thanks Liam, for kicking my butt and getting me off the couch. Ok, I downloaded, FirewireSDK 20'.

Now I went in app folder and am looking for that "developer" folder. Dont see it it app folder. did click a folder callded : TigerDevToolsFireWireExamples
in the firewire sdk package ( I think), the magic app still has not appreared.

I'm old fashioned. I'm used to here is the app, and that's it, so the hide and seek still contiunes for this.

thanks Cole, found a "examples" but not a samples package, not a folder but package, still can't find this mysterious software. I'm sure there is a good reason there are so many mouse clicks to find it, must be pretty good for those who finally find it.

Excellent post Chris you are way ahead of me, and interesting you have these issues, thanks for sharing that - (let me know how DVHSCAP works for you) I'll keep trying to find it in the meantime

Just searched my app folder again, don't see, DVHSCAP, Developer, or Firewire sdk 20, or really anything regarding the dowload. it's like I downloaded this and it vanished or something.

Kevin
It's not in the regular app folder.
Go to the root folder of the drive you installed it on.
You'll find a Developer folder
Open that and you'll find another Applications folder.
Inside that one, a Firewire folder.
It's in that one.
Cheers
Chris

DVHSCAP is intended to emulate the DVHS VCR and is made for capturing MPEG2 Transport Streams such as the ones my HDTV puts out over firewire. I can then playback to the TV set in HD. I'm actually using the newer Virtual DVHS2 app from the firewire SDK. There's also an app in there called AVCVideoCap. I have used it for capturing the raw .m2t files from a JVC100 camera.

I'm not certain, but I don't believe it will work with regular DV streams.

-gb-

Thanks Chris for solving the wild goose chase. does this have to remain there or can I put it in app folder?

dhvs -- vhs? any releation? I'm capturing form mini DV

Has anyone verified this may be more stable than FCP?

and the softness issue -if that's real, in a deal breaker really no? thanks!

imovie actually compresses a bit, hence the footage will look a bit softer.
I just downloaded the SDK and it looks pretty simple. I will give info on the results later.

Kevin
You can put the app anywhere, I just dragged it onto the dock so it doesn't matter where the app lives.

Don't want any compression. I backing up tape to tape and tape to hardrive.

The whole point of back ups is if the house burns down, they with match original in quality. So I'll avoid i movie, should I also avoid dvhscap?

and FCP does not compress correct?

the thread was suppose to be: easier way to capture than fcp
But now I am lost with this app, I can make it work but I don't know where the images are and also not able to open them.when I (think) I record, it bring me to the screen of my camera and when I press play it does the same.
If I clik on file I cannot open as quick time.
Is it me or this application seems a bit complicate,there is also no help in the app.so where do we start to work with that and know if I did good or bad.
because I don't see the use of that app.
thank you.

Martin: are you referring to the DVHS cap?
I have not tried it. but if you are saying the interface is more complicated than FCP for capturing, yes that's defeating purpose of this thread

yes Kevin I am writing about dvhscap, its easy to capture and probably easier than final cut an imovie also not to much set up to do.But once its capture I don't know what to do and there is no tutorial to show how do I bring the file in fcp.
and I don't know where that files is located.

Hmmm, well bringing it into anything is simple, file open. But you do gotta know where it is. Odd during capture process that was not determined.

Workflow using Apple DVHSCap:
Capture clip or tape using DVHSCap, very simple program with no preview.
You would have selected the directory in which to save the file, if you can't locate it do a spotlight for .m2t

The .m2t file can not be opened in Quicktime or FCP5 or 6.
Download the app MPEG Streamclip from http://www.squared5.com

Open the .m2t file in MPEG Streamclip and export in AIC, ProRes*, HDV.
*Final Cut Pro 6 has to be installed for ProRes.

I still prefer Apple AIC for speed and sharpness.

This may seem a long way round the houses but this yields a cleaner image than capturing directly in FCP using HDV codec.

Try this test: Film a short clip with a very bright red object in. Capture directly in FCP and also using DVHDCap. Using the .m2t file open in MPEG Stream clip and export as a unscaled HDV file (1440 x 1080) turn off the two ticks that default on Interlaced Scaling and ReInterlaced Chroma, and make movie.

Open both file up at 100% in quicktime and look at the red objects edge the .m2t file is much cleaner no jaggies and colour bleed.

Note: Based on a 25p PAL workflow

James, could you please post JPEGs of this comparison that you did?

Because it seems that you are stating (unless I've misread your post) that applying a SECOND bout of MPEG-2 compression and then placing a Quicktime wrapper around the file (i.e. taking the .m2t file and then transcoding it into an HDV Quicktime with MPEG Streamclip) will yield a better visual result than native capture in FCP which simply takes the .m2t file directly off the tape and puts a Quicktime wrapper around it with no extra transcoding or compression.

Another query is on your transcoding settings being "unscaled HDV file (1440 x 1080)". You mention that it's a 25p workflow (and it's HDV because of the .m2t file) so wouldn't unscaled be 1280 X 720? (Because HDV comes in 1080i and 720p.) Or have you done the tests with an interlaced HDV camera (1080i) which has a special "mode" to emulate a progressive look (like Sony's 25f)?

But if it's true 720p25 (HDV1) I'd be most interested to see the JPEGs because it could mean that I've possibly overlooked a hidden feature in MPEG Streamclip which could be of benefit to me (and others).

Thanks.

thanks James.
If I have to download app3 for app2 to work, that defines defeating the purpose of finding an app simpler than app1.