Digital video camera.. out of sync on pc!?

[Super Pig]

Well, this is a digital video forum.. so i guess its ok to post here, my apologies if im not really aloud... (let me know)

The problem is, i use Image mixer & sony DCRTRV 355-e to playback video on my computer through USB streaming.. however, after around 5-10 mins of watching the sound goes out of sync terribly on my computer and it is out by around 4 seconds.. if i click record to capture the file to my drive it starts capturing normal ( in sync ) but when im just previewing.. it goes out of sync, if i flip out the screen on the camera you can tell its way off since it is in sync and you can watch it the same time its playing on the pc.

Anyway.. ive tried alot ot solve this problem, ive tried it on another pc next to me aswell.. same thing, the only way i can get rid of it is to unplug the USB and plug it back in so the computer re-recognises the camera. I have uninstalled and reinstalled sound drivers, tried updating them... and also have reinstalled the usb drivers for the camera numerous times.. im pretty fed up with it, been to other forums but no help.

Anyone can help at all?

[Super Pig]

ok.. i just plugged in my DV lead into the cam and the other end into the firewire port.. it doesnt go out of sync.

So does anyone know what the problem is?!! it seems to be something with the USB

[rsquirell]

vids go out of synch because you are dropping frames. Probably because your USB is USB1.1 (or at least acting like it's 1.1) rather than 2.0. USB2.0 ports have been known to act like USB1.1 when you have multiple ports, and one of them is connected to a USB1.1 device (like a printer.) You need USB2.0to get the high bitrate of transfer necessary in video.

[ormonde]

To Super Pig:

If you are having successful results using the Firewire Port, why not just stick with that.

[Super Pig]

because its not totally succesful, i like being able to hear the sound on my monitor while capturing to the hard drive to make sure its all ok..

Besides.. i can only use capturing in pixela image mixer, i try it with pinnacle studio and after i capture it there is all black lines moving on the screen when people or objects move!..

no one knows any solutions?

as for my USB in the bios im allowed to set USB 1.1 or USB 2.0, i have ports at the back 4 of them.. so which one do i plug it in?? or will it not make a difference? it is on 2.0 right now

i have nothing else plugged into the other usb ports either.. at least not yet, i had a printer plugged in there once.. but not any more

[rsquirell]

2.0 allows for much higher bitrates of capture (less frame dropping...synch problems). If you're insisting on going the USB route you have to find a way to determine which ports are USB2...and make sure they are in the registry as USB2. Frankly I agree with ormonde...DV should be captured thru the IEEE 1394 firewire port. That way you can use any video editor to capture it...and the IEEE standards are higher, more precise (you could use your
Pinnacle8 to capture the DV directly...as MPEG2 if you wanted.) The bios is going to show both types of USB because it's generically designed to work with anything. If you can't find it in your registry specifically listed as a USB2 port...you may want to invest in a $20 BestBuy PCA card with USB2.0 ports which you plug into one of your external card slots. It comes with drivers which are different from USB1.1.

[Super Pig]

Well it says in the motherboard manual that they are all usb 1.1/2.0.. I have been reinstalling drivers all morning and still the sound gets out of sync with the USB.. BTW i noticed it goes back in sync even if i alter the monitor resolution and click apply.. hmm.. Odd.. i wonder if other people get this problem.. i myself, seem to think the problem is with Direct X 9, that may seem stupid.. but since i installed from DX8 to DX9 i get lower performance in games aswell according to benchmarks.. just a guess though

anyway, i could use firewire but like i said i like getting sound on my monitor while capturing.. hence the reason for USB.. plus, when i capture the video with any other program i get black lines going through the recorded file whenever there is movement, whether that is anything to do with the settings tho im not sure of.

Just to let you know, i do have 2 USB 2 ports, but i think they plug in somewhere inside the PC and stick out the pci ports end.. i kept them spare from my other motherboard ( if i remember correctly ) actually they might be from my current board.. they came from somewhere anyway maybe this will help.. or not?? its not external though, so whether it'd be no different than the ones already inside i have no clue.. there is a lead which plugs into the board somewhere.. not sure where tho ive not looked yet

it's odd how i havent found any posts anywhere with anyone else having this problem, it cant be just me though.. and my motherboard is quite new so i cant see it being that either, especially since i tried it on another computer.

But if you can at least reply to the more important DV capturing problem above then please do..

Thanks

P.S is there any chance of getting the superb same quality through Firewire as when i plug my cam directly into the TV?

Thx again

[rsquirell]

Seeing the horizontal black movement lines is normal when making a high bitrate capture with the video on on the capture viewer, but when you play the capture file it should look less pronounced....and it should disappear when the capture file is rendered. Depending on what program is used for capture...the process can be a CPU hog....and by opting for video AND audio during capture might be taxing your CPU too much....causing dropped frames (out-of-synch).

[Super Pig]

But i am on a 2600+ athlon.. i wouldnt have thought it'd tax it that much.. BTW i think there is snowiness (like a bit of graininess) in the vids when i make it full screen on the monitor, but it seems alot clearer than USB

[rsquirell]

Well...it's yours to play with. There are tools in the download area you can use to monitor CPU usage (among other things). Capturing video can be a tricky task. Little things...like connections and using short gold wires can make all the difference in the world. The DVXCEL Test Utility I use to capture thru my DVC-150 uses only 25% CPU with the video option....that allows me to surf the web while capturing....but I'm too chicken to try it with both video and audio...why tempt the fates?

[Super Pig]

Now that i think about it, no TV monitor (unless a very new expensive plasma 50") goes over the full resolution of the cam anyway.. so perhaps that is why i am trying to use it full screen at 1024 by 768 on my desktop, that would explain why it gets a bit grainer perhaps.. unless the video only goes certain size anyway.

But i didnt know about gold plated DV leads, you can actually buy these? do you know how much difference the lead would make exactly and to what mainly? my dad recently bought some gold plated scart leads to get rid of ghosting on his TV.. so whether this would do the same but for quality (grains) im not sure of.

Thanks though you have been very helpful

[rsquirell]

check out any radio shack, best buy, circuit city , staples....everyone has gold plated leads.