Best DV capture and Authoring?

[ezeevivek]

Hi Guys,

I am a newbie and just bought a SONY DCR HC40E Cam. They have given me a s/w called Picture Package for creating CDs and DVDs but that dont save movies on to my harddisk.

Now my question is:
- Which is the best method to capture DV to HDD for high DVD quality video?

- What are softwares/hardwares you recommend?

I have tried few softwares like Premier, Nero VExp and Ulead but got no success in getting high quality video (as it is seen in cam LCD panel).

My cam connects through USB using SONY driver. Please help me regarding this matter.

thanks in advance

[redwudz]

Use the I-link (Firewire, 1394) output from the camera to your computer. You will need a Firewire card. They are usually less than $30US. You can use WinDV in your computer for transferring to the hard drive.

Editing can be done with quite a few packages. For free, Virtualdub Mod works. You will also need the Panasonic DV codec or similar to use Virtualdub or other editors. You can encode the DV to DVD with most any encoder and authoring program. I use TMPGEnc and TMPGEnc DVD Author for encoding and authoring. Then burn to DVD.

[ezeevivek]

In most of softwares (like: Nero, Premier, Ulead etc.) it direct captures video through USB connectivity provided........... Do I still need a Firewire card to capture?

[edDV]

In most of softwares (like: Nero, Premier, Ulead etc.) it direct captures video through USB connectivity provided........... Do I still need a Firewire card to capture?

Yes, IEEE-1394 is the only way to transfer DV video from a DV camcorder. On that camera, USB is for stills and highly compressed web streams.

[ezeevivek]

Is that Firewire card is also known as Video Capture Card?

I am in India..... can you suggest any brand or specs for Firewire card?

[redwudz]

At least in my experience, about any Firewire card will work. You also need the 'camera to Firewire card' cable.

It's not a video capture card. It's a PCI card. The video is digital and is transfered to the computer in DV format. Just a simple data transfer like copying a file. USB on most cameras is only used for snapshots and is low quality compared to the Firewire DV.

[proxyx99]

Any firewire card will do (most compatible are the ones with Texas Instruments chipset). You will need cable 4 pin to 6 pin firewire. All the info is in your Sony manual. Read it carefully.

[ezeevivek]

thanks guys .... I will get back to you all after purchasing firewire card and a trial.

[FulciLives]

thanks guys .... I will get back to you all after purchasing firewire card and a trial.

Many if not most computers made within the last few years come with FIREWIRE built-in so double check that before buying a FIREWIRE PCI card.

Also just to make it clear:

1.) FIREWIRE
2.) IEEE 1394
3.) i.link

All three are different names for the same thing

One last thing I would like to note here about FIREWIRE DV "capture" (which is really just a transfer of data from the DV camcorder to the computer hence the word "capture" in quotes):

Some people (and this is very rare) experience A/V sync issues when using WinDV or other DV "capture" programs. If that should happen to you (not likely but possible) then try using ScenalyzerLive. This program seems to work for people who have A/V sync issues when using other DV "capture" programs. I bring this up because this is a little known "secret" that is not very well known.

- John "FulciLives" Coleman

P.S.
DV camcorders and Digital8 camcorders both work the same way.

[edDV]

thanks guys .... I will get back to you all after purchasing firewire card and a trial.

Many if not most computers made within the last few years come with FIREWIRE built-in so double check that before buying a FIREWIRE PCI card.

Also just to make it clear:

1.) FIREWIRE
2.) IEEE 1394
3.) i.link

All three are different names for the same thing

One last thing I would like to note here about FIREWIRE DV "capture" (which is really just a transfer of data from the DV camcorder to the computer hence the word "capture" in quotes):

Some people (and this is very rare) experience A/V sync issues when using WinDV or other DV "capture" programs. If that should happen to you (not likely but possible) then try using ScenalyzerLive. This program seems to work for people who have A/V sync issues when using other DV "capture" programs. I bring this up because this is a little known "secret" that is not very well known.

- John "FulciLives" Coleman

P.S.
DV camcorders and Digital8 camcorders both work the same way.

DV "capture" is indeed a transfer of data rather than an A/D or transcode but it is not the same as a file transfer. A DV transfer is a high speed data stream that has minimal provision for error checking and correction. As a stream, DV is a big gulp @ 36Mb/s continouous over an hour or more. This is > 10x even the fastest home internet transfer rates which do provide for error correction and packet resends.

DV capture is a bit like "working without a net" and deserves more respect than it seems to get. Keep backgound tasks to a minimum while transferring.

[ezeevivek]

There are various FireWire cards (cables) available in market; Please suggest which one is better:

- 4 pin / 4 pin
- 4 pin / 6 pin
- 6 pin / 6 pin
- SCSI & PCI
- PCI IEEE 1394 Card (3 + 1 Port)
- 3 PORT PCI FIREWIRE CARD

????? Im confused

[dcsos]

4 pin is UN POWERED Firewire port

In your case this is ok

IF YOU EVER WANT to plug in a device that must get power from the COMPUTER ..then you need 6 PIN

SO IF YOU GET 6PIN, THEN MAKE SURE TO GET 6pin to 4pin cable
output from camerera is always 4pin

[proxyx99]

6 pin is standard 1394, get that and 4 (DV cam side) to 6 pin (card side) cable. Most cards will have from 2 to 4 ports. Try to buy the one with TI chipset. Generic, cheap cards also have this chpset, all you need is to pick the right one.

[zoobie]

If you need an audio card, too, there are Sound Blaster cards that also have a built-in firewire port such as the sb1394 and the sb0090...among others.

[ezeevivek]

Guys I have bought one FireWire with iLink 4/6 data cable

BUT When I tried to capture video it shows me video in blue/green dots and patches just like some one has placed a blue green red square patches mat in front of running video.

and it also makes files per frame containing same color patches.

I have installed drivers and everything is perfect.

Using Win XP with Services Pack 2 with DirectX 9 having all updates.

Using WinDV for capturing.

One more thing is preview of video is same as patches every where whether I use WinDV or Ulead or anything else.

Please help!