Capture Format?

Bit Of Byte wrote on 6/26/2005, 6:03 AM

Hi.

I run Vegas 5.0d and seem to capture my video source quite OK as a Video Capture project with Vegas application.

I have never captured video before so I am fairly RAW..

However, I am puzzeld by the extension (.sfvidcap).

What is this and why when I look at the finished size of this file is only 7 KB after capturing a 83min MiniDV Tape?

When I hop back into Vegas, I am not allowed to open it becasue the message states (.sfvidcap) is an unsupported format...

What gives!

I was also expecting to see a file in the GBs too.

I cannot go any further until I understand what I am doing....

What is the next step after capture if I wanted to edit the footage with VEGAS?

What format should this file be in so that edting can be performed..?

Need your help...

Comments

Grazie wrote on 6/26/2005, 8:55 AM

Ok LAds and Lassies! I'll Bite on Byte's bit of Byte . . . .

When we capture from within Vegas and use its native capture program, we are using the Video Capture program that comes with Vegas. Prior to Sony buying out Vegas from Sonic Foundry, the same video capture program was called: " sfvidcap " and the capture project would have the extension " *.sfvidcap " this hasn't changed. So, anytime we use the video capture program we get a capture project called:

MyProject.sfvidcap

This "saved" file is very tiny and takes up very little space. It is a file that just shows where all the BIG captured files lie around your PC. So, that is why the name and why the sfvidcap file is small. You can not "open" it as a media file, because it is not media. It is purely a file giving directions to Vegas "where" stuff was captured to.

Now, when you used the Video Capture program you were given and opportunity for that captured footage to be placed within your "open" Vegas project. You should now see the captured footage - AVIs - within the Vegas - VEG - project. If you didn't elect to do this OR you used VidCap in isolation to using Vegas, you will need to ascertain where you captured your AVIs to. VidCap under Preferences>Disk Managment will show you where you will find your folder with the captured AVIs.

Ok, now you can open a Vegas project and go get the footage you have captured. This will now appear within the Project MEdia Pane.

As to what format to edit in? No brainer for me: I always edit in plain PAL AVI DV - being the format I captured the footage!

I hope all this has helped,

Grazie

[r]Evolution wrote on 6/26/2005, 9:37 AM

.sfvidcap - is the project file for VideoCapture.
Just like .veg - is the project file for Vegas.

Your captured media gets stored wherever you specified in your VidCap preferences.

All you project file does is 'reference' the media and different FX you want on/with the media. In the case of Capturing... there are No FX though. Just a list of Timecodes. If you ever need to recapture footage from that same tape... you'd just load the tape and the .sfvidcap, select the clips you want to recapture, and it will do it for you. Or you can NOT save the .sfvidcap and search your tape all over again for the footage you need.

Bit Of Byte wrote on 6/27/2005, 6:30 AM

I want to thank you both to the very prompt response to my query and you have now removed a subtle roadblock on my path to video editing..

THanks guys. THanks Forum!

Grazie wrote on 6/27/2005, 6:53 AM

Yeah! And when you get your first Oscar, just Doff yer hat towards London, UK! - G :)

Bit Of Byte wrote on 6/27/2005, 6:57 AM

Go You Pommies!

Look out Mr Spielberg.....

jetdv wrote on 6/27/2005, 9:18 AM

Bit of Byte,

Take a look at my newsletters - specifically begin with the "Beginner's Corner" series that started in the 4th issue. It should explain a lot. Just don't forget to go back and look over the first three issues as well. Even though they started in Vegas 4, the information is still good for Vegas 6.