Maybe this will capture , say 2gb, stop and then make another 2gb file . . ans so on. This will make a MAX but I think it will then go on and on and on making 2gb files - until the HD gets full? Yes/No?

Grazie

Maybe a Chinbese water clock connected to a spring and counterbalance with a 20lb hammer that at the equiv of 2 hours, the hammer drops on the CPU? . .THAT should do it?


INteresting question though ..

Grazie

Outside of VidCap is there a MS utility that will schedule VidCap to go on and then off .. only a thought . . could be neat?

Grazie

If you've got a large body of analog footage to edit, I seriously recommend first transferring the footage to a DV tape, and then digitizing from that tape.
1- You will suffer no generational loss, since all loss is in the conversion from analog to digital. Once you've got it on digi tape, the transfer into the computer and from there on (not including effects, of course) is lossless.
2- You no longer have the problem that you worried about.
3- (And THIS is the main reason, for me) - In the event of a crash or the need to RETRANSFER footage (yikes - it happens) - you are totally covered. The time you spend xferring from analog to DV (let's face it - it's not like transcribing log notes - you turn on both machines - you turn them off - if you go away, you just rewind the DV, find the out point, rewind the source a little more to overlap your transfer and start again) - anyway, in the event of a crash - Vegas will redigitize whatever you need, faultlessly.

The time you spend via the analog to DV transfer (hours) can't begin to compare to the time you will spend rebuilding an edit without timecode (days, weeks -"I think I"m gonna kill myself".)
v

Yes, of course! - Very wise indeed. G

Vidcap / Options / Preferences / Capture :
[ ] Maximum capture length (timecode):

Check the box and type in 02:00:00;00 ... or whatever duration you wish. You can also delay the start of capturing too, so if you want to record something off the air that starts in, say, 5 and a half hours, enter a delay of 18030 seconds.

Hey! Great idea Kelly. I didn't know you get timecode on Analogue? I thought this thread came about 'cos you didn't get t/c on analogue coming in from an AV<>DV convertor. WOW!

Love the delay though .. execllent idea. G

Thanks Kelly and Vic, very informative.
Randy

cheers for the help guys, just tried it out and the start delay and the maximum record time work flawlessly.

Just set it to record 2 hours in 5 hours time as ill be out of the house:)
thanks again

Grazie, i believe VidCap adds timecode to the incoming stream if it doesn't already exist. But, in any case, this setting works like a timer: when that duration of capturing is hit, it stops. I don't really care how it does it, i just know it does.

How does our friend's non-device controlled device know when he has hit 5 hours? He says he is leaving it for 5 hours. I can see VidCap switching on - I've got that - but what "switches-ON" the device which isn't being controlled?

Grazie

Nothing switches the capture device on or off -- it's spitting out video all the while. It doesn't hurt to leave it on and have DV streaming down the firewire pipe. Vidcap simply starts and stops capturing at the appointed time, for the appointed duration.

CB - thanks, and yes I understand that, but our friend is saying he will "delay" by 5 hours. What is going to switch ON the ANALOGUE device in 5 hours, a time clock? I realise the DV side .. what is going to turn on the analogue device?

Grazie

I have a VCR connected to the analogue in on the canopus, the canopus and the VCR are on all the time so there is a signal going down the firewire all the time, all im doing is turning videocap on after X amount of time, the signals there all the time just not being captured
cheers

.... and don't forget - the time code on the computer has NOTHING to do with the original analog.
So recapturing, in the event of crash or erased media, will be a bear.

If this is a "one-off" for family and friends - no problemo. Digitize analog and "go-for-it".

If this is a commercial job (always with the possiblitly to be revised in the future or subject to deadlines) - then I say, bite the bullet and put all your source material on DV tape. You won't regret it., especially when things get rough.

v

its just a tv show one off thats all:)

So,nomisw, you have a constant signal? Is that from a tape? - G

Arrghhhhh . .now I understand! You are recording FROM a TV where you aren't bothered about controlling the analogue "device" - AHAH! NOW I see . . okay .. and there was I thinking that you were wanting to capture from a AV tape . . .

Grazie

hehe yeh i said analogue source, should have said a tv source, sorry

Yeah! - But what I reeeealllyyy don't understand is that everybody else here wasn't bothered! I was bothered that you could be in the invidious situation of NOT having the VCR controlled! ! ! ! How on Earth did everybody else realise this?

Grazie!

I didn't really care one way or the other. I get lots of 2 hour VHS tapes from clients. I'll pop them in the VCR, start up VidCap and set the maximum capture time to 02:00:06;00, start manually capturing, and press play on the VCR. Then i walk away and have a nice dinner or read or walk the dog or whatever. When i get back, VidCap has stopped capturing, i have a 26GB file in Vegas' media pool, and the VCR has rewound and ejected the tape. Yes, it's true, i had to manually push the play button. I'm not gonna charge extra for that.

I did make the grandiose assumption that someone in a similar situation might be recording off the air, so i tossed in the extra stuff about the delayed start just in case it might have been helpful information.

Kelly - thank you for the "support" but here in London this just doesn't come close to the frustration I'm feeling right now . . but yes .. I DO understand . . but I really don't understand why others "got it" and I didn't. nomisw did say he wanted a 5 hour delay - see!

Nice blue sky here in London . . I've got a Traditional Cider chilling in the fridge . . think I'll wander in the garden for a few minutes . . seessshhh...

G