iLink Firewire question - selective retrieval

careh wrote on 11/23/2005, 2:00 PM

I have a set of .avi clips on my hard disk and would like to archive them. One thought was to use my DCRTRV900 with the iLink / firewire cable connection and store the .avi's on relatively cheap MiniDV tape. That way I could retrieve them at a later time & not have much image quality loss.

The camcorder is connected to the computer with an iLink/firewire cable and I have been able to transfer .avi files onto the tape and back into the computer using my Sony MovieMaker software.

Does anyone know of a way to automatically select individual .avi files off the tape? Right now I use the VTR controls on the camcorder and manually advance the tape to the start position of the file I want to retrieve & then use the 'Record from tape' option. The MovieMaker software instructs the DCRTRV900 to begin playback. The clip gets recorded into the computer. One snag is I have to watch for the end of the clip & then select 'stop recording' on the computer screen. I was hoping I could somehow use software to 'select' an .avi clip on the tape (like select clip #4) & ideally have the software instruct the tape to advance to the start position of the clip & auto stop at the end position of that clip.

.... But maybe I'm expecting too much...

Comments

IanG wrote on 11/23/2005, 2:32 PM

I doubt that you'll find anything to do this, at least not easily. The camera's not a file structured device, so it doesn't recognise things like end and beginning of file markers - it just does things until you tell it to stop!

Ian G.

Chienworks wrote on 11/23/2005, 4:20 PM

You can do this with Vegas Studio's VidCap too if you wish.

I suspect that if you were to change the camcorder from VCR to Camera at the end of each clip and record a couple seconds through the lens, then go back to VCR for the next clip, you would then be able to retrieve the clips individually.

ScottW wrote on 11/23/2005, 5:17 PM

Take a look at Scenalyzer - www.scenalyzer.com - it has lots of options that should make what your trying to fairly easy.

--Scott

careh wrote on 11/25/2005, 6:47 AM

Thanks for the tips.