scene detection direct from DV tape

[senderj]

I used DVRaptor for many years. For me, the first step to capture DV is to use DVRaptor's RapNavi to scan the tape. It scene detects the tape and saves a frame into a rnl file in each scene break. It also saves useful info of each scene such as date/time when the scene was taken. It is a very good records about the tape, even before I capture into avi file. It also helps when I want to search for a scene from my many tapes.

Recently I switched to Vista x64, DVRaptor doesn't have 64 bit driver so I can no longer use DVRaptor and RapNavi. Now I use Premiere Pro CS3 to capture. But its scene detect divided the capturing into many files, which is difficult to manage. I would like to know if there is any freeware that can do scene detect as good as RapNavi. Please help.

[Ghitulescu]

I used DVRaptor for many years. For me, the first step to capture DV is to use DVRaptor's RapNavi to scan the tape. It scene detects the tape and saves a frame into a rnl file in each scene break. It also saves useful info of each scene such as date/time when the scene was taken. It is a very good records about the tape, even before I capture into avi file. It also helps when I want to search for a scene from my many tapes.

Recently I switched to Vista x64, DVRaptor doesn't have 64 bit driver so I can no longer use DVRaptor and RapNavi. Now I use Premiere Pro CS3 to capture. But its scene detect divided the capturing into many files, which is difficult to manage. I would like to know if there is any freeware that can do scene detect as good as RapNavi. Please help.

There are 2 methods of detecting a scene change:
1. based on time (TC or RT discontinuities)
2. based on scene analysis (major differences from one scene to the next one)

you probably need the second method, and I think you need to parametrise it.

WinDV captures in RT and splits the file according to point 1 or at regular intervals (say every 5 min).

[senderj]

Ghitulescu, thanks for the reply. I've checked the WinDV's web site. It can split-capture into AVI according to timestamp. But I don't want to split and I am happy with the capture function of Premiere. What I want is a "summary" of the DV tape, with thumbnail on each scene + date/time info when the scene was taken. This is not available in Premiere.

[Ghitulescu]

Ghitulescu, thanks for the reply. I've checked the WinDV's web site. It can split-capture into AVI according to timestamp. But I don't want to split and I am happy with the capture function of Premiere. What I want is a "summary" of the DV tape, with thumbnail on each scene + date/time info when the scene was taken. This is not available in Premiere.

What I did in the past (now I don't have the time to do this so often) was to capture with WinDV, split according to timestamp, reassemble (cut, effects, sounds etc.) in a simple AVI editor (a sort of "0 calories" Premiere), output the result as an AVI (or I can send it directly to DVD-Recorder), encode it to MPEG-2, author the DVD.

For me it's easy because I'm thinking before shooting what I want to do (it's not "point-and-click") so each scene has its own meaning / role in the play. Therefore split at timestamp it's Ok for me, even if I'll end with 200 small AVIs for one tape. Because I'll switch the Windows Explorer in Thumbnails View and the AVIs produced by WinDV contain also the timestamp in their names.

Hope it helps.

[GrofLuigi]

I don't want to sound like an advertisement, but maybe Scenalyzer Live (http://www.scenalyzer.com/main.html) can do what you need?

On the download page there is a link to older free version (without LIVE) that can't capture, but can split.

GL