First Capture gone awry: No sound, choppy, bad resolution...

[marmasatt]

Hi Folks,

First post, be gentle please. I've been reading this site for over a month and quite frankly I'm overwhelmed (just being honest) so no flames please.

First capture from a Sony Hi8 to my system using Windvd2 as the software. I used what I thought was an Ilink, but now I'm hearing that I may not have? I used a cable which came with the camera and is 1394 on one end, but USB to your computer. It was captured to an AVI file. The capture went ok I suppose, but 3 problems:

1) No sound
2) Definitely choppy
2) When I take it out of the window and go full screen, the resolution is awful.

How do I proceed to troubleshoot from here? The first problem may be a Sony driver issue. Second, may be because I used a USB capture, I guess? But I don't know if this is correct, and I have no idea about the 3rd. So do I try different sofware or do any tweaks? My system should definitely have the juice to do this stuff, so this is user error at this point Any tips or advice would be appreciated. Thanks alot.

Oliver

[thecoalman]

First let me clear up some names first. 1394 cable, firewire or I-link are all the same but are not USB. If your using 1394 you have a digital cam not a hi-8 cam. Hi-8 is analog and can't be sent over a 1394 cable unless it is converted to digital format first.

1394 is the ideal way to transfer video from a digital cam to your computer so that's not the problem. Essentially it's like copying the file on your tape to your harddrive. If your having trouble with choppy video then most likley your dropping frames and it's a system problem or it could be an issue with the cam and since you have no sound that's a good possibility. Might want to post which model your using. I'd try a different capture program.

Playing raw AVI files from a video camera on your computer will look bad pqarticularly at full screen. Once transfered to DVD they will look fine on TV. You can also play them on a comp using software designed for playing DVD's to make them look normal.

[marmasatt]

Ok, that's helpful. I'm looking at the manual right now (its my brother in law's camera) its a TRV 140 Digital 8 / Hi8 Video Recorder. It can't be both obviously? So I'm looking again at this cable and I assumed it was the Ilink, but sure enough this is a USB cable. As I've read in other posts somewhere, this is probably not sufficient for video capture unless you don't care about dropped frames?

[FulciLives]

A SONY Digital8 cam should have a DV output so you go straight from DV output on the cam to DV input on the computer.

Some also have a USB output.

That is to be avoided at all costs.

- John "FulciLives" Coleman

P.S.
Get a DV to DV cable and try again.
Also capture DV AVI then convert to MPEG do not try to capture straight to MPEG

[thecoalman]

its a TRV 140 Digital 8 / Hi8 Video Recorder. It can't be both obviously?

That just means it's compatible with hi-8 which is good because you can use it to view or convert hi-8 which is analog to DV format without the need for an additional capture card. Hi-8 and Digital-8 use the same tape, the difference is the format that the camera uses to store the video. Additionally if it has a RCA input jacks you can do the same thing with your VHS by hooking up a VCR to it....but worry about that later.

So I'm looking again at this cable and I assumed it was the Ilink, but sure enough this is a USB cable. As I've read in other posts somewhere, this is probably not sufficient for video capture unless you don't care about dropped frames?

Here's a pic of a firewire (i-link,1394), 4 pin on the right side and six pin on the left. Most likley if you have a firewire connection on your cam it's the 4 pin variety and a 6-pin for your comp. If you have a 1394 port use it instead of the USB as johnfucilives suggested . You'll also need a 1394 port on your comp. If you don't you can purchase a PCI firewire card to install fairly cheap. You don't need a capture card with firewire for DV only a firewire card.



Edit: I just did a search for your cam and the specs indicate that it has both 1394 and USB connections, try the 1394.

[marmasatt]

Get a DV to DV cable and try again

I don't have either the DV to DV or the Firewire cables. I did just build this system so I made sure it had 1394 port though. Drivers are installed and everything should be fine with that. So should I go the DV or the 1394 if I have to choose? Is one more less expensive or better or worse than the other. These cable sites online are selling 4 pin to 6 pin (3 meter) for like $ 10 bucks......

What about the sound issue? And ideas here. Thanks again. I'm getting there.

DV input on the computer.

And what is DV in put on the computer, anyway?
(Edit a 3rd time - Wait a minute are you using DV cable and 1394 interchangably?)

[qlizard]

DV cable, 1394, ilink, firewire. All the same.

[thecoalman]

Yep when he said DV cable I think he meant 1394(i-link,firewire) LOL no wonder people get confused. I'll bet once you get a 1394 cable you'll have no problem. Once set up correctly getting DV from your cam to computer is almost as simple as copying a file from one folder to another and with your computer profile you should have no trouble the only deficiency you have is that you have no dedicated harddrive.


If you still experience problems after using 1394 read some of the guides on how to optimise your system for capturing video.

[marmasatt]

Don't mean to bump this up, but just wanted to say thanks. I got the firewire cable, reinstalled the drivers and voila.... Sound is fine, No chopiness, great clear resolution.

I don't understand why someone would buy a $ 39.99 "Ilink" cable or a nicley marketed/packaged 1394 cable when you can find a 4 pin to 6 pin for $ 7 bucks like I did. Can someone enlighten me here? Is it that people just don't know? At any rate, thanks again. Feel free to follow me into the conversion/authoring/burning forums to make sure I finish my first project sucessfully

Oliver