Dazzle DCS200 Capture, Video but no Audio in Studio 8

[Johnnny]

I am using the Dazzle DCS200 to convert my VHS to DVD. Whilst the system came with MovieStar 5 I have been testing other software such as Cyberlink's PowerDirector and Ulead VideoStudio 7. I recently purchased Pinnacle's Studio 8 but find that when I import my captured MPEG's I have Video but no Audio. I have no issue in the other software suites or for that matter in MovieMaker 2.0. I have found that if I re-encode the Video in one of the other packages then Studio 8 will recognise both audio and video. I have upgraded to the latest version of Studio 8 and have logged a tech call with Pinnacle but so far they have not been able to help.

Any ideas ???

[vcdlover]

Hi...

I also have a problem with my capture AVI/MPEG using Pinnacle 8 AV/DV card. I didn't get any sound at all, only video. I connect my camcorder via S-Video port. The video looks horrible.

Does anyone have the same problem?

vcdlover

[Johnnny]

I actually got a reply from Pinnacle and it would seem that the problem in my case is that the DCS200 captures Video in "elementary stream" i.e. the video and audio are seperate components and Studio 8 will only recognise MPEG movies in "program stream" i.e. both audio and video as a single component. This explains why after I render the video as an MPEG2 stream in another program e.g. Moviemaker, Studio 8 recognises it fine

[Bob W]

I think the big question should be, does anyone actually know what Studio 8 does well? I found that bits of the program worked while others would lock my computer solid. It's off my system forever.

[Johnnny]

Hmmm, all I can say is that I although I am definitely a beginner I have over the last few months spent a small fortune on purchasing and evaluating software. My ultimate game is to hopefully get good at this and turn it into a business. I have bought (and yes these are all legal copies)

Moviemaker 2 (free of course)
Ulead MovieFactory 2.0
Ulead Video Studio 7
Ulead Media Pro
MGI Videowave
TMPGenc DVDAuthor
TMPgenc
MovieStar5
DVDComplete
Video Deluxe 2.0
Power Director 2.55

Under Linux (my absolute favorite OS)

Cinelerra
LiVES
MainActor
Kino

Out of all of these I personally would put Ulead Video Studio as tops closely followed by Studio 8. I really like Powerdirector 2.55 but the lack of a timeline and a limit on the number of clips on the storyboard is a bit limiting. That said all three of these companies have given me excellent support when I have requested it. Media Pro was a lot of money and too complex for my current abilities but no doubt I will grow into it.

All of my issues have been based around my own ignorance and PC compatibility issues surrounding CODEC packages namely NIMO which I will never install again. Studio 8 has not yet crashed on me, so maybe I am being too optimistic but I have produced 6 DVD's with it and the results have been excellent. Now that I know how to get around my Moviestar issue I am quite happy. However it would be nice, now that Pinnacle own the Dazzle hardware if the would provide native support for it in Studio 8 so that I would no longer need to use Moviestar for Capturing.

[Steven7867]

Hello

According to the Pinnaclesys.com website, they do not support video files captured with the DVS100 or DCS200, unless you first render them with Movie Star5 first then import into Studio 8. Hope that this helps you. I am going to purchase either the CANOPUS ADVC100 or the Pyro API 550 for capturing VHS to DV and for future output to VHS or conversion to DVD. I am using it for Cable TV and so far Studio has had mixed success. There is usually no problem when I use my Mini DV Panasonic camera.

Steve

[Johnnny]

Yes actually the real problem is that the DCS200 captures audio as LPCM for which Pinnacle has no support and therefore you need to convert the audio to MPEG first. Pretty lousy really when you consider that VideoStudio 7 and Powerdirector 3.0 have can import whatever soundformat you through at them and yet Pinnacle claims to be a market leader......HUH!!!!