Sony Media Manager 2.0
 

I have been having a few problems with capture. After a complete re-install of XP SP2 and Vegas again with no other processes running (Other than System ones). Am still getting dopped frames. 12 in a 1 hr tape. Average data rate 3.34 MB/sec.
The Sony Media manager is being used by the Micrsoft media manager. I can't find any info on it after doing a few searches. Could a conflict be causing the problems?
Any info on Sony Media Manager apreciated.
Thanks

If you're capturing to a firewire drive, that might be a problem. Check by capturing to an internal non-firewire drive.

2- If you want to check your Sony Media Manager 2.0 hypothesis, have you tried not using it?
(I think you can run the capture utility by itself.)

3- I can't think of any of the other common dropped frames problems to look for. Some of them don't apply to your situation:
A- fragmentation- shouldn't be a problem with new install
B- other programs running at same time (i.e. antivirus).

If your tape is a little wonky or it has timecode breaks, it might be possible? that you are getting dropped frames from them. I remember with V5 capturing off a VHS tape (a deck is converting the signal), it could get dropped frames.

The reason you can't find any information is that you are using the wrong
name. The database engine behind the media manager is called : MSDE

(It is the small brother of Microsoft SQL Server).

If you open the Services console (under Administrative Tools) the service is
in the list. You can stop / start it there (don't do this while Vegas is running).

You can also disable the use of the Media Manager inside Vegas (however, it
will leave the service running in the background!).

Exiting Vegas will stop the service (as long as you don't have any other Sony products open using that service). If you turn the option off in Vegas, it will NOT restart that service so it won't be running in the background after a restart of Vegas.

Thanks for that, I disabled the media manager in Vegas and managed to capture 3 63 min tapes dropping about 20 frames each. Also I note that most, but not all the dropped frames were when the time code broke between clips. Perhaps this is the best I can get from my machine, as I have virtually nothing else on it and absolutely nothing else running.
2.2 gig P4m with 512 RAM capturing to a 250 gig ext hard drive via firewire 800.
I saw that the sony media manager was operating under the microsoft one. SO I think that I will turn it off in Vegas for capture then click to start it again under the media manager tab at the bottom after sucessful captures.
Thanks for all the help.

With such a machine you should not have any problems capturing (make sure
DMA is turned on the harddisk(s).

However, if you have timecode breaks then it suggests there are problems
with the tape and/or heads in your camera. Get a head cleaning tape, use it
(do FOLLOW THE INCLUDED INSTRUCTIONS on how to use it!) and then
record and capture some more on a NEW tape. See what happens

On my first use of Capture with V6b I also had problems. Capture would appear to be working, but capture duration showed zero time. Nothing captured. Exit Vegas, cycle camera power, try again. This time dropped frames. Reboot PC, capture works no dropped frames. Haven't tried it again since. Never had capture problems with V5e.

try capturing the same tape to internal hard drive - you should be able to capture to C drive without drop outs .. it might just be your tape has drop outs ?
if you can capture to C drive without dropouts ( except where TC is broken ) .. then you might check to see if write cache is turned ON for the 1394 external drive .. i think default is off ( XP) ..

also check task manager CPU usage (processes) while you are capturing to see if any other item is using CPU ?

How big do you have your capture preview screen? Try making it small and see if the dropped frames go away.

Gary