Widescreen from a Canon DVD camcorder

[SteveG]

Hi. My friend has a Canon DVD camcorder (I think it's a DC40 but need to confirm). He recorded some footage in widescreen. How can I get that into my computer? I used the Pryo A/V Link using the 4 pin DV output to the RCA connections it comes with but it is not WS. Would it help to use a 4 pin DV to 4 pin DV connection?

[Bobby]

Steve, first of all, getting the video that way is not the best method. The DVD video in the camera is of course digital. By using the RCA connectors you are converting to analog, and then back to digital again, with a significant loss of quality.

You would be better off just taking the DVD disc itself (make sure it is closed or finalized if the camera has that feature) and just reading it on your PC. You should be able to import the files directly.

As far as widescreen goes, the number of pixels is actually the same - just interpreted differently. Get the files from the DVD and let's see if there is still a problem.

[SteveG]

Thank you for the reply.

I tried that but the DVD couldn't be read in either my computer or a DVD player. That is why I tried the Pryo.

[Bobby]

My best guess Steve is that the DVD wasn't "finalized" or "closed". The terminology depends on the brand, I believe. But the process is the same - the file system on the DVD needs to be closed before it can be read. The DVD is kept "open" so that more video can be recorded - when you "close" it the DVD is finalized and prepared for use in a DVD player. This should be an option in the camcorder menus, and well documented in the camcorder manual.

That step cannot be skipped - the DVDs produced are useless without it.

[SteveG]

Thank you Bob. I guess I just assumed he did that but I will make sure.

[SteveG]

So we did some filming and I asked the guy not to open the camcorder when we are done. He forgot and he did it any way. I tried putting the DVD back in and finalizing but that didn't work. Does anybody know of a way to get the files directly after it has been taken out without being finalized? If not, then a way to still get the wide screen format?

[Bobby]

So we did some filming and I asked the guy not to open the camcorder when we are done. He forgot and he did it any way. I tried putting the DVD back in and finalizing but that didn't work. Does anybody know of a way to get the files directly after it has been taken out without being finalized? If not, then a way to still get the wide screen format?

Ouch, Steve. I don't know of any way to finalize a DVD. I would have thought that the camcorder should have done it - did he perhaps take it out while it was in use? Did you try putting it in your home PC and then running Nero, etc. to see what it thinks the format is?

I am not sure about your second question. Are you asking how to set the camcorder up for wide screen video?

[Paul LS]

When you have the clip in the PE7 project Media Bin right click on it and select Interpret Footage and then Conform To and select the Widescreen preset.

[Bobby]

But Paul he said he can't get the files...

[Paul LS]

Hi Bobby, I was refering to his video captured over the Pyro.

Steve you could try this method to import from the DVD
viewtopic.php?f=38&t=2469

[rfjg]

Can you play back the DVD in the camcorder ? Also found this info the the manual:

dc40-125.png

dc40-130.png

[SteveG]

He did not take it out while it was playing. We finished shooting, cleaned up and as we were leaving he just opened it up. That's when I went "Nooooooo". I have a few things to try. I did not have a chance this weekend yet but hopefully early this week I will try these suggestions.

As far as my second question, when I captured it the picture was squished like the widscreen is not 4x3. But I can try the interpret footage.

Thank you very much for the suggestions.

[Bobby]

I have very limited experience with DVD camcorders (my daughter has one). But I can't believe that you are the only person (or the other guy) who has ever taken the DVD out of the drive before finalizing it. I am sure many people have done this.

I have to believe that there is something else going on here. I would try to re-create the problem with another, new DVD blank and see what happens. If you cannot reproduce the problem (i.e. is does finalize after you put the DVD back in) then there was probably some intermittent issue that occurred. If you CAN reproduce the problem, I think it is time to contact the manufacturer.

Good luck!

[Andy_E]

Hi,

Haven't been around for a while - just getting back up to speed on things. Thought I'd pitch since I have some experience in this area.

Taking out the DVD before finalising should have no effect whatsoever. I have a DVD camcorder and I never finalise anything until I'm ready to edit.

One thing to check to see if it's finalised correctly is to place it in your computer's DVD drive, navigate to that drive letter in Windows Explorer and see if you can see any files on the DVD. I cannot with mine until it's finalised.

Second thing if you can see files what are they? Are we talking conventional DVD with .VOB files etc. in a VIDEO_TS folder?

rfjg's post where he highlighted an entry from a manual may be the issue. If you have a .VRO file on the DVD it has been recorded in VR mode and not every NLE can import those (PE 3.0 wouldn't for example - don't know about later versions). You can, however, use MPEG Streamclip to convert the .VRO file to DV-AVI.

Alternatively, I have a command-line utility I now use which extracts the clips by scene to files named according to date and timestamp on the scene - it also preserves the AC3 audio stream as well. The utility is available from here:

http://www.pixelbeat.org/programs/dvd-vr/

I know it says it's for Linux but I've recompiled a Windows version which I can make available to you if you like.

Hope that's of some help.

Andy.

[Chuck Engels]

Welcome back Andy, and thanks for the great post