WinDV problems

[zoobie]

Hey -
I rented a hi8 camera to run off my stuff this weekend.

Using Windv, I'm getting monster clicks and pops in areas of my transfer type-1. Then, I noticed type-2 has sync issues but no clicks? Huh?

I've basically only used type-1 because it's always worked fine for short 5 minute clips. Now that I'm transfering 20 hours of stuff, I'm starting to hear clicks...clicks that turn into a roar and drown out the audio...then strangely disappear.

I saw someone else had the same prob...It's a pain to recap

Listen to the clicks here . (716kb, right click and save target as)

I've tried capping in 3-4 aps...but WinDV is the only one that screws up the audio for me. The others want to use a codec whereas WinDV just transfers.

I've posted in the audio section but nobodys replied.

The camera's due back Monday.

Any quick fix for this?

[edDV]

WinDV is a DV format capture (transfer) program and only works for DV camcorders (MiniDV and Digital8). WinDV is essentially a control panel for DirectShow which is part of XP. If you are having transfer problems, the issues are either at the source (camcorder) or in XP.

Source Issues:

1. You say you are capturing Hi8 tape format which is analog. How are you doing this? The camcorder must then be Digital8 or you are somehow converting an analog signal to DV through some sort of device. Please explain.

2. Type 1 vs Type 2 DV transfer has nothing to do with audio quality. They differ as to whether the audio is carried in the video signal or sent separately. The quality is the same. If you don't hear audio using one type, then try the other.
http://msdn.microsoft.com/archive/default.asp?url=/archive/en-us/dx81_c/directx_cpp/ht...pe2dvfiles.asp



3. If you are transferring analog Hi8 format, tracking becomes critical for audio quality. We'll come back to this if it is the problem.

XP issues:

1. First make sure XP and DirectX are current.

2. Play back a known good tape through WinDv or Movie Maker. Try a capture. If that works, the problems are most likely camcorder or tape related.

[zoobie]

1) Via the Datavideo DAC-100
2) I don't hear a darn thing in either type 1 or 2...everythings fine as far as programs and speakers are concerned
3)?

XP = I'm just running XP Pro...no service packs at all...using 3rd party anti-vir and zonealarm

The clicks may happen at any time for any length of time...from 20 seconds to 20 minutes

As it is, I'll have to cap DV type 1 for 15 minutes then check it and repeat if necessary. Type 1 seems to keep the audio in sync where type 2 doesn't...at least with my setup.

Thanks

Those darn clicks are holding me up.

[edDV]

What happens if you plug a stable video source (e.g. cable box or sat) into the DataVideo-100?

If you don't get a good audio/video capture, then the problem is on the computer side.

Make sure you capture to the drive that doesn't have the XP OS.

On the camcorder side, make sure the tape plays OK directly into a TV with good audio.

The idea is to test subsystems to locate the problem.

[zoobie]

What happens? Dunno...no tv hookups.
Capping to D drive @ 7200 16mb (all in profile)
Tape plays fine on tv monitor with good audio

I've been testing for over 24 hours now. I'll have to piece meal it to insure the audio's ok...but I saw where someone else had this problem here...and I guess it's a slight incompatibility of WinDV.

This is a one shot deal...Camera's gotta go back Monday.

Thanks

[edDV]

What happens? Dunno...no tv hookups.
Capping to D drive @ 7200 16mb (all in profile)
Tape plays fine on tv monitor with good audio

I've been testing for over 24 hours now. I'll have to piece meal it to insure the audio's ok...but I saw where someone else had this problem here...and I guess it's a slight incompatibility of WinDV.

This is a one shot deal...Camera's gotta go back Monday.

Thanks

I doubt it is WinDV. Nothing there to affect audio.

I would suspect:

1. A hard drive contention issue with OS activity, Anti-Virus or other background processes. Turn off anti-virus.

2. A DirectX or other XP update problem. I'd update DirectX to v9c.

3. A possible problem with the DAC-100 or the IEEE-1394 interface. This could be eliminated as an issue buy testing from a stable video source like cable, sat, laserdisc, etc.

4. A problem monitoring the DV stream with your audio card. The signal may be recording fine but the MSDV Codec to audio is having problems.

Try playing the file from within MovieMaker.

5. It you haven't updated, you have a very primitive version of MovieMaker that can't capture a DV-AVI file. At least get version 2.0 if MS still has it downloadable. The current MovieMaker (v2.1) is bundled in SP2.

Otherwise use WinDV or DVIO and capture the file. Put it on a DVD and try to play it (from the hard drive) on another computer that is up to date. DV video @ 25Mb/s won't directly play from a DVD.

If you get a program like ULead Video Studio 9 or Sony Vegas Movie Studio, they will install the needed components for DV playback, editing and encoding.

[zoobie]

You know, I used msp7 to cap as type 1 and it couldn't open it's own file...neither could windows. But capping with WinDV type 1 I have (usually..except for these new clicks) gotten great results...editable in MSP and Windows.

Well, that's a lot of stuff to go thru...and since I'm forced to start transfer in a couple of hours, I don't think I could really do all that.

Because the clicks are intermittent, this leaves me a window in which to work in.

I'll just have to piece meal it...stopping every 20 minutes to check the audio.

I'm cappin in WinDV type 1 because the audio stays in sync with my setup. I'm not up for demuxing every clip (10 years worth).

I have WMM 2.1 somehow...works good...it's cap stayed in sync too but the bitrate is unknown and it looks deinterlaced...

That's the werid thing..I'm not new at this...all my 5 minute short caps have been great. It's only the long caps that I've noticed the clicking. Anti-vir off, zone alarm off of course...all that....even directX 9.0c...which probably came with media player 10

I've read a lot of your posts here...
Thanks for all the info

[Wile_E]

You say you have no servicepacks? I would update to SP2 as well, unless there is a legitimate reason you are not already updated.

[Noahtuck]

You say you have no servicepacks? I would update to SP2 as well, unless there is a legitimate reason you are not already updated.

Yeah, they SUCK!!! 8)

[zoobie]

exactly...

[edDV]

I've read a lot of your posts here...
Thanks for all the info

I'm just tossing out ideas. In my experience, if DV video transfers well, audio isn't a problem.

Personally, I don't trust Windows Movie Maker. The user interface is designed to suck you into WMV. WMV requires deinterlacing which will kill DV or Hi8 if you drift that way. I haven't tested Movie Maker in detail. WinDV has worked well on my machines.

[zoobie]

I've capped all night in sync and nary a click...Everything is running smoothly again...
I make sure I close WinDV each 20 minutes...although I'm not convinced this was the cause of my clicks.
Maybe some sort of interference...
I'll know when I can do a one hour cap on Monday I guess

[zoobie]

So, I'm happily capping along...no more problems...when all of a sudden, those deafening clicks suddenly return for no reason. I clear caches and do everything I know...to no avail. After 10 more attempts, I finally give up and use the DVIO you recommended which saved the day....works perfectly.
To me, this says there's a slight incompatibility with the dac-100, windv, and/or the soundcard

[edDV]

So, I'm happily capping along...no more problems...when all of a sudden, those deafening clicks suddenly return for no reason. I clear caches and do everything I know...to no avail. After 10 more attempts, I finally give up and use the DVIO you recommended which saved the day....works perfectly.
To me, this says there's a slight incompatibility with the dac-100, windv, and/or the soundcard

Could be.

But if as described the problem would only be due to WinDV monitoring the signal while transferring. The audio signal going to the file would be entact. If the file is corrupt, something else is happening.