Capture exceeding file size limits, HELP PLEASE!!

[TeaBag]

I'm trying to capture some old VHS-C tapes onto my computer. I have tried using Vegas Video 4 and also virtualdub and virtualVCR. The camera I am dubbing from is also old and has no camera control facilities. (JVC GR-AXM407).

THe big problem is that these tapes are 45 min long and the software stops capturing after the filesize reaches roughly 4GB. Now these are live music recordings so I need the audio & video to stay in sync with a continuous audio track. So importing it in chunks is far from ideal. I got much better things to do than edit that back together.

So the question is how can i import these tapes and have the capture software automatically start a new file when the first one is full? Vegas has a capture tape option but that is grayed out. I think its related to not having camera control.

Also I seem to be only able to capture at 320 x 240, any higher and drop frames become a big problem. ANy suggestions for that problem. The hard disk is new (doesn't need defragging) an is a separate physical drive to my system drive, and I run a separate boot partition just for my intensive audio and video software. ALso I kno wtat this video card isn't the best either, maybe thats the problem?

ANy help much appreciated.

Nick


MSI KT333
AMD 2000+
ATI Radeon 9600SE VIVO
WD120GB - 8MB 7200rpm (separate physical drive)

[chicola]

Is your HD in FAT32?

Format it in NTFS and you should pass the 4GB limit.

Then after capturing the full tape cut the video in the best places.

[US Guy]

I am guessing you did not choose any compression. Take a look and perhaps alter your options a bit. Another thought, lower the bit rate when capturing.

[Beavis]

Capturing to multiple files (with no breaks) is a feature on many capture programs for handling the 4 gig limit... Virtualdub and Vegas included- I believe. Check out the manuals, help files, etc. for those programs to get the details of how to do it, but what you want certainly can be done.

[TeaBag]

OK, so Chicola said 'Format it in NTFS and you should pass the 4GB limit. '

How much past the 4GB limit I wonder will it be 40 GB??

I haven't been using any compression but all the guides from this website suggest not to.

THat would be reat if if virtualdub can capture mulitple files. The problem with virtualdub is that I can't seem to switch it to PAL, it always looks like it wants an NTSC source.

ANy suggestions for that proeblem?

[thecoalman]

4 gigs is the file size limit for a FAT32 formatted disc as stated above. Right click the disc and select properties, under the general tab it will tell you the file system. If it''s formatted in FAT32 it doesn't matter what you do you can't go over the 4 gig limit. You need a NTFS formatted drive, there's nearly no way around it.

If you format it to NTFS file size is limitless, at least as far as I know. Is it your OS drive or storage drive?

[TeaBag]

NTFS file size limit is about 16 terabytes. I prefer to keep all my drives FAT32 except for my system drives. That way I can move drives around and access my data from other OS, not just windows.

DOes anyone know why virtualdub seems to be stuck in NTFS mode?

[fmctm1sw]

How much past the 4GB limit I wonder will it be 40 GB??

I haven't been using any compression but all the guides from this website suggest not to.

THat would be reat if if virtualdub can capture mulitple files. The problem with virtualdub is that I can't seem to switch it to PAL, it always looks like it wants an NTSC source.

ANy suggestions for that proeblem?

I think there is a limit. Not one that you will reach with current hard drives though. Virtualdub will do multisegment captures and should work with PAL frame sizes....

[TeaBag]

Yes it says it says it will I just can't find the setting to change virualdub to PAL, I've changed the res, the framerate to suit PAL but the preview still looks like it is set to NTSC

[gll99]

The multi file option you want is under the capture menu. It's called enable multisegment capture and also the autoincrement filename. Don't use the compatibility options with this feature for the compressor choice or the capture mode otherwise it will ignore your choices and will default to 1 file of 4gig max.

You may want to reconsider using a compressor. I suggest the free lossless Huffyuv (see the tools section). Your dropping frames at res higher than 320x240/288 can be caused by your hardware (hd) which can't keep up with the amount of data from the uncompressed capture.
it's worth a try and won't cost anything.

[TeaBag]

Yeah ok I'll give it a try.

My big problem now is that I can't get virtual dub to reconize my PAL signal. I cannot find how to change it from NTSC to PAL. As soon as I get that sorted I have a try with the huffyuv

[johns0]

Virtualdub/file/capture avi/capture/settings-frame rate 25,then video/format 720x576,save settings in capture/settings.

[gll99]

TeaBag

My big problem now is that I can't get virtual dub to reconize my PAL signal. I cannot find how to change it from NTSC to PAL. As soon as I get that sorted I have a try with the huffyuv

If you are using the wdm drivers with vdub ( a vfw app) then like all of us you are also going through the nt filter vfw2wdm (can't think of the proper name for the life of me right now) so the ntsc/pal option is probably not exposed. I don't see it either. I think under custom format you just need to set the resolution and then under capture/settings just change the framerate. If you decide to use a compressor then do that also. Set the options I mentionned before and do not use compatibility mode. That should do it.

Some cards and drivers don't work well with vfw apps using the nt filter and limit cap framesize (resolution) . In that case you need a true wdm capture app like virtualvcr. All features should be exposed in that app.

[TeaBag]

I can't find a save dialog in capture/settings.

In virtualvcr and vegas video there is a video standard setting, by default it is set to NTSC_M or NTSC_M_J. All I do is change this to PAL_B and everything is fine.

There doesn't seem to be this option in virtualdub.

[gll99]

capture/setting just press ok after changing framerate. It's the nt wrapper that is not exposing the pal/ntsc directshow filter pins. remember that vdub is a vfw app and doesn't naturally work with directshow drivers.

[TeaBag]

ok I don't know how but it seems to work now. I was previewing in virtualvcr then started vdub, then quit vvcr the selected capture avi in vdub.

ANd now its working.

Thanks everyone for your help!!

[offline]

Teabag's problem is a common one. As I've
said to others on a few occasions it is a good
idea to load another capture application and
run it prior to using V.Dub. This often fixes
VFW/Directshow/WM issues.

As gl99 inferred, the WDM overlay does not always
wrap to the device driver control dll. This is slowly
being fixed in new device drivers.