GeordieSkydiver 0 #1 November 16, 2004 I have a JVC DV camera with a firewire connection. When I d/l the movies to my PC using that connection, what software is best for quality? I just use microsoft movie maker and the quality is terrible (compared to playback from camera to TV). What does everyone else use?Lee _______________________________ In a world full of people, only some want to fly, is that not crazy? http://www.ukskydiver.co.uk Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jib 0 #2 November 16, 2004 How much do you want to spend? www.avid.com has/had a free stripped down copy of their software. -------------------------------------------------- the depth of his depravity sickens me. -- Jerry Falwell, People v. Larry Flynt Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
indyz 1 #3 November 16, 2004 I use Windows Movie Maker to grab the raw DV from the camera. The quality is the same as any other program is capable of getting. The problem is probably caused by the way you are encoding the video after you capture it. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
GeordieSkydiver 0 #4 November 16, 2004 QuoteI use Windows Movie Maker to grab the raw DV from the camera. The quality is the same as any other program is capable of getting. The problem is probably caused by the way you are encoding the video after you capture it. Can you expand on this...? Lets pretend I know nothing...oh wait.. I do know nothing..Lee _______________________________ In a world full of people, only some want to fly, is that not crazy? http://www.ukskydiver.co.uk Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Zoter 0 #5 November 16, 2004 QuoteI use Windows Movie Maker to grab the raw DV from the camera. The quality is the same as any other program is capable of getting Exactly......check thye default settings you are using for capture in Movie Maker. If you want the 'best' quality then choose the capture format as DV AVI........as a general rule.....whatever format you choose to capture in ( and there may be many) the ones that have the biggest file size are usually the best quality. If you are loading huge amonts of data.....ie > 15-30mins....you had better make sure you have a huge hard drive as wll as a pretty high spec video graphics card ( for capture) Personally.....any file that is over 1 Gig....i 'breakdown' the capture into smaller files....this just makes it easier to import into most video editing software programs.... So its not the 'software' you are using thats at fault......it will be the format you are 'capturing' it in, or the limitations of your systems video capture hardware.........other than that...are you sure the DV tape is not in any way damaged....or old ( ie written over many times), this may affect the final capture quality as well. Edited to add: if you are using Movie Maker '1'....downlaod the latest version of Movie maker ( '2')......the Capture /Options screens/prompts are a little easier to understand....and a bit quicker as well Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AndyMan 7 #6 November 17, 2004 I'm curious by what you mean when you say "the quality is terrible". DV-25 is DV-25. The video signal comes off your camera, travels down the firewire, and is recorded onto your hard disk. There really isn't any "magic" going on here, no matter what software package you're using. Things only start to get interesting once you start fucking with the video. Microsoft movie maker is capable of compressing video using a variety of different formats. Some have high compression, good for the web, but look like crap. Others barely compress at all and look good, suitable for a CDROM. Choose settings appropriately. The "better" software packages only tend to have more toys available. They'll give you things like transitions and special effects, but they largely won't make the quality of your video any cleaner. Ultimately, its how you "compress" the footage afterwards that results in a good quality picture or not. _Am__ You put the fun in "funnel" - craichead. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Zoter 0 #7 November 17, 2004 QuoteMicrosoft movie maker is capable of compressing video using a variety of different formats The only problem with MovieMaker is that whilst the array of compressions formats is decent.....it always wants to save them as .wmv files ( being windows)....apart from .avi option Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
GeordieSkydiver 0 #8 November 17, 2004 Thanks guys, I think its just a case of compression ratio. I'm gonna try the .avi format and see what the picture is like, I've been reading all the tips on movie maker. Thanks again.Lee _______________________________ In a world full of people, only some want to fly, is that not crazy? http://www.ukskydiver.co.uk Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
sabr190 0 #9 November 17, 2004 Just FYI: I have been messing around with Movie Maker for a couple of weeks, like some of the others have said, check your compression ration. Mine still looks like crap on the monitor, but when I burn to a DVD or CD the quality is pretty good. I wish I was near my home pc and I would tell you what my settings are. "The needs of the many out weigh the needs of the few, or the one" - rehmwa Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Zoter 0 #10 November 17, 2004 Thats a very good point.........the image you see in your preview screen during editing is NOT what you get when you export your project. Apologies...I had assumed you has already exported it and still had poor quality images The preview window is exactly that ....a preview.....and as a default most preview screens are pretty low quality so that little editing changes dont takes ages to render, but are 'real time' Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
nacmacfeegle 0 #11 November 18, 2004 Lee, what exact model of camera are you using? IE can it take a DV signal into it. If so, when you are editing you should be able to preview the final cut by hooking the camera up to a TV via the composite lead, whilst its still hooked up to the edit PC via Firewire (its called a loop through monitor). This is my preferred method of checking edits in progress, as it shows what the final footage is really like.-------------------- He who receives an idea from me, receives instruction himself without lessening mine; as he who lights his taper at mine, receives light without darkening me. Thomas Jefferson Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
GeordieSkydiver 0 #12 November 18, 2004 Its a JVC GR-DVL520, and I dont know what you mean....Lee _______________________________ In a world full of people, only some want to fly, is that not crazy? http://www.ukskydiver.co.uk Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
nacmacfeegle 0 #13 November 19, 2004 PM'd you mate.-------------------- He who receives an idea from me, receives instruction himself without lessening mine; as he who lights his taper at mine, receives light without darkening me. Thomas Jefferson Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
