[libdv-dev] DV output - data points

[Alastair M. <am...@pe...>]

I've been experimenting with exporting DV over the past couple of days,
and have a couple of data points for anyone struggling with this.

The short form:  works with Dazzle DV-Bridge, not with Sony TRV-103.

The longer form: my software setup:  Mandrake 8.0, 2.4.3 kernel with
Mandrake-included ieee1394 modules, and libdv, libraw, dvgrab, and
kino built from the latest downloadable tgz/rpm files (not CVS).
(dvgrab-0.99, kino-0.4b, libdv-0.8, libraw1394-0.8.2, although come
to think of it, the raw1394 module came with Mandrake, so I'm using
whatever version that is, just using the 0.8.2 header files for
building the other stuff)

It appears to work OK using a Dazzle Hollywood DV-Bridge (hardware
DV-to-analog), it appears to NOT work properly to my Sony TRV103
camcorder.  NTSC in both cases.   Using Kino to export the movie.

So far I've only tested short clips.  Watching the Hollywood output
on a TV monitor it remains dark for a few seconds then the video
comes on, I don't know if that's buffering, or sync'ing, or both.
Watching my camcorder, the viewer flickers indicating that something
is happening, and reviewing the tape shows mostly blue screen with
the occasional video frame or two (sometimes garbled).

I suspect the camcorder is more sensitive to timing and possibly
to various flags being set properly in the DV stream.  I know the
camcorder *can* record DV input because I've tested it with output
from a (Windows) setup using the Matrox RT-2000 and Adobe Premiere.

A couple of additional notes on hardware:  I tested the camcorder
and Hollywood box on different systems: the camcorder on my home
system with a D-Link 1394 card, the Hollywood box at work with an
Adaptec card.  (AMD K6-233 at home, Pentium-166MMX at work, both
with 64MB, both with fresh Mandrake installs plus the 1394/DV software).
At some point I'll either take the Hollywood box home or bring my
camera in to work and retest, so that those will be the only variables.

Right now my priority is being able to export DV via the Hollywood
box (or similar) for recording on VHS.  (Via a playlist, no GUI).
I'll be testing with PAL (the DV-Bridge supports both) in a few days
when our PAL gear arrives.

 -- Alastair

(OBTW - building Kino requires libdb1.a which doesn't appear to be part
of a Mandrake install (at least not as I installed it).  I just
copied the lib from a SuSE install on another machine here.)