Time-lapse DV capture

John Zwinck · March 14th, 2004, 06:58 PM

I want to capture video from my GL2 to my PC over Firewire. The necessary connections are made, but none of the software I've tried lets me capture at a reduced frame rate. I want to capture for a long time at perhaps 0.5 fps, and the only options I've found to let me do that are only available for analog capture.

Is there some (preferably free) software available that does this in a straightforward way? I'd think it would not be difficult.

Thanks! :)

Tom Kronberg · March 14th, 2004, 11:59 PM

If you use a mac, istopmotion from istopmotion.com.
Or you could capture all of it and accelerate later, depending on what editor you use.

John Zwinck · March 15th, 2004, 12:42 AM

I don't use a Mac, and I don't have the disk space for so many hours of 30 fps video. Surely us Windows users are not without a solution for this sort of thing?

Meanwhile, I've embarked on a project to try to write a program myself that does what I need. So far, it can capture, but only at 30 fps! :-p Thankfully, Microsoft's DirectX SDK is fairly easy to get started with.

Chris Long · March 15th, 2004, 06:57 AM

John, I should preface my comments by saying I haven't actually done this, but I own ScenalyzerLive! (a wonderful product) and it will allow you to capture in time lapse. It's about $40 USD.

http://www.scenalyzer.com/main.html#timelapse

Depending on what NLE program you are using, they also might allow it. My older version of Premiere does (version 6: 6.5 allowed it too). I'm pretty sure they took it out of Premiere Pro, though--but then, I have ScenalyzerLive! now, so it's a moot point. I use it to capture most of the time, especially when I have a ton of clips to do.

Ed Smith · March 15th, 2004, 02:30 PM

I think Premiere can do stop motion though firewire, and time lapse.

Cheers,

Ed

John Zwinck · March 15th, 2004, 07:59 PM

I think I was not entirely clear. What I want to do is to avoid using tape entirely--I want to record direct to disk via the Firewire connection. I know Scenalyzer will capture from tape with time lapse, but will it capture directly to disk that way?

And what about Premiere? I have access to Premiere Pro, but I too think that it lacks this feature.

Thanks for the replies--I'm still looking for more.... :-)

John Britt · March 15th, 2004, 09:20 PM

Premiere 6.5 has Time Lapse and will record direct to the hard drive. You are correct that Premiere Pro does not have this:
http://www.hollywoodindustry.com/200...timelapse2.htm

John Hartney · March 15th, 2004, 09:30 PM

Doesn't the GL2 have a time lapse feature built into the camera?

Tavys Ashcroft · March 25th, 2004, 01:12 PM

This may be too basic, but there is a free Microsoft download from their powertoys website

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/pro/downloads/powertoys.asp

For a "webcam timershot" program. I don't know if it's USB only, haven't tried it myself, but it's worth a shot

http://download.microsoft.com/download/whistler/Install/2/WXP/EN-US/TimershotPowertoySetup.exe

Kent Diamond · March 27th, 2004, 11:26 PM

John, you got me curious so I sat down and tried this to make sure it works. I have used Premiere 6.5 to do this in the past. John Britt's post describes it well.

Scenalyzer will also do time lapse capture directly from the camera.

Setup: put camera on tripod. Take out tape. Plug one end of the firewire cable into the camera and the other end into the PC. Turn on camera (in camera mode, not VCR mode).

Start scenalyzer. File | Capture.

Click the "time-lapse capturing - capture only one of N frames" box. Enter a number in the box. For half a frame a second that would be 60. Click OK. Now when you click capture, scenalyzer will capture directly from the camera into a file on the hard drive. It will only capture a frame every other second. Works great.

March 14th, 2004, 06:58 PM	#1
John Zwinck New Boot Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: NYC Posts: 6	Time-lapse DV capture - how to? I want to capture video from my GL2 to my PC over Firewire. The necessary connections are made, but none of the software I've tried lets me capture at a reduced frame rate. I want to capture for a long time at perhaps 0.5 fps, and the only options I've found to let me do that are only available for analog capture. Is there some (preferably free) software available that does this in a straightforward way? I'd think it would not be difficult. Thanks! :)

March 14th, 2004, 11:59 PM	#2
Tom Kronberg Regular Crew Join Date: Feb 2004 Posts: 25	If you use a mac, istopmotion from istopmotion.com. Or you could capture all of it and accelerate later, depending on what editor you use. __________________ http://skytimelapse.com

March 15th, 2004, 02:30 PM	#5
Ed Smith Wrangler Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Hampshire, England Posts: 1,545	I think Premiere can do stop motion though firewire, and time lapse. Cheers, Ed __________________ Ed Smith Hampshire, UK Good things come to those who wait My Skiing web www.Frostytour.co.uk For quick answers Search dvinfo.net \| The best in the business: dvinfo.net Sponsors

March 15th, 2004, 09:30 PM	#8
John Hartney Major Player Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Elgin, Illinois Posts: 206	Doesn't the GL2 have a time lapse feature built into the camera? __________________ John Hartney Elgin, Illinois USA 847.742.9321

March 25th, 2004, 01:12 PM	#9
Tavys Ashcroft New Boot Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Arroyo Grande, CA Posts: 11	XP PowerToys This may be too basic, but there is a free Microsoft download from their powertoys website http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/pro/downloads/powertoys.asp For a "webcam timershot" program. I don't know if it's USB only, haven't tried it myself, but it's worth a shot http://download.microsoft.com/download/whistler/Install/2/WXP/EN-US/TimershotPowertoySetup.exe

March 15th, 2004, 12:42 AM	#3
John Zwinck New Boot Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: NYC Posts: 6	I don't use a Mac, and I don't have the disk space for so many hours of 30 fps video. Surely us Windows users are not without a solution for this sort of thing? Meanwhile, I've embarked on a project to try to write a program myself that does what I need. So far, it can capture, but only at 30 fps! :-p Thankfully, Microsoft's DirectX SDK is fairly easy to get started with.

March 15th, 2004, 06:57 AM	#4
Chris Long Regular Crew Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Middletown, Maryland USA Posts: 177	John, I should preface my comments by saying I haven't actually done this, but I own ScenalyzerLive! (a wonderful product) and it will allow you to capture in time lapse. It's about $40 USD. http://www.scenalyzer.com/main.html#timelapse Depending on what NLE program you are using, they also might allow it. My older version of Premiere does (version 6: 6.5 allowed it too). I'm pretty sure they took it out of Premiere Pro, though--but then, I have ScenalyzerLive! now, so it's a moot point. I use it to capture most of the time, especially when I have a ton of clips to do.

March 15th, 2004, 07:59 PM	#6
John Zwinck New Boot Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: NYC Posts: 6	I think I was not entirely clear. What I want to do is to avoid using tape entirely--I want to record direct to disk via the Firewire connection. I know Scenalyzer will capture from tape with time lapse, but will it capture directly to disk that way? And what about Premiere? I have access to Premiere Pro, but I too think that it lacks this feature. Thanks for the replies--I'm still looking for more.... :-)

March 15th, 2004, 09:20 PM	#7
John Britt Major Player Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Atlanta, GA Posts: 621	Premiere 6.5 has Time Lapse and will record direct to the hard drive. You are correct that Premiere Pro does not have this: http://www.hollywoodindustry.com/200...timelapse2.htm

March 27th, 2004, 11:26 PM	#10
Kent Diamond New Boot Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Redmond, Washington Posts: 24	John, you got me curious so I sat down and tried this to make sure it works. I have used Premiere 6.5 to do this in the past. John Britt's post describes it well. Scenalyzer will also do time lapse capture directly from the camera. Setup: put camera on tripod. Take out tape. Plug one end of the firewire cable into the camera and the other end into the PC. Turn on camera (in camera mode, not VCR mode). Start scenalyzer. File \| Capture. Click the "time-lapse capturing - capture only one of N frames" box. Enter a number in the box. For half a frame a second that would be 60. Click OK. Now when you click capture, scenalyzer will capture directly from the camera into a file on the hard drive. It will only capture a frame every other second. Works great.