Freeze frames during video capture

Recently I encountered a problem while downloading (capturing) footage. When I place the footage on the timeline I found several "freeze frames." The sound continues but a frame freezes for about a second or two, and then motion continues as normal. The sound track seems to stay in synch. I'm wondering if anyone else has encountered this problem, and if so what was the cause and fix.

Apple Tech Support says it's my hard drive, but I tend to think it's something else because the sound track stays in synch with the video once motion is resumed.

<<<Recently I encountered a problem while downloading (capturing) footage.>>>

From what?

Some idea of the machine and version numbers would be good. Do you ever get the Spinning Beach Ball during capture?

Koz

Have you got any AntiVirus software running on your machine?
Or is the drive full or formated in other file system than the Mac.
What kind of computer are you editing, if it is a laptop, make yourself a favor and use a external drive, firewire with at least 7200rpm 8 RAM cahe.
Can you send more details?

Rui Barros
Editor Colorist Trainer
Lisbon, Portugal
RTP Post-Production
Apple Certified Trainer FCP 7
Apple Certified Pro FCP 7

And downloading is not the same as capturing. Downloading is getting a file from the web; capturing is encoding video as it plays into the computer. Capturing is in real time (screen-capturing video, for example); downloading is not.

Give the hardware and format details Koz is asking for and we'll go from there.


www.derekmok.com

I am using a Mac Pro, dual intel 3ghz, 6gb ddr2, ATI 512mb vidocard, 1.5tb internal raid 0 harddrive, Downloading from Sony DRS-11, using mini-dv tape.

Please let me know if I need to post any other vital info I overlooked.

Thanks, T-Mar-P

I am capturing from mini-dv, original master tape raw footage shot with Panasonic HVX-200--anything else?

....and yes, I am running Virus Barrier X4...should I be turning off the active monitor?? Could that me my problem?

Virus software isn't anything close as critical on a Mac as it is on a PC and it can interfere with video capture work because it insists on inspecting everything as it arrives. Video doesn't wait. If you don't grab it right now, then there will be a hole in your show.

You may have other problems, but that's a darn good start.

Koz

Hey Koz, thanks, I'll try that...disabling the anti-virus and see if it happens again. But just to be clear, there isn't a "hole" in the image, it is a frozen frame, just like if I inserted a still.

<<<it is a frozen frame>>>

I think that's when security decided to stop you, pat you down, and take everything out of your trunk.

Try it without those services working.

Koz

i too am having this problem and have a big project coming up - in the process of upgrading after this next project - any ideas????
No virus program running here are the specs

computer powerbook g4 1.33 ghz 512 mb mac osx 10.4.9
(just trying to get this last project out then upgrade)

capturing video in fcp hd (have the upgrade not enough space to do it till new computer)
freeze frames - audio continues????
no externals - just trying to put on hd right now - (only have 25 g to work with)

thanks for any ideas...
also if anyone can suggest ideas on the upgrade - i do like the laptop......(mac pro? - ideas on specs - and video card?)
thanks for everything - you all are great to be here!!!!! Tricia

<<<big project coming up>>> <<<512 mb>>>

We assume you're editing very slowly. No effects. Very little rendering. Show chopped into five or ten minute chunks.

How big is the internal hard drive? 80G?

In your case, I would totally be using a PCCard adapter to an empty outside FireWire drive. Daisy chaining FireWire things (camcorder, hard drive) may just add to your problems.

If the machine doesn't support PCCards, that could be interesting......

You've been reading the tread, have you tried everything? Activity Monitor?

Koz

thanks Kozikowski

the project is maybe 18 mt video about some artists here that are receiving an award from the mayor - some interview stuff & artwork

internal hard drive 80g
i do have a pccard to a firewire drive - still freezing frames (camera is hooked to computer - and external thru pccard adapter - i tried that first still freezing so i tried putting on hd then would have moved it over...no luck

thanks again
tricia

<<<i do have a pccard to a firewire drive>>>

I hate it when people do everything right and it still doesn't work.

Shucks......

<<<have 25 g to work with>>><<<internal hard drive 80g>>>

See? That should work.

Does the tape play by itself into the viewfinder or external monitor? Can you change FireWire cables? Can you borrow you mom's camcorder long enough to try that? I'm halfway convinced it may not be the Mac.

Can you capture a completely different tape, say that year-old trip to the beach tape?

One more. Did you accidentally put a "/" mark in a filename somewhere--or punctuation anywhere? OS-X Hates that.

Koz

Hey Koz,

You responded to my initial query concerning freezes during mini dv capture, well I'm still having it. I looked into my "Active Monitor" and turned off just about everything I could that would be "monitoring" my system. One other thing I did notice with the most recent freeze, and that is my sound tract slipped a bit. I had to re-synch the sound by about the length of the freeze. It was as if the video froze on one frame for about 3 seconds--that's how much my sound tract was ahead of the video after the freeze; before the freeze the sound was in synch. Any ideas now?

Being a new user to the LAFCPUG, could you tell me how I could repost my original question so that I might solicit more answers to this problem? Maybe if other have experienced it, I might be able to resolve it. If you need the vitals of my machine, I believe you can look it up underneath my profile.

Could this be a dropped frame issue during capture with the "Abort Capture on Dropped Frames" dialog turned off? I used to have this issue when capturing from analog Hi8.

Steve