problems capturing entire mini-DV tape

[zweige]

I've searched the forum, but haven't found a solution to this problem. I am having trouble capturing an entire tape from my mini-DV camera. I'd like to get the full tape into one file so that I can then use editing software to break it up. The camera is a Sharp VL-SD20 and the system I'm capturing to via firewire is a Sony Vaio 3ghz, 1GB RAM Windows XP machine with over 100gb+ free disk space. I've narrowed the problem to when there is a gap between recorded content on the tape. On all the software I've tried, when the software comes to one of these gaps, the capture stops, but the camera keeps on playing. I have to then rewind to the end of the gap and start capturing again, into another file. Then wait until the next gap when the capture stops again and then repeat the process all over. This is way too time consuming. If there is no gap, just scene changes, most of the software I've tried works okay. I've tried the following software and have had the same problem with all of them. Pinnacle 8, DVIO, AVI_IO trial version, Scenalyzer Live trial version, Roxio Media Creator 7.5 capture utility. Even though some of these programs have a 'capture entire tape' option, I've never been able to capture an entire tape.

I'm about ready to give up and just deal with multiple files, but if someone's got a product, free or otherwise, that can get me around this I'd really appreciate it.

Thanks.

[SingSing]

I have Sharp digital viewcam, and I use winDV to download the entire miniDV tape to my PC.

[zweige]

That was fast! I see I didn't mention it in my post, but I've tried winDV as well and had the same problem. Any suggestions as to what I might be doing wrong? Are there any settings on the Viewcam that I should be aware of?

Thanks again.

[gadgetguy]

In WinDV set discontinuity to 0 and set the filesize to 200000. That should capture an entire tape to one file.

[Barnabas]

In WinDV, try setting the max AVI size to 1000000 and setting discontinuity to 0.

[zweige]

Thanks for the suggestions, but Aaarrgghhhh!!!!!!! I tried the discontinuity setting at 0, but still no joy. It just shouldn't be this frigging hard.

Would I be better off just doing this through S-video?

[SingSing]

That was fast! I see I didn't mention it in my post, but I've tried winDV as well and had the same problem. Any suggestions as to what I might be doing wrong? Are there any settings on the Viewcam that I should be aware of?

WinDV use the blank period between video segement as start/stop, it is a good idea. But if you insist to capture as one entire tape, then set the discon to zero just like these posts. One entire tape is cumbersome to edit. You may eventually spilt the tape content into several sections, for ease of work.

[edDV]

Thanks for the suggestions, but Aaarrgghhhh!!!!!!! I tried the discontinuity setting at 0, but still no joy. It just shouldn't be this frigging hard.

Would I be better off just doing this through S-video?

There might be a break in the timecode causing it to stop. Just resume the transfer from that point. Preroll needs a second or so of timecode to get started. You can manually start the capture by pressing play and capture at the same time with preroll turned off.

Preroll is turned on and off with the check box next to the "capture" button.

[Barnabas]

I have to wonder if it's a specific camcorder issue. I have never run into that problem with my JVC or Sony Camcorders. I use WinDV to transfer it.

You can't just do this through S-video, unless you have a capture card in the computer, and you would still be losing quality.

[gadgetguy]

Thanks for the suggestions, but Aaarrgghhhh!!!!!!! I tried the discontinuity setting at 0, but still no joy. It just shouldn't be this frigging hard.

Would I be better off just doing this through S-video?

No, the video on the tape is already in digital format. To send the video out the S video connection it gets converted back to analog and then redigitized into the computer. The Firewire capsfer does no conversion so the resulting DV-AVI is exactly the same as on the tape. If you are leaving large gaps between video clips then you should probably lay down a timestream before using the tape. (Record to the whole tape with the lens cap on.) I can only guess that the gaps on the tape have no timecode, so WinDV and any other app will assume the tape is done and stop capsferring.

[edDV]

That was fast! I see I didn't mention it in my post, but I've tried winDV as well and had the same problem. Any suggestions as to what I might be doing wrong? Are there any settings on the Viewcam that I should be aware of?

WinDV use the blank period between video segement as start/stop ...

Specifically it looks for a time change indicating the camcorder had stopped and restarted at that frame.

I type of timecode discontinuity I was talking about is a blank portion of tape between frames. That will halt the transfer.

[zweige]

Thanks for the quick responses from everyone. Very impressive. It sounds like it's a timecode issue. Too bad there's no way to ignore it. I know that one file would be tough to edit, but I've got lots of tapes and just was looking for an easy way to get them onto a disk for backup purposes.

Guess I'll have to do some reading up on timecodes and how they are used for future reference. It sounds like if I had recorded the entire tapes with the cap on before shooting for real I would have avoided this problem.

Bummer.