DCR-TRV350 to PC

[connorhawke]

"Cuts only" editing of DV AVI (or MOV) video should not require re-compressing the video. In most NLEs this is done by default without you having to do anything. It will be obvious that it is not re-rendering or re-compressing because the new video will be created in no more time than it takes to copy the files (which is what it is actually doing). So if you have an hour (13 GB) and it takes two minutes to copy 13 GB on your computer, that's how long it should take Final Cut to produce the results of your edit.

You got it, all I want to do are direct cuts of a few seconds in a few portions of the video. And I know what you're referring to - in the past, I found it was possible to do direct cuts to the start or end of some video types in QuickTime without any apparent re-rendering. However, I'm not an expert on FCPX and sorry if I'm misunderstanding something, but it doesn't seem possible to do direct cuts on a clip in FCP without re-rendering. It seems the only way to edit an imported clip there is to create a new project with defined settings that may differ from the original clip, dragging the imported clip into the project, making the cuts, then exporting. These imported clips also don't currently seem to be able to have direct cuts applied in QuickTime either, unfortunately. Thanks for any advice.

Edit: of course, if there is another app I can use to achieve what I want (direct cuts to portions of the mov import without compression), I'm all ears.

Edit 2: Just solved the issue with an older version of QuickTime. The cut feature is available in QuickTime 7 Pro and luckily I still have a working registration code for that. I was able to cut the portions with ease and based on the quick save time and comparisons of frames these were definitely direct cuts therefore preserving the integrity of the rest of the footage. I'm not sure why Apple would remove such a useful feature, but in case QT7 Pro becomes too obsolete to use anymore, can anyone recommend an alternative when it comes to that in case it's needed?

[johnmeyer]

I am a Vegas expert, but because I've spent that past twenty years using that, and not using anything else, I can't give you any comparisons. However, Vegas does what you want. Both the expensive "Pro" version as well as the affordable "Movie Studio" versions do what you want.

You can also use Virtualdub, if you want something that is free. You just set your in/out points, and once you've done your edits, you save to AVI after first turning on the "Direct Stream Copy" option in the Video menu.

[connorhawke]

I am a Vegas expert, but because I've spent that past twenty years using that, and not using anything else, I can't give you any comparisons. However, Vegas does what you want. Both the expensive "Pro" version as well as the affordable "Movie Studio" versions do what you want.

You can also use Virtualdub, if you want something that is free. You just set your in/out points, and once you've done your edits, you save to AVI after first turning on the "Direct Stream Copy" option in the Video menu.

Ok thanks for the recs. I'll def try these if QT becomes deprecated down the road.

[connorhawke]

One more question for now: a few "interference" lines appear at the bottom of all the tapes. They aren't too distracting but wondering if there's an easy way to prevent them. I read that it may be due to a faulty camcorder.

[johnmeyer]

One more question for now: a few "interference" lines appear at the bottom of all the tapes. They aren't too distracting but wondering if there's an easy way to prevent them. I read that it may be due to a faulty camcorder.

You need to post a screenshot of one frame, just to make sure, but you are probably seeing is head switching noise. It is unavoidable because that is how the signal is stored. On an old CRT TV set, you never saw it because analog TV sets were designed not to display all the way to the top and bottom of the video frame, but when you capture it, you get it all. Simplest thing is to add a mask, keeping the resolution the same (i.e., do NOT re-size the video). This will, however, cause the video to be re-rendered. However, if you start with DV and use a high quality NLE that has an excellent DV encoder (e.g., Vegas), you almost certainly will not be able to see any difference in quality from the recompression.

[Brad]

head switching noise. It is unavoidable because that is how the signal is stored.

Technically, some distortion may be caused during recording, but the eye-catching level of disturbance is caused on the playback side.

But I agree that it's basically unavoidable for purposes of this thread. Don't know whether any 8mm tape format players can be adjusted, but some VHS machines can be: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kqqiIIxqLQY

[connorhawke]

Is head switching noise constant? If so that's what it is. It's not too bad that I'd want to spend hours trying to alleviate it and an even longer time redoing imports though.

One thing I noticed is these lines seem to vary per play. For example, when I redid an import after I realized the first playback was using the wrong mode, the lines seemed a little more visible and distracting, and frame-by-frame filesize was reduced possibly suggesting quality reduction (the rest of the picture also differed slightly per frame; not sure if this is normal). Is this due to wear and tear or is it random? Is it worth trying another import to see if it improves?

[johnmeyer]

That video linked to in post #36 is not head switching noise. It is more of a tracking issue. I still don't know what you're seeing (you need to post a screen shot), so I can't comment any further.

[jagabo]

That video linked to in post #36 is not head switching noise. It is more of a tracking issue.

It is head switching noise. I think what you're missing is that the monitor has been adjusted so that the frame is offset vertically. Just below the head switching noise you can see the vertical sync pulses and vertical blanking interval before the top of the next field/frame.

[connorhawke]

That video linked to in post #36 is not head switching noise. It is more of a tracking issue. I still don't know what you're seeing (you need to post a screen shot), so I can't comment any further.

2 screenshots attached from my most recent import showing the lines that appear constantly at the bottom: one at start of shot (fainter) and one at end (more visible). Those lines were actually more visible in all of my prior imports but I've already transferred those off disk. I'd thought these might be part of the recording but the thing is these lines seem to vary a lot from import to import of the same tape so maybe it's at least partly playback-related.

[johnmeyer]

That video linked to in post #36 is not head switching noise. It is more of a tracking issue.

It is head switching noise. I think what you're missing is that the monitor has been adjusted so that the frame is offset vertically. Just below the head switching noise you can see the vertical sync pulses and vertical blanking interval before the top of the next field/frame.

You're right. I missed that. Now that you point it out, I recognize the vertical sync/blanking bar from the old days when sets would lose vertical sync.

As for the OP's screen shots, they definitely show head switching noise and therefore, as I already posted, you can simply apply a black mask to hide them, or just ignore them. They are normal, and changing how the video is captured won't make them disappear.

[GrouseHiker]

This thread is slightly stale, but since it deals specifically with the DVR-TRV350, I'm posting here... unless someone thinks I should post elsewhere...

Regarding analog 8mm, the DVR-TRV350 has these "VCR" menu options:


[Attachment 52842 - Click to enlarge]

Do these options seem to imply the analog output is processed through a digital encoder and then back to analog for output? I have "A/V>DV" off, but I'm thinking this could only apply to Firewire output anyway. Can TBC and DNR be done on a purely analog data stream? I'm concerned I may not be capturing the original analog information.

Would there be any tell-tale sign of previous digital encoding in the captured file?

[babygdav]

Av > dv simply activates the digitizer of the analog video for output over firewire.

Anything plugged into the camcorder to view the analog video over rca connectors remains analog.

Tbc, nr can be applied to analog video.

....

Generally, whatever you play and capture thru the dv or analog output from a camcorder is what you get. As "original" as you'll get from your tape.

For analog capture over composite/svideo connectors to the camcorder, your capture device and software settings affect the quality of the capture.