, that might effect this?

    I have these settings now...

    User the Tape Set menu I have;
    Audio Mode = 16Bit,

    Under the VTR Set menu I have;
    Hi-Fi Sound = Stereo
    Audio Mix is set half way between the ST1 & ST2
    PB Mode = Auto

    Should I change PB Mode to be Hi8?
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  13. Member edDV's Avatar
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    Originally Posted by xmiller View Post
    Thanks rumplestiltskin I can go that way if I have too.

    edDV, can you think of any setting in the TRV-103, that might effect this?

    I have these settings now...

    User the Tape Set menu I have;
    Audio Mode = 16Bit,

    Under the VTR Set menu I have;
    Hi-Fi Sound = Stereo
    Audio Mix is set half way between the ST1 & ST2
    PB Mode = Auto

    Should I change PB Mode to be Hi8?
    I'm not at the camcorder now but

    Audio Mix is set half way between the ST1 & ST2
    I think we found your problem. Go 100% ST1 For AFM stereo tracks.

    Are your tapes recorded with 4 audio channels? That would be 2 AFM + 2 PCM (pro Hi8 only) tracks. If so, Digital8 camcorders don't read the Hi8 PCM tracks.

    When in DV mode and at 12bit/32KHz audio setting, you have access to ST2 but not from Hi8 tapes.
    Last edited by edDV; 14th Dec 2010 at 18:13.
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