Setting up DV editing
August 24, 2019 1:13 PM   Subscribe

I have some Mini DV cameras that I want to use. I also have a Sony (DSR-1500A) Mini DV player/recorder. That unit has a firewire output and my PC has a firewire card. I want to edit with Adobe Premier.

I've gone through the settings for the player and the monitor and can't see the video on the monitor. I've connected the firewire/DV output from the player to the firewire card, and opened the editing software thinking I'd have to capture it first, but the PC can't find the video either. There are component outputs on the player; y/cpst, r-y/cpst and b-y/cpst.

How to I see the video in my monitor, and how do I capture it with my PC so I can edit it in Adobe Premier? And if it's a bad port on the player, on the card or a bad cable, how do I check it?
posted by CollectiveMind to Media & Arts (3 answers total)
 
Ok, so, first of all, that hardware is relatively ancient (standard definition). That DVCAM deck is hardware I would’ve wanted to use circa 15 years ago. The video is going to look really low-resolution, in comparison to modern HD output.

That said, almost all MiniDV cameras had a mini 1394 connector, so you can probably test your deck by comparing functionality to the camera, If you have a 1394 to mini-1394 cable. Can’t remember the exact nomenclature but it looks like a narrower-but-taller MiniUSB, with a u-shape.

As far as software goes, you should check to make sure you have drivers for the 1394 card installed, and in Premiere I think it’s called “capture.” Can you remote control the deck (play/pause/seek) via 1394? Or just no joy at all? If no joy at all, check drivers. You may have to put the deck into 1394 control mode, i’m Not sure.
posted by Alterscape at 1:27 PM on August 24, 2019 [2 favorites]


Oh, and, just in case it’s not 100% clear (and apologies if you already know this): You will have to hit “play” on the deck controls (in the capture window of Premiere) to see any video on your screen. Unlike newer file-based digital recording systems, MiniDV and DVCAM are still just data on a tape.

I wish I could give better advice on exact settings and names but it’s been 10+ years since I’ve captured into Premiere from DV tape. Good luck!
posted by Alterscape at 2:09 PM on August 24, 2019 [1 favorite]


I keep thinking of things to suggest, but also don't want to flood this Ask with potentially spurious info! Feel free to drop me a MeMail if you want to talk through troubleshooting more interactively. I used to cut on the low-rent version of your setup (I just captured tape with the same camera I shot on after college, where we had decks). I'm rusty, but I keep thinking about "oh, has he tried __?"
posted by Alterscape at 9:08 AM on August 25, 2019


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