Capture/playback help!

[Adam Wakely]

I have a PIII, 721, 384 ram PC.
I'm running Windows XP with a 80 gig IDE drive. (7200rpm for video files) DV Raptor capture card. Media Studio Pro 6.0

I did batch capture with Raptor Video of my 4-60min wedding footage tapes. Each tape folder has about 8-9min AVI files.
Every group of batch captured files has atleast one or two corrupted files! All files play perfect in Raptor video and Media player! But as soon as there in the timeline in M.S.P. the whole computer freezes up only when I scrub over a certain point on the bad file! eg: Tape#2, AVI file #8 at the 30sec mark.
When I closer examine this file I find that a bit rate "glitch" is happening in only the Audio track! If the audio is removed the problem is gone. This glitch can happen at a continuous footage section or where there's been a pause. It's very hard to edit out because if I make any contact in the bad section (with the mouse) the program will freeze up, CPU will max out and I have to wait a while until I can kill the program and start over again.

I also tried another full tape batch/seamless capture and file#1 & 3 now became the problem AVIs! I don't get it! All my softwear is up-to-date.


Help!

[Rob Lohman]

You might be able to do the following:

Use a program called VirtualDub (easy to find on the web, and
free) to load the AVI and export the audio to a WAV file (I think
you should check Audio -> Full processing mode). Then when you
load the offending file delete the audio track and use a new
audio track from the just created WAV file.... I think that should
cure your problem.

Good luck

[Andrew Leigh]

Hi,

another thought. I have an almost identical system but run Premiere. If you have one drive then you could pick up ongoing problems. Better to have one for the OS and another for the Video Data. Also ensure that all tasks running in the background are turned off, screensavers, FastFind, Task Managers etc. I have always used RapNavi to firstly catalogue the clips. I then capture in Rapvideo and the final step is to import the files into Premiere, I have not had the problems since as a reinstall fixed that up.

I don't know what fixed the problem but I simultaneously;

reinstalled Premiere
got a seperate OS drive
at the advice of others closed all background tasks like FastFind, screensavers, task managers etc.

Problem has not returned.

Hope this helps

Andrew

[Adam Wakely]

Thanks for the help all!

I have 3 drives so it's all seperate. All tasks are always off as well.
I get this feeling it's my computer as each time I do the same seamless batch capture the error area changes so it's not my DV tapes. I have had some problem with my computer for a while now. Once in a while I have to hit it to get the mouse to move as it freezes up. I must have a short somewhere and that probably is the problem. I changed most of the cables but still can't trace it.
Time for a new computer!


Thanks...

[Andrew Leigh]

Hi Adam,

before you buy a new a new computer you don't have a PAL XL-1 by aby chance?

Cheers
Andrew

[Adam Wakely]

No I don't....

[Andrew Leigh]

Hi Adam,

next question. Do you have DVRaptor installed on IRQ 9 or higher?

Cheers
Andrew

[Adam Wakely]

I'm using IRQ 10.
Since I switched from Win 98 to XP this never happened before.

[Andrew Leigh]

Sorry no more suggestions.

Cheers
Andrew

[Adam Wakely]

Thanks anyway, that's what we're all here for.

[Andrew Leigh]

Hi Adam,

your problem is really vexing me (I had the same and it was an easy fix, just can't remember the fix), consequently I have spent a little time thinking about it. Forgive the obvious.

When I have needed to reinstall Raptor and Premier in the past it has always, for some strange reason required that I install Raptor, then Premiere the Raptor AGAIN. As you have already installed Raptor and MSP is would be a simple operation to reinstall Raptor over this. Just a thought.

Another thing that came to mind (i'm a 98SE guy) is that the Raptor audio codec had to be reallocated priority 1 in the 98SE software. Start>Settings>Control Panel>Multimedia>Devices then open audio compression codecs and check that Raptor is No 1. If not reassign to 1.

The problem obviously relates to the way in which XP views Raptor and Premiere. Don't think a new PC at this moment is the answer. The problem comes from the change to XP, you may well pick up the same problem with the new PC.

My personal experience has been that most glitches I have ever expereinced in the timeline have been audio related.

Lastly check that Raptor is not sharing IRQ9 with anything else.

Cheers
Andrew

[Peter Lock]

Has the problem been since you updated to XP.
I would recomend a clean install of XP, then reload premier before the Raptor software.
Defrag your video drives also, by the sound of it you've nothing to lose

Peter.

[Adam Wakely]

I'm trying out those suggestions you all posted. Sound like it may work! I'll get back with a reply soon!

[Adam Wakely]

I hope this will be the last post for me on this subject!

On closer observation I noticed that everytime there is a freeze up while playing a clip in M.S.P.'s timeline my DV footage changes from 12 bit to 16 bit! (or 16bit to 12bit). I've been switching my settings during my wedding productions when I need to add the wireless and use all 4 tracks. From now on I will leave my camera in 12bit!! (or 16bit if I plan on not using the other audio tracks).

The timeline does not like the source changing from bit rates in the audio! What a nightmare! In the past I never used batch captures much as I was going from DV tape to SVHS. Now I'm putting all footage into the computer and then copy back to DV tapes (for DVD copies and better masters).

Windows XP doesn't like bit rate changes during "seamless" captures!!!!!!!!

Thanks all for the help! I hope this helps others who may run into this problem!