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Transferring Mini DV footage to PC software

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  • 16-02-2009 11:56pm
    #1
    Yorky
    Registered Users Posts: 1,485 ✭✭✭


    When my firewire does actually work ( details of problems in another post), I have downloaded 30GB of Mini DV clips to my PC using Ulead VideoStudio 6.

    The downloading process seemed to work quite well but now when I try to view the clips the following occurs:

    When I click on a clip it launches Windows Media Player. This takes a while to open and then the clip plays in slow motion, juddering frames and no sound. The PC then becomes virtually inoperable as everything seems to freeze and I often have to depress the power button to shut it down.

    Does anyone know why this might be happening? The PC is quite 'old' -four years - and only has 512Mb RAM. Would that have anything to do with it? It downloads internet clips alright.


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    #2
    CptSternn
    Registered Users Posts: 1,530 ✭✭✭CptSternn


    The RAM might be an issue. Working with video, especially DV high resolution video requires a real big machine with lots of RAM. That being said, just viewing the video should be ok.

    I use Adobe Premiere to rip from DV over firewire. I find it one of the best products on the market for this and editing.

    One thing you might try is installing a new codec pack. It might be you just don't have the proper codecs installed to view the vid you ripped.

    Visit: www.codecguide.com

    Get the K-Lite Mega Codec Pack. It's FREE, includes every codec you will every need (open source versions) and is updated quite often. This should not only help your viewing problem (if that is the culprit), but it will install codecs that will help rip faster and cleaner as well.


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    #3
    Yorky
    Registered Users Posts: 1,485 ✭✭✭Yorky


    Thanks for your reply. I can't find the codec pack you mentioned on that website. Are there any associated problems that this software would cause?

    Also, with regard to compressing the format, will I have to recapture the footage or could I compress the existing captured files?


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    #4
    Myxomatosis
    Closed Accounts Posts: 429 ✭✭Myxomatosis


    Try to play the files in Media Player Classic to see if they play any smoother.

    You can download it here

    Media Player Classic is also bundled with XP Codec Pack which is a nice codec pack that will let you play almost all video formats through Media Player Classic.


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    #5
    Amalgam
    Registered Users Posts: 6,026 ✭✭✭Amalgam


    Use WinDV to transfer the DV footage untouched from your camera to PC. Firewire. See if that cures some of your problems.

    WinDV - A small Windows utility for DV (FireWire digital video) input/output.

    (safe & free software) 38kb

    http://windv.mourek.cz/

    ---

    shot121captureqw6.gif

    (it looks more complicated than it is, you can just basically press 'Capture')

    ---

    As stated before, get VLC Media Player and try and play your files with that. I am using an old PC like yourself, an AMD Barton 2500, I have no issues with playing DV footage using VLC Media Player.

    http://www.videolan.org/vlc/

    ---

    In my opinion, there's no need to download a mega codec pack, they often cause as many problems as they cure.. and depending where the pack is downloaded from, the package can contain unwanted and destructive software. VLC should pick up DV footage just fine.


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    #6
    CptSternn
    Registered Users Posts: 1,530 ✭✭✭CptSternn


    First, media player classic is included in the K-Lite Mega pack.

    Second, VLC player STILL NEEDS CODECS, it installs some on its own, so whoever said forgo codecs and install VLC is obviously not that adept.

    Third, the K-Lite codec collection is the most popular collection of freeware open source codecs out there today. No crap installed with them, and used by more than any other codec pack out there. (Google K-Lite and read up on it)

    If your doing encoding YOU NEED a few different encoders that are included in this pack (i.e. Xdiv, FFShow, etc.). If your trying to encode using the standard Windows default codecs it will work, however, you will have reduced overall quality and it will take 3x-4x as long since they are not as streamlined as the aforementioned codecs.

    It includes Real Media codecs, so you don't have to have to install all that real media crap which IS full of spyware and they also have links to QuickTime Alternative, also allowing you to not have to install all the adware/bloatware that Apple tries to force on your PC.


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    #7
    Amalgam
    Registered Users Posts: 6,026 ✭✭✭Amalgam


    I did not say there was no need to install codecs, I said there was no need to install a mega pack, it doesn't help much to direct folk to go and download a pack that might bodge or slow down a computer that's getting on in years, with 512MB of RAM. Also, someone does not need Premiere to transfer DV footage, it is quite possible, as I stated previously, to do so with software that can be packed into a 38KB .zip file.

    I can't qualify my PC experience, I have no letters after my name, but I get along just fine. We can all look at problems and provide a solution in different ways, even with computers.


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    #8
    ED E
    Registered Users Posts: 36,164 ✭✭✭✭ED E


    Yorky wrote: »
    Thanks for your reply. I can't find the codec pack you mentioned on that website. Are there any associated problems that this software would cause?

    Also, with regard to compressing the format, will I have to recapture the footage or could I compress the existing captured files?

    You could get Imtoo Video Converter (3, I think), its around €20 and will take practically any input format and output in like 40 formats, with full options. Its simple, add the files, select MP4, set the bitrate for 3500, at 640X480 DivX and hit encode. You'll need to leave it overnight for large files but the end result will be much more manageable files(eg: TV shows are 350MB on average depending on data rate).

    Imtoo is also great for converting video for use on portable devices(I like to watch TV on my phone :p)


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    #9
    Yorky
    Registered Users Posts: 1,485 ✭✭✭Yorky


    Could anyone tell me how to compress the footage? Having just checked the folder, the file size is 30Gb!
    Do I need to recapture the footage from the mini DV tapes or can I convert the existing captured footage?

    I'm also going to upgrade the RAM. This is the report from CrucialScan:

    * Maximum Memory Capacity: 1048576 MB
    * Currently Installed Memory: 768 MB
    * Available Memory Slots: 2
    * Number of Banks: 4
    * Dual Channel Support: N.A.
    * CPU Manufacturer: AuthenticAMD
    * CPU Family: AMD Sempron(tm) 3000+ Model 10, Stepping 0
    * CPU Speed: 2000 MHz

    Based upon this spec. what should the RAM be upgraded to and in one or two cards? Also, is it DDR I should be looking for and how much should it cost?


    Thanks in advance.


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    #10
    Amalgam
    Registered Users Posts: 6,026 ✭✭✭Amalgam


    Yorky, compress the footage to what format, what are your needs?

    If it is to some sort of portable or PC friendly format(XviD, DivX, Sony PSP, iPod, iTouch, iPhone etc), then I would suggest Handbrake. You click on 'Source' at the top, locate your DV footage, click on it, then click on an 'encoding profile' on the right of the screen, then click on Start, at the top, beside the button that says Source..

    Pretty much impossible to go wrong..

    (works like a champ under Linux and Windows. Handbrake is free.)

    Handbrake: http://handbrake.fr/


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    #11
    Yorky
    Registered Users Posts: 1,485 ✭✭✭Yorky


    Amalgam wrote: »
    Yorky, compress the footage to what format, what are your needs?

    If it is to some sort of portable or PC friendly format(XviD, DivX, Sony PSP, iPod, iTouch, iPhone etc), then I would suggest Handbrake. You click on 'Source' at the top, locate your DV footage, click on it, then click on an 'encoding profile' on the right of the screen, then click on Start, at the top, beside the button that says Source..

    Pretty much impossible to go wrong..

    (works like a champ under Linux and Windows. Handbrake is free.)

    Handbrake: http://handbrake.fr/

    I want to compress it to a format which will not take up so much hard drive space. I want to store it on my PC and back it up to my external hard drive.

    Any thoughts on the RAM upgrade?


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    #12
    Slutmonkey57b
    Registered Users Posts: 5,552 ✭✭✭Slutmonkey57b


    Yorky wrote: »
    I want to compress it to a format which will not take up so much hard drive space. I want to store it on my PC and back it up to my external hard drive.

    Any thoughts on the RAM upgrade?

    I can tell you now from experience that transcoding raw miniDV to a smaller format is going to take days on that machine, ram upgrade or no. Video transcoding is a big CPU hog.
    PS: I'm not joking when I say "days" either. Certainly budget no less than 12 hours at a time. I used to set it overnight and it wouldn't be finished til I got back from work the next day.


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