Canopus troubles

I just bought an ADVC 110 so I can digitize some VHS tapes to DV. Using the 6 pin firewire connector, I'm able to capture but with major problems. While capturing, the image in the preview window freezes briefly every few seconds. When I play back the resulting DV in FCP, it is full of "jumps' in the video and audio. The VHS tapes are in good condition and have no copy protection.

FCP studio 5.1.1
OS 10.4.7
Quicktime 7.1
G5 dual 2 ghz
2 gb RAM
500 GB SATA RAID

<<<it is full of "jumps' in the video and audio.>>>

That happens when the System can't keep up with the incoming DV data stream. I get this, too, when I capture and accidentally have the machine doing something else at the same time, or don't let the machine save the last thing it captured.

Look around for full drives. At least 10% full on all the drives including the System Drive.


You should have QuickTime Pro, right? Disconnect **everything** from the Mac except the Canopus, keyboard, monitor, and mouse. I mean it. Everything, all the SATAs, pointing devices, etc. Restart.

Launch QuickTime Pro and select File, New Movie Recording, set it for Device Native. Play a tape and launch the QuickTime capture.

Did that work? If it didn't, there's something serious wrong with the basic machine and there's nothing wrong with Final Cut.

Let us know.

Koz

>>At least 10% full on all the drives including the System Drive. <<

By which he means there should be at least 10% *free* on all drives.

Edit : Also - if you have any virus protection running, turn it off. If it's Norton's, take it out and shoot it.

Yes all my drives have plenty of free space. I tried disconnecting everything, even my audio mixer and that did improve things a little bit, so that now the Canopus problem has become intermittent. Sometimes the capture goes fine, others times it starts OK then starts to freeze after a minute or so, sometimes it's screwed up from the start. Shutting down and restarting seems to ensure that my first capture attempt will be OK. One thing I have noticed is that whenever it freezes, the fan on the G5 kicks in very loud.

Oh yeah, I tried capturing via Quicktime, and it seems to be exactly as problematic.

I'd sure hate to think the problem is with my G5, buts that begs another question. The Canopus is plugged in to the same firewire port I use with my DVCAM deck, and I've never had a problem capturing from that. Is there something different about the data streams from the my DSR-45 and the Canopus?

-Phil

FCP studio 5.1.1
OS 10.4.7
Quicktime 7.1
G5 dual 2 ghz
2 gb RAM
500 GB SATA RAID

It's a standard "Mini DV" data stream. You can plug it into anyplace that will handle a camcorder.

<<<the fan on the G5 kicks in very loud.>>>

That's a big problem. The fans go full on when the machine thinks it has lost control of its internal processes. The safety default is to run the fans on full until the problem is cleared and the system becomes stable again.

<<<Yes all my drives have plenty of free space.>>>

*All* your drives? Did you disconnect them? Try capturing straight to the internal System Drive with nothing else connected.

In QuickTime capture, did it look OK in the preview window? If it only crashes when you actually try to record to the hard drives, then there may be something wrong with them--but start with the System Drive by itself.

Koz

Could it be that there is VHS time base error that the Canopus ADVC 110 is not correcting?
I know the ADVC 110 does not have a digital TB correction feature, but the ADVC 300 does.
That could result in jitter and "jumping" video/audio.

<<<Could it be that there is VHS time base error that the Canopus ADVC 110 is not correcting? >>>

I don't think so. My ADVC-100 has no trouble converting some very ratty tapes I own. The illustration on the box clearly tells us it's intended to convert in and out of VHS, S-VHS, BetaMax, Hi8 and Low-8.

I believe there are people on the forum using a 110 to digitize VHS. It is worth checking out the specs, tho. Stranger things have happened.

Also, one of the symptoms is a change in capture quality when the computer environment changes, and none of this would give you speeded up fans on the G5. That speed change alone tells me the machine can't perform this task correctly and is in serious trouble.

Koz

This also sounds like something that might happen if you try to view on the monitor through the device and the desktop at the same time. Try choosing just one viewing option.
Jack

Wow, thanks for all the feedback, this forum is awesome!
My SATA raid is internal, so I couldn't disconnect it.
Koz; in the QT capture, I see the problem in the preview as well as record.
I've now gone through dozens of attempts to capture VHS, and it's the same every time. My first attempt after firing up the machine, or after a restart usually captures fine, with no fan noise. The next 1 or 2 attempts will start OK, then the fan kicks in and my capture stutters. Any attempts after that will be screwed from the start. Looks like I've got G5 troubles. But I'm still scratching my head over why I don't have this problem with my DSR 45

<<< Looks like I've got G5 troubles. >>>

I'm not going that far. One of the two is in trouble.

How possible is it to connect the Canopus to a different Mac?

Just in passing..... You do have the Canopus set right, right? (I'm assuming NTSC)

NTSC, 7.5, Locked, 48/16, and the other two don't matter. Those are the switches on the bottom of my 100. If those are wrong, that will create all kinds of trouble.

Another thing to try. You should be able to play the Canopus to *anything* that will accept a FireWire connection. Borrow your mom's camcorder and see if you can record to that from the Canopus FireWire output.

Koz

My DIP switches are all set like yours. Unfortunately, I don't have another Mac or a camcorder to test. That a good idea, though.

Play it into the DSR-45.

Koz

The analog input on my deck is broken, which is why I bought the Canopus in the first place.

<<<The analog input on my deck is broken, which is why I bought the Canopus in the first place.>>>

Take the DV output of the Canopus and plug it into the DV connection of the DSR-45. The tape machine should be able to record the output of the Canopus. If it can't--if it's doing the same thing--then the Canopus may be broken.

Koz

The canopus won't do an additional DV output whille it's connected to the G5 via firewire, which it needs for power. Apparently, I need a DC power adapter - sold seperately of course.

<<sold seperately of course.>>>

So I guess that's one of the ways they "improved" the 110. The 100 comes with a power brick.

Well here's the thing. The only way you're going to solve this is to involve Something Else and trace which way the problem goes. You can't stay within your boundries. People have solved problems like this by shot-gunning techniques, but that involves an enormous quantity of luck or a huge amount of time or both.

Almost any modern second Mac with QuickTime Pro will do it. I think even iMovie might work for those who bought iLife. Of course, a second machine with Final Cut on it will certainly work.

Did you get the 110 new? I thought they were up to higher model numbers now.

I'm out of ideas.

Koz

What speed are the tapes recorded in?

This is dropped frames. FCP isn't reporting the dropped frames because the Canopus is dropping them and sending the rest of the frames as a solid stream.

It's just a matter of a weak control track on the tapes. I've gotten around it before by dubbing to DVCam or DVCPro and then capturing that tape. Unfortunately, your DSR45 won't take the analog input.

Find a TBC to use to place between the VHS & the Canopus. It can be a standalone TBC or a deck with a TBC (and working analog inputs).

travis ballstadt
www.thrillcateditorial.com

G5DP2.5ghz, 4.5gbRAM, 2TB external SATA, Panasonic AJ-D455, G4PB1ghz, 15", 1gbRAM

A DSR-45 will certainly take an analog composite, component, or S-Video input.

That's what makes 'em so versatile!

But if you read the thread, the analog input on his dsr45 is broken, so it won't.

travis ballstadt
www.thrillcateditorial.com

G5DP2.5ghz, 4.5gbRAM, 2TB external SATA, Panasonic AJ-D455, G4PB1ghz, 15", 1gbRAM

Oops, sorry.

I only read the "new" ones this morning, and had forgotten...

deb

The forum is in pages and chapters now and it's a little rough to keep up.

<<<What speed are the tapes recorded in? >>>

If it is a tape problem, then you should be able to play an older, proven good tape to make sure.

I'm sticking with the Second Machine. If you can't somehow involve a second Mac, you may never figure this out.

Koz

Thanks guys. I'm gonna bring my G5 and the canopus to to the Macc store where I purchased it and see what they can do - either test the canopus or troubleshhoot my G5 - I've been reading that some machines made around the time I bought mine have had power supply problems.