Hiyah!

Sorry to hear of your problems. Having actually seen your setup, I was truly impressed with your managment of all your data - puts me to shame!

Here is a deductive approach:

1 - Start with a cleaned-off drive - the one you are having problems with.

2 - Now Capture pure undiluted DV to this drive - Don't edit, just leave as is.

3 - Now play this via Vegas

4- Now PTT same video via Vegas

Please report back your results.

Z - I've had something similar, when I was in Preview IN Capture I got Stutter while the DV tape was being Previewed - But when I captured same tape no stutter - wierd! - I've also tried - don't ask why, I just tried it - openning the Capture util. and click Video on the toolbar. I need to select "Microsoft DV Camera and VCR Porperties" - DON'T touch any of the "Controls" - and just close it again. It's as if a reconnect happens

In the points 1 - 4, I'm trying to ascertain whether or not there is a flow issue or not. I truly don't understand how f/w works or the more pc elements of DV capture and PTT function - but after trying umpteen "fixes", from a novice approach, and asking questions here, I mostly get through it - yeah?

So, start with something you know that works and build up to the point where you can "repeat" the issue. Now, no matter how implausible it may be, whatever is left has to be the truth. Then you could/may start on working on a solution.

You say you've defrag the problem drive. How zabout defrag the system drive - up to you. But I've also noticed that things appear to rectify themselves if I do this. Have you little space on your C drive? Maybe the C drive needs a bit nore space to do its virtual thing? When DID you last defrag your system drive?

I also know that you many links to different drives. Do you think the actual links in themselves have caught a cold? You say PTT from C is okay. I'd look at this as being something to do with things. Have you made any updates or change your overall settings since GOOD and BAD?

Only my thoughts Z - Don't want to see you struggle . . . business is hard enough to get, without the headaches of IT glitches.

Best regards,

Grazie

Ok here we go again, part of the the problem is capture I have to use the indernal D:/ drive (a partion of C:/ )this works fine no drops, the firewire drive will drop randomly, the preview screen as you mention Grazie did indeed stuuter, but the files captured when playback where fine.

Having captured onto the D:/ drive I then drag all files to the firewire drive to edit and work on, this particular drive I am useing now was fine for the last project, which is still on the drive. The new project stutters badly in preview when editing and then within 8 minutes in to the recoding when printing from the timeline. i made a 10minute AVI file of the timeline and then went to PTT in Vegas capture program and that gave the same problem.

Today I purchased a new FW card (Ti chipset) and tried that, it installed no problem, but now I can see the DV machine but it does not see the FW drive (Genisys chip set)
BUT the stutter seems to have minimised to an acceptable level...eh? took the card out, stutter still Ok..

I have observed that if I zoom-in to the time line so it is always updating when playing back, the stutter is much worse.

Friend introduced me to the "Sytem Performance" and we watched the graph as the stutter apeared and noted the graph, the graph now with very little stutter looks much different, I have also noticed the hard drive light flash's much more rapidly.

infact as I write this stuff, the recrod from the Time line to DV tape has been going for 24 minutes with no problems... seems like sunspots or gremlins. Whats changed?

I need the confidence that when i have finished a project I can output it with confidence knowing I can go out and it will do it's jobe, not looking at biting my nails and crossing my fingers hoping all will go well.

I would still like to get to the bottom of this and be able to say , yep that's the problem and then sort it out. I am a logical person and believe anything is possible no matter how wiered.

On the side.... How are you Grazie I trust you are well, good to read from you. the machine is different to the one you saw I think, this is a 2.4Ghz with DVD writer.
I read that you were haveing so problems did you get sorted?
Will we meet again at the next IOV meeting to have a chin wag. Could you e-mai me with your detals again i seem to have lost them.

PS. 33 minutes recording and still OK

Just to update the recording completed, 1 1/2 hours with no problems.

I am still searching for clues on how to get it perfect..

Will keep it posted...