Format question
 

We have a DV-953 and it of course can shoot in 4:3 or 16:9. My wife and I both use the camera, and now I want to burn many of our tapes onto DVD.

The problem is, how do I know which tapes or sections of tape were shot in 4:3, and which were in 16:9? When you are shooting it tells you, but going back to the tapes months or years later, I cannot seem to find out what mode each was in.

I have searched the display functions, and I cannot find where it might tell me what the mode was. And since we have many tapes, from many places, we are unable to remember what we were using. This makes it very difficult to download into Vegas correctly...

Any way to figure this out?

Thanks in advance.

Steve

Steve,
Why not just capture the video over into Vegas. You can tell what format they are in in media properties or just by looking at the events on the timeline.

In Vegas, you can choose the "properties" of the media being brought over. So if I choose DV widescreen, and it's 4:3, then I get a stretched look, and vice versa...

So if I know ahead of the download what I have, I can match the properties to the format?

Or am I just making a huge mess of this...? :)

Steve

It is a good idea to note on the cassette (or its box) the format you have used when you originate material. This simplifies things when you get round to editing later.

If you load your timeline and you do not want to mix 4:3 with 16:9, why not sort the two formats to different tracks and create separate projects for each format?

I am unfamiliar with Vegas (I use Edius) but I imagine you could do this or something like it.

Yes, I actually shoot EVERYTHING in 16:9 now, since I really don't think we will ever be going back to a regular TV for veiwing.

And yes, I can do the project changes.

Problem is that with all these old tapes, which are not labeled (yes, I will from now on!), is there any way to see what clips are of what format from viewing them in the camera...? This would save a lot of time going back and forth and trying to figure them out...?

Steve

Steve,

The pixel aspect ratio (PAR) is encoded into the tape. Vegas should detect this as you capture, and embed it in the properties of the files. I know Premiere does.

Josh

I think you have no option other than to capture first. You can then check properties using your nle.

Alternatively, if you right click the info bar in the folder on the hard drive where you capture your clips and check dimensions, then the format will show up there (I use XP SP2). This might provide a quicker and more convenient way to sort your files.

Edit PS: I forgot to say that you need first to select the Details view from the Views icon on the tool bar. You then go to the header bar where it says Name etc, right click and select dimensions from the drop down list that appears.

You might find Picasa to be helpful. It will organize your stills and video clips and lay them out in thumbnails. You should be able to see the ones that are widescreen in the thumbnails. BTW, it is free.