12-bit Audio output while capturing DV

[Bouncing Account needs new email address]

[Richard Tabit] ” It turns out the camcorder can be set to record 16-bit audio but it can only output 12-bit through the firewire.”

Are you SURE?

Never encountered that on any little Panny before.

It would have to TRANSCODE the 16-bit to 12-bit in real-time to accomplish that and I see no reason it would “want” to do that.

Are you sure the tape is recorded in 16-bit.

Just asking because I can’t tell from here.

[Richard Tabit]

Hey thanks for responding. Yeah, I thought it was plenty odd too so I called Panasonic and one of their techs checked out their documentation and confirmed it. I still don’t believe it – like you said, why would they want to go through the extra processing – maybe it’s cheaper for them – who knows?

I will say that the finished capture seems fine so I may not worry too much about it. I do like the camera for off the cuff stuff and family footage. Maybe the pro camera was set to 12-bit recording by mistake.

Mystery so far… to me anyway.

[Chris Borjis]

most camcorders come set that way unfortunately.

I would immediately set it for 16-bit.

It makes absolutely no sense that it would record 16-bit and pass 12-bit. Sounds like a defect.

When I encounter 12-bit audio on DV tapes for capture, they are ALWAYS out of synch when checked.

the workaround is to plug the firewire cable into a canopus 110 A/D box and plug its firewire cable into the mac, transcoding the 12-bit to 16-bit.

[Richard Tabit]

I agree and thanks. I wonder if there’s a disconnect somewhere – something I’m not quite understanding because the final captures have all been in synch.

Appreciate the responses though – I plan to carry on cautiously. ;>)