Is it possible to transfer from DV to computer at fast speeds?

10 Apr 2006 11:32 AM

johannblake

I have a DV camcorder and would like to transfer the contents to my
computer. I am using Microsoft Movie Maker. The program transfers the
video at the same speed as the video plays with, that is, the normal
viewing speed.

I have a Sony high-end camcorder.

Is this a problem with the software or hardware or both? Or is this
something common to all camcorders? I would think that theoretically it
should be possible to have the camcorder fast forwarding and
transferring at the same time using Firewire.

Thanks for your insight
Johann Blake

10 Apr 2006 4:06 PM

Crunchy Doodle

That's the way it is with all DV camcorders, even professional level
units. Only SD or P2 memory card camcorders can transfer at well above
normal play speeds.

Bye.

10 Apr 2006 8:55 PM

Gene E. Bloch

On 4/10/2006, Crunchy Doodle posted this:

> That's the way it is with all DV camcorders, even professional level
> units. Only SD or P2 memory card camcorders can transfer at well above
> normal play speeds.
>
> Bye.

Add to that DVD (which can be put in the computer's drive), as well as
any HDD camcorder where the HDD can act like a USB or FireWire drive
(analogous to iPod, by golly, which transfers songs and videos faster
than real-time - but only *to* the iPod).

Gino

--
Gene E. Bloch (Gino)
letters617blochg3251
(replace the numbers by "at" and "dotcom")

11 Apr 2006 3:03 PM

Mr. Tapeguy

johannbl***@yahoo.com wrote:
Show quoteHide quote

> I have a DV camcorder and would like to transfer the contents to my
> computer. I am using Microsoft Movie Maker. The program transfers the
> video at the same speed as the video plays with, that is, the normal
> viewing speed.
>
> I have a Sony high-end camcorder.
>
> Is this a problem with the software or hardware or both? Or is this
> something common to all camcorders? I would think that theoretically it
> should be possible to have the camcorder fast forwarding and
> transferring at the same time using Firewire.
>
> Thanks for your insight
> Johann Blake

The follow-up posts are essentially correct correct. Sony does have
some higher-end formats such as Betacam SX which can transfer at high
speed. Other than that, only disc-based formats.

12 Apr 2006 2:21 PM

Dave Martindale

johannbl***@yahoo.com writes:

>I have a DV camcorder and would like to transfer the contents to my
>computer. I am using Microsoft Movie Maker. The program transfers the
>video at the same speed as the video plays with, that is, the normal
>viewing speed.

>Is this a problem with the software or hardware or both? Or is this
>something common to all camcorders? I would think that theoretically it
>should be possible to have the camcorder fast forwarding and
>transferring at the same time using Firewire.

It's basically a hardware problem. At normal speed, the tape movement
and video head rotation are synchronized so that the video head reads
every scanline from each picture in turn. In fast forward, the tape
movement speeds up but the video head drum does not. At a fast forward
speed of 5X real time (for example), one output video field actually
contains image information from 5 original video fields - but only 1/5
of the scanlines (at most) from each field. So you get 5X speed by
skipping 4/5 of the data, not by playing it all 5X faster.

To get all of the video data at even 2X real time speed, the head drum
would have to rotate at 2X normal speed, and that would inevitably cost
more (it's already spinning pretty fast).

Dave