1400+ dropped frames?

Norm Sanders

Norm Sanders

Script Wrangler
I just captured video that I shot tonight (about 40 minutes). It was quite a few clips (talent show), but when I was finished capturing, it stated I had 1,440 dropped frames.

Recorded on the DVX100a with Panasonic MQ tape, played it back/captured through an inexpensive JVC miniDV camcorder.

I know MQ's supposed to be the best, but quite honestly it's about the only tape I ever experience dropped frames on (usually only 1-4) ... anytime I've used cheap TDK's from Costco, not a single dropped frame.

Do you think playing it back through the JVC was the problem? I've not watched what's been captured yet to look for glitches, etc. I wanted to avoid spending 1K+ for a deck, so the miniDV camcorder seemed like the best choice.
 
I've only had an obscene number of dropped frames once while capturing. The fix for me was to restart my computer and try again and everything was fine. Did you get a head clog warning on your DVX while you were shooting?
 
Dropped frames in your NLE actually have nothing to do with the tape itself. When you were capturing your footage did you see it drop 1400 frames? If not then it is not on the tape, the info is still there, there is something wrong with your computer. This could be the hard drive or the CPU itself, it is hard to say.
Now the other issue, if you are mixing TDK and MQ tapes, you have other problems that your going to have to deal with.
 
..yeah.. you need to be sure that the camera your capturing from isnt mixing tapes as well.. its not just a DVx issue. its an issue for any camera mixing tapes.

but i too think its a computer issue. id reboot and close out of any other programs that might be running in the background or such. time after time after trillions of times people are running so many little net downloaded programs and sitting online while their dvd burner is burning something and SETI is crunching and all this other crap is going on and they cant seem to get good captures without dropping frames and wonder why. if your machine isnt dedicated to video editing already you should at least dedicate it to editing when you are editing. anythng and everything that doesnt need to be running shouldnt be when you are editing. im sure yours is already fine though. just reboot and make sure the heads are clean in the VTR cam.
 
As loser said, the problem most likely is too many resources running in the background. That and possibly are you capturing to the same drive your OS is running on??? Which NLE are you using? Do you have two HD's? <<<<<STOP MIXING TAPES>>>>>
 
..yeah the seperate AV drive is an issue often overlooked as well.. you should have your AV on a drive separate from your system OS and if possible your audio and video on drives of their own as well.
 
Yeah, I've got a good system, but do NOT have my OS on a seperate drive ... something I hope to rectify soon. I have a buddy who's actually got some 10+GB SCSI drives (10K RPM) who says he'll give me one (out of a high end server). We'll see if that, along with a couple of other minor changes can let out the beast I know lies within that system.

As far as mixing tapes, I thought the only issue was with Sony. Since everything else is supposed to be "dry lube", how can it be a problem?
 
regarding tape brand back and forth: i suggest you have your heads cleaned pronto and refrain from picking up the tdk stock at costco in the future.
 
I'll get the heads cleaned soon, but I just checked the camera & still only have 54 hours on it, which includes playback too ... up until I purchased a seperate cheaper camcorder for that purpose.
 
The switching of tapes may not be a problem cause I myself never experience frame drops. Not yet at least. Make sure you're not running multiple things while capturing. Internet pop ups and other stuff may be a factor. Take the advice of others and good luck!
 
The phrase "but when I was finished capturing" caught my eye. Final Cut Pro should warn you as it is happening. Or are you cutting on another program?
 
Cut in Vegas. It will show the number of dropped frames as it's happening, but it's only after I go to batch the capture that it comes up with the warning of dropped frames.

Even though it showed such a massive amount, I've yet to actually see any derogatory effect in any of the clips ... so after all this, it may have been nothing.

Bottom line though, I've only been warned of lost frames when using Panny's MQ tapes, not the cheaper TDK's from Costco. I'll still only use MQ's in my DVX going forward, if for no other reason because I'm a sucker for peer pressure! :-)
 
its most likely not your tapes.. the DVX will tell you when your heads are really dirty, dirty enough to get even a few dropouts. I would try and hooking up your DVX to your system and pulling it off the camera and see if that helps, as the playback heads on the dvx is gonna be better than your JVC.
 
dropped frames usually = not enough ram/memory or processor being used up by something else, or software problems. if it was 40min you might have been running low on memory? sure you might have 2gb left but the computer actually a fair amount of free memory to function properly, has anyone ever actually filled every last bit of the memory on a computers hard drive? it go soooooooooooooo slowwwwwwwwwwwwwww.
 
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