AVI back to Mini Dv

[thewdawg]

Have multiple avi files that I have edited and now I am trying to get them back to Mini DV via camcorder and have tried several programs. I have tired DVIO (won't control my camcorder at all) and WinDV with limited success... the smaller files (< 1G) will transfer with no problem, but the larger files tend to 'hang up' on the camcorder. It will display the initial frame of the file and just sit there, while the camcorder continues to record; it also makes a very strange chirping/slipping noise that I initially thought was my camcorder, but later determined it was an audio signal of some sort. When the larger files are played back from the tape this initial frame and strange audio are all that exist. Any ideas?

Thanks!

[filmboss80]

You did not mention how you edited the video. Many non-linear editors have an export-to-tape function. Did you edit with software that did not support this feature? Oh, also -- your edited files ARE DV-AVI, aren't they? The wrong type of AVI will not export to tape.

[thewdawg]

Sorry... I edited in VirtualDub and yes they are DV. I have several files created w/ same work flow, smaller ones transfer w/ no glitches but the larger ones seem to be causing the problem. I also didn't mention that I transferred from MiniDV using WinDV (type 2)...???

[filmboss80]

Okay. Is your hard drive formatted to NTFS or FAT file system? If it is the latter, that may account for the freezes of longer files. Are you disabling firewall and virus scan software when you make the transfers to tape? You should. Do you have DMA enabled on your hard drives? You should. Is the AVI footage on the same drive as your operating system? It really shouldn't be. What about the audio stream within the AVI file? Did it come from a 48k, 16-bit, stereo wave source? That chirping noise may be a potential clue to the problem...

By answering these questions, you can start honing in on the source of the problem.

[thewdawg]

NTFS.
DMA enabled.
Tried turning Firewall & scanning off, but same result.
OS & footage are on separate drives.
Audio was/is 16 bit.

[filmboss80]

Good. Process of elimination. Now, let's focus on your camcorder. I have a DV recording system that must specifically be set to receive through the firewire port, and its edit mode must be in "Passive" position so that it can be controlled by the editing software the my PC. I do not know the model of your camcorder, so I cannot tell you what settings to put it in. You'll have to look through the manual and double-check to make sure all the settings are correct.