Help with Dazzle Hollywood-DV Bridge?

[motoed]

I just recently got a Hollywood-DV Bridge and have had some odd experience with it. I've worked with a number of Mac based Video systems for about 5+ years now. So I expected this to be no problem hopping back into it as a PC user.

Boy, what problems. Loading and reloading drivers, just trying to get it to recognize the device right. Now I'm up and running (sort of)

I can capture, edit, and export clips seemingly fine. But of course, I want more! I'm using the Dazzle Main Actor software and I'm not THAT impressed with it (course, I'm used to Premeire and Media 100.)

I don't like HAVING to use the DV-Capture utility. I'm not able to adjust ANY input settings for my clips, including size! All my clips import 352x240.

Is that all I'm able to grab? Should I not worry about capturing larger?

If anyone knows of a "Dazzle users" support group or site. Please let me know. I'm slowly getting a handle on this system.

Thank you.
Ed

[JHebert]

I don't own the Hollywood DV-Bridge but my understanding of it is that it captures from analog sources into standard DV format at 720x480 ~3.6MB/s and transfers it into your PC via a Firewire/1394 card. I don't understand how or why you would be limited to 352x240 captures. It sounds like you still have a driver or software installation problem. What drivers come with the device? Is there a special driver for the DV-Bridge itself, or do you just load drivers for the Firewire/1394 card? What versions are they? What OS are you running?
I am also not sure that you have to use the Main Actor software. I have read Mac reviews of the DV-Bridge that used it with other DV-capable editing apps such as iMovie, Final Cut Pro, and Premiere.
Dazzle used to have support forums but I believe they were shut down. You might try Yahoo Groups to see if you can find a forum there.

[Dragonsf]

I own a HW Bridge, but use it with Win2K. There is both a MainConcept Forum and a dazzle Forum. I can post both URLs tomorrow.
There is no driver necessary, as DVBridge is a FireWire Device, which works with any FW compatible SW. I can use it with every Capturing SW on my PC in all resolutions (full, half and quarter).

[motoed]

I'm thinking most of my problem may be the MainActor software. I might see about downloading a tryout of Premiere and see if that helps me out.

I did make an MPEG 2 clip last night that was larger than the 352x240 clips I've been making, but it looks like it's been "rez-ed up" a little.

Thanks for the advice. I'll look for those forums!

-Ed

[EricB]

motoed:

There are two types of DV files: Type1 and Type2. Type1 has the audio interleaved with the video, this is the type of file Ulead uses. Type2 has the interleaved audio, plus a separate audio track. This is the type Adobe uses.

I mention all this, because if capture DV, it is always 720 x 480 (NTSC). If you see a smaller frame size, you are using an incompatible type. For example, if you capture as Type1 and load it into Premiere, it will show as half size, and demand lengthy encoding.

[motoed]

Eric:

Thanks for the reply. I did find some of this out on my own this weekend.

I'll have to experiment with which type is most compatible with Dazzle's MainActor (documentation doesn't really say, that I've found.)

I guess I assumed that it was the smaller size since Windows Media Player wouldn't play it any larger.

Thank you for you input

[tlegion]

You do know that there are two capture programs, Main Actor and Main Actor DV. The Main Actor (non-DV) is for other capture devices (mostly analog) for which drivers are already installed (IE ATI). I have found that this program drops frames at any resolution above 352x240 on a 1G Athlon/Radeon vivo/ALI chipset.
The Main Actor DV works with the Hollywood+ and my JVC camcorder (although both are listed as DV camera).

Of course, if you already knew this, never mind.

On another front, media player, _by default_ plays DV files at half size. You need to go into File/Properties and change the appropriate setting.

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: tlegion on 2001-12-17 08:44:02 ]</font>

[motoed]

Yeah... I saw the two. I actually got confused at first, since I'm using a Hi-8 Camera, I tried using the standard capture program till I read that only DV-Capture was supporte with the Hollywood Bridge, which suites me fine, it's a high enough quality image to make me happy.

I might look at the DV setting in Media Player tonight though. I though it might be doing something like that. Thanks for the tip!

-Ed