Problem capturing DV audio at 16 bits

[wayback]

I have a Canon Elura 100 camcorder, which is miniDV, and I'm using XP. I recorded a tape with the audio set to 16 bits (vs the default 12 bits). When I try to import the video with DVIO set to use DV Type 2, there's no audio track. I can't get anything to play the audio, or recognize that it's there. I've tried Media Player and VLC, to no avail. VirtualDubMod shows the file has an audio track, but when I try to Save Wav, it's a zero-length file.

I know the audio was recorded on the tape because it plays back fine on the camcorder's little built-in speaker, and it plays fine through my TV.

Indeed, if I import the video in DV Type 1 format, which Windows Movie Maker does automatically, or if I select that format in DVIO, the audio plays fine. However, then it's VirtualDubMod that can't find the audio because it can't deal with Type 1.

To further complicate matters, if I record video in the camera in 12-bit mode, then I can import in Type 2 mode with full audio present.

So it appears it's the combination of 16-bit audio and Type 2 import that doesn't work. Can any one suggest what I may have done wrong to cause this?

Also, if I import in Type 1, what (freeware) can I use to extract just the audio from that into a separate PCM file? Or perhaps convert Type 1 to Type 2 after the import so VirtualDub can work with it?

Thanks for any help.

[bb]

Have you tried to use WinDV (see the Links sticky)?

bb

[JohnnyMalaria]

Try our Enosoft DV Processor (free) - it can capture to Type 1 or Type 2 and it will show you exactly which audio format you have while capturing. That way you can see if the Elura is using an unusual audio format. DV supports 32kHz, 44.1kHz and 48kHz but the 44.1 is not always supported by software. 32kHz also comes in 12-bit and 16-bit varieties. That can also confuse software.

[wayback]

Have you tried to use WinDV (see the Links sticky)?

bb

I just tried that, and I get the same thing as with DVIO. Everything works fine except the combination of 16-bit 48k audio and Type 2. The audio just isn't there, or at least nothing can find it. 16-bit works fine on a Type 1 import, and 12-bit works fine on either a Type 1 or Type 2 import, but not 16-bit on Type 2.

It seems to me it's either something peculiar about the Elura 100 that causes this problem, or something about my XP computer that produces the same effect on all DV importers. The only thing I've done involving DV is install the Cedocida 1.7 DV codec. But I don't see what difference that would make.

By the way, if one wanted to, how would one uninstall Cedocida?

Well, anyway, I found something called DVdate that will convert the Type, so with an extra step I know I can get where I need to go. Well, provided that DVdate won't balk at going beyond 4GB. Anybody know about that?

It's just all very puzzling.

[JohnnyMalaria]

Well, anyway, I found something called DVdate that will convert the Type, so with an extra step I know I can get where I need to go. Well, provided that DVdate won't balk at going beyond 4GB. Anybody know about that?

It's just all very puzzling.

If you are having problems with other capture tools stopping at 4GB, it sounds suspiciously like the 4GB limit of hard drives formatted as FAT32.

Are you using an external drive as it came out of the box? If so, it's almost certainly FAT32. You'll need to convert it to NTFS. Depending on what's on there, it might be simplest just to format it. It it would take forever to put all the files back on it, you can use the convert tool from the cmd line (type convert /? for info).

[wayback]

Well, rats.

Yesterday I was able to capture a video in Type 1 at 16-bits using WinDV. I still have that file. But today, I am unable to duplicate that - reading the same tape. And I am unable to do it using DVIO or WindowsMM. This is with no changes to the camera's settings.

I've also noticed that when I connect the 1394 cable to the camera, the 12-bit/16-bit configuration setting becomes greyed out. It seems that somehow the 1394 driver has locked things at 12 bits.

Well, this is very frustrating. I guess I'll just stick with 12 bit.

[Skelsgard]

I'm at the moment using a Canon MV30i and use WinDV to capture to my PC in Type 1 mode. Type 2 with audio is basically impossible.
The audio in Type 1 seems to be broken when trying to open it in any DirectShow player or Vegas or any other, until I tried opening it in Audition using File --> Open Audio from Video...
For some reason the file is opened as a 32Khz 16bits file, but it can be fixed in a split second with a sample adjustment (not conversion) with Edit--> Adjust Sample Rate... --> 48000 Hz

Type 2 still gives me blank audio so this solution might work for you too.
I rather have to open the audio in Audition and adjust SR than recording to 12 bits.

Later