Any way to capture DV from cam using half-DVD resolution?

[DeeKnow]

I managed to transfer DV from my Sony D-8 to my notebook using an IBM firewire card and WinDV. so far, everything looks good.

trouble is, I am always running short of HD space (20GB total, no budget to upgrade at this time), and anyway dont need the 720x576 resolution since I am converting the video to VCD (352x288) rather than a DVD.

Is there a way to capture directly in a lower resolution so I dont eat up disk space so quick???

[mikesbytes]

WinDV doesn't capture, it transfers.

Theres a buch of products out there that will convert upon transfer. Windows Media maker is probably already on your machine and will do it.

[ofbarea]

There are some applications that will accept DV from the firewire and transcode the movie to MPEG2 on the fly. This will generate smaller files.

I saw some post on this matter but I do not remember witch one it was.

[redwudz]

I use Mainconcept encoder to convert DV on the fly to MPEG-2. You can set it up for 1/2 D1. It can also do VCD format MPEG-1. Other commercial programs like Ulead (I think) can do this also.

[guns1inger]

However, I would not do this is you want to edit the files afterwards. Mpeg-2 is an end delivery encoding method, not designed for editing. While you can get programs, such as Womble, for editing mpeg-2 files, it is not ideal. You alsi have to deal with having to re-encode the edited sections, reducing quality. If yo u intend to edit, you are better off being more particular during the transfer process, and only transfer the sections of the DV footage you need. Encoding to mpeg (1 or 2) should be the very last step you do, not the first.

[mikesbytes]

DeeKnow, your CPU is too slow to encode while capturing. Suggest you save for that hard drive that you can't afford.

[DeeKnow]

mike

appreciate your response, and you may be right, but you really have no idea what kind of cpu i have, right?

[redwudz]

DeeKnow: What info does it say in Control Panel>System>General. Should have processor, speed, memory, OS information there.

[mikesbytes]

Your computer details say 450Mhz. Is this correct ?

[Gazorgan]

To convert DV video to MPEG2 on the fly needs something faster than most laptops can provide (laptops currently max at what, 1.8 Ghz?). You computer details say 450 Mhz, which may have problems simply transfering DV video (your disks subsystem isn't that fast).

[DeeKnow]

ouch! my fault... didn't remember i had input that info in my profile... DUH well it's been a while....

anyway the desktop is now 700MHz (i know, HUGE improvement ) and the notebook is the same... neither has any trouble keeping up with transferring DV, now on-the-fly is certainly another story...

thanks for all the responses