Thanks but shouldn't Vegas 8 do the capture? If not why?

When you click capture, do you get a requester that says "Please select a capture format: DV or HDV / SDI"?
If so, click the HDV / SDI option.

Mike

Which maybe brings up the point that Vegas has a capture ap for DV and a second one for HDV cameras and SDI sources. Using the right one?

Rob Mack

First let me say thanks again for your help. This is my first time using the Vegas product.

I shot in 24P and I tried both DV and HDV / SDI. When I put HV20 on "play" and choose HDV / SDI, I get "device not available".

If I try DV, I get an error message pop-up box, "The device 'ATI T200 AVSTREAM Analog capture could not be opened".

I do not get a pop-up error box when I choose the HDV/SDI option. It just states "device not available" where the video should capture.

In options, preferences, video, I have the use external video capture application checked off. Under that is "C:\Program Files\Sony\Vegas Pro 8.0\VidCap60.EXE".

I tried turning the camcorder on first while connected via firewire and then use Vegas 8 Pro but that did not work either.

I do get the "bong" sound from windows detecting the camcorder.

Thanks again for any help in this.

As bluprojekt mentioned, use HDV Split. It is a simple application and does what it does very well - it is also free. I use it and have never had a problem - HDR FX1. What Vegas should do and actually does are two different things - I have been burnt by Vegas' capture utility too many times to bother with it. Other's on the formum with a Cineform workflow, probably use that capture utility.

It would be interesting to know, what percentage of Vegas users actually use the Vegas capture utility for HD acquisition versus HDV Split or Cineform.

I had the same problem recently. I have a Canon XHA1 and was trying to capture HDV. It was capturing DV fine.
Even HDVSplit couldn't see it.
Then I looked at the camera and it was set to downconvert. Once I changed that everything worked fine.

"Then I looked at the camera and it was set to downconvert."

Do I have the this setting with HV20? I do not recall seeing it in the menu option.

"...use HDV Split."

Is there a good forum thread on using HDV Split?

Clearly I am a novice but I used Pinnacle for years doing basic stuff and never had a capture problem.

I never would of thought that if I purchased Vegas Pro 8 it would be useless until I used a free software product to make it work. That does not make sense to me.

hI

You can download here, unzip and install:

http://strony.aster.pl/paviko/hdvsplit.htm

After that it is pretty simple - you can choose your outputfolder, and whether you want it to split into scenes etc. I think you need to hook up your camera and turn it on before you launch the program.

I have used it with both my FX7 and my HV20 - great litle utility.

Enjoy.

/Ulf

>"I never would of ("would have") thought that if I purchased Vegas Pro 8 it would be useless until I used a free software product to make it work. That does not make sense to me."

It does not make sense because it is not true. Vegas 8 can capture HDV or DV - there are two different programs and that is is why it gives you a choice.

If you are downconverting to DV in camera, the camera will behave like a DV cam and you need to capture with Vidcap, if you're capturing HDV you use the HDV capture app.
I don't know if there are recognition issues with your particular camera, but that's the usual way of going about it.

HDV Split may be better - I've read that many here prefer it, but I've never used it, because Vegas has captured both HDV and DV fine for me.

Thanks for the reply.

I may have not come across clear.

I know my HV20 has DV and HDV. I used HDV (24P setting) to film my video.

Using Vegas I could not capture in any of the two ways possible.

I may have unjustly critized Vegas 8 but I do not understand why I would have to use another software (HDV Split) to make it work. Although I am willing to do so since I most probably could not get a refund.

I would think that would be the last thing Sony would want is for a customer to not be able to use its product as designed and have to use a 3rd party software. i will clarify this statement and state that it pertains to my situation only. As you stated, using HDV split is a common practice and there may be other examples. But for me, a novice user, I want the product to capture my video. If not, Sony should have informed me that it cannot handle a Canon HV 20 prior to my purchase and also informed me that I would have to use HDV split to capture video. I may be stretching things here but would Ford produce a product that would require a separate 3rd party vendor part to drive from the dealer car lot? I bought a Ford but to make it work, I have to go down to Toyota and install a part so I can drive off from the Ford dealer.

Uisng Google, I have seen this problem in other forums but I have yet to find out the cause and solution. I have contacted Sony Tech support and I am waiting for their response. Their first response apologized for the delay in getting back to me and they assumed that I solved the problem on my own. They asked me to update my request if the problem was not solved and I did so.

Again, I am a novice and just trying to get past step one and all help is appreciated.

If my research is correct, Canon's 24f is not a standardized implementation of 24p, as such, this is an issue specific to Canon.

Using HDVSplit is about as straight forward as it gets. It's well known by Vegas users that the Vegas capture utility for HDV leaves alot to be desired. As far as I can tell, you can't do a batch capture like you can in Premiere Pro - the Vegas HDV capture utility is akin to Apple's Final Cut Express (which I still find ridiculous).

HDVSplit or Cineform are your only options - HDVSplit works without any issues as far as as my experience goes and its free, but I shoot SONY HDV cameras so it's straight forward for me.

Cliff Etzel - Solo Video Journalist
bluprojekt

While it's true Canon's 24f is an oddball variant of HDV the issue here I suspect isn't that. Vegas will not communicate with the camera. Even if 60i had been shot the problem would remain.
I think (and would search but as the search is broken I can't) the issue is that V8 will not talk to any Canon HDV camera. Pretty certain it worked OK in V7.
Hopefully someone with a Canon HDV camera can chime in.

Bob.

Yes Bob, I tried searching for this yesterday, with no luck, but this morning, an "HV20" search came up with 196 results.

From this thread:
http://www.sonycreativesoftware.com/forums/ShowMessage.asp?ForumID=4&MessageID=574387

it seems that some have had good results with this camera and Vegas.

Yellowsubmarine, I do understand how frustrated you must feel having bought what should be a better program (it is!) but not be able to get your footage into it.
Hang in there - once you get over this hurdle I think you'll be happy with how you'll be able to edit, and any further questions as you go through the learning curve will be picked up here by this very helpful Vegas community.

Bob,

It's hard to say what exactly the problem is. Yes, apparently Canon has a different way of writing the .m2t files, however FCP, Premiere (with Axio), and other NLE's seem to capture with no problem. Again, this isn't an issue with Vegas 7 - works like a charm in capturing Canon .m2ts - There is something in the way Vegas 8 is coded that makes it handle the Canon files differently.

Can this be a hardware issue? I'm on a MacPro that's now a year old - no issues with Vegas prior to 8 being released. Now all of a sudden, I can't capture HDV from the Canon Cams (I can capture DV though) - and when I go to edit the .m2ts, Vegas 8 isn't liking them like other flavors from other cams. I cannot count how many times I've crashed today.

I was singing Vegas' praises to a client earlier today as a matter of fact, however with still such hit and miss Canon support, I'm doing most of my editing still in Vegas 7 or FCP, so I recommend 8 with hesitation that I've never had in recommending Vegas.

And as Peter points out, some have had absolutely NO issues with Canon cams and Vegas 8 -

It's a mystery that if Robert Stack was still around, probably would have more attention ;)

Hi Cliff,

Say, does the HDV split prog also so regular DV capture?? I'm done with VP 6.0 capture app. cannot get it to run no way no how. Would be awesome if so...
Thanks mucho,

Stevereno

...so I recommend 8 with hesitation that I've never had in recommending Vegas.


This is a big problem. I've certainly been keeping my mouth shut about Vegas lately. I like it, but I can't recommend it. That's very bad!

Rob Mack

"This is a big problem. I've certainly been keeping my mouth shut about Vegas lately. I like it, but I can't recommend it. That's very bad!"

It's troubleing for me. There are SO MANY pluses to using Vegas when editing. So many that I keep coming back, rather than get as good at FCP as I probably should to go after more studio post work. Vegas just works, and that's what I love. The issues with Canon HD cams though really is a problem that needs to be addressed. Something changed from 7 to 8 that affected this.

I was able to do some stuff today in Vegas that I was told had to be done in AE. I laughed and pulled the effect while I was on the phone with the client and sent them a screengrab during the call. They were amazed. This is what Vegas does. It continues to amaze. I LOVE the Canon HD cams though. Very happy with mine and I've got 3 other shooters I work with who own them as well. I hate to limit myself by having to use Vegas 7, just to work with the Canon .m2t's, but that's where the hestiation to recommend 8 comes from. Everything else, seems to work as good as Vegas normally would.

cheno