Mini DV Camcorders

[NYFAN]

Ok, well I went out and bought a digital camcorder a while back, and have just started to use it. However the quality of the picture when I download it to my computer is less than satisfactory. I believe that the problem is in the transfer/capture, and not the recording (although I'm not 100% sure).

Can people give me an ideas as to options that I may need to adjust in order to get better results.

I am taping volleyball in an indoor setting for the record. Thanks!

[Router Help]

Does it look okay when played back on the TV? If so then it is your transfer method.

How are you getting the data onto the computer? A video capture card or Firewire?

[saldana]

i use a firewire to transfer from mine, and the picture quality stellar on the computer.

it may also be the format you are saving it as when you are importing it...there are tons of selections you can make for the resolution and quality...anything that takes up less than 1mb per minute of video is going to be kind of crappy...i think the setting i use has the import at 17mb per min of video.

[Daimyo]

What is the model of the camera and the software used? I have a Sony mini DV camera that advertises you can use USB or Firewire to transfer the video, however the USB transfer is at a really crappy resolution and looks horrible compared to transfering with firewire.

[Daimyo]

DOLA, I also found I got better results using plain old Windows Movie Maker instead of Sony's bundled software.

[saldana]

DOLA, I also found I got better results using plain old Windows Movie Maker instead of Sony's bundled software.

I use the vanilla movie maker in windows xp as well...it was better than the studio software that came with my panasonic

[NYFAN]

Hey guys, thanks for the responses... I'm using a Samsung SC-D365 camera. The quality is fine when I play it directly to a TV, so it has to be the transfer method. Unfortunately right now I only have a USB connection on my computer, but I too think this may be the cause of the problem. I am also using the ULEAD program it came with, but I believe that the windows movie maker is better as well...

What options should I look at in my capturing program that would potentially help make it better quality? I may have to look into getting firewire stuff, I just hate to get it and see no improvement.

[Daimyo]

I'm guessing you can pick up a PCI based firewire card for around ~$20 at newegg.com. USB2 has the same bandwidth as firewire, but there is has some limitation (maybe streaming at high speeds?) that makes it unsuitable for transfering video...

[Vinatieri for Prez]

It absolutely is the USB connection. I had the same issue. Bought the firewire IEE94 cord (or whatever it is), and bang - major, major, major difference. Tickering with the capture resolution can tweak it after that. But with USB, no matter what you do, it will be crappy.

[moriarty]

I am also using the ULEAD program it came with, but I believe that the windows movie maker is better as well...


If you're using the full version of UULEAD, it's actually a pretty decent program and much better IMO than MS Movie Maker.

[NYFAN]

I am using UULEAD, I'm not sure that it is the full version though, it is whatever came with the camcorder.

I'm going to look into getting the IEEE port, and see what happens.