Only the Left Channel with Mono?

[Techiejustin]

I'm in the process of ordering a Digital 8 camera off ebay.

But in the meantime I have an old Hi8 camcorder I'm using to transfer tapes to MiniDV.
When I play the tapes there is only sound on the left channel, since the tapes are mono.
I used a dubbing cable with this on both ends.
http://imagecloset.com/uimages/rgh1170989818w.JPG

then I tried one with THIS on both ends...

http://imagecloset.com/uimages/cqs1170990037k.JPG

and this is what the whole contraption looks like.

http://imagecloset.com/uimages/rgh1170990137p.JPG

[chipzoller]

And you're capturing using your computer? Can you give us more details about your setup? It's quite impossible to distinguish anything from your last picture.

[Techiejustin]

Hehehe...
Ok, sorry I was on the phone.

I am not using the computer at all. I'm going from 8mm analog to MiniDV via a 1/8" to 1/8" A/V cable.

So its 8mm -> MiniDV via composite video with one of these cables.
http://images.techcables.com/miniavdub.jpg

When I get a Digital 8 camcorder, would I be able to go from camcorder to camcorder via Firewire?

[setarip_old]

Hi!

Have you/Can you try using a set of composite (Yellow, Red, White) cables instead?

[Techiejustin]

Hi!

Have you/Can you try using a set of composite (Yellow, Red, White) cables instead?

Can't.

Each cam only has the 1/8 plug on it. No composite input or outputs.

[jggimi]

I assume you have a question, and, I assume your question is, "Once I capture the audio on my PC, how do I convert it into either a true monaural signal, or, duplicate the left channel on the right?"

Is that what you are asking? The pictures are unhelpful, except to tell me that you and I have the same model Sony DV cam.

[Techiejustin]

I assume you have a question, and, I assume your question is, "Once I capture the audio on my PC, how do I convert it into either a true monaural signal, or, duplicate the left channel on the right?"

Is that what you are asking? The pictures are unhelpful, except to tell me that you and I have the same model Sony DV cam.

Ok....
correct, I didn't ask a specific question, I simply outlined the problem so I could potentially get a wider range of tips.

I'll try again.
My resulting recording onto the DV tape is LEFT CHANNEL only.
If I encode this to DVD the sound will only come out the left hand speaker - which is bad.
If I use some sort of Y adapter, and AV cables, the sound will be half as loud as it should be. Also, bad - I tried this before a while back when I used my old 8mm cam which was mono onto a VHS vcr. In that instance for some reason the audio did not convert to mono and come out both L&R channels. Normally VCRs of that day would interpret plugging into the L means the VCR will put the sound on both channels - mono. This one didn't - it was a peice of crap.
So that's not an option.

So, what is the best method for getting sound on both channels on the DV tape? Use Firewire from a D8 to the MiniDV?
Get the D8 and Firewire it to a PC?
Something else that I haven't thought of?

I want my end result to be mono sound on both channels on the MiniDV tape and DVD. I want to keep MiniDV as a backup, as we all know, burned DVDs don't last forever.

[jggimi]

Ah, ok. Now things are understood.

I apologize, we have Canon DV cams. I went to grab mine, and discovered that I misspoke. :)

You can, I believe, set the audio output so that both outputs produce Left channel. Menu -> Audio setup -> Output CH. -> L/L.

See if it works for you. I don't have any mono content to test with.

[Techiejustin]

Ah, ok. Now things are understood.

I apologize, we have Canon DV cams. I went to grab mine, and discovered that I misspoke. :)

You can, I believe, set the audio output so that both outputs produce Left channel. Menu -> Audio setup -> Output CH. -> L/L.

See if it works for you. I don't have any mono content to test with.

Its a ZR-85 by the way. I'll have to theck that out.
I plodded through all the menus and don't remember seeing it.

[Techiejustin]

Ah, ok. Now things are understood.

I apologize, we have Canon DV cams. I went to grab mine, and discovered that I misspoke. :)

You can, I believe, set the audio output so that both outputs produce Left channel. Menu -> Audio setup -> Output CH. -> L/L.

See if it works for you. I don't have any mono content to test with.


OK, that actually doesn't work.
It wouldbe fine is I only played the tapes on a TV - but since I'm taking it to PC - the resulting AVI file only has sound in the left channel.

[jggimi]

OK. Since this can't be solved *outside* a PC, I am moving this thread to our Audio subforum, where there may be someone who can provide audio transcoding assistance.

[tebasuna51]

If you have the DV avi (video DV, audio PCM) in PC you need:

1) Extract the wav audio (with VirtualDub or AviMuxGUI or AviSynth, ...)

2) Dup the left channel to right channel (WaveWizard or AviSynth or audio editor like Audacity, ...)

3) Mux the new audio with DV video (VirtualDub or AviMuxGUI, ...)

Do yo know these free tools?
Maybe VirtualDub and WaveWizard is the easy way.

[Techiejustin]

I know of, but never used them before.

What if I just wait until I get a Digital 8 camcorder?
How does a D8 cam handle mono sound when using Firewire to transfer video from an analog tape?

I have VirtualDub, Avisynth and the Flu. So pardon my denseness.
The NyQuil is kicking in, so before I go to bed; what is the procedure for using those tools to do all that?

In case my D8 solution wouldn't work.

[tebasuna51]

I have VirtualDub, Avisynth and the Flu. So pardon my denseness.
The NyQuil is kicking in, so before I go to bed; what is the procedure for using those tools to do all that?
1) If your avi is "G:\dv0.avi" make with Notepad a "G:\dv0.avs" file with:
AviSource("G:\dv0.avi")
left = getchannel(1)
mergechannels(left, left)

2) Open in VirtualDub the avs file. In File menu -> Save WAV... dup.wav.

3) Open in VirtualDub "G:\dv0.avi".
Video -> Direct Stream Copy
Audio -> WAV audio... and select dup.wav.
File -> Save as AVI... new_dv.avi

[Techiejustin]

1) If your avi is "G:\dv0.avi" make with Notepad a "G:\dv0.avs" file with:
AviSource("G:\dv0.avi")
left = getchannel(1)
mergechannels(left, left)

2) Open in VirtualDub the avs file. In File menu -> Save WAV... dup.wav.

3) Open in VirtualDub "G:\dv0.avi".
Video -> Direct Stream Copy
Audio -> WAV audio... and select dup.wav.
File -> Save as AVI... new_dv.avi


Ok, how do I open the AVS file in VD?

[tebasuna51]

Drag & drop or:
File -> Open video file ...and select G:\dv0.avs

VirtualDub can open .avs files like .avi files.

[Techiejustin]

Drag & drop or:
File -> Open video file ...and select G:\dv0.avs

VirtualDub can open .avs files like .avi files.

I found another way, using SOny Vegas.

I use VD to extrace the audio as a wav, open the AVI file in Vegas and add it as an audio track. Right click -> channel -> combine and its done.
Then I print to tape, and using my Canon Camera it puts that cvideo to MiniDV I can also render it as a wmv, or whatever format I want, so I can then burn it to DVD. I'm just keeping it as DV and burning that to DVD for now.
I use NeroVision Express to burn it to DVD.