Capturing miniDVs

[ygeller]

Hey,
I had my Sony miniDV camcorder stolen (I think it was TRV22 model) and now have a pile of tapes that I am trying to download to my PC.
To do this, I took a friend's Sony miniDV camera (TRV-50E model).
I can play back on the LCD of this camera any of the tapes I had from my old camera.
BUT - the problem starts when I try to transfer over firewire the DV video to the PC. the resulting video is all messed up / garbled etc... (audio is fine).
I thought this is a capture program issue - but I then tried a tape that was shot on this borrowed camera and it transfers just fine!

So - this seems like some kind of compatibility issue between the new camera and old tapes - but only over firewire as the playback on the camera's display itself looks fine?!

Any ideas what this might be? really anxious to get all my old video imported...

[aedipuss]

hopefully the tapes weren't recorded in lp mode. sometimes only the original cam can ever transfer them.

i'd try a head cleaning tape on the trv50 and then try capturing again. use winDV to do the transfer.

[ygeller]

hopefully the tapes weren't recorded in lp mode. sometimes only the original cam can ever transfer them.

i'd try a head cleaning tape on the trv50 and then try capturing again. use winDV to do the transfer.

It was all in SP mode... And head cleaning is a non issue since as I have said, the video plays nicely on the camera's display.
I am suspecting some kind of mismatch in DV protocol over FireWire... Have no idea. And yes, I did try windv

[edDV]

Which format are your tapes? NTSC DV or PAL DV?

Sony camcorder models ending in "E" usually are PAL.

[ygeller]

Which format are your tapes? NTSC DV or PAL DV?

Sony camcorder models ending in "E" usually are PAL.

Hey, you might be on to something here.
The tapes were shot on an American TRV22 and now using TRV55E, so likelihood is that the source is NTSC while the camera is PAL. Strange though, since the tapes play fine locally and I thought DV is a non regional format.

So - if so, how do I fix this. Most software doesn't ask NTSC or PAL. I think premier let's you define an NTSC or pal project. Will that help? Typically the software just grabs the tape no questions asked.

[aedipuss]

can't do it with a consumer minidv cam. they only send the format they are set to over firewire pal or ntsc it's not switchable. you need an ntsc cam to capture to computer with.

[edDV]

Agree. You will need to find an NTSC MiniDV camcorder or player.

Dub houses will have ability to capture NTSC tapes.

[turk690]

Sony mini-DV camcorders can play PAL and NTSC tapes OK (at least if they were recorded SP). This is an undocumented feature, as ygeller experiences. For example, when the DCR-TRV55E plays a PAL tape, it plays as is, as viewed on the LCD and a genuine PAL video signal is output. When an NTSC tape is played, it still plays OK, as viewed on the LCD, but now there is a notation "NTSC" in an upper corner of the screen. The video signal is output as a hybrid, with 29.97fps but with PAL color system. It's the other way around for NTSC camcorders; playing a PAL tape will show the word "PAL" in a corner of the LCD, with a 25fps NTSC-color system video output. The same is true with Sony D8 camcorders.
Capturing PAL tapes on an NTSC-model Sony (or vice-versa) is tricky but possible. I capture with Adobe Premiere. When the NTSC camcorder is connected via FireWire, Premiere detects it and preps its specs to expect 29.97fps. When the PAL tape's 25fps comes streaming in, capture is therefore muted. This is whether you began with either a PAL or NTSC project template. The trick is, after opening capture (F5), choose "no device control". Exit capture. Play the PAL tape, then while it's doing so, connect the FireWire. Open capture again; it should be on the monitor window. Click record. This is to prevent Premiere from recognizing an NTSC-playback device; all we want is the content of the PAL mini-DV tape as is. After capture is successful you now have a bonafide DV AVI file 25fps.

[edDV]

Sony mini-DV camcorders can play PAL and NTSC tapes OK (at least if they were recorded SP). This is an undocumented feature, as ygeller experiences. For example, when the DCR-TRV55E plays a PAL tape, it plays as is, as viewed on the LCD and a genuine PAL video signal is output. When an NTSC tape is played, it still plays OK, as viewed on the LCD, but now there is a notation "NTSC" in an upper corner of the screen. The video signal is output as a hybrid, with 29.97fps but with PAL color system. It's the other way around for NTSC camcorders; playing a PAL tape will show the word "PAL" in a corner of the LCD, with a 25fps NTSC-color system video output. The same is true with Sony D8 camcorders.
Capturing PAL tapes on an NTSC-model Sony (or vice-versa) is tricky but possible. I capture with Adobe Premiere. When the NTSC camcorder is connected via FireWire, Premiere detects it and preps its specs to expect 29.97fps. When the PAL tape's 25fps comes streaming in, capture is therefore muted. This is whether you began with either a PAL or NTSC project template. The trick is, after opening capture (F5), choose "no device control". Exit capture. Play the PAL tape, then while it's doing so, connect the FireWire. Open capture again; it should be on the monitor window. Click record. This is to prevent Premiere from recognizing an NTSC-playback device; all we want is the content of the PAL mini-DV tape as is. After capture is successful you now have a bonafide DV AVI file 25fps.

This may be possible with models sold in Canada but for most MiniDV models sold in the USA, PAL tapes don't even play to the LCD. I've seen European "E" models play NTSC tapes to the LCD but only certain upper range models output to iLink. My "E" model experience is limited to a few samples.