Camcorder conversion

avhawaii wrote on 7/13/2004, 1:36 PM
I am using a Sony DCR-PC109 camcorder which has a function to convert analog to DV. When I am using MS to capture video fed through the camcorder the program keep wanting to roll the tape in the camcorder. The pass through conversion function only works in the PB mode of the camcorder. I can preview the converted signal but when I hit the capture video button the program wants to the run the tape. When I tried taking the tape out of the camcorder the capture buttons are grayed out. Anyone with a similar experience and any workarounds?

Comments

bkthiess wrote on 7/13/2004, 1:48 PM
I had this same question about a month ago. Here was the solution:

"In the VidCap program, click Options / Preferences / General. Remove the checkmark next to "Enable DV device control"."

Hope this helps.
avhawaii wrote on 7/13/2004, 6:41 PM
Is that the program that came with the camcorder? Or is it in MS?

Thanks
IanG wrote on 7/14/2004, 12:22 AM
Vidcap is the video capture program that's included with MS.

Ian G.
bkthiess wrote on 7/14/2004, 1:45 PM
It is the program that automatically opens when you click on "capture".

It is actually a seperate and independent program that you could run without ever turning MS on.
avhawaii wrote on 7/14/2004, 8:45 PM
Really? How do you launch the Vidcap program without running MS?

Thanks for the other info, it works fine now.
bkthiess wrote on 7/16/2004, 7:32 AM
I'm not on my home computer now, but, if I remember correctly, open your Screenblast folder (probably in C:\Program Files). Don't run the screenblast program, but lookaround for a file called something like "vidcap.exe" . Double-click it. There you go.

This should save a little bit of RAM as well, since your not running the big screenblast program.
Chienworks wrote on 7/16/2004, 8:04 AM
Usually one of the first things i do after installing a new version of Vegas or Movie Studio is to find the vidcap.exe file and copy a shortcut to my start menu. Then i click Start -> VidCap and start capturing. It's a lot faster than launching the video editor first. I also get far fewer dropped frames this way since the video editor isn't running in the background.
cbrillow wrote on 7/16/2004, 7:51 PM
This alternate, more low-tech solution is often employed: take the tape out of the camera...
avhawaii wrote on 7/16/2004, 11:19 PM
The low-tech solution does not work when you have "Enable DV Control" checked because it will sense that there is no tape in the camcorder and will gray out you capture buttons. I tried it when I was troubleshooting earlier. Unchecking the "Enable DV Control" box is the reliable way to do it.
cbrillow wrote on 7/30/2004, 5:53 AM
Revisiting this thread, I see that you'd already mentioned that taking the tape out didn't work, that the buttons were grayed-out. Must've been sleeping that day -- sorry that my response wasn't more germaine and helpful. But glad that you did sort it all out.