Good, reliable DV bridge (Dazzle doesn't dazzle)

[Fretty]

I'm looking for a good, dependable DV bridge.

I currently use the "Dazzle Hollywood DV Bridge" and it's way flakey.

I use it to take digital video from my Mac (Final Cut Pro) that I then capture, via analog signal, into my PC (Media 100 I-Finish). Conversely, it takes the analog signal from my PC and lets me capture, digitally, into my Mac.

The above things happen when Dazzle decides to put down the doober and actually work. I have signal problems, strange lines/noise on my video, and sometimes, it just doesn't work at all. I've noticed that unplugging it for 15 minutes lets it cool down or something and sometimes it's more reliable after a rest.

I've gone to the website and they don't even make this thing anymore, suggesting to me that they know it sucks and have made something better.

What do you recommend? 'Cause Dazzle ain't cuttin it, yo.

(This is for my job - I edit video at a production company.)

 

[El Jefe]

I've been very happy with the Canopus ADVC100*that was recommended to me by someone from MacMall or MacWarehouse or whatever. He wasn't too happy with Dazzle, either.

I have to ask, though...is that really the best way to take files from your PC to your Mac and vice versa? It seems weird having to go from digital to analog and back to digital.

 

[Rocco]

Doesn't it depend on the format?

When I capture files off my dv camera via firewire, it captures in the ntsc avi spec (through premiere anyway) which is the big ass one - 720x470, 29.93 (I think) fps, no compression. About 10 gigs an hour I think? The size sucks. But I would imagine if it's totally uncompressed why couldn't the mac and pc trade it off?

 

[El Jefe]

Ernie, I love that avatar.

 

[Rocco]

Tooty toot - mspaint, even when I have adobe photshop somewhere. Thanks! And it is the utmost extent of my visual art ability.

 

[Nick Mougis]

i don't like the dazzle. I like my formac studio. its good, does the job nicely. but i think they are out of business at well, or something to that effect.

i hear good things about the canopus. i know sony makes one with good picture quality, but without copyguard stripping technology.

Anyway, what program are you using on your PC to edit? avid or premiere? There may be a better way for you to convert the footage than a dv bridge...

nick.

 

[Phil]

I've been very happy with the Canopus ADVC100

Me, too, I use it all the time, works flawlessly.

 

[Ute Giddeon]

I'm looking into getting a DV/Analog converter for a mac, for capturing to DV from VHS, and exporting DV to VHS.

You're using a Formac product, Nick? Does it do monitor out of the timeline? How about your Canopus, Jeff? Does the monitor output work well?

Fretty, export to tape and then recapture, if you want to avoid the big loss from analog conversion. Or if the file is small enough for a CD, make a QT movie at DV-quality, burn it to a CD, and swap the file that way.

if it's totally uncompressed why couldn't the mac and pc trade it off

When you capture with FCP, it stuffs the DV format video into a proprietary .mov file, so that the QT-based FCP can read it. Likewise with windows machines, the DV signal is encased in an avi file. I don't know how FCP woul;d handle an AVI. Most editing programs can handle a mov file, but the capture file isn't a plan ol' .mov, its a proprietary FCP-style .mov. You could tansfer the raw file to a PC and QT would sort of play it, all stuttery and jittery. But it doesn't really work.

Also, you'd think DV would be a bit-for-bit identical copy, but everytime you export (I'm not sure about capture), the codec is re-applied. Though it takes at least 7 digital generations before you could possibly perceive a difference.

10 gigs an hour I think?

DV is 5.8 minutes per gigabyte, so yes, 10.3 gigs per hour.

 

[Fretty]

Fretty, export to tape and then recapture, if you want to avoid the big loss from analog conversion. Or if the file is small enough for a CD, make a QT movie at DV-quality, burn it to a CD, and swap the file that way.

Hi! Thanks for all of the info and replies...

Unfortunately, I can't export to *anything* because I have to use my Dazzle to do it. It's the way I play video out of my Mac (Final Cut Pro). While I'm playing the program/footage out of my mac, I'm capturing it into my PC (not AVID - Media 100 I-Finish).

Transferring the actual video files themselves is not a good option for me because, though the two computers are on a network, the transfer time is SLOW, and I'm not sure that Media100 I Finish will open an .mov or .avi. It creates its own whack files with the extension of .M1QV for video and .M1QA for audio.

I'm going to look into this Canopus thingy that's been mentioned...

 

[Ute Giddeon]

I'm going to look into this Canopus thingy that's been mentioned...

B&H has it for $260. They sell several DV/Analog converters in their catalog, but the Canopus thingy is the only one they keep on the floor.

 

[Nick Mougis]

hi jamie.

the Formac does monitor off the timeline (very well, i might add.) again, i think they are out of business.

and I believe that when you bring pc-captured avis into FCP, they are jittery and stuff as well.

maybe if you use cleaner to encode them before you bring them in to the program... but this is another discussion.

 

[Ute Giddeon]

Mmmm... cleaner.

 

[kinglou]

the Formac does monitor off the timeline (very well, i might add.) again, i think they are out of business.

Formac is still in business. At least their website says so.

Do they still make that converter? That's another story.

Here at work we use cheapie DV converters by DataVision. Do Not buy them. They get this pink screen drop out sometimes if your program is long it's 90% sure that you'll get pink screen.

We have nice Canopus that everyone else has given the thumbs up to. It really works. But it's pricey.

 

[Nick Mougis]

d'oh. they are still in bidness.

i'm an idiot.

 

[Ute Giddeon]

B&H is still selling Fomac's converters.

Thanks for the DataVision advice, Lou.

I think I'll go with the Canopus.