Hello,

Things to check on the card for compatibility:

Go into your device manager (start/settings/ctrl panel/system/device manager). You should see something called an OHCI compliant IEEE1394 Host Controller. That is your 1394 controller. That is one thing you need to see. If you have your camera connected to the IEEE1394 card and on you will see another option in the device manager called 'Imaging Devices'. Under that you should see your camera by name or 'Microsoft DV VCR'. If you double-click that icon you should see the driver tab for the device, and the driver provider should be Microsoft. If you have all of the above you are fully compliant with DV capture for Video Factory, VideoFactory 2.0, and Vegas Video 2/3.

Do like me. I bought a PCI Firewire adaptor card (IEEE 1394), which works perfect with DV Camcorders.

ANDREMIKE-
You must have the Mohave Dazzle capturing device that comes bundled with the Dell Movie Studio bundle. Unfortunately, I don't know anyone who has been able to get that thing to work with any other software besides VW. Dell has modified it in a way that it only works with VW.

If anyone out there has any other information on making the Mohave Dazzle (only the version from the Dell Movie Studio bundle) work with VF / VV, please let me know. Until then, I am 99% sure it will not work.

I don't have the Mohave Dazzle capturing device. I bought just the basic movie studio which was like $50.00. It only came with the card and VW. I don't have a breakout box.

Note: Just having a IEEE1394 card may not be enough. You need to be sure that the IEEE1394 adapter is OHCI compliant (Open Host Controller Interface). That is very important because it lets our application control your camera. Without OHCI compliancy we may not be able to tell your camera or DV deck what to do and you'll need to manually do so. If you read my post here you'll be alright.

ANDREMIKE-
Good for you! In that case, listen to Jdodge. He is steering you in the right direction.

VinceG, are you posting in MGI VW forum as well? just curious...

OTHERS:
I installed the software and was able to capture and control from my camera!! Now I just have to read the manual. What are the limitations of the trial version?

Does anyone have any basic tips on getting started editing, transitions....

It was recommended to use ULead DVD movie factory to create SVCD. DO you still need a burning software or does Ulead control your burner? Can you not produce in VF in a SVCD format?

This is one the things where VF is great, I suggest you just take half an hour of your time to go through the 'show me' tutorials.

Select 'help', and then 'show me'.

There are also interactive tutorials online.

Re: Ulead
Ulead is a different company and I think you are referring to Ulead's Movie Factory. VF only created Video CDs and Audio CDs. You can use the output files from VF in avi format to feed them into MV. In MV you can author VCDs, SVCDs and DVDs and burn them. There is a 30 days free trial version on their website.

Hey, it looks like the usual suspects are hanging out in a new, more upscale joint; hi, guys!

ANDREMIKE, the good advice Lody is giving you is a method that works great for me too, but just in case you didn't see my post in the "other" forum, and for the benefit of anyone who hasn't had the joy of having gone though VW, I'd like to repost here a few little tips to keep in mind if you are interested in making SVCDs with Ulead DVD MovieFactory.

First, their SVCD template is wrong. This is a bug, and it produces a non-compliant file the program itself won't let you author, but here is how to fix it:

1) Open the Video Toolbox
2) Click on the Toolbox Menu Icon in the upper left corner of the screen.
3) Select Template Manager from the list.
4) Create a new template named "Corrected SVCD Template"
5) Under General Tab, be certain frame rate is 29.97 fps and frame size is 480x480.
6) Under Compression Tab, be sure to select MPEG2 (This is where Ulead seems to have screwed up).

Now, when you batch convert, use the new "Corrected SVCD Template" that you just created, and things will work as expected.

Second, when you burn, don't select "Simulate" or "Test" (I can't remember which they call it) first if you also have Adaptec/Roxio(!) Easy CD Creator on you computer, because between the test and the burn, Ulead ejects then reinserts your CD, and the Easy CD Creator box pops up and can ruin your burn. (Anyone who has this and Nero is familiar with the problem when a blank CD is inserted, and has to close the Easy CD Creator before clicking Burn in Nero.)

That said, and hoping it will save you a couple potential headaches, Ulead DVD Movie Factory is a product I'm quite pleased with. It's easy, their encoder is quite good, and you can also capture with Ulead and do some rudimentary editing (well just trimming, really, but if sometimes that's all you want to do, there it is).

Now the thing to do is compare the Video Factory/Vegas Video Main Concept MPEG encoder with Movie Factory's built-in encoder to see which you like better. One thing I really like is that you can play around with bitrates in MovieFactory's templates and make some really nice-looking XVCDs and XSVCDs.

Hope this helps!

I just wanna say "what's up" to my good buddies Lody and pl. It's so good to see you guys over here!!!

For other readers: VinceG is referring to a group of MGI's Videowave rejects that have found their peace in switching to VideoFactory and at leat two of us now upgraded to Vegas.

Vince,

Doing great. Where at first I was using multiple applications:

capturing: Ulead Movie Factory
editing: Videowave 5
encoding: TMPGEnc
authoring and burning: Sonic's MyDVD

I now only need Vegas for the first three steps and MyDVD for the last. I purchased VW orinally because they promised to do everything. Wouldn't it be great if Sonic Foundry could provide the last step as well. I think it would show an enormous boost in sales.

Vegas does everything for me. Reverse video, slowmotion, fast motion, great affects and transitions, terrific sound control and everything with real time preview.

Where I was part of the TMPGEnc cult I now produce my DVD compliant MPEG2 files with the Vegas plugin.

I know you guys use MF for authoring. My DVD writer came with MyDVD, which can just do a bit more (link wav files to videos, intro movies, total flexibilty in creating menus). They only things I miss are motion menus and compressed audio.

What is your preferred setup at the moment?

I plan on just using VF and Ulead for burning.

I had some problems trying to create a new SVCD template. I didn't know what to select for some of the other options. Can't I just EDIT the current SVCD template to output a MPEG2 file? This is what I did. I did notice there were 2 options for MPEG2. Which one is the right one.

I finaly converted my video to the MPEG2 format and went to export it. The conversion for 15minute movie took like 2 hours. What should I select under advanced SVCD options? I tried both and seem to have failed. I was able to burn the CD but was not able to play it on my DVD player. I tried both of my players and it failed. What went wrong?

I then convert my file to create a VCD instead of a SVCD, butI didn't have a chance to try a burn because the program crashed after I tried to select background music for the selection page. I will try this again later.

I need more tips on burning and making VCD's or SVCD's..... I would rather burn SVCD because I understand the quality is better.

Have you tried the Ulead forum?

I never tried SVCD since I have a DVD burner, the default templates did not work for me and had to create my own.

If you want to understand how to creat compliant mpegs, have a look at www.vcdhelp.com

I think my problem is my DVD player can not play SVCD. It sais it can play VCD's recorded on particular media. I will have to get that media and try to burn a VCD. Thanks for the help. I can't wait to burn my first VCD. I hope the quality is all that!!!

If I can get this to work and I like the quality I plan on buying this ULEAD software.

Now I just have to learn how to use VF.. When is VF3.0 coming out? I would rather buy that!!!

Hey Lody!

Maybe you didn't know, but pl has also upgraded to Vegas Video. He told me he upgraded before both of us. HA! He was just quiet about it in the other forum. Anyway, my current set-up is:

capturing: VideoWave 4
editing: Vegas Video 3.0a
encoding: Vegas Video 3.0a
authoring and burning: Ulead DVD MovieFactory

If I hadn't been suckered into that stupid Dell Premium Movie Bundle with the Mohave Dazzle Capture device, I would also be using VV for the first 3, like you. Anyhoo... I am very satisfied with my current set-up. It works for me and that's what's important. Just think of all the people who are still struggling just to get from point A to point B and still haven't been able to produce a final product yet. Be thankful! ; )

Welcome all, to the SF forum. I have learned quite a bit from your thread- your posts are appreciated.

Thanks for the word of welcome, Pelvis!

Vince,
Although you seem to be taking it in stride, it bugs me that you had no success with a method that works well for me and gives nice results, and considering how much you help others around here, I want to take another shot at trying to help you make that SVCD, so I'm going to think out loud step by step, and maybe one of these things can help.

My guess is that VV/VF is not the problem, since you can open the NTSC DV AVI "master" you made with it in Media Player and you say it also opens in MF, but then MF doesn't encode it right, correct? So let's look at MF.

1. When you open your file in MF, do you open it in Capture Video or Author Menus? I first clicked on Capture Video, then clicked on the File icon at the bottom left, and selected All Formats from the Files of Type drop-down, and opened my VV master. I double-clicked on the thumbnail in the bottom strip and it appeared in the preview. Then I clicked on Make Movie and selected the new Corrected SVCD template I've previously described how to create. Then I wait while it encodes (it can take a while). Then I close MF and check the new file in Media Player. If your SVCD template has the standard 480x480 resolution, it plays square and horizontally squeezed in MP, unless I watch full screen.

2. Next, I reopen MF and this time I choose Author Menus, click on ADD MPEG and open my new (X)SVCD file, add chapters, background pictures and music, and then preceed to burn at 4x (no simulation first). In Advanced SVCD options, I chose the Legacy setting, which I think is what ANDREMIKE was asking about.

Excellent results! Both on my computer (WinDVD) and on my stand-alone DVD player, RCA RC5240P, a ubiquitous, run-of-the-mill machine I picked up at Walmart for cheap, but to which vcdhelp.com's compatibility list gives high marks. I guess I just got lucky.

Other thoughts:
- You mentioned you had difficulty installing MF. Maybe a bad install? Try reinstalling?
- I consider SVCD and especially XSVCD a kind of specialty "personal use" format, since not all computers or stand-alone players play them. For distibuting, good old-fashioned VCD is a lot more compatible with other people's computers and stand-alones. Most of what I burn is VCD, therefore, like for family and friends.
- Was I lucky, or were you just unlucky? I don't know, so it would be great to hear from other people about their success with this method (1. Capture and edit in Video Factory / Vegas Video, and render to an NTSC DV AVI "master." 2. Open that in Ulead DVD MovieFactory, make movie [VCD/SVCD], author and burn.)
- I'm posting this in both VF and VW forums to help as many other people as possible and to get as much feedback as possible. I'm also posting it in the VV forum, because that's where the big brains are, and if anybody can help out, it's them.

Word of encouragement to ANDREMIKE: So, how's it coming along? Any luck? Gambatte, as they say in Japanese.

Lody, you're in the big leagues, doing DVDs. I envy you, but I think I'll wait until they settle on a standard (DVD-R, DVD+R, etc.) and for when prices come down a bit too, both for the burners and the media. I don't mind tossing the occasional 50¢ CD coaster in the garbage, but $10 to $15 DVD coasters might start to hurt after a while. And I used to use TMPGEnc too, and I certainly can't fault it for video quality, but it always gave me audio that was a bit scratchy and tinny, even with the TOOLame plugin, and you know I'm a bit of a stickler for audio, so unless the newer versions (past 3 months) have improved on audio, I'm perfectly content with the VF/VV - MF combo, whose audio is smoother and clearer. One fewer steps, too, now.

Version 2.0c is fairly new. Why wait for version 3. As far as I know it has not been announced. And what would you expect to change in that version.

Well acording to VCDHELP.com I don't believe my DVD players will play SVCD's. It seems they will only play VCD's. They go on to list the types of CDR and CDRW that might work with my type of player. I only had FUJI and Verbatim CDR and burned VCD's on that media but was not able to get it to work. I will have to get some CDRW to see if those will work on my DVD player..... I really like MF and all the stuff it can do, but I just have to find a media that works with my player.

Could there be any other settings in MF that maybe I can alter to get the VCD to work on my DVD player?

I thought someone said on one of the forums that V3 would be coming out..... I just like to buy the newest versions.....