HELL FIRE!!! You gotta help me!!!

ReValveiT wrote on 12/24/2001, 1:12 PM
Hi all.

When trying to capture video from my Panasonic DV camcorder, the audio (and sometimes video) drops out about every 10 seconds or so.

This only happens when previewing trough VidCap, or any other capture program....When previewing through my TV, all is ok!

This is not good, as when I hit capture, the captured file is no good with audio drop-outs (It's kinda like a nasty "Jitter")

I was wondering if it had anything to do with the brand of tape, as Maxell seem to do it less than the Panasonic ones I just tried (strange, since it's a Panasonic camcorder!)

Like I said, the tapes play just dandy through the TV, this only happens when trying to capture.

My specs are:

Athlon 850mhz
256mb Ram
Asus MoBo (Via)
FireWire card
SBLive! 1024
G-Force 2 MX
Windows XP Pro (ACPI)
Vegas Video 3.0 (VidCap 3.0)
Panasonic camcorder (DV in/out)

Please, Please can someone help me....Thanks

Comments

ReValveiT wrote on 12/24/2001, 1:19 PM
Oh, I forgot to mention,

When these drop-outs occur, VidCap thinks the scene has changed and automaticly starts a new file!

which means, when I capture a scene, I end up with multiple files just for the one scene! (files end and start again where the audio drops)

HELP!
jboy wrote on 12/24/2001, 4:24 PM
Might be that your camcorder head is just a teeny weeney bit dirty, and not laying down an absolutely clean control track. Try cleaning your camcorder heads.
jboy wrote on 12/24/2001, 4:26 PM
Also, make sure you have the latest VIA drivers for your mobo.
ReValveiT wrote on 12/24/2001, 4:45 PM
Mmm, but the camcorder is brand new....only had it a week!

Are there Via drivers for XP? I here some grim story's about the Via 4in1 drivers. Might be worth a try though.....

Thanks for your reply :-)
JumboTech wrote on 12/24/2001, 6:29 PM
Do you have DMA enabled?

Al
jboy wrote on 12/25/2001, 12:43 AM
Another possibility might be a tape with a damaged edge where the control track goes. Have you tried different tapes ? Dont know about the drivers for XP/VIA, but in the past the VIA chipset has caused all kinds of video problems, so you'd better get the latest and greatest version.
ReValveiT wrote on 12/25/2001, 12:16 PM
DMA is enabled,

How can it be the tape if it plays back ok when not riged up to the PC???

And I don't think it has anything to do with my PC, since another cancorder: A *Sharp* DV model works just fine!

I recon the camcorder is shaged....I hope not, but if it is, I'll send it back.

Any more ideas? Many thanks
jboy wrote on 12/25/2001, 8:23 PM
hooking up your pc to your camcorder can cause strange things sometimes. I remember there was some discussion on the pinnacle forum about panasonic camcorder compatability problems. They apparently weren't as friendly to video editing as were sonys. It sounds as if, since the sharp machine worked ok w/your pc, this may be the problem. Your camcorder may not be defective, but simply not as well engineered towards the purpose to which you wish to put it, as are the sonys. You might try a web search on google for "panasonic camcorder video editing incompatability problems", and see what you can find..
ReValveiT wrote on 12/26/2001, 7:39 AM
Thanks jboy.

Mmm, it's all gone VERY wrong now...

Now it won't even record on my Maxell tape, and when it does it records in "lines" like, a line of the recording starting at the top, then a line of blank, then another line of the recording and so on.....

Can this be the heads?, I don't think it's related to the capture problem.....DAMN, if it's always this unreliable, I don't think I'll bother.

Thanks again.
deef wrote on 12/27/2001, 9:00 AM
I'd return it and get a new model.
ReValveiT wrote on 12/27/2001, 11:06 AM
Well,

I'd like to thank you all for your help!

I E-mailed Panasonic and they recon it's faulty also. So, I'm sending it back....Hope I won't be without it for too long!

Thank you all again.
jboy wrote on 12/27/2001, 1:44 PM
Just for future reference, from all I've seen on the web and various video editing forums, Sony camcorders seem to be the most compatible and trouble-free for video editing. I'm sure things will even out though,when other manufacturers start paying attention to this part of their market.