KeyDemon

Q: Problem importing analog Video8 through Digital8 camcorder and Firewire

Hi!

I have some Video8 cassettes from a Sanyo camcorder which is dying, so I purchased an old Sony DCR-TRV480E camcorder from eBay which can capture Digital8, but also playback and stream both Video8 and Hi8.

 

I finally received the camcorder, and tried playing back Video8, it immediately changes playback function and views my old videos with audio through its built in TBC and DNR. Everything good so far.

 

Then when I hook it up to my MBP 2011 (Yosemite) through the FireWire-800 port, and choose import my (not supported) camera shows up and plays video and audio beautifully when clicking "Import". Only problem is - It doesn't import! It says" No data from device" in the upper right corner, even though it is playing back the video with audio in the import window without any problems.

 

The same happens in iMovie.

 

Anyone who's seen the same problem? I would want my DV's imported to FCPX without any quality loss, so I can finally have them digitalized, and get rid of those old tapes.

 

I appreciate any help on the matter.

Skjermbilde 2016-05-20 kl. 00.10.33.png

Posted on May 19, 2016 11:26 PM

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Q: Problem importing analog Video8 through Digital8 camcorder and Firewire

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  • by Alchroma,

    Alchroma Alchroma May 20, 2016 12:55 PM in response to KeyDemon
    Level 6 (18,906 points)
    Video
    May 20, 2016 12:55 PM in response to KeyDemon

    FCP X requires timecode.

    Most 8mm and Hi-8mm cameras did not have timecode written to tape.

     

    Try Quicktime X to capture your footage.

    If you have QuickTime 7 Pro this would be even better option than QT X for capture.

     

    Al

  • by thesurreyfriends,Solvedanswer

    thesurreyfriends thesurreyfriends May 20, 2016 12:56 PM in response to KeyDemon
    Level 3 (833 points)
    May 20, 2016 12:56 PM in response to KeyDemon

    For import, FCPX and iMovie ver 10 require Timecode.

    I do not believe that the FireWire output from the analogue to digital conversion of your Video8 tapes produces Timecode.

    You would get Timecode if the tapes had been recorded in digital (DV) in the first place.

    Try importing into QuickTime Player; i.e. the Record Function.

    How to use QuickTime Player - Apple Support

     

    For the quality option select Maximum.

    You will then need to import these files into FCPX

  • by KeyDemon,

    KeyDemon KeyDemon May 20, 2016 1:09 AM in response to Alchroma
    Level 1 (24 points)
    Mac OS X
    May 20, 2016 1:09 AM in response to Alchroma

    Thanks!

     

    But how about quality? As this will now be the files that I'll archive before editing, I need them to be in the best quality possible.

    I read about some using old iMovie HD 6 to import to DV, is this a good alternative? What about export from iMovie? Any possibility to import "lossless analog DV" to iMovie HD 6 and continue working in FCPX or similar?

    I also read a debate about Single Field Processing in newer iMovie versions, but I got lost on what this actually means.

    Preserving interlacing seems to be recommended? Unfortunately I'm a bit lost when it comes to these formats. I'm after all playing back an old analog video. What frames/resolution are we talking about with PAL Video8? 720x540 50fps? Somewhere around there?

     

    AFAIK older iMovie/FCP versions COULD import analog video through a Digital8 camera, why doesn't it work now?

    Some say that DV import to iMovie HD 6 and then export to DVD is the absolute best choice as the resolution is the same. I don't think that is correct, my experiences is that DVD always has somewhat lower quality.

     

    In any case, we're dealing with Video8 here, so it's low quality no matter what, but I'd like it to be as good as possible.

     

    I tried using Elgato Video Capture for my Mac when the Sanyo Camcorder was still working, but the end video quality was horrible!

  • by Alchroma,

    Alchroma Alchroma May 20, 2016 1:18 AM in response to KeyDemon
    Level 6 (18,906 points)
    Video
    May 20, 2016 1:18 AM in response to KeyDemon

    As mentioned QT 7 Pro would be my first choice.

    Second is QT X, you have have two options regards quality, High & Maximum:

    Screen Shot 2016-05-20 at 6.04.12 PM.png

    The above is a PAL file.

    Maximum uses ProRes 4444, in short, huge files for little gain for what you need with the start off footage, plus 44.1 audio, which is not ideal.

    High quality is what I'd try, small files and reasonable outcome. Note: also 44.1 audio. This will work in FCP X though.

     

    Try some TEST footage to see if you like the result using QT X.

     

    QuickTime 7 Pro delivers Native Device copies @ 48kHz audio, right on target.

     

    Another option is to jump for an A/D converter box if you can access one.

     

    Al

  • by KeyDemon,

    KeyDemon KeyDemon May 20, 2016 1:30 AM in response to Alchroma
    Level 1 (24 points)
    Mac OS X
    May 20, 2016 1:30 AM in response to Alchroma

    Great! Thanks! At least it will work. FCPX/iMovie seems to be a bad choice for import.

    Using FCP 5 or iMovie HD 6 seems to be possible, but they are both old and outdated.

     

    iMovie HD 6 seemed to be fairly good for import/export of DV, but I'm not sure how good the quality will be.

     

    Btw, I also found an app on App Store called "LifeFlix" Not sure how good it is, but it seems to handle analog video through Digital8 cams.

    http://www.lifeflix.com/pages/importing-compression-exporting-saving

    It also says that it supports uncompressed DV.

     

    But otherwise QT 7 seems to be a solution.

  • by Alchroma,

    Alchroma Alchroma May 20, 2016 2:53 AM in response to KeyDemon
    Level 6 (18,906 points)
    Video
    May 20, 2016 2:53 AM in response to KeyDemon

    These are the option for QT 7:

    Screen Shot 2016-05-20 at 7.45.38 PM.png

    Device Native is my first choice using QT7.

     

    Why not use FCP 5?

    Use the uncontrolled device option.

    Once the files are in your scratch disc import them to FCP X and tell FCP X to Leave Files in Place.

    No double handling or double space used.

     

    Al

  • by KeyDemon,

    KeyDemon KeyDemon May 20, 2016 3:20 AM in response to Alchroma
    Level 1 (24 points)
    Mac OS X
    May 20, 2016 3:20 AM in response to Alchroma

    Aha, that seems to  be the best of course.

    Why not FCP 5?

    Well, first of all I don't own it, but mostly because people said it was a bit buggy to run on newer OS X versions.

     

    Might check work to see if we have any old versions laying around.

     

    Maybe I'll just have to try QT7, LifeFlix, iMovie HD 6 etc. to see what works best. There's probably very little difference in quality anyhow.

     

    Regarding DNR/TBC on my camera, is there any reason NOT to have them both enabled?

  • by Alchroma,

    Alchroma Alchroma May 20, 2016 5:50 AM in response to KeyDemon
    Level 6 (18,906 points)
    Video
    May 20, 2016 5:50 AM in response to KeyDemon

    Try using the tools you already have.

    TBC is a benefit for analogue video.

    DNR can help and it cause it's own problems to the image.

    Just test some variations until you hit the sweet spot.

     

    Al

  • by KeyDemon,

    KeyDemon KeyDemon May 20, 2016 5:57 AM in response to Alchroma
    Level 1 (24 points)
    Mac OS X
    May 20, 2016 5:57 AM in response to Alchroma

    I didn't see much difference when trying DNR, but some said that it could make the colors more washed out, which makes little sense.

    After some searching here on the forum, I found some more threads with similar issues. It seems like iMovie might give a poor quality result and a format that's difficult to work with.

     

    If I choose QT7 and Max quality, can that easily be imported/exported through FCPX without any quality loss? I don't want it to do another conversion when importing to FCPX. What about interlacing? 50i is really 25FPS?

    I'm a bit unsure of how to handle the video further after importing it without getting those lines in the video.

     

    Can 50i be exported to 50p instead? I think 25FPS is to choppy, I want the smoothness of 50FPS.

  • by KeyDemon,

    KeyDemon KeyDemon May 20, 2016 6:16 AM in response to KeyDemon
    Level 1 (24 points)
    Mac OS X
    May 20, 2016 6:16 AM in response to KeyDemon

    Am I wrong about this? Would this only be the case with Digital8 video, but not Video8 using the passthrough feature of the Digital8 camcorder?

    Can I record 720x576 (or whatever) and 50p? Or does the DV-standard limit it to 50i?

     

    I'm just thinking that this is smooth analog video, as long as it plays, you could in theory just store it in 50p?

     

    The thing is, I've never worked with analog video where I would want to keep the 50FPS "home-video" feeling. Typically I've just de-interlaced videos at work, which should be used on larger LCD or projection screens, all of them ending up with 25FPS.

  • by Alchroma,

    Alchroma Alchroma May 20, 2016 6:27 AM in response to KeyDemon
    Level 6 (18,906 points)
    Video
    May 20, 2016 6:27 AM in response to KeyDemon

    PAL DV is 25 frames or 50 fields.

    If it's captured and edited in FCP X as DV it will play OK.

    Exports can also sent as DV and should play without interlacing.

    Screen Shot 2016-05-20 at 11.25.37 PM.png

     

    Al

  • by Tom Wolsky,

    Tom Wolsky Tom Wolsky May 20, 2016 6:27 AM in response to KeyDemon
    Level 10 (118,086 points)
    Apple TV
    May 20, 2016 6:27 AM in response to KeyDemon

    There was no 50p in Digital8 or DV. 50fps media only exists in HD.

  • by KeyDemon,

    KeyDemon KeyDemon May 20, 2016 6:44 AM in response to Alchroma
    Level 1 (24 points)
    Mac OS X
    May 20, 2016 6:44 AM in response to Alchroma

    Aha, I see. So for playback on my parent's MacBook (maybe their Apple-TV), they will get 25p or 50i and a bunch of lines when playing the files?

    So to keep the best possible archive material, I should store them as 50i files? But for playback on modern equipment, 25p is the only way to go?

     

    How about capturing outside FCPX (which I have to do) and edited in FCPX?

  • by Tom Wolsky,

    Tom Wolsky Tom Wolsky May 20, 2016 6:54 AM in response to KeyDemon
    Level 10 (118,086 points)
    Apple TV
    May 20, 2016 6:54 AM in response to KeyDemon

    25p should be used for computer playback. If you're going to Apple TV from FCP the media will be deinterlaced when you share.

     

    Digital8 is a hybrid format. Not much can capture it any more.

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