Speedlines when recording in DV-AVI (25Mbps) mode

[Brind]

Full PC Spec above on tab.

I'm using a Sony Digital8 Handycam DCR-TRV620E PAL with Fiirewire.
I'm using WindowsXP Professional.
AMD Athlon 1800+ CPU
256MB DDRAM PC1200 266Mhz
Seagate Barracuda Series 60GB Hard Drive 7,200rpm 9.0ms 2Mb ATA 100 (plus an 80GB of same spec).
ATI Radeon 7500GPU 64Mb DDR AGP TV & DVI Out Graphics Card.
Sound Blaster Audigy sound card with SB1394 firewire ports.


I'm using Windows Movie Maker supplied with WindowsXP to capture video from my Sony Dgital8 Camcorder via firewire.
When I record using the DV-AVI (25Mbps) mode I sometimes get speedlines or what looks like sharp bricks next to outlines of buildings etc.

I'm reproducing home movies recorded on VHS which are being recorded on my Sony Digital8 camcorder and then fed to my PC using a firewire connection.
Most video footage is very good considering the original camera being used at the time.
I'm recording from a high quality JVC S-VHS video recorder.

What could be the reason why i'm getting these speedlines?
If I copy on to PC using only 2Mbps its as good as the original with very little in the way of digital blocks and NO speedlines.

I will eventually get a DVD recorder so i'd prefer to copy at the highest bitrate possible but i'm not too keen on these speedlines i'm getting...

I have also used Ulead VideoStudio 6 pro and I get similer effects.
I also drop a few frames during recording,what is causing this?


Questions:
Why am I getting speedlines?
Why am I dropping some frames at high quality?
Its possible to use most of the functions on a much less powerful PC than mine so why am I dropping frames?
Would getting more memory stop dropping frames? (I have 256MB)
What in your opinion is the best program for capturing DV from firewire?

Sorry for my post being a bit scattered, I was thinking it out while writing it!
Thanks in advance for your help!

[xed]

First of all, I'm pretty sure you're talking about video artifacts produced by viewing your DV video on a non-interlaced comptuer monitor. Forget 'em. These artifacts are not vbisible when viewieng your DV video on a regular TV set.
To check, see if you can output the DV you've captured from your camcorder directly to a TV set from the analog video out in your camcorder. You'll find that the video artifacts you've mentioned aren't visible.
As for problem you're getting with dorpping frames on capture: it's almost certianly due to the fact that you're using a Microshaft product. Avoid it.
There are only two (2) decent programs for capturing video on your comptuer, and both of 'em cost money. Ulead Media Studio Pro and Adobe Premiere.
Many people will recommend a piece of vaporware called VirtualDub, which doesn't work with your camcorder. It also doesn't work with most video capture devices. So forget it.
Sadly, there curently exists no freeware able to do a decent mjob of capturing video, either form a video card or from a firewire connection.
Fortuantely for you, however, you can buy Ulead Media Studio Pro with a firewire card for only $100. Check online video retailers.
Re-sell the firewire card on ebay for $30 and the total cost of Ulead Media STudio Pro Video Edition (which is slightly cirpple, it can't encode DVDs or generate DVD menus) comes to $70.
That's affordable.
Alas, Adobe Premier is grossly overpriced, adn the price keeps skyrocketing. last call was $550 retail. But it's probably more this week.
Both Ulead and Adobe Premier was superb programs for capturing video. They are ONLY programs I know of that actualy do a decent job of capturing video with a wide variety of devices.
I use Ulead and have zero problems capturing video with no dropepd frames (ever) to a 5400 rpm drive -- even when it's not defragged.
Dropped frame problems with Ulead Video Studio Pro may be due to several things. First, you might be capturing to your OS drive. Never do that.l Always capture to an empty drive. If your'e working with video, you must dedeicate a large 60 or 80 gig drive to doing nothing but capturing video. Also, make sure the large drive is fully derfragged before capturing. Easiest way to do that is wipe the drive ebfore capture. An empty drive with zero files is by definition defragmented.
RAM is not a problem. I capture just fine with no lost frames with 128 megs of RAM.
Are you sure you've turned off your anti-virus software?
Do you ahve any background progrmas, like screensavers or other junk, running?
You may want to modify your startup file to eleiminate annoying background programs that serve no purpose. RealPlayer, which I never use, is constnatly rrunning in the background. I've shut it down. If you have a DVD drive you may have a DVD player app that runs in the background. Disable it.
Lastly, check the codec you're using. The Nimo codec pack has a wide variety and you may get better results if you try another codec.

[Brind]

Thankyou very much for the reply.
I'll look into what you suggested!

[donpedro]

I am not sure what "speedline" is but, have you tried to close all applications on backround and keep just minimum ? Can it be some internal interuption from PC during capture ? Just an idea.

[Brind]

I don't know if speedline is a term used in this game but it seemed right for the problem i'm having.
Its just very sharp bright lines alongside high detail.
Similer to interlacing but its only seen next to high detail and not all over like interlacing.

I've just got hold of Adobe Premier 6.5 so i'll give that a try soon,i've just installed it and it seems a little confusing compared to Ulead and Windows versions but i'll get there!

I haven't tried closing background programs such as antivirus or firewall etc yet,plus i'm using the same HDD which has my OS is installed on,so hopefully all should be okay once i've tried this.

Thanks again.

[donpedro]

You can try Pinnacle's Studio 8 too. It's very easy to use and you can still do a lot. Some users are having problems with it but it works great for me.

http://www.vcdhelp.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=133706&highlight=