dark video during capture from MDV

[guppie]

Canon ZR85 MiniDV camcorder via Firewire to PC (Pentium Dual Core w/ nVidia 7600GT) using Ulead VS 10

When I capture video to my computer, the video is dark and I can't really see anything. However, when I playback the actual file in Windows MP 11 or VS 10, its fine... This has to be a codec issue, but how do I fix it?

Thanks in advance

[markk]

Canon ZR85 MiniDV camcorder via Firewire to PC (Pentium Dual Core w/ nVidia 7600GT) using Ulead VS 10

When I capture video to my computer, the video is dark and I can't really see anything. However, when I playback the actual file in Windows MP 11 or VS 10, its fine... This has to be a codec issue, but how do I fix it?

Thanks in advance

Hello - It has been a long while since your post. Did you find a solution? I am encountering the same issue.
Thanks

[jagabo]

I doubt it's a codec problem, more likely a video overlay issue.

You're saying the video looks dark while capturing with Ulead VS but after capturing playback in VS is fine?

Assuming yes, try this: before starting VS start playing any video with WMP or any other media player -- keep the player running and open (don't minimize it). Then start VS and capture a short video. Is the preview dark? Now play the video in VS. Is it still dark?

And how dark is dark? Completely black? Just a little too dark in the shadows? If you do a screen dump is the video in the preview window visible in the dump?

[minidv2dvd]

easiest solution is also the best. don't capture with ulead. use winDV - capture to type II avi. after capture import the dvavi into ulead.

[jagabo]

Or capture with DVIO and you won't see the video at all while capturing!

[markk]

Thanks to all for the replies. I am a newbie, and did not explain myself well enough. None of this involves software. Just recording and playback. When I am using my ZR85 with a new Mini DV tape, I power it up using the battery, I get the no image in the eyepiece, I get a black screen on the swivel screen with SP, PAUSE, elapsed time of 0:09:14, a tape symbol and the battery level indicator all displayrf in upper right corner of swivel screen. No image from the scene in front of the lens. When I record (blindly, not able to frame or compose), the counter moves. When I switch to Play/VCR mode, there is only blackness, not video, and I am not certain if there is audio or not. Other previously recorded tapes play just fine. on the swivel screen and on a television.

I don't know if it is related to this issue or not, but when switched to PLAY/VCR mode, it will only work on battery power, not on A/C. Also, it had been intermittently giving me blank gray horizontal bands across recordings in playback mode.There are about 4 or 5 horizontal bands, wuite wide, alternating with equal size bands of the scene. Sometimes it will actually show two scenes from the tape, alternating in these horizontal stripes. In other words, cross sections of one scene will display on horizontal bands 1,3,5 and 7 while another scene will simultaneously be displaying on 2,4,6, and 8. A cool effect if that is what I wanted, but I don't !! :<)

I have seen some posts about a widespread problem and a repair program through Canon for some faulty CCDs. Is this what I am encountering?

[jagabo]

Sounds like dirty or dead record heads. But lots of weird stuff going on.

[JohnnyMalaria]

easiest solution is also the best. don't capture with ulead. use winDV - capture to type II avi. after capture import the dvavi into ulead.

If the Ulead software is capturing to DV AVI then WinDV, DVIO etc etc won't make a hill o' beans difference.