Part of the problem could be that you're capturing to your main system drive. Also, make sure you shut down things like virus scanners, chat utilities. As a matter of fact, if you have a firewall, stop all Internet trafic all together for the duration of capture., but your best bet will be a separate drive.

Start here: sorry, copy and paste. I gotta learn how to make those links.

http://www.custcenter.com/cgi-bin/sonypictures.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=306&p_created=989816400&p_sid=mLPeiHih&p_lva=&p_sp=cF9zcmNoPSZwX3NvcnRfYnk9JnBfZ3JpZHNvcnQ9JnBfcm93X2NudD04NDgmcF9wYWdlPTE*&p_li=

Beyond that, what exactly is the arrangement you're driving? What's the data flow routing? For example, ZR60 out via firewire to integral firewire port? USB 2.0 or firewire to external drive? I've captured a ZR45 for 3 years without a dropped frame, so we know it's gonna work for ya, just gotta sort it out. Darryl

Out from zr60, thru firewire cable, into firewire board (which has 3 usb slots for the cord to connect to)

In reference to the link, i have read it, the only thing that didn't seem to register with me was the DMA stuff for the IDE drives... they have it listed as ULTRA DMA MODE 5, I have it listed as ULTRA DMA MODE 2, interesting...

And even when im just playing the vid in vegas and previewing in a box while i play it, it lags and jumps around (skips frames), not even capturing

I assume your USB is 2.0? Desktop? 1 firewire port and 3 USB? I currently capture in thru an internal firewire port and out thru USB 2.0 to a drive just like yours, got a gig of RAM though. Make sure you follow the suggestions in the link above!

Try setting your capture to a C drive folder. Capture, then send the folder out to the external. Kind of a workaround, but worth trying until the fundamental issue(s) are cleared up.

"And even when im just playing the vid in vegas and previewing in a box while i play it, it lags and jumps around (skips frames)"

Not unusual with your specs. Try generating a RAM preview in the Tools menu. Make sure your preview setting is "Preview" quality and not some higher setting. Keep your preview window small normally, undock and bump up when you either loop or go the RAM preview route. Darryl

Excuse me, 3 firewire ports, not 3 usb, my mistake.

Any ideas? Would ram be the problem if its still lagging even if im just viewing it in vegas , and not capturing>?

More RAM always helps! If you're routing in AND out through a firewire card, you can easily overwhelm the data handling capacity of the card with that much going in both directions at once. Try the C drive capture workaround. Darryl

Let me just reiterate an earlier commen by another postert: MAKE SURE that you disable automatic virus scanning on the drive/folder where the captured data is going to. Otherwise the scanner will try to scan the data you are capturing for viruses, which will cause a huge amount of extra read operations to your hard disk and slow it down to the point where it drops frames. This bit me once.

-Jayson

Daryl, can you please explain the C:/ work around in detail please, keep in mind i have 3 FIREWIRE PORTS, the cable is conneeccted to the camera and links the card to the camera...

Ok, i figured out the Antivirus proggie, and the logs were just a bit wierd but its all fixed now, however It still isnt exporting, what is this C:/ workaround you keep talking about>?

Connect the camera to the pc via firewire. Open Vegas, open Capture Video. Go to Options - Preferences - Disc Management tab. You'll probably show your C drive and your external drive (E?) with their vidcap folders identified. Uncheck the box for your external drive, make sure your C drive default vidcap folders is checked. Click OK, and close the menu.

You're now set up to capture directly into the default C drive folder. Capture the video, etc.

Go to the captured video folder on C (assuming all captured wo dropped frames), right click, send to . . . a new folder on E.

It's worth a try. Let us know. HTH, Darryl

I was capturing it to C:/ earlier, however it is my OS HD, and it drops frames as well as my other HD...

So Far: Ive tried writing to Master HD, SLave HD, Disabling Antivirus

Any more nuggets of wisdom?

Do a search for a free program called RAPTEST. It tests the read and write spped of your drives and can tell you whether they read and write fast enough for DV.

I just got Gayed...

My new 80gb 7200 is SLOWER than my old drive according to raptest

My new drive (C:\) Read: 14mb / s Write: 28 mb/s

My old drive (D:\) Read: 27 mb/s WRITE: 30mb/s


How is that possible....

Gayed?


Do you now have two drives? You should capture to the drive that does not contain your OS/programs.

Ok, well the one that doesn't have my os (the older one) seems to be faster and i try to write to that one, however, it is STILL losing hella frames

Help plz?

Ok, In order toexport to pc, I recently bought the following items: WINDOWSXP pro, 80gb 7200rpm 8mb cache hd, Firewire port

My camera is a canon zr60


I don't know for sure, but I've heard that if you install Windows on top of Vegas, it may screw things up. I can tell you, I use Windows ME (OMG) and I have two separate drives. I have no trouble capturing to either drive. I had to shut off every single thing running in the background except the utmost minimal in order for my video stuff to work, but it works. I couldn't watch smoothe video in my preview window until I upped my RAM to 768MB. (with no effects running) Sometimes it looks smooth as I'm capturing, but it always looks smooth on playback with no effects running. Also scan disc for errors. But I think the install of Windows XP Pro, on top of Vegas is the problem. And that's still just a guess. I'd un-install Vegas and re-install again. And pray. Also check for latest drivers for firewire card. Also don't forget about serious 'Service Packs' fixes from MS for Windows XP

Ok, But i installed Vegas after winxp (trial)

What is the minimum mb/s for DV?

like 29 mb/s?

I had 256 originally. It worked fine, but was a little jerky in preview. I've never heard of drop-outs through the firewire yet. I get them when I convert old video to digital. If you are somehow doing that using your Canon (I don't know if your model is capable) and converting old VHS or Hi 8 to digital using the camcorder, then you'd get drop-outs if your camera doesn't have TBC (Time Base Correcter) And I do have to use firewire when I load that old stuff into my computer. But if you're talking strictly digital recording off camera to PC. That's a new one for me.

No, listen to me, I am recording to a fujifilm DV tape, then I want to put that footage onto my harddrive, so that I might edit it

I am not going directly to the HD as i film...


So going back to my question: What is the minimum MB/sec write needed to export to the HD

Thanks