resolutions

My finished product looks like a 16 MM blowup. Grainy. Evidentally I know nothing about converting the proper resolution to a proper resolution. I have a Sony TRV-280 to film, edit in Premeire 6.5.

Anyone have any advice on what import settings I should be using on import, to get a better resolution for the television?

Bunny

Sorry but this response is inadequate.

I don't capture directly to premiere but do use this cable, it came with the sony. My captures are sent directly to the sony folder then saved in another hard drive. I believe its in the rendering and/or encoding options. From what I discovered in another part of the forum it should be in the bitrate/resolution which I do not know anything about. I thought the advanced section is where I shold have posted, not here with general discussions.

Bunny

Capture as DV AVI. You will have no choice about resolution or bitrate.

Encode as 720x480, MPEG2, 8000 kbps for DVD.

I suspect I know what your problem is. You are capturing with a USB cable, not a DV cable. USB is too slow for full resolution DV capture so you are getting a low resolution version of what's really on the tape. If you get at DV cable and capture via a ieee 1394 (aka firewire, ilink) port you will get an exact copy of what is on the tape. Then you convert that to MPEG for DVD.

Amazon.com's description:

What's in the Box
Sony DCR-TRV280 Digital8 Handycam Camcorder, AC-L15 power adapter/in-camera charger, NP-FM30 InfoLithium rechargeable battery, AV cable, USB cable, lens cap, shoulder strap, CD-ROM with USB driver (PicturePackage Software version 1.5 for Sony).

My thoughts also...

Scott

Originally Posted by ridgerunrbunny

Sorry but this response is inadequate.

I don't capture directly to premiere but do use this cable, it came with the sony. ...

Bunny

Why don't you capture with Premiere 6.5 and the IEEE-1394 cable? That is how you get a quality picture.

If you use the USB cable for transfer you get CIF (320x240 352x288) at webstream bitrates. You can't ask for both USB and quality with that camcorder.

Is the issue that you think SONY owes you a $7 IEEE-1394 cable? On that I would agree with you.

As has been said here, the first step is to use the IEEE (firewire,iLink) cable to TRANSFER (Capture) the DV to your hard drive. Premiere can do it fine, as can little apps like winDV. Not hard, just transfer. 13+gb per hour of tape, so make sure you have HD space. Many/most newer PCs have IEEE ports but most older and some new do not. you may have to add a card to your PC if your's is without. If you haven't used one, it looks a but like a USB port but not exactly. there are several sizes also (4-pin, 6-pin I think). You Camcorder likely has a 4-pin connection so make sure to get the correct cable. As a matter of fact, I may have that same Sony - not sure because I'm not home to check right now.

Your post saying someone's help was "inadequate" didn't sound very greatful for accurate advise. Until you have the capture by IEEE down, no further advise can help you. Just t make sure you "get" the workflow of taking Camcorder DV footage to finished DVD, here are the steps. You can use seperate apps for each step or one of the apps that can do all or several.

1.Capture DV to hard drive 2. Edit DV footage if you want (cut, combine, fades, slow mo, etc.) 3. Render/encode to mpeg2 (video). 4. Author (menus or not) 5. Burn to DVD

Each step has many ways to do it and many different apps that can be used. I assume Premiere can do them all but I have no idea how well as i don't use it.

After you get the capture via IEEE cable done, then you may have questions on the other steps.

Didn't mean to sound like an ingrate, but the advice was inadequate. Since the response did not clarify that there was a difference between what I have and what he told me I should have. Don't take it personally. I will probably need information on many things, but not editing since I was a vested member in local 776 way back when we used 16, 35 and larger mm film and mylar sprocked tape to edit on something called a movieola.

Is firewire the same as a network cable? All I see are usb holes.

I may be an ingrate but I certainly appreciate the information.

Bunny

I have the TRV-38 so yours may have different outputs and layout....but, on mine the IEEE Out on the camcorder is right below the USB port. The USB port has the USB symbol, the IEEE port says "DV" next to it. Also in this camcorder "panel" are sivideo, Audio/video, etc.

As I said, they look quite similar. Mine is a 4-pin (small) and my computer has both a 6-pin (larger - about the same as a USB on the computer) and a 4-pin. I use a 6-pin/4-pin male/male cable.

The Sony manual is very brief on the iLink (IEEE) connection so at first I assumed, like you did, that USB was fine. However, not only is it NOT fine for DV video transfer, it just isn't really usable for it. I have no idea why Sony isn't more specific about this in the manual. The USB is for PHOTOS or low-quality video, NOT DV video.

Anyways, get the DV/IEEE/firewire/iLink thing figured out and you'll be well on your way.

There is a great guide, from Jerry Jones group (jonesgroup.net) for transferring (not capturing) DV from a digital DV video camera into the PC. The camera in his guide might not be the same as your but I assure you it will help. It did with me when I started from zero about two years ago. He uses Ulead, but you will get a good taste of what this is about.

Originally Posted by ridgerunrbunny

Didn't mean to sound like an ingrate, but the advice was inadequate. Since the response did not clarify that there was a difference between what I have and what he told me I should have. Don't take it personally. I will probably need information on many things, but not editing since I was a vested member in local 776 way back when we used 16, 35 and larger mm film and mylar sprocked tape to edit on something called a movieola.

Is firewire the same as a network cable? All I see are usb holes.

I may be an ingrate but I certainly appreciate the information.

Bunny

From your manual P-60
http://esupport.sony.com/US/perl/model-documents.pl?mdl=DCRTRV280&LOC=3



Get this type cable
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16815999001

The camcorder end is 4 pin, the other end (computer) is usually 6 pin but may be 4 pin.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16812189108

If your computer doesn't have a IEEE-1394 input get an adapter (PCI or PC card).
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16815165002
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16815124031

Originally Posted by mogoyon

...for transferring (not capturing) DV from a digital DV video camera into the PC.

Unhelpfull, you and I know the details of a DV stream transfer vs an A/D capture vs a network packet transfer but every piece of software from WinDV to VirtualDub to Premiere Pro to AVID call the DV stream import process a "capture". Every menu says "capture".

Well that's one of the problems there, 20 million names for the same process/thing/you name it. And then of course, you think you are buying a certain thing and of course its not all there. If the usb cable is better for stills, don't you think it kind of a rip off that it is included in a moving picture camara? jus tics me off.

Thanks for all the info. Oh and I did look at the manual, went right over my head.

Bunny

Although it ticked me off also, truth is, most PCs did not have a IEEE port when that camcorder came out. That was an "Apple thing" as best I remember. So, one had to install the IEEE card to use it which ticked me off even more!!!!

Many PCs now come with it so I assume many camcorders do also.

Originally Posted by tmh

Although it ticked me off also, truth is, most PCs did not have a IEEE port when that camcorder came out. That was an "Apple thing" as best I remember. So, one had to install the IEEE card to use it which ticked me off even more!!!!

Many PCs now come with it so I assume many camcorders do also.

MiniDV and Digital8 camcorders have the port on every model since 1998.

Back in the early 2000's, an IEEE-1394 port typically came with second tier (multimedia) and upper tier PC's but not the budget models. They needed an IEEE-1394 (aka Firewire, I-Link) adapter. At that time MiniDV and D8 camcorders were still >$750.

Sony and the other camcorder manufacturers were purposefully vague about connecting to computers because they didn't want to handle the service call load. They perferred to say "Call your computer or editing software manufacturer for support".

Today, they say the same thing about connecting a computer to a HDTV often adding "and it will void your warranty".

You need to do your own independent research.

Well, I searched my emachine ( actually I had my husband to the searching, he's the wrench) for a IEEE port. Can't locate one. If it is there we don't know what we are looking for. Found 6, I say six, usb ports. This box is not even a year old. I buy thru Shop4Tech, is that a generic name for the device. And any suggestions on where to put it. No wise cracks please. Does it fit in a usb space?

Bunny

edDV gave an example of an inexpensve firewire card you can add to your computer:

If your computer doesn't have a IEEE-1394 input get an adapter (PCI or PC card).
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16815165002

You can buy a IEEE-1394 adapter at any computer store. Cable too.
They will be cheaper online or playing the rebates.

No special software required. XP manages the port. Premiere will see the camcorder.

Most sites call them "Firewire" ports, I think, or IEEE-1394. Should be pretty cheap to add a firewire card to your PC. As said before, just install in slot and XP will install it. Togerdirect.com, ecost, or any online computer outlet has 'em, look for a good deal. I doubt one brand is much different than another - they either work or don't, no performance differences as far as I know.

Now that someone posted a photo of what the port looks like, make sure you don't have one and may have thought it was a USB port - they look very similar. My 1 yr old eMachine has one on the back next to a couple USB ports.

Good luck.

OK I looked. There are 4 more usb ports and an ethernet. Whats an ethernet port?

I have an older Sony TRV-140 and the IEEE-1934/iLink/Firewire port is on the front of the camera beneath the light under a cover. It's a 4-Pin port, so I just use a 4-to-6 pin cable and it works great. Your TRV-280 is probably set up similar.

Also with firewire, you can control the camera from the computer. Play, stop, fast-forward, and rewind. I don't think that can be done with the USB connection.

Originally Posted by ridgerunrbunny

OK I looked. There are 4 more usb ports and an ethernet. Whats an ethernet port?

The ethernet port is a network port, in case you want to connect two or more PC's together in a network. They are also used quite often with DSL or Cable Modems to connect you to the internet.

Originally Posted by ridgerunrbunny

OK I looked. There are 4 more usb ports and an ethernet. Whats an ethernet port?

Are you serious about solving your camcorder problem or is this something else?

The too dumb to read act is wearing thin.

edDV your posts have been very helpful save the last one, how old are you? I'm 60 and I don't retain information the way I used to.

Bunny