video playback

PVBC wrote on 3/25/2007, 2:08 PM
Captured video is choppy. Software is VMS 7A, We are new to this software and digital recording. We need to record 1.5- 2.0 hours using a Sony Handycam digital 8 DCR-TRV 460. During capture video preview movement is fine but when we replay the captured video it is choppy or freezing momentarily. We have tried capturing in MS Movie Maker with the same results. All connections, cable lengths have been checked and Defraged HD. We are recieving via USB direct from the camera (USB Streaming). At first the clips captured and played fine. Please Help

Comments

Chienworks wrote on 3/25/2007, 3:24 PM
Don't use USB. It's a horrible and nearly worthless capture method. Just stop using it, now. Use firewire instead, it's nearly infinitely more trouble-free than USB.

Defragging is worthless too, and is actually risky. Don't do that anymore either.

Probably the biggest source of trouble is that capturing through USB results in an MPEG clip, and Vegas is historically antsy about working with MPEG. It often plays back choppy on the timeline (though the rendered version will be fine). Capturing through firewire will give you a DV .avi file. These files play smoothly and are noticeably better quality too.

Also, check your system for background programs running and shut off as many as possible. These can really slow your computer down badly.
PVBC wrote on 3/25/2007, 5:13 PM
We are getting AVI files using the streaming USB 2. CPU use with background programs varies from 0 to 2%. We'll check for other running programs. We'll get a firewire cable to test that out. Thanks.
What sticks in our minds is that it originally worked fine, though only for a few minute long trials.
Chienworks wrote on 3/25/2007, 7:01 PM
My guess is that something new got installed on your computer. Hopefully not a virus!