capturing from camcorder

[Youngun]

Does anyone know how to do this? I have Adobe Premiere, but I've never been able to figure out how to hook everything up to my sony handycam (actually, probably WHAT to hook it all up with). I've used a weird USB wire before, but the video was always pretty poor quality and the sound always lagged behind a few seconds. What sort of wires should I use, and how do I do this? Thanks -Hunter

 

[bluesaphyer]

I've done this before. I always used a Firewire cable, but if you USB 2.0 that might be fast enough also. You have to make sure you have a fast computer with enough memory, and a fast connection between the computer & camcorder otherwise it will drop frames, which might be what's happening to you.

Julie

 

[jstuedle]

USB 2.0 (480 mps) is a little faster than firewire (400 mps) so with a good, fast computer you should have no problem.

 

[Kent Frost]

As far as the audio lagging a little behind the video, that is very common when viewing the footage using an editing program. The program I used to use (which is no longer made) also had that lag, but when you export, or "print", your final edit to tape, it syncs everything up very well.

In Premier, when you want to capture a still, you have to isolate which frame you want to capture, put it in your timeline, then export that frame as an image file. This option can be found in under the "FILE" menu, then "Export".

Fair warning: If your camcorder does not record in a mode called "progressive scan", you will be capturing an image that is 320x240 blown up to 640x480. And even if it is a progressive scan camcorder (which very very few of them are), you'll get an image that is a full 640x480. That's 0.3 Megapixels. Very poor quality unless your main objective is to post it on the internet, in which case it's perfect.

 

[Youngun]

Thanks guys. I'll have to try and figure out what a firewire cable is. I haven't tried it on my new computer, which is faster than my old one. Maybe that will work.