Importing DV to PC

[russellclow]

Hi,

I have about 2 and a half hours worth of wedding footage on my Sony DCR-TRV270E HandyCam digital Camcorder. The camera has a link to PC method via a USB lead, which I've configured (and its being recognised). However, when I import the video from the camera to the PC, its quality is awful.

I have tried 2 different programs, with the same results: Sony Picture Package (software that came with the camera) and also Sony Vegas 5.0.

Both of them accept the camera via the USB, and I can capture the video. At the highest settings, uncompressed, the video is still grainy and of poor quality when put on Full screen.

I basically want to get the video off the Digital Camcorder, at DVD quality, edit it, compress it to MPEG-2 (DVD accepted format) and burn it to DVD for everyone to watch.

The fact that I cant get the video onto my PC at DVD quality in the first place is causing a problem.

Am I doing something wrong? Is the software not right? Do I need something better than a USB connection (e.g. Firewire?)

Any help on how to get the video on the PC at DVD quality image would be fantastic - I really appreciate the help.

Thanks alot

Russ Clow

[jmet]

Welcome to the Digital Digest Video forum russellclow!

What are the specs on the camera itself? Pixel ratio of camera?

[russellclow]

Welcome to the Digital Digest Video forum russellclow!

What are the specs on the camera itself? Pixel ratio of camera?

Thanks alot for the quick response. In all honesty, I have no idea. I cant see anything written in the box about pixel ratio?

I did a search for the camera on amazon, and got this:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/tg/stores/detail/-/electronics/B0007NLHCU/system-requirements/ref=ed_tec_dp_2_1/202-1731073-9284609

Again, can't see anything on there about pixel ratio?

EDIT: On further searching found this at http://www.unbeatable.co.uk/CatalogueItem_24884.html:


<TABLE class=Lt id=_ctl10_SpecList style="WIDTH: 100%; BORDER-COLLAPSE: collapse" cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=2 border=0><TBODY><TR class=Lai><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #cccccc 1px solid" align=left>Maximum Pixel (in Megapixel) </TD><TD style="FONT-STYLE: italic">5.4

</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

[anonymez]

i have a panasonic camera, i capture losslessly (without quality loss) with firewire using an excellent, small, free program called "windv". i suggest you try it

windv and a guide to using it (not that it really needs one) can be found here: http://www.doom9.org

[jmet]

Just curious, where in the world, are you located? US? Europe?

[UncasMS]

i have imported material from panasonics via firewire to pinnacle and the import quality was fine

are you sure the input quality was high/perfect and import was lossless?

[russellclow]

Thanks for the responses guys.

Its not a panasonic, its a Sony - and it uses a USB connection to import, not firewire. Is it worth getting a firewire connection (it does support it)?

I have a feeling it might be the fact that the camera doesn't capture at a paticularly high pixel rate anyway.

Any more help would be great - I'll keep trying !
Thanks again

Russ

[UncasMS]

firewire is much faster

maybe usb cannot provide you with the same quality/resolution as firewire might

check your manual for the specs

[russellclow]

i have a panasonic camera, i capture losslessly (without quality loss) with firewire using an excellent, small, free program called "windv". i suggest you try it

windv and a guide to using it (not that it really needs one) can be found here: http://www.doom9.org

I cant find that program "windv" anywhere?

[UncasMS]

http://windv.mourek.cz/

[russellclow]

ah - it needs a firewire connection. Doesn't accept USB :/

[russellclow]

i have imported material from panasonics via firewire to pinnacle and the import quality was fine

are you sure the input quality was high/perfect and import was lossless?

Is it worth purchasing Pinnacle uncasMS?

[UncasMS]

to tell you the truth: dvd output still disappoints me

and because final output quality matters most i can not recommend current versions

[russellclow]

It looks pretty good apart from DVD output.

Is it that it outputs at a poor quality or what?

[UncasMS]

i consider dvd output quality very poor with pinnacle

otherwise i consider pinnacle a very decent software