automatic dv recorder?

[davefx]

i do a lot of transfers from my camera to FCP 4.0. i discovered a tv show i want to watch that airs at a time when i cannot initiate the transfer from my cable box>camera>fcp.

i have found no way for FCP to automatically record. i have to push the NOW button.

there is a recorder that does this for HDTV for osx via firewire but it does not work with DV.

is there software that will do what i want? i've been looking a long time and cant even find it for windows let alone mac.

something like virtual vcr that would record DV, or irecord that will work with DV.

[doppletwo]

You could rig up a Rube Goldburg( or is it Goldbrick) machine ( I.E. the board game Mousetrap) using a sound activated toy (I.E. a dancing Coke Can) and an alram clock.

Sorry I couldn't be of more help but this could work if your computer is in an area with very little sound interference

[davefx]

LOL! i did something like that back when i had dialup. you had to keep moving the mouse all the time or get booted offline, even when downloading files. that got old, so i rigged up an old record player to put the mouse on when i went away. worked! didnt get booted as long as the mouse stayed on the turntable.

[pixeljammedia]

You can do it with OS 10.3, Universal Access, Applescript, Cronnix and iMovie. Here is how:
1- Go to System Preferences>Universal Access and click Enable access for assistive devices
2- Open up Applescript Editor and create the following script:

tell application "iMovie"
	activate
end tell
tell application "System Events"
	tell window "iMovie"
		tell group 3
			tell button 2
				click button
			end tell
		end tell
	end tell
	tell window "iMovie"
		keystroke " "
	end tell
end tell

and save it as a Script named "Capture Now"
3- Create a second script:

tell application "iMovie"
	activate
end tell
tell application "System Events"
	tell window "iMovie"
		keystroke " "
		delay 1
		keystroke "s" using command down
		delay 1
		keystroke "q" using command down
	end tell
end tell

and save it as a script called "End Capture"
4- Download Cronnix found here:
http://www.versiontracker.com/dyn/moreinfo/macosx/9478
5- Set up Cronnix to run the Applescript "Capture Now" at the start time
6- Set up Cronnix to run the Applescript "End Capture" at the end time

Notes:
Make sure you have a project in iMovie already set up and with enough room for capture.
It would be cool to link this with iCal, any help folks?
It might be nice to set up an automatic mpeg encode through Quicktime Pro or Compressor.
Special thanks to Wiseweasel who did this before with UI Scripting Beta and from whom I completely stole
PreFab UI Browser rocks!

[Frobozz]

Try the freeware application Vidi. It has timer recorder of video via Firewire to the hard drive. I don't know how it will control a camera, however. It was built as an alternative to the software that comes with the Formac TVR, but I've used it with several different Firewire devices including an ADVC capture box and my standalone Pioneer DVR.

[pixeljammedia]

Definitely an interesting option, vidi shows promise, but I am having problems with it trying to control my camera. I think it wants to control a Formac and so it hangs at the first picture unless the vtr is already going. A small issue and definitely better than a kluged together method like mine.
A good thing about the applescript method is that it may give me the chance to do HD captures with iMovie HD and a Firewire compatible HD receiver

[davefx]

AWESOME. vidi does exactly what i want. thank you. amazing. just tested it in a timed operation.

very cool.

one observation about vidi: in the schedule it says i will record a 32khz 16bit mono audio file (which i do NOT want) but indeed it does record 48khz 16bit stereo file in xxx.dv - just an oddity i guess.

[davefx]

UH OH.

it IS recording a 32khz audio file. FCP is barking at the files. i cant seem to get vidi to change to 48k. otherwise, seems to work great.

[davefx]

i'm wrong. apparently the audio IS 48k.

the problem with fcp barking at the files is yet unknown, but i have determined the files are 6.8MB/sec. thats weird. somethings wrong here.

[Frobozz]

Yeah, something's wrong. Vidi is just a capture application. It can't change the audio or video coming in from the source.

By the way, if you want to remove Vidi and get rid of the Vidi Server icon appearing in your menu bar, you need to remove the Vidi Server from your Startup Items in the Accounts pane of system preferences.

[davefx]

ok, i'm the first to admit doing something like an idiot.

here is what i learned this week:

vidi captures the files correctly. it captures to a .DV stream.

FCP doesnt like .DV streams. FCP likes QT.mov using the DV codec (when working with DV). the DV stream is a jumble of intertwined data, the qt.mov is three separate tracks. ok, i understand that now.

FCP will however open and use the .dv files, but its a little clumsy. it wont play the audio unless you are scubbing. you can render the audio and then hear it.

this vidi to fcp has been working well now. i still cant figure out why QT reports the files as 6.8MB/sec, this is incorrect. the files are standard dv stream and are indeed the correct size for a dv stream.

apparently imovie deals directly with the dv streams. it came with osx, so i tried it. imovie played the dv streams fine, but i didnt get very far. it felt like using a bar of soap for a hammer.