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HDV Capture with PPCS3
Hi;
Please, if you can, read this entire post before rolling your eyes at me. This is my first run at HDV on PPCS3 and I need to make sure.
A producer gave me some tapes which were recorded on a Sony Z1U.
Assuming they were recorded in HDV Mode we rented a Sony HVR M15U to
digitize.I set up an HDV project in PPCS3 under the 1080/60i preset (as per Douglas on the HDV Forum) and used my 4 to 6 pin firewire to make the connection. When I go to capture the message I get at the top of the capture screen is “Can’t activate recorder. Try resetting camera”. After trying all of the different device settings I still couldn’t get any action on the capture screen.
This, however, is where it gets either very hard or very easy.
When I change the capture settings from HDV to DV capture then I can capture ok but importing the footage into the 1080/60I project only fills a small portion of the screen. The footage registers as
720×480(1.2) in the project folders as well and fills the screen properly in a 720×480 widescreen preset project.I guess what I really need to understand is if the shooters downconverted in camera, shot in DV Wide, or if I am somehow doing something wrong and downconverting their footage as I digitize.
I have read all relevant parts of the HVR M15U manual and believe that I have all of the switches set properly to dump over HDV but I cannot gain access to the on-screen menus. By the way the shooters and their cameras are unavailable to us at this time but that doesn’t change my deadline.
As always any help is appreciated
Dan
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4 Replies
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The deck itself should tell you via lights on the front panel what format and standard the footage was shot in. It will also tell you what format you are sending out via firewire (ilink). They should match. If not, you have the DOWNCONVERT setting on.
I suspect the footage was shot in HDV but you indeed have the deck’s DOWNCONVERT setting on. I’m not familiar w/ the M15 but I’ve used several of Sony’s other HDV decks and they all have similar menu structures. You’ll need to hook the deck up to a monitor in order see the menus. Make sure DOWNCONVERT is set to off and that the HDV/DV setting is set to HDV (or DV if the footage is DV) and not AUTO. The computer and the deck don’t work and play well together when it’s on AUTO and it’ll wreak havoc when you try to capture something.
I think the DOWNCONVERT setting is in the IN/OUT menu which is the icon w/ the two arrows pointing in opposite directions.
Of course if the footage was actually shot in DV then all bets are off and you’re out of luck.
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Thanks for the info David it is much appreciated
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Hi Dan,
To add to Dave’s good advice – disconnect deck from 1394, then change downconvert to OFF, then reconnect deck to 1394. It is important that the PC recognize the camera or deck as an HDV device and not a DV device. Also, don’t open Premiere Pro until AFTER you have connected deck to PC and PC has recognized the device connection.
Jeff Pulera
Safe Harbor Computers
http://www.sharbor.com -
Thanks Jeff
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