Hollywood DV Bridge - Capturing Questions

[ChevyNo1]

Hey, I'm hoping someone can help me . . . I've captured using the supplied MGI Videowave to AVI . . . but when I try to drag the AVI into CCE, it says there is no data . . . but it converts fine in Tmpgenc. Any ideas? Also, Virtualdub doesn't capture any frames, as well as MainActor Video Capture. They list 'Microsoft WDM Image Capture (Win32)', but don't capture anything. Can anyone help me out? Is there a way also to frameserve the capture into CCE/Tmpgenc, or do I have to do the capture, then bring into the encoder? The ones that capture fine list 'Microsoft DV Camera and VCR : Dazzle . . .' . . .

- Dug

[Bud]

I also do my capture with Hollywood DV Bridge, I end up with a 35GB file for a two hour movie, I open the DV Avi file with VirtualDub, do my editing, do a framesever into either Panasonic or TMPGEnc, what you need to do is create a "fake" avi file when you do the Frameserve in VDub, when it ask for a file name just key in any name (example VCD1.AVI) and put the .AVI file on the end of the file, DO NOT ACCEPT THE DEFAULT FILE EXTENSION, after you have done that, the Frameserve will start, open TMPGEnc and open the "Fake" file name, open your template, start the process, you can do the same thing with Panasonic Encoder, you just don't have as many options as you do with TMPGEnc, the end result is just as good for either encoder.
Bud

[ChevyNo1]

Thanks, Bud . . . I tried opening the avi in Virtualdub, and it says 'no video stream found'. Basically the same error CCE is giving me. Any ideas? What software did you use for your capture? I've tried Videowave 5.0 and MainActor DV capture, both of them create AVI's that can't be opened in Vdub or CCE . . .

- Dug

[TheInformer]

Use DVIO (http://mcarr.eecs.umich.edu/dvio/) or ScenalyzerLive (http://www.scenalyzer.com) to do your capturing.

DVIO is a freebie, ScenalyzerLive costs $33 after a trial period.

DV can be captured in two different formats: Type 1 and Type 2. Both contain the same information, they're just organized internally differently. Some programs can only read one of the two types (sounds like your problem).

In DV Type-1 files, the video channel and the audio channel are interleaved into a single stream in the AVI file. In fact, the data delivered by the camcorder are stored without any change, just a kind of "envelope" is put around the DV data.

In DV Type-2 files, both the video and the audio channel are stored in separate streams in the AVI file. This type of video files can be also opened by editing applications supporting the Microsoft "Video for Windows" interface only.

There are programs on the net that allow you to convert between the two types. Just learn how to use Google or Altavista

[ChevyNo1]

Well, that makes more sense . . . I downloaded DVIO, it doesn't capture anything. I tried the other one, that worked fine and I could open it in CCE . . . I tried searching for progs to do the conversion, I used askjeeves, altavista, and google . . . found references to the two different types but no utilities to convert. Do you know of any offhand?

- Dug

[Bud]

I use Adobe Premeier 6.0, yea....it cost, but it's worth it for me anyway, I have also tried some of the others and they work good and all the AVI files work with VDub. I have not got the VirtualDub Capture to work with the DV Firewire (Hollywood DV Bridge). The Adobe works great with no dropped frames, and I have captured a lot. The only thing I don't like about the Adobe product is it don't have a VCR Timer switch so I can't schedule off the Digital TV. I understand the InVCR will also work, so you may want to check around the NET, I would also re-install the VirtualDub, not sure why you get the error message.

Bud

[TheInformer]

Everyone:

Here is a URL to a page with a little more info on the differences between Type 1 and Type 2 DV:
http://213.130.34.82/editstudio/manual/videoediting/dvfiletypes/index.htm

ChevyNo1:

PureMotion's EditStudio 3 has a DV file type converter included along with the trial version. The converter is fully functional however and converts between Type 1 and Type 2.

EditStudio 3 trial download URL:
http://puremotion.com/downloads/editstudio307.exe

More Info on EditStudio 3 trial download:
http://puremotion.com/downloads/faq.htm

:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:

I've tried to use VirtualDub to capture DV from my Sony box, but it never worked. I gave in, bought the unlock code for ScenalyzerLive, and have been happy ever since. Note that the trial version of it inserts "ScenalyzerLive" graphics in at odd intervals in the video, and the only way to get rid of that is to purchase the unlock code. Otherwise, the trial version functions the same as the full version.

[kc5hwb]

Is it necessary to use VirtualDub to edit the file after capturing from the Bridge? I was hoping to capture with the Bridge software (CCE, I guess) and then convert to MPEG1 using TMPG....is this possible?

I am looking to buy one of these Bridges and am trying to find out as much info as possible.

Thanks

[proroc]

The reason you are getting the error is because it is capturing in type 1 .avi Here is a way you can capture using the dv bridge without converting the type1 to a type2. Open DV Capture in Main Actor, and go to SETTINGS and uncheck Multi-File Save, then under SETTINGS change it from DV .AVI type #1 to DV .AVI Type#2

Then capture and it should open right up in virtualdub.

[kc5hwb]

Also, I have Adobe Premiere on CD, but I have never used it. Is it for editing only, or can I edit an AVI file and save as MPEG1? This would be a great program I'm sure....I have used Adobe Photoshop for many years and it is great.

Thanks

[Bud]

Yes you can edit AVI with Adobe Premiere, the Capture utility is one of the best if not the best anywhere, I have never had Dropped Frames when running the Capture utility and I have captured up to 3 hours at a time, the average 2 Hour movie will give you approx 35GB avi file. You can set it to Catpure at either DV1 or DV2. I don't ues it to edit, not that up on that part of it yet, I use VirtualDub to do all my editing, and then frameserve to TMPGEnc to process to MPEG. I think there is a Plug-In to Frameserve back to Premiere, but I have not tried it.Bud

[kc5hwb]

That is quite a large file.....

What exactly is Frameserve? I have heard that term before, but I am not sure what it is.

Is DV1 or DV2 better for trying to get an end product of VCD?

I guess my capture process will be this...
VCR->Dazzle Bridge->Dazzle software->Editing software
(Premiere or VDub)->TMPG for MPEG1 conversion->VCD Burn.

Does this sound right?

[Bud]

Not an expert on this, but I know Frameserve is a way of creating and processing a file without the need of saving and having two files to deal with. I capture with the Bridge, edit with VurtualDUb, Frameserve into TMPGEnc, set the TPMGEnc template to VCD or SVCD run the process wait 10-12 hours or longer depending on TMPGEnc settings, Burn with Nero 5.5.7.2, play back on Panasonic Partable DVd/SamSung M301 or my Hatachi 343 on my Sony 61" TV.

Hope this helps