canopus ADVC 100 Q

[JonH]

Hello,
First, thanks to everyone who helped me buy a computer and related parts. Got it set up and working. Just received my Canopus ADVC 100. Should I use the converter when capturing dv or should I plug my firewire directly into the computer? Does it matter?
Also, when creating mpeg 2 files in MS Pro 7 for DVDs, do I use field order A or B?
THanks.
Jon

[JonH]

And one more question. I can input from a VCR to the computer through the ADVC-100 but I can't get any video out. They're connected with a firewire. I'm missing something basic here I think.
Any help would be appreciated.
Jon

[Brian Ellis]

I don't connect my DV tape drive through the ADVC-100 but directly to the IEEE-1394 card. The two 1394 connectors are not straight-through, so something may happen in the meanwhile. I don't know, but I would not like to think that it may be converted to analogue and back again to DV format.

In MSP, you will then be given the choice between your camera ID and 'unknown device' which is your ADVC-100.

DV, whether from tape or the ADVC is always Field order A in MSP. If you edit, capture in AVI and only at the end of editing, convert to MPEG-2. If you don't edit, you may be able to capture directly in MPEG-2, but long captures may result in transcoding errors, depending on your hardware.

Can't help you with your second message, sorry. It works fine for me. I use it all the time, so that I can see what the DV AVI I'm editing looks like on a TV screen and to make the occasional VHS tape. Have you set up the outputs to DV Camcorder in MSP? (Click the right hand button of your preview frame to set up the options).

[JonH]

Thanks, Brian. As always, you come through. I didn't have the control panel output set right in MS Pro. Works fine, now. I'm also new to MSP 7. Bought it months ago but it wouldn't work on my slower computer.
A couple of more questions if you don't mind.
1) I have a choice between DV1 and DV2 codecs. Which should I use?
2) Is there a way to set up Win Media Player (or other programs) to play through the converter and thus out to the VCR and TV?
3) Is there an inexpensive solution to being able to use my old MJPEG files?
THanks.
Jon

[Brian Ellis]

1) DV type 1 every time. DV type 2 is advatageous only when working with certain hardware cards, I believe.
2) No! The ADVC accepts only DV to convert to analogue. You would have to convert whatever you were viewing to DV before anything would happen.
3) If you bring the MJPEG files onto the MSP timeline (supposing you have PicVideo codec or similar installed), you could re-render them into DV. I'm not sure whether there would be any significant loss of quality, but it would be fairly time-consuming.

[JonH]

Thanks, Brian. I think I get it. Jon