DV Capture Speed

[computerchuck]

I own a sony digtial8 DCR-TRV460NTSC camcorder. I was under the impression that the footage is digital. If so, why is it dumping it onto my hard drive at 1x. I seem to have trouble finding the answer to a simple question: Is there a faster way to get the tape to the harddrive? I'm wondering if I'm better off going to Hi8 (never owned it). Got this one because I was tired of analog capture from older 8mm camcorder, but now it seems I'm doing that anyway. Is it in software or hardware? Is there a program that can scan the tape faster than 1x?

[guns1inger]

Yes, it is digital. Yes, all you are doing is essentially a file copy exercise that dumps the DV file into an avi container so that it can be read. Yo are limited by the camera's ability to read the tape to transfer the data. I have not seen a camera with a high speed read/dub facility.

Are you better off going to hi-8 ? Up to you. DV is higher quality, less generation loss if treated well, and much more flexible.

[computerchuck]

thanks. that's what I needed to know. Been coming to this website since it was vcdhelp.com. It's amazing how we've gone from making vcd's to dvd's and as soon as our wallets permit, HDTV and beyond. How about the digital pass through? Any preferred capturing software and settings? I'm currently playing around with ulead but my satellite sends a lot of saturation. Any takers?

[Bstansbury]

"Computerchuck",... Your question reveal that you have very little understanding of Digital Camcorders. I would have thought that you did a lot of reading up on Camcorders "Before" you bought a new camcorder.

You got some good answers to your questions, but here are a few more comments. You asked,

I'm wondering if I'm better off going to Hi8 (never owned it).

. This is really a bad question,.. you just bought a "Digital Camcorder", and your wondering if you should be using Hi8 which is back to "Analog". How would that ever be better. The transfer of Digtial or Analog to a PC is no differnent in speed. It's limited my the reading of the tape in the Camcorder,... they only go at standard Play speed. The TRV-470 camcorder is a good unit and can play your old 8mm analog tapes or it can play Hi8 analog tapes and convert them to digital and output the Digital to your PC. Pass through is where you are using the Camcorder as a Analog to Digital converter and playing some kind of video tape or DVD disk and feeding an Analog signal through the camcorder, converting it to digital and in real time transfer or Pass through the Digital data to your PC.

Of course all of this information is in the manual you got with your camcorder,. but who ever reads any of that crap.

As far as the "preferred software", do a search in the "DV" forum for Ulead or VideoStudio and you'll have plenty to read.

[computerchuck]

sometimes a stupid question has to be asked since it's my first "digital" purchase. For cryin out loud I've been using my old 8mm and Dazzle DVCII PCI for 3 years now. Prices dropped and I jumped on it. As far as research, I wasn't sure about going digital till now. I didn't research it. I should have. But as with anything, you learn as you go. My mistake that I thought digital meant something else like one would copy 1000 mp3s from one hard drive to another without having to listen to them at the same time. No flames please. And don't reply like you just got out of an AOL chat session either.

[guns1inger]

computerchuck - have a read of this http://www.digitalfaq.com/capture/dv.htm

It is comprehensive yet concise, and exposes some of the myths and misbeliefs regarding DV. A good short read.

[jimmalenko]

"Computerchuck",... Your question reveal that you have very little understanding of Digital Camcorders. I would have thought that you did a lot of reading up on Camcorders "Before" you bought a new camcorder.

Of course all of this information is in the manual you got with your camcorder,. but who ever reads any of that crap.

As far as the "preferred software", do a search in the "DV" forum for Ulead or VideoStudio and you'll have plenty to read.

How many people do "a lot of reading up" before purchasing I wonder ???