How many dropped frames per hour of capture is considered "normal"

[alegator]

I guess the answer depends on several conditions, so the question is given this scenario:
- Capture using Canopus ADVC100 from a Hi8 VCR onto PC via firewire using Adobe Premiere 2
- Capturing to external USB2 hard drive (Adobe Premiere installed in OS hard drive)
- Hi8 tapes date from 1991 thru 1994, most in "good" condition (they are all playable and healthy).
Thanks.

[gadgetguy]

Zero.
If you aren't getting zero dropped frames, try it with WinDV. If you still have dropped frames, then something is wrong.

[guns1inger]

None. Any dropped frames introduce potential errors, either video skips or audio sync. If you are capturing correctly, you should not get any dropped frames. Personally, I would be cpaturing to an internal drive, not an external one, as any extra transfer through the system is likely to increase the risk of dropping frames. The video can always be copied to the external drive later for editing.

[alegator]

ok thanks for the info.

[zoobie]

I agree with the guys and have almost the same setup. However, if you've left blank spaces inbetween shots like I did, you'll get plenty.

[alegator]

Yes I noticed that in blank spaces produced between stopping one filming session and starting the next one frames drop, but in that case I guess it's normal and should be considered an exception to the "zero" rule

[zoobie]

Yep...this is where a TBC comes in handy.
Also, the rpm of the hard drive if slow can drop frames. 7200rpm is the recommended minimum

[alegator]

TBC=time based counter?

[zoobie]

Corrector. There's no time code where you've left blank spaces on the tape and in the digital world, the cap stops until it can catch up and resync itself resulting in dropped frames (usually a second or two).

One way to avoid this problem was to record the tape all the way through with the lens cap on. This way, there would always be a time code if you happened to leave any blank spaces.

If you're a casual user, you'll just have to be happy with what you've capped. Of course, the pros here use an expensive TBC which delays/corrects the missing time code. You can perhaps rent one.

Time Base Corrector
A hardware device used to remove or mask variations in the video synchronizing signals, which can result in "skewing" and other distortions in the video image generated by unavoidable mechanical inaccuracies in helical scan recorders. This is accomplished by automatically delaying the video signal so that each line starts at the proper time. In capturing a TBC is used to 'clean up' analog tape problems and may assist in the capture of old VHS tapes when used between a VCR and capture card. Hardware TBCs can be expensive.